Now

How many nights have I laid awake, struggling in the depths of my thoughts?

Another day is soon beginning, but I’m stuck in now. Right now I’m somewhat comfortable where I am – an exciting job, flexible hours, time for myself, time to reflect. Sometimes a little too much reflection.

Yearning. It’s still there. The yearning for something greater than this. The desire to fill my days and nights with meaning. Where can it be found? Will it be worth searching through the choppy seas and bustling cities, or will it be an unending chase?

There was an incident which left me pondering. An individual who left a mark so deep, it haunted – and still haunts – hundreds if not thousands of lives. An individual with the power to influence, even in death. A legacy.

A meaningful life? A legacy? Perhaps it goes hand in hand.

But where to start?

Little Wonders – January WonderBox 2013!

Packaged lovingly with a red bow!

If you’re somewhat beauty obsessed like me, you would probably have heard of beauty box subscriptions. No clue? No problem.

A beauty box subscription works on a monthly basis, hence the name ‘subscription’, where deluxe sized beauty samples (including skincare, cosmetics, haircare and more) are packaged and sent in a box. Companies such as BirchBox, GlossyBox and MyGlam are making waves in the U.S., and I’ve since become a fan of watching beauty box ‘unboxing’ videos on Youtube.

What draws me in is the unique concept – where end users get to try out the products before deciding to buy them – at a fixed rate each month. There’s also the curiosity to find out what’s in store every month – the sheer excitement of finding a beautifully wrapped box with beauty goodies…it’s almost like waiting to unwrap Christmas presents under the tree.

As of now, in Malaysia, there are about 4 or 5 Beauty Box Subscription companies. These companies operate online, and pretty much have the same concept and price range. The major difference is the brands, products and marketing strategies used. The more popular ones are: Mivva, Wonderbox, Cosmobox & Vanity Trove.

After receiving my bonus last month, I decided to splurge and buy a little gift for myself. Beauty does come at a price, though, and staying on budget is easier said than done. I did some research and chose the Wonderbox – simply for it’s brands, reviews & price. Mivva was attractive as well, however the December box left little to be desired. Perhaps in the near future.

So I chose the Wonderbox Quarterly package for RM119.70 (RM39.90 per box), starting from January 2013. And this morning, guess what came in the mail?

 

January Wonderbox 2013 (Valentine’s Edition):

1. Murad Skin Perfecting Primer – Dewey Finish 5ml x 1 (RM25 / RM150 Full Size Retail)
2. Elianto Nutri Rouge Lipstick 3g x 1 (RM25 Full Size Retail)
3. Murad Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask 7.5ml x 1 (RM11 / RM66 for 6 pieces)
4. Coloured Hair Chalk x 2 sticks (estimated RM4 per chalk?)
5. Ronasutra Anti-bacterial NBR Sponge x 1 (RM2.50 / RM5 for 2 pieces)
6. Ronasutra 2-in-1 Mineral Foundation & Powder x 1 (RM48 Full Size Retail)

Murad Skin Perfecting Primer

According to the description, the oil-free primer comes in a universal shade to minimise pores, improve skin texture & hide flaws.

My first impression: Pigmented, easily blendable and has a light fragrance. However, this is a primer (tinted, I presume) thus the coverage would be much thinner than an actual foundation. It would be perfect for humid days when you need a little pick-me-up, or to disguise those dreaded acne scars.

Hair Chalk!

I’m not much of a hair chalk fan, but my younger sister is absolutely crazed about these colourful sticks. The quality seems quite alright, but I will probably end up giving these to my sister. 🙂

Elianto Nutri Rouge Lipstick

A full sized lipstick! Just what I needed. Comes in the shade N02 which is a medium orange-y red. It glides on smoothly on the lips and the colour payoff is remarkably good. The lipstick also has SPF18 – perfect for blocking those dreadful UV rays – moisturising properties and added nutrition for your lips. This is going right into my on-the-go cosmetic pouch!

Ronasutra 2-in-1 Mineral Foundation & Powder + Anti Bacterial Sponge

Having never tried mineral foundation before, this is the perfect addition to my makeup collection! Though I’ve never heard of Ronasutra before, it’s always worth a try. Enriched with natural mineral ingredients, the powder evens out your complexion without clogging pores, excessive fragrance or abrasive substances. Ideal for an oil-free, matte, and glowing effect!

Check out Ronasutra’s website!

Murad Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask

Instantly smoothes and hydrates skin, restoring brightness and balance to combination skin. Pomegranate is well known for its healing and soothing properties – and this mask will certainly come in handy on those stressful days! Plus it’s intended for once-a-week application, intended to work wonders in less time!

In line with the Valentine theme, the lovely Wonderbox team also included a heart-shaped token and some paper petals – a thoughtful touch to this month’s box!

