Am in Penang, visiting my... er... "shu gong" (grand-uncle). yar... internet is still a problem, and i've been stuck with just watching cantonese and taiwanese drama serials (since all my cousins are not into news).

penang is more of an international place, so after visiting a Coffee Bean outlet here (the FIRST and most prob only time) and grabbed the local free papers here (called THE SUN SHINES), i've learnt that:

1) something happened in Thailand. the papers doesn't say anything but only advised malaysian citizens in thailand to stay indoors.

2) the number of refugees in Johor has decreased to 30,000. no mention of casualties at all. (i've learnt the number of deaths totaled to 16 and the number of refugees decreased to 26,000+ thanks to straits times interactive)

3) the NS system here cocked up, employing bus drivers with no bus permits. in the end lots of... what do you call them?... oh, enlistees, a lot of them were stranded at the pick-up place. no mention whether they were released from that point or they were continued to be ferried to their camps. (the papers mentioned there were no more transport after the last bus left... hmmm~)

4) new york had 1 million people at their countdown party. right. half a page of coverage. interesting.

nothing else!!! what the hell happened in thailand? i still dun noe... gah.

i'm missing singapore. i miss the freedom. i'm sort of stuck with my parents everywhere i go. miss going overseas alone (or rather, with frens).

somehow, the period of 'wanting-eagerly-to-drive' is TOTALLY over. my parents are like boasting to all my relatives about 'how useful it is to have a son who knows how to drive'. damn~

anyway, this trip is like a PROLONGED CHINESE NEW YEAR trip for me, minus the ang pows. guess why? here are some of the questions my relatives ask me:

1) Q: Have you finished NS? A: Er, yes, very long ago.
2) Q: Have you graduated from uni? A: No la, not so soon.
3) Q: How long more before you graduate? A: Two and a half years.
4) Q: What are you studying by the way? A: Er... Communication Studies.
5) Q: Ooh... (pause for 5 seconds) What's that? A: Erm. Media stuff.
6) Q: Ooh... (pause for another 5 seconds) You going to the TV station to become star next time arh? A: Er... No la. (cue fake laughter) Ha. Ha. Ha.
7) Q: So studying uni? Tough or not? A: Not really la. Just that joined a lot of activities.
8) Q: A lot of activities arh? Got girlfriend or not? A: Er... No.
9) Q: Wah. (see my fake embarrassed look disguising my rolling of eyes) No suitable girls? A: (wanting to avoid qns) Er... yar.
10) Q: Next time graduate already, earn big money hor? A: Er... (fake laughter again) No la. Ha. Ha.
11) Q: $10,000 a month? A: Er... (fake laughter again) No la. Ha. Ha.

There are some variations here and there, but this is the gist of every conversation I have. And I have to survive trying to understand the Malaysian-accented cantonese + hokkien they were all conversing in. Er, not that it's THAT important for me to understand la. Most of the time I just switch off and stone.

*wishing-I-was-back-home*,
Ah Yong

PS. I managed to survive on 2-3 sticks a day, escaping to weird places at Shopping Centres/Padi Fields/Toilets. Am finding myself very creative to find excuses to escape for at least 10 minutes: 5 minutes for the break and 5 minutes for the smell to wear off.

PS 2. FREAK! I wanna buy Cao Ge's NEW ALBUM! IT'S JAZZ!!! WHOOT~! OH MY GAAWWWWDDD~~~~!!!! http://www.haoting.com/musiclist/ht_7dabb1ed586d2e84.htm