Things Can Turn Out Just Fine

Hiya bloggers! Wonder why i'm soooo not reluctant to post? Well, it's because of the free internet and computer here in the backpacker hotel, or should i just say hostel? Anyway, remember how i ended up here? Wait, ended up, that doesn't sound great, does it? 
Okay, lemme refresh your memory (hey, you didn't read my previous posts??? Get out of here and read them! Then you can continue reading this one >:( ) about how i felt before starting this so-called life adventure. I already thought that i wouldn't enjoy it. Then about the bumpy ride, and before that, the delay. Well, As my updates on social networks 'said', i 'told' everybody that i met 2 new friends.
I didn't expect that to happen because i just think that i should enjoy my time here ALONE. I mean, i'm a people person, but sometimes i enjoy being in 'solitary life'. Hehehehe
My new friends are Mika, from Japan, and Jelena, from Serbia. We share the same room. We didn't have the chance to meet because the night i arrived, they were not around, so they didn't know my existence til the next morning.
Now, i really wish i had my netbook with me so i can tell you the story with some pictures to see. Ah, i'll do it later, then. 
Anyway, these two girls have their own stories. Mika was going to live here and work, but she decided to go back to Japan to be close to her family. She has this HUGE suitcase and some stuff she bought. I wonder how she can manage to put all the stuff back, or how she carries them later. See, she's such a small and cute gal, you know, Japanese cute and small gal like those in a comic book! Mika, if you read this, i mean well, okay... Don't be mad...
Then, there's Jelena. Her name reminds me of those BELIEBERS that call Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez a cute couple! Um, Jelena if you read this, please forgive me, i'm just, you know, a funny person that can't live without thinking what i think is funny. (Ok, now you're lost! LOL) She's going to KL because her friends are already there, but she's waiting for her visa. She didn't know that the office was closed last time, as this is holiday season. But, anyway, she said that i was the only person in this building to say that "I like KL!" I was like, WHAT?! I mean, no offence Malaysians (in case you read this), though your country (or your government, or your people) sometimes gets on my nerve, but i do like KL! Then when Jelena asked me why i like KL, then the answer was just as easy as saying, "BECAUSE THEY SELL THE CHEAPER CHOCOLATEs THAN THE ONEs IN MY COUNTRY!" Um, i didn't shout when i said this, really...
Well, things can turn out just fine even when you think they won't. Because until today, i don't know what's coming to me. Yesterday, i had fun with my new-found friends. We walked a lot. Going round the Arab Street and trying to get Arabian taste of food and ending up having some Indian food! That was weird, but um, who cares? Just enjoy it! 
Actually there are many things i'd like to share here. But lemme save them for later. Because this is not about the trip yet. This is more like a 'reflection', hehehehe... Sometimes i need to have a self-reflection of what i think of things. 
Okay, gotta go now. I'm kinda tired typing this. And you're kinda bored reading this, no?


Catch you later


Hit me back just to check,
Surely yours,






Lou

First Time? Well, Ain't That BAD?

Hiya bloggers,
Here i am writing this blog in another country! LOL! Well, lemme tell ya how difficult it is to open my blog from here...
Or, should i start from the beginning?


Here goes,
Remember my story about how upset i was in my previous post? Don't remember? Ah, that's too bad...
Okay, so here how i ended up here...
I arrived at the terminal 3 of Soetta International Airport at about 2 pm yesterday. I checked in, paid the tax and booked the baggage for the flight back. It was also my first time in terminal 3, so i looked like i was stupid, or was i? I was "entertained" by this "smoking kills" room! Ahahahaha, for you who have been so many times to terminal 3 can laugh your ass off!!!
Then, the flight was delayed! Dang! I was like, WHAT?! I'm gonna arrive later then, which means, NIGHT FLIGHT?! Never been on a night flight before. And... i was freaked aout by the idea. Um, not to mention, i didn't get the "look-out-to-the-window" seat which again, scare the hell out of me! So, i was praying, "Oh dear God, please help me..."
Okay, the flight? Um, it was... bumpy BABY! Yeah, great, ain't it? Hey, i'm not being sarcastic here!!!
Long story short, i landed safely in Singapore. Hehehe, haven't mentioned it yet, no?
The cabin leader was a male (i think senior) flight attendant. He was so funny. When he announced to the passengers to have their gadget switched off, his exact words were: "Please switch off your electronic devices such as mobile phones, mp3 players, blackberry, iPhone, iPad, iPod, and other 'i', thank you." The whole cabin laughed. 


Then, as soon as i landed, i passed the immigration, then got into a cab. The driver was nice. He "helped" me got into this backpacker hotel: The Little Red Dot by calling the place. See, it is forbidden to make a phone call while driving. Wonder why he called? Well, it was because Lavender Street, the location of this backpacker hotel, is a loooonnnggg street and he never heard of the name. Yeah, it's because the hotel is new! Then, i realized that my phone didn't work. Stupid! Stupid provider! Back home, i registered the blackberry roaming, but... dang! It didn't work. IT ISN'T working as we speak... (Um, who's speaking?) I might buy a local number later...


Then, i am so LUCKY that i got this computer to post this. See, the internet access is free! Free computers and wifi! I don't have my netbook with me, but still, i can use this free facility! Even so, i found difficulties getting into my accounts! I had to answers some questions first since the Web God knows that i'm accessing them from a different country. 
Okay, actually i don't know what my agenda is... Anyway, i have longer time here, so i just wanna be Lou the Explorer!!! 