The box also came with a Murad Product Guide, RM30 Gift Voucher on Murad Products (Online only), Ronasutra Brochure and the monthly Wonderbox Product Description Card.

Needless to say, I am pleased with my first Wonderbox. The products are well selected, suitable for a wide range of consumers and needs, and carefully packaged with care. I can’t wait for the next Wonderbox!

Total Value of Box:

Murad Skin Perfecting Primer (RM25)
Elianto Nutri Rouge Lipstick (RM25)
Murad Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask (RM11)
Coloured Hair Chalk (RM8)
Ronasutra Anti-bacterial NBR Sponge (RM2.50)
Ronasutra 2-in-1 Mineral Foundation & Powder (RM48)

= RM119.50 (You save RM79.60!)

Talk about value for money!

Well, excuse me while I pore over the brochures and products. Check out Wonderbox if you’re interested! Good night, beautiful people!

*This post was not sponsored.

New Beginnings

So, I just spent all of 10 minutes trying to figure out my username and password for this WordPress account. That can only mean one thing: I have officially surrendered my mathematic AND intellect ability to machines.

Yes, it’s been way too long. Whatever happened to my Europe Chronicles? If something doesn’t get past the first stage, it probably means that it’s gone. But not in this case. I WILL make it happen. No you won’t be a fool to trust me on this. And no I’m not guarantee-ing that.

If you’re reading this post, raise your hands in the air and PUMP IT! You deserve this because you’ve survived the apocalypse and made it to 2013! That means your brains are still intact and not devoured by zombies, your heart still pumping amidst the predicted mega earthquakes and tsunamis, and your hair still looking positively fabulous on account of zero meteor showers raining down from heaven the size of Jackie Chan’s kung fu fist.

Hooray!

You know how on new year’s, people tend to make these false promises to themselves known as ‘Resolutions’? But somehow after a month or even an hour, the list drifts away into oblivion, lost forever in the claims of ‘I’ll do it next year’.

It has happened to me before, which is why for the past few years, ‘resolution’ was a word used only in my vocabulary to replace the word ‘conclusion’ in my college assignments.

But this year, perhaps it is time to set some goals for the year, to get myself back on track with what I hope to accomplish and achieve in life. Not so much so to make false, unrealistic promises about getting a ‘six pack’ or marrying a ‘rich guy’, but to remind myself of the year ahead and my purpose in life.

2012 was incredible. Honestly. Suffice to say, it was the highlight of my entire study life. I wouldn’t have traded anything in the world for it, and I felt like the luckiest person to have been given the experiences and opportunities that came my way. Looking back, I can see how much I have changed as a person and in my views towards life in one year alone. And for me, that’s the best blessing in my life.

I struggled much internally towards the end of the year, and still am right now, trying to figure out where to go next. I can’t help but to reflect and think about the decisions I made that brought me to where I am right now. Sometimes, I find myself imagining a different path, and what life would be like if I had chosen another road. Doubt encircles me quite often, and it’s tough waiting for a direction. Not just any direction, but the right direction.

I had prepared to be a writer or a journalist after completing high school. It was assumed that I had sufficient writing ability to pursue this career. At least, it was at the back of my mind when I chose this course. As the time progressed, I began to see that there were gaps in what I believed to be true. And I lost a huge part of my confidence. Part of the reason why I don’t blog so often anymore.

You know how when you walk into a store, prepared to pick up a bottle of ketchup to go with your fries, but you end up getting lost among the barbeque and mayonnaise sauces aisle, thinking how much better those would taste with your fries instead? But you had decided to get ketchup and that was what you wanted, right? You get the bottle of ketchup and head out, but now you’re not so sure anymore.

Yup.

Don’t know where or how that analogy fits here. Can you sense the confusion?

Anywho. Not to sound cliche-ish, but I guess life is just a mystery. A huge, alarming, frightening mystery, which will unravel in time according to His divine will.

All to Jesus I surrender. And here’s to new beginnings.

Europe Chronicles Pt 1: Tips & Tricks

Welcome to my new blog series, the Europe Chronicles! Yup, yet another series after ‘Are You Hungry‘ (which has more to come, by the way) and ‘In a Day‘, both of which you can check out under the category links. This series will cover my Europe experiences which was across a 2 week duration, some spooky tales and perhaps a blogpost for each country that we visited.

So, having travelled all the way to the UK, we all did not want to miss the opportunity to explore the neighbouring European countries and discover the beauty of its landscapes and architecture. The main countries I wanted to visit were France and Switzerland, while some other classmates hoped to go to Italy, Spain and Greece. As ‘young, energetic travellers , backpacking seemed like the natural, budget friendly yet adventurous option. That’s until we started researching maps and places, and it started to seem overwhelming and way too expensive.

