How Malaysian Are You??

I'm stealing this survey from Dawn's blog: How Malaysian are you? :P It was actually administered by the Star Online. It's a mini-questionnaire on how malaysian you are based on your actions and knowledge about happenings in the country.

Apparently (hmmph....) I'm only like 50% malaysian. WHY WHY WHY????

I SOOOO want to be more Malaysian. Kekekeke. When asked where I'm from I say I'm from Malaysia, not japan not korea. :( I don't speak much BM. When in Malaysia, I try to smile at random ppl on the streets. I wouldn't attempt to bribe a policeman if I could. I don't criticize the government like there's no tomorrow. I sing praises about the level of civic-consciousness among Malaysians. I don't spit. I don't park illegally. I don't jump line and pretend like I didn't know what I just did. I'm an average Malaysian. Really I am! (or isit?)

It's just weird how once you get to overseas, you suddenly become more patriotic in terms of identifying yourself as Malaysian. Suddenly you realize you're Malaysian Chinese and not just Chinese.

Happy Valley

Now I know why it's called Happy Valley. Everyone is Happy Happy. Hahaha. Everywhere you go, people smile at you. Even if they know you're an international student, they still smile at you. And when you're lost and ask for directions, they patiently tell you or give suggestions to you. Maybe mountain people are just friendlier???? Hmmph....

And guess what? Penn State has its own creamery! Yum yummm. We make our own ice-cream and it's famous! The milk from the cow is transformed into creamy ice-cream within 40 hours apparently. And the founders of Ben & Jerry came here to learn how to make ice-cream!!!! But they got a C or so I heard. hahaha.

Penn State's downtown is so quaint. There are boutiques, second-hand bookstores, cafes and even mainstream abercrombie & fitch. And I found a japanese restaurant that serves cheap and delicious sushi. Kekeke.

So all in all, my first week or two in Happy Valley has been above expectations. Hahahah. :)

Masons Keepe, Manassas, Virginia, United States

Let me introduce to you Mei Xiang, resident panda bear of Washington D.C.'s zoo. Cute eh?? It looks like she's merajuking. Hahaha.

It was awesome visiting the zoo. I think it's been 10 years since I've gone to one. I loveeeee animals. Let me show you the other animals I saw....

Mrs. King Kong is showing signs of hostility towards visitors of the zoo :( Perhaps she had a quarrel with Mr. King Kong.

Besides the zoo, me and Chia also visited the Holocaust Museum, recording the history of Jews sufferings. If anyone weren't sympathetic about the Jews' lifecourse, they will be once they've seen this museum. Because my attention lifespan for museums lasts only about 1 hour-1 1/2 hours, we were only able to see half of what was offerred. I'm definitely going back to finish it. :P

I FINALLY walked past the WhiteHouse. Apparently, there are snipers everywhere around the WhiteHouse to protect the dearest President. DanG! I couldn't accomplish my mission of throwing rotten eggs at the WhiteHouse. Didn't want to end my life right there and then! It would be such a waste. Hahaha. Chia was super paranoid about our every movement. So afraid that we would get hit if we acted in any way suspicious. Kekeke

And I saw the reflecting pool and Lincoln's Memorial! The film location of one of the scenes in Forrest Gump. Okay okay I'm sure the memorial has more significance than a film location but all I know is the building's meant to commemorate the respected Abraham Lincoln. Too bad the memorial was located above a hill and in order to reach it I would have to climb god knows how many steps. I decided to forego actually seeing the statue of Mr. Lincoln. :( My legs hurt after traipsing around D.C. the whole afternoon.


P.S.: I finally got my Apple laptop! YAY! Now I've got to figure out how to use it. :))))

P.P.S.: I love chia's new apartment. SOSOSOSOSO much more luxurious than any of Purdue's apartment I've been to. This area called Fairfax is supposedly a wealthy place. Lots and lots of mansions and Merz and BMWs and Infinitis. Sighhh...me poor poor student.

Bumpy Ride

HauVoon, Jess, Irene, Me, Hsiao and Alvin at Starbucks playing Taboo for me last time!!

I'm finally back in the U.S. after what seemed like an eternity of never-ending flights and transits. This has not been a smooth journey back let me tell you. A summary of my adventure is highly due:

• 1 1/2 hours of flight from Penang-Singapore on Wednesday night
• 1 1/2 hours of transit at Changi airport
• 13 hours of flight from Singapore to Frankfurt
• 2 hours transit at Frankfurt airport
• 8 hours of flight from Frankfurt to New York
• 2 hours of hurried madness to check-in in time for my domestic flight
• 2 hours of delay at JFK airport due to apparently imminent terrorist attack *rolling my eyes*
• stripped off all my toiletries and liquids
  
• 2 hours of flight from New York to Washington D.C.
• 1 hour of confusion about the whereabouts of my luggage which in the end arrived only on the following day
  
• 40 mins of taxi ride to Chia's apartment

Sighhhhh....Boy did I really need a shower by the end of my journey. I've never seen so many babies and toddlers in a single flight before. There was a toddler in front of me on the SIA flight, one behind me (kicking relentlessly the whole time-why doesn't the mother try to stop him?!?!), and two on my right. My backpack stank of baby poo at the end of my flight. Sighhhh again. I was praying hopelessly that the person behind me wouldn't detect the distinctive smell of poo poo.

At the imigration counter, there was only ONE security officer to check all of us visitors in. ONE OFFICER. But there were like five counters open for U.S. citizens. Wow...why doesn't the U.S. government just issue an official statement about how much they welcome foreigners.

This whole incident seems like a nightmare to me. I think I was too tired to react to them taking away my toiletries. I was emotionally monotonous. If only I had arrived one day earlier, one day and this would not have happened. Arghhh! Then again, if I had left one day later, I wouldn't be allowed any hand-carry at all and I don't think I'll survive a 1 1/2 day journey without my hand-carry. :)

On a lighter note, guess what happened in the flight to U.S.

Me: Hie! Can I have a glass of white wine please? (to warm me cold body up)
Air-hostess: *looks puzzled* Okay sure.
Air-hostess: Urm...we do not have a drinking age but we would advise those below 21 not to drink at all.
Me: Huh?? But I'm 22!
Air-hostess: Oh...I'm sorry! That's a compliment actually.
Me: Isit really??? I find it quite insulting. Hmmph.

Yippee do deyyy yippee do daaa

I got a digicam! I got a digicam! :))) I'll be able to post many many more pics from now onwards.

This is me....horrible eh? Haha. Me at my most candid! Courtesy of my bro. Hmmph.

I'll be flying off 2 days from now. In some ways I'm excited to start a new life in a different university but I'll be missing my family and friends too. Sayonara to tasty foooood. Oh my beloved char koey teow, we will see each other again I'm sure. Sayonara to cheap shoes. I'll have to do with the pairs I have for the next few months. Sayonara to my comfy bed, to hitz.fm....

Oh but glad I am to get rid of Penang traffic. CRAZY CRAZY drivers. I will never understand why we drive the way we do. Only in Penang can you find motorcycles riding in the opposite direction of the lane. sighhhh developed nation konon.