"Happiness Is A Journey, Not A Destination..."

Pheww....I've finally found some time to update my blog!! Well...have been busy with never-ending tests and quizzes lately...and I'm kinda tired coz I've been staying up late every night!! This is the difference between the system in US & M'sia, I used to have only one mid-term test, one assignment & one final exam per semester...and of course...more emphasis is put on final exam. Whereas over here...there'll be tests throughout the entire semester and they are all almost equally weighted...so as long as you keep up with studies...it is actually quite easy to do well. I also know that my friends in AFA 2 have been stressed out with final exams for the past few days, so juz wait till ya'll finish exam only update my blog...haha!! :) Anyway, something nice have been goin on lately and I'm very happy...hehe!! :p

20-21 September 2008: Birmingham Trip

I had been hoping to go to Birmingham and I was glad when Cristina said that her host family in Birmingham will be comin' over to pick her up during the weekends. So I 'muka tebal' and ask if I can tag along...yeah!! Denver (Cristina's host dad) came to UAH on Saturday morning and it took us about 2 hours to arrive Birmingham. As compared to Huntsville, this is a bigger city and I finally saw some taller buildings over here...felt like I was back in KL...haha!! Daniel brought me for a tour around Birmingham...we went to the Vulcan Park, visited University of Alabama in Birmingham (coz Daniel is studying in UAB) and went for dinner and movie after that. Even though this trip was kinda short, I really had a great time and enjoyed it a lot...hehe!! :)

The Vulcan Park...world's largest cast iron statue!

Picturesque view of Birmingham from the top of the statue...very beautiful!!! :)

Birmingham's history is shown here too...

UAB campus is nice ler...how i wish TARC will be as nice....I muz be dreamin'....haha!!

Daniel, Kedar & I went to PF Chang's for dinner. 2 weeks in a row...last week was in Bridge Street...this week in Birmingham...haha!! Chinese food...yummy!!

 

15-19 September 2008: Week 6

I'm juz gonna recap some of the things that had been going on last week. I used 'cherish' as my title for my last blog and I'm still gonna be using this word this time. I was shocked when I heard that one of the student in UAH was killed in an accident while she was riding her bike to class last Monday. I am also riding my bike to class everyday and I feel so sorry for what happened to her. It just reminds me how short and unpredictable life is...so CHERISH what we have now, enjoy every moment of life to the fullest & never regret living any single day!! "Cherish it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with...and remember that time waits for no one!!" -- WuChun 

The university had a memorial for Sarah and I attended it as well.

I am playing a stock simulation game for my investment class and last week...I realised that I was ranked last in the class...OMG...very 'sia sui' la...ruined my mood nia. And guess what happened next day...I jumped up to 5th then 4th and I'm now ranking 3rd....woohoo!!!

It was Friday night (party night) and I was 'asked' to go to the fraternity...haha!

13 September 2008: Company Picnic @ Monte Sano State Park

I've been following Anna to her 'family gathering' for 3 weekends continuously...haha!! She's really being a good american host...I really appreciate all that she has done to make us feel home over here!! Having her as my roommate is definitely one of the best thing...hehe!! 

Nice scenery of the valley

13 September 2008: Bridge Street

Daniel came over for the weekend and we went to Bridge Street on Saturday night. We went to P.F. Chang's chinese restaurant and it was my first time eating chinese food since I came here....yum yum!!! We went to Monaca Pictures for a movie after that...hehe!! Bridge Street is a very nice place...luv it!! 

Websites with my photos....hahaha!!! :)

Cherish!

So fast...I've been here for 1 month already!! Time really flies when we are enjoying ourselves! I can still remember clearly the moment when I received the call from US Embassy telling me that I've been selected for this scholarship...gosh...that was 5 months ago!! Looking back...from months of anticipation...till the moment I boarded the plane and started my UGRAD journey here in US...adapting to the new environment...meeting so many amazing friends...etc...Itz still kinda unbelievable that I'm actually here realising my dream of studying abroad!! I'm really thankful for all the blessings that I've got and I cherish everything that I have now.

