Life in Lincoln So Far...

It's been a while since I posted any entry on this public domain of free expression, and suddenly, a hyper me after a super sweet cuppa Costa coffee feel like penning something.

Yes, I'm in the UK right now, in the 4th week of the third semester of my masters program. So far, it has been interesting the semester in Lincoln, despite the exhaustion and cold I felt last week when we were out there in the field in Riseholme campus. Beautiful place, but definitely COLD is in the dictionary! Hahaha!

Simulated mass grave which we digged out last week in Riseholme College

 

 

I was in Cambridge two weekends ago and it is a perfect tiny little university town which holds one of the prestigious universities in the world. I had the opportunity to walk around the campus/town and find it intriguing if I were to study there. Lovely river Cam which runs in the city, and definitely beautiful gardens surrounding the campus and residential colleges. Queen's College was my favourite. The serenity within the college itself is undescribeable. And yes, the pristine state of life there brings peace to my heart :)

 

Last Saturday, which was just two days ago, I took the courage to drive from East Midlands to West Midlands to pick up my luggages in Vanessa's and Eva's homes (separate districts). First time is always adventurous and yes, I did it!!! I picked up my clothes and all other things which I don't really need to survive yet I have them out of vanity of life previously. Beautiful drive and God has been merciful to bless me with almost perfect, non-rainy weather throughout the drive to and fro Lincoln. Then I realize that Lincoln is home right now. The relief of going home when I finally arrived in Lincoln yesterday morning was something I never expected yet I am at peace with right now :)

 

I have class in 30 minutes, so it's time to gobble some home-made Mexicana cheese sandwiches. More coffee? Haha. Maybe not, if not I wouldn't be able to stop talking all together ;)

 

Oh yeah, another exciting moment is going to happen end of this week. I'm going to London for Les Miserables in the Queen's Theater!!! It's going to be an awesome outing, I pray, with a nice cheerful lad. May God be with us as we travel from north and south to meet in Central London on Saturday morning. Amen!

Academic Year 2012/2013 in Lincoln, UK

The term has started. Summer vacation had ended. Classes resumed. Life abroad once again.

I guess the best phrase to describe how I am right now is "in a limbo". I'm still dreamy, sleeping and eating a lot. In other words, "pigging". I know that it takes time to get over the vacation mode and all but with the upcoming classes and project preparation, I have no idea where all these are leading me to. Sheer exhaustion, maybe? I know I am blessed, in the nation where international students complain that fees are exorbitant and not enough chemicals in the lab to go around for their projects and lacking of support blah blah..., I'm fully sponsored by Erasmus Mundus for two whole years (a year had passed since) to study and get a short research project done by end of July 2013. How blessed can one get? I can only have God to thank and rely on for this abundant grace.

The potential for a month in Malaysia during the December-January winter break is definitely tempting... Yum yum... But chances of me staying in Europe/UK after this are slim enough for me to consider touring some of the European countries which I haven't stepped my foot on... Travel or home?? Travel? Home?? Both are equally tempting!

Some of my coursemates commented without thinking much that I worry too much. I am a born planner. Used to be a worrier. Yet right now, despite anxious in trying to plan my way around, I worry of nothing much really. Yes, I felt challenged and upset when people carelessly trying to "assure" me not to worry too much. I learned one thing, it is good to have plans, though sometimes plans DO change greatly. Been there, done that. Yet, I still enjoy the changes which take place in my life though these changes, too, wrecked my plans. This is growth and experience that money cannot buy. So, why not plan first? Why not plan ahead? Being flexible with a plan is better than choosing to be so flexible that there is no plan ahead. So yes, I AM PLANNING what should happen after I'm done with my EM Masters in Forensic Science. If I want to get a good stipend for a Ph.D position somewhere, I need to start planning ahead. And with a lot of prayers and trusting that God is the Author of my life, I'm sure I'll be somewhere He has in mind for me. So, yes, PLAN. And please, people who think I worry too much, get out of my life, for goodness sake!! LOL. Not that they are in my life anyway, except those times when I become a useful tool to them.

Alright, time to get ready. I'm blessed by God with good friends here in Lincoln... One would be accompanying me to visit Riseholme College in the countryside for a couple of hours and few will be gathering for Asian dinner later. How great Thou art, my Lord and my God!!!

Surprised by Oxford - Carolyn Weber

I requested to review this book a year ago when I started a new chapter of my life in Europe. It took me a year to read this book. By taking it slowly, the testimonial of Carolyn Weber made a deep impression within me. I am encouraged by her choice despite being 'different' as in being a Christian in the world. This book will definitely give an impact to anyone who finds it hard to accept the existence of God, newly-baptized Christians struggling to 'fit in' as well as for those who have been Christians their whole lives. Also, she entwined within her conversion story another story of how God comes first in all relationships and how she met her husband. This is definitely a book which I will recommend to everyone.

Disclosure of Material Connection:I received this bookfree from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com [...] book review bloggers program. I was not required towrite a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255[...] :"Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

God the Joker

When people said our God is a joker too, it was pretty hard for me to imagine. But indeed. He plays funny jokes that bind people together. The decision to stay in KK for vacation which I made was kind of unplanned, uncertain, unsure. Yet, I have decided to trust that He will provide me with means of transporting myself somehow.

This is part of Him being the Joker...
I went out this morning to Kingfisher without knowing how will i be going home later. my final meeting was with Aunty Agnes who had a meeting in church so I tagged along so as to meet Jesus in Blessed Sacrament. Also to figure out how to go home later. i thought i saw my friend's car so i texted her. By the time I entered the chapel, i told God to provide to my need. a message from my friend... Gues what?! she is right there in the chapel!

