the way home
10:08 p.m. || 2012-07-27 |
I never have thought to be able to get a job before convocation! Considering I have never succeeded at a single work interview my whole life and that I very almost went into round three for internship placement. I am totally prepared to be the last person in my batch to get a job. Out of maybe ten resumes I sent, three replied and called me for an interview. And I got three offers! That's freaking amazing. But the point is, none of the three interviews were what I expected. The first one, we chatted about Beijing train lines. The second one, we chatted about selling slippers. The third one, we chatted about publishing our own books. Mr Duffy once told me that I am the kind of person that has the inside but not the outside. The kind of person that people would not take seriously. And he's right. I am lucky because the jobs I applied for require for a writing test and freelancing gave me practice through the months. And the interviewers were all very encouraging. And so, last week of freedom before embarking on a new writing journey. :)
It was also ironic how the first time I actually did something with Epiphany was when I graduate.
Then comes the trouble. 1. Mosquitoes aplenty. There were 50-ish bites on my body. I counted. I was bitten everyday and everywhere, until I was numb to being bitten but it still itches like crazy. Long pants. $7 but still money. (after which the mosquitoes and sand-flies start attacking my toes and arms. -_-�) 2. The JBOG gang I went with, sure knows how to enjoy life. Climbing mountains and chasing non-existent sunrises everyday only meant one thing. Massage time at night! (Also because the Xiapu town is so small and does not have much entertainment.) The massage parlour was high-class and felt like a hotel with tv in the massage rooms and free buffet. It had been raining everyday, the ground was wet and muddy, my slippers had gotten stuck in the mud countless times�But on the second last day of the trip, I experienced the worst mountain-climbing ever. For some reason it was extremely slippery on that mountain and I slipped every few steps on the way UP. I pulled up so many weeds and bent so many branches while holding on to them for dear life. For the first time on the trip, I was scared. Next, was the way down after the shoot. I genuinely thought I was going to stay up there forever, or at least until the grounds dry up. And then, I made it down alive, with the help of four other people. Walking in front of me to check the safe spots to step on, walking behind me and grabbing me so that I wouldn�t fall, helping me carry my stuff and lending a literal helping hand here and there, and all the encouragements to soothe my fears. Seriously, touched beyond touched. It is always the people around that make a place, or a journey, so memorable. <3 That night, Xiao Lai (our guide from the Xiapu photography association) came to our rooms to collect the payment for the tour. I emptied out my wallet of the money I put aside for this payment and asked, �明天有去爬山吗?� and then I panicked. No way will I endure the same ordeal again. �哦�没有啦..因为我的拖鞋坏了..又很滑..所以想问明天的状况..� and then he left. the next morning, at 3am, I received a morning call from the hotel reception. �您好,您的鞋子在柜台,请过来拿。� There was a pink plastic bag, a shoe box and a pair of brand new canvas shoes with laces neatly placed at the side. I was stunned, and really really happy. The shoes was jeans-blue, with white specks, looking kind of artistic, and the back part of the shoes is soft and comfortable! People who know me would know that I am very picky with shoes. BUT I REALLY LOVE IT! It was size 37, I tried it on and IT COULD NOT FIT. I was devastated, not because it could not fit (I�m a a size 39) but because I did not know what to do and what to tell him. I ran back down to the reception and asked �这双鞋子是几时送来的?� (machiam some idol drama show ><) and she said the night before. So I waited at the hotel lobby with the rest of the group, thinking of what to tell him. He did not turn up. He overslept. (and totally adding on to my guilt. did he oversleep cos he slept late getting and delivering my shoes omg.) It was too late for sunrise by the time he came, and it was also raining heavily so there would be no sunrise, and because it was the last day everybody was tired of climbing mountains, so we didn�t climb mountains in the end. -_-� When I finally got a chance to talk to him later in the day, I told him my feet can�t fit the shoes and he said he will go and change another pair for me. �我看那个卖鞋的女生个子和你差不多,就以为脚也差不多..这个款式还可以吧?我觉得挺漂亮的。� Then I asked how much the shoes cost and that I will pay him back. �很便宜的,路边摊随便路过看到,才十多块钱(人民币)..� He blatantly lied to me and refused to let me go with him to change the shoes. >< Sure enough, he went to change the shoes after lunch, and refused to let me pay him back no matter what I say, insisting that it�s a present from a friend. I gave up, went back to my room, dug through my luggage, found a leather keychain of a camera that I bought for myself in Xiamen and decided to give it to him. I wondered if he will accept it. He did, and I think he really like it as well. I was super glad. 这双鞋,代表着霞浦人的好。 When travelling, there will always be nice and friendly people around. But people who go out of their way to help, people who quietly do so in the background, are rare. These are the people who gives me the genuine good vibe, the people I will always remember, and the reason why I am in love with travelling. :)
thankful for twin for being who she is, for the fact that we met 2 people in 5 minutes who thought we were sisters, for reminiscing about the best times of our lives. thankful for my drama friends who guarantee joy and laughter, for always being able to read my mind, for the fact that it all started from one mere elective and yet we're still going strong. thankful that my aunt who is battling with cancer is still as cheerful as ever, friendly and optimistic.. thankful that my parents who have been in a bad mood for the past few days seem to be normal today. :) PS: I went to collect convocation gown, watch Sadako, attend Pink Dot & Rachel's birthday/Father day celebrations today. What a day.
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