Well, I updated my blog a bit late coz I had been spending time preparing for test and quiz last week. The next test will be on the following week so at least I still can relax a lil' this week.

5 Sept 2008 (Friday): Celebrity Party

Over here in US...Friday nite=Party nite...haha!! One of the fraternitites had a 'celebrity party' last week but I didn't go so juz took some photos with my friends since they dressed up so nice...haha!!

6 Sept 2008 (Saturday): Alabama Football Nite

We followed Anna to her grandma's house to watch Alabama football on Saturday nite. It's so nice of her to invite us over...appreciate it...thank you so much, Anna!!

This is how I usually study...see how I multitask...haha!! I'll study in the living room to prevent me from 'multitasking'.

My Japanese homework & quiz...not bad huh!! I got the highest score in class for the pop quiz...hehe!! As for accounting test, I scored 90...could have done better than that...have been relaxing too much.

12 Sept 2008 (Friday): Vietnamese Lunch, Asian Market, Mexican Dinner

Went for lunch with Albert, another Malaysian over here in UAH. Heard that there are only 3 Malaysians over here!! We went to a Vietnamese restaurant (forgot the name)...the food was good and I was eating noodles for the 1st time here...yummy!! :)

Followed Fiona & Michael to another Asian market this week...got some 'familiar' food for myself...yeah!!

Anna offered to bring us to a Mexican restaurant for dinner...she's really a nice roommate!! So 'got heart' layan 2 of us international students...haha!!

Casa Blanca restaurant

The yummi-licious food! O-yishi!!

Thank you Anna!!

3 Weeks!!!

It has been 3 weeks since I arrived and I feel like I've been 'imprisoned' in the campus...gosh...I can't believe that I haven't even been to downtown Huntsville yet!!! We had a long weekend last week because of the Labor Day holiday and at least I've finally got out of the campus...woohoo!!:)

31 Aug 2008 (Sunday):

Uyanga's birthday was supposed to fall on 30 Aug, same day as my eldest brother (Happy 25th Birthday to 大哥!!). Dragan & Aleksandar called us to go over to their room to give a surprise party to Uyanga...almost all sponsored students were there to celebrated her 20th birthday. I was the first one to celebrate my birthday over here 2 weeks ago but I didn't have a party like this...too bad...hehe!!

Happy 20th Birthday to Uyanga!!

30 Aug 2008 (Saturday):

I followed Anna & Daniel to their grandpa's lakehouse at Smith Lake and it was indeed a nice trip! We don't have lakehouses in Malaysia so it was something new for me...the scenery was nice and the surrounding was tranquil and relaxing! I had a great time meeting their family, eating delicious food, swimming in the lake and enjoying every bit of the scenery over there!! Their grandpa wanted to bring us around the lake in his boat but too bad the engine wasn't working...maybe next time...haha!! I'm glad that Anna & Daniel invited me to tag along...hehe!! I came back and realised that I didn't take many photos....aargh!!

On the way to the lakehouse...about 1.5 hours journey

Nice scenery!!

Didn't managed to go for a boat ride...took photos instead lo!!

Enjoyin' the sun in the lake

29 Aug 2008 (Friday):

Fiona suggested to go to the Asian market to have a look so we followed Michael's car to a Japanese/Korean shop nearby. They were selling all sorts of things from Japan & Korea but since I don't need to cook, I didn't buy anything...haha!

Along the streets in University Drive

Asian market where they sold all Japanese & Korean stuffs...

We went to Books-A-Million too!

Usually, Friday night over here means party night. But we didn't go anywhere...instead...we had a small 'party' in our suite. Anna's brother, Daniel came over from Birmingham and spent the night here. Uyanga, Sabina, Emil and Drew also came to our suite and it was kinda fun havin' more guests in the house...haha!! :)

Daniel....'leng chai' bo??

Finally, I've got photos of 2 of my lovely roomies!! Anna & Cristina!! Another roomie, Danielle went home during the weekends...so didn't join us.

The books that I bought for the Fall semester...super expensive!!

Chatting with mum & dad.....and my snacks...haha!!

More photos of our campus....nice or not??

There's a lake too!!