This made us laughed until tears formed in our eyes. It has been a while since a divine joke happened to me for sure. It was a direct practical of 'walk by faith, not by sight' (c.f. 2 Cor 5:7). What I truly believe is He provides all that I need, though not always according to my wants. and always... in His good time..

Weekend Away to Cardiff

I'm on the last weekend prior to my 6-week vacation in Malaysia (plus the craziness of visa application). I'm very blessed to have met awesome Sabahan friends who are residing in UK right now :) We're on a road trip to Cardiff this weekend to watch the London 2012 Olympics women's football match between Great Britain and Cameroon. Definitely blessing from God to have the golden opportunity to be a part of Olympics in my lifetime. Despite the fact that an unfortunate situation happened to one of us just yesterday, she has decided to go ahead with our plan. I'm proud of being her friend, and admire her ability to cope with composed mind. I see how God is working in her life.

Going to Cardiff is like tracing path of a dear friend to me. This person used to be there for quite a bit yet I can never fully understand the conditions of the place this person used to live. Stepping my foot there perhaps may lend me a helping hand to better understand my friend.

This whole year, God is my Pillar of Strength when I'm weak and my Hope when all hope seemed lost. Never once did He abandon me despite my frequent delinquency. Instead He remains there until I decide to let Him out from my invisible pocket of life. Nothing is greater than His amazing love for us. Wrapping up this academic year in Europe and a new journey starting in the UK in September, I really hope and pray that God will continue being my center of life and may all the friendships I share with people from all walks of life be according to His plan which is to prosper and not to harm me (c.f. Jer 29:11).

I find that God calls me to be His witness despite my imperfections and shortcomings. I can never justify my past, but through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, my body becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit. Hence, it's my honor when God calls me to His witness to spread His good news to the ends of the earth. Whatever He has in mind for me, I trust it's the best for me.

"Here I am, Lord, is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if You lead me,
I will hold Your presence in my life."

Assumptions AREN'T Truth

In case you assume you have never assumed something, then you must be God. I'm not God, and I assume too many times too. Imperfect! Horrible! If Cindy does it, then Cindy is big bad guy. But when others do, well... it's normal apparently. ROFL!! I must be some stone age personality in museum!

Yet, I know and have been reminding myself to not assume, because I know assumptions are not truth, no matter how old or how "grown up" we are. Take it lightly or seriously, frankly speaking, none of my business.

Assumption no. 1 people always make is grownups don't forget easily and manage their lives awesomely. We must be a pendrive if that's the case. Even pendrive sometimes loses the data and requires reformatting of its system. A reminder will not kill, seriously. Even adults messed up. Open any news site and you can read a recent report of Colorado shooting where 24-year-old guy shot people to death in cinema. And how HIV is still being transmitted despite people having the knowledge of how it transmits. Call that grownups. Yeah. Grownups indeed. A bunch of kids playing Montessori playgroup games.

Assumption no. 2 people usually make themselves believe is this: individuals are how they want themselves to see, and not who these individuals really are. Not truth but just a fantasy of their minds and all the gossips and judgements they assume of the someone. We might as well become fishes in the aquarium and let "visitors" assume we are what they think they know.

Stop assuming what you perceive as truth, and start seeking the real thing. Why use a fake leather bag when you can afford a real deal? I started to try to seek truth about people whom I know. Why people still wander in the desert when they can stay in the oasis? No se. Locos? Maybe.

Blessed day.

It's Time to Say Goodbye

Time flies. Love stays. Truly. Indeed.

Swiftly 5 months passed me by without me realizing. My final module here in Portugal ended last Friday. Reality jolt. I'm leaving Lisbon, a city I have grown comfortable to for the past few months. Another two days and I'm heading to Madrid to gather with Malaysians living in Spain, and the flight to UK. It is harder than I imagined to bid farewells, to the senior citizens I met in Igreja Corpo Santo's Irish Dominican parish, to my two Malaysian friends residing in Lisbon, and to the foreign friends I met in church..

I said goodbye to my Slovakian friend after mass over light lunch, hoping one day our paths will cross again. Earlier I bade goodbye to Gosia from Poland, then Agi from Hungary, promising we'll meet during summer. Plans changed and I'm going home earlier than I planned. There's UK visa application to submit and administration work to complete prior to my proper summer vacation home.

I have come to love colourful Lisbon and it's a huge pity that I didn't even visit Porto nor Coimbra nor Faro. I will try to make it to caveman's "Disneyland" Sintra before leaving. I will be back next summer for sure, to cover places I didn't cover. Though the banking system sucks and education system was far too relaxed for my likings, life is good here. Especially spiritual nourishment to feed my spirit man. It is appreciative that I went for pilgrimage to Fatima. GOD called me to Europe as a witness for His church. I hope I have been doing my part of witnessing despite being a woman of imperfections.

Meeting a special virtual friend who carves his name on my prayer list this early June too is a blessing from God. My almost daily encounter with him made me realize my needs are more important than my expectations and God will fill in my needs according to His time. My expectations and desires instead may not be healthy for me. Nobody would say McD is healthy food but everybody craves for it once in a while. Also, the need for me to be honest with myself and with God about how I feel. It's a daily challenge for me, for living in denial is always a more comfortable option for me. So facing this virtual friend, I'm brought to the level of being completely honest with him for once. I have no idea if we would ever meet but I look forward being still completely honest if we could become true friends in real life.

Two more days to go. Plenty to pack before DHL picks up my luggage... Adios!