exploring my hood china town 1 of many and misc

So this blog post will cover some mundane things and some more exploring.

About work: So it’s picking up a bit. It helps that I went a little out of my way and attached myself to an American grad student named Nick. He’s been great. He goes out of his way to make sure I get practice and explains everything to me. Plus we get along (and that’s never bad). The other people are also opening up to me. For example Fanny and I are becoming friends. Fanny is the main intern, since Zhan Xing (the post doc all us interns got posted too) has been out for family reasons she’s (fanny) been leading me and Saranya (when I’m not working with Nick). She friended me on facebook and we walk home over a shortcut that her landlord showed her (she leaves in the same area I do). She seemed to be interested in being friends which I’m all for except she leaves in 3 weeks but hey a friend is a friend no matter how short the time.

Other: I’ve been doing some exploring around my neighborhood. The MDIS building (it’s a university) across the street has this cool fence of the worlds sages covering from Pasteur, to Shakespeare to Disney. And I found a few other hawker centers not that it really matters, unless I’m out with people or can make my food at home eating becomes much less important. Yes I said that. I really dislike eating alone; it takes all the fun out and just makes me feel lonely. So instead of eating solid breakfasts and dinners like I used to eat I eat a few buns or protein bars, or some form of peanut butter and fruit. But I eat fairly large lunches and will eat full meals if I’m out with people so I’m in no danger of not eating well.

Normal Telling tales of my adventures: Yesterday Claire and I (who get along so well it’s ridiculous) went for dim sum and an initial exploration of china town. I had thought that we wouldn’t get dim sum since all the places I had found online where expensive and formal! But then Nick pulled through for me! Turns out he used to live in China Town and recommended this tasty place named Yum Cha. We ate and were happy :D

Then we explored China town where I found 90% of the gifts I will be sending home at some point…. We also visited the two temple i had taken pics of before. They where way cool on the inside too! We got to watch a ceremony type thing at the Hindi (i think) temple which involved loud drum and some kind of horn music, and the repeated bathing of some statues in what i assume where water, milk and some orange/yellow stuff. The Chinese temple was totally ornate and had Buddhas every where. Totally eye candy! Claire and I had to put these pillowcase like things to cover our exposed skin on. Temples where totally cool. Back outside,Claire got a scroll with her name in Chinese calligraphy painted. asides from the temples China town was pretty cool but not so much different from any other China Town. I really like how raising in the distance you could see all these ultra-modern buildings framed by these old building and lantern strings.

We back to Claire’s hood and had great ice cream at this place called Udders. It made me miss N’ice Cream L but it was tasty J

Then we tried durian. Actually not that bad, just not good.

Udderly delish ice cream and waffle!

durian segments

The day was capped off with a  BBQ pool party as held by Claire’s landlord. I meet a bunch of cool expats most from the US but one from England the other was Scottish. The Scottish guy Kenny cracked me up and I cracked him up. When Claire and I came back in from trying the durian and started talking to everyone he couldn’t stop giggling. To him we were a comedy duo with our very different body types and a tendency to finish each other sentences. But I laughed at him later. He was BBQing with a out a shirt and turned around to put stuff on the table and I busted up. His belly and chest where all red from the heat of BBQ; it looked like sun burn and stuck around the whole evening. I even got to use “tickled me pink” which is a phrase I love and this way it even had a lame double meaning! I love stuff like this! Anyway all the expats were chill and I had a good time. The fact that everyone else was drinking (with the exception of Claire sort off) didn’t actually make me feel uncomfortable. It probably helped that I left before it became a shit show. People asked if was drinking but no one ever tried to pressure me into drinking or felt threatened by the fact that I didn’t part take. So yeah it was nice. I recommendations for other stuff to do, and enjoyed their company.