Okay, thanks for reading this crappy thing... You just wasted some of your time. May God forgive you! LOL


Hit me back, just to check
Surely yours,






Lou

Holiday! Travel and Plans, Oh Well

Hiya bloggers! We can say that this is my second post this month :) Well, it IS my second post... Okay, let's cut the crap and go on with our journey.

This Christmas holiday, i kinda hope to jump on an adventure with my close friend, Iceh, or shall we call her Icha in real world! (Um, that depends on what kind of world you're living in...)
We planned the trip (or shall we call it our have-fun-go-mad time) since a few months ago. Yea, it's only traveling to Singapore, and nowadays, people say, "Who hasn't been there? Everybody has. So what's the big deal of going there?" It's not the destination that matters, it's more to the timing and the guy next to you... or girl, hehehehe
I was so brokenhearted knowing that Icha cannot join me in this so-called holiday.
Not because she is my best friend or what, um... that too probably..., but it because of my ruined plans and sudden-dropped expectations. I was sorta hoping that i'll have the book hunting as we both are geeky bookworms, and have the exploration together. (Maybe i should ask Dora to join me)
As the tickets were economy promo, they're non-refundable. Though Icha said that she was okay with that, there's a part of me that feels slightly guilty. Last time, well, this April actually, we were supposed to go to Singapore. But, another but here, it was "doomed" because the friggin' airlines went collapsed and we, until now, haven't got our money back. DUH! 
There are so many plans of mine that just go poof!!! I do feel "guilty and bad" and sad as well...
I hope i can go on my trip safely and of course i wish there will be some more trips with my close friends!


PS: I'm leaving on the 27th, in case you're wondering... LOL



Surely yours,



Lou

Prejudice, Stereotype and Suudzon

Hiya, bloggers, long time no post, eh?


I have been lazy to do it, so i guess i can just sit back and enjoy my not-so-famous life :) 


Okay, judging by the title you would probably wonder why i'm posting this, or not... LOL


Well, it started simply. I don't know why i don't like anything connected to Korea. Yup! While some gals are crazy about K-Pop, K-drama, and those what they call cute actors, well for me they're just a bunch of stuff i could slightly care about. I don't even like Korean food, in this case, kimchi. Well, you know (you probably don't know) that i LOVE food, as much as Joey Tribbiani does. Hahahaha


And here how my story started...


Oh-kay... as i might have mentioned earlier in the previous posts, i work as a freelance EFL instructor. And recently, as in November, i joined an institution where i work as a private tutor. 
I found out that i had a Korean student. He's an adult, expecting a conversation class. When i knew that my student is a Korean, i said, "Um, i'm not so excited about this. I mean, i don't like Koreans." Then my supervisor asked, "Why? What's wrong?" I just shrugged, matter-of-factly, "Nothing's wrong with them. I don't even know why i don't like them."
As i was saying this, i thought about anything connected to Korea. Umm, only one thing i like, that is SAMSUNG! Anw, d'you know how to pronounce it correctly? Ahahaha, we'll get to that later, kay?


And so i hoped, i wouldn't get on the wrong foot. I had this stereotype of Koreans, that they are so not flexible. They work so hard, they are so stingy about money, they are soooo disciplined and will not tolerate anything in the name of efficiency. You know, those kinds of "labels". 
Honestly, they kinda clouded my judgement, so i had this prejudice. I was so negative about this not-yet-known student. I mean, i cannot help myself being so suudzon, can I?
But then, when i was "enlightened", i was relieved to know that being negative really does make you feel bad when you know the reality.


I thought that this guy, this Korean guy would be annoying. I wouldn't enjoy the sessions and bla bla bla! Well, it turned out that he really is a nice guy. His name is Choi M_n S___k. I bet you will find so many Chois out there in Korea. Hahahahaha... It really is hard to pronounce his name. I mean, CHOI is not CHOI. It sounds like Che (as in Che Guevara) but you say it with your mouth forming an O sound. Go ahead, try it. He just graduated from university double major in Marine Biology (OMG! I would kill to study that!!!) and Logistics. He stays here for only 4 to 5 months because he misses his family back in Korea. He can speak English quite well, though sometimes his pronunciation is sooo confusing! X_x
You know, i don't know if all Koreans are like this, or is it just him, but he cannot pronounce L and/or R, F, V, P and sometimes i wonder whether he just gets mixed up or something else. 


Choi told me many stories about Korea. Including the relationships with North Korea and Japan. I pretty much got the idea that Korea was in a bad condition before the independence. Even after the independence, there was a war. Korean War of course. He said that the soldiers from Indonesia came to help. And i told him that was because at that time, Indonesia had a very solid and tough military. 
Talking about military, he said that all men in Korea must serve for 2 years as they hit 21. Well, 21 in Korea is 19 in Indonesia, as they count the pregnancy as 1 year, then 3 months after the baby born, it is counted as another year. So, Choi is 27 in Korea and 25 in Indonesia. Well probably in "International Age". (Is there such thing?)
Choi told me that the first thing the Army "teach" is: The first enemy is North Korea. So all men need to be prepared for the war. He said that North Korean Army must serve the country for 10 years when they hit 19, which means 17 here...
And about SAMSUNG, Koreans pronounce it SAM and SUNG here is a bit complicated. It's like saying SUNG with your mouth forming SONG. Hehehehe...


All i'm saying here is, being negative really blocks your mind. You probably have less interest in something that may be really interesting. Come on, people, there could be a lesson from everything you do. I really am sorry for being so judgemental about this Korean thingy. Anw, that's it and that's all.


PS: He doesn't look like those Korean actors, okay...


Hit me back, just to check


Surely yours,






Lou