Plus, some of us (ahem) were not particularly keen on sacrificing comfort to spend the night at train stations or airports. In the end, we bit the bullet and signed up for the 14 Day ‘student edition’ Europe trip instead.

Why did we choose the Europe trip?

1) The trip covered 9 countries in 14 days, including most of the places we wanted to visit, excluding Greece and Spain but we decided that we could go to those places some other time.

2) Everything was planned out for us in the trip, including accommodation, transport and most meals. That meant we did not have to bathe in public restrooms, and had peace of mind when it came to getting a good night’s rest at a 3 star hotel.

3) The price was within our budget, about £800 for the trip and additional £400 for our other expenses, food, souvenirs etc.

4) In spite of some feedback from seniors about the dangers of lost luggage and passports during the Europe trip, we decided that it would be much more dangerous to backpack around Europe especially since we are unfamiliar with the places, language and logistics. Plus, ultimately we are responsible for our own safety and belongings while travelling.

With the Europe trip coachmates at Mount Titlis, Switzerland!

And I’d like to believe that we made the right choice, because although the journeys were long, we got to see many incredible places in Europe. It was well worth the travelling time, money spent and energy. Of course, it gave us the glimpse into Europe, allowed us to explore the different places and perhaps select our favourite places to go back and visit in the future! My personal favourite places: Switzerland, Holland and Germany!

So, based on my experience, here are some of my tips on how to survive the Europe trip (provided you have decided to go on the trip, otherwise, some of this may still be applicable for backpacking!)

ESSENTIAL THINGS TO BRING:

1) Adequate cash: at least €400 for some meals (breakfast is provided, as well as about 7 other meals but the rest is on your own) and souvenirs + 100 Swiss Francs (for expenditure in Switzerland & the cable car up Mt. Titlis)
*Conversion rates may vary, from Pounds to Euros it may be around 1.2-1.3 while for Swiss Francs it’s about 1.4-1.5. You can convert cash from Pounds to Euros at the Money Shop near The Moor, or at Eurochange. 

2) Passport holder or Money belt: you can get this from drugstores (Superdrug sells it for about £4) in UK or Malaysia. In Europe, especially countries like Italy and France, it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to keep your cash and important documents in a money belt, worn underneath your clothing. Pickpockets and gypsies are everywhere…and you can’t afford to lose your passport in Europe!

3) Europe adaptor/plug for charging your precious camera, laptops or phones! You can get this in Malaysia for about RM10-20.

4) Variety of clothing: It can get chilly in France, Switzerland, Austria and Germany, while in Italy the temperatures are as high as 29 degrees! So bring at least one thick jacket and a couple of thin shirts for different occasions. Oh, and gloves for making snow balls on the snow mountain!

5) Moisturiser and Sunblock! Can’t emphasise how important it is to moisturise in the changing climates.

6) Travel essentials like motion sickness pills, snacks, comfort pillows, blankets, teddy bears etc, because you will be spending ALOT of time in the bus.

7) Comfortable shoes and socks!

With the classmates at Luxembourg!

What NOT to bring:

1) Towels and excessive toiletries: All hotels provide towels (at least the ones I’ve been to) and shower gel + shampoo. But if you’re worried, bring a travel sized set of toiletries to be safe.

2) Laptop and other expensive devices: The laptop will only weigh you down and serve as an inconvenience when shifting from hotel to hotel almost every day. Bring extra memory cards for your camera instead, and use your smartphone to go online! If you don’t have a smartphone, I have no idea how to help you. 😀

3) Your 29 inch luggage bag or heavy luggage: Invest in a smaller bag from Argos or TK Maxx for the Europe trip, and place the rest of your souvenirs and belongings in the student storage at Sheffield instead. We rented a space from Big Yellow Self Storage (Armadillo West Bar) for 3 weeks at about £15 per person, including insurance, padlock and everything. Trust me, it’s not worth lugging everything around during the Europe trip, especially when there’s the risk of losing your precious luggage!

Having a snowball of a time in Switzerland!

Additional tips and experiences:

1) It is unusually hard to locate restrooms in Europe, and even the restaurants put passwords on their restrooms! To gain access, you would have to buy something or ask the person in charge. Plus, you may have to pay €0.50-1.50 to use the restroom! But when you gotta go, you gotta go, right? So, make use of the hotel/restaurant restrooms before leaving.

2) Pick up some basic German/French/Italian to communicate with the locals.

German: Auf Wiedersehen means goodbye or have a good day (Watch Heidi Klum in Project Runway), or Danke Schoen for thank you.

French: Bonjour or Bonjourno means hello or good morning, Merci means thank you, and Au Revoir means goodbye.

Italian: Bonjourno for hello, Grazie for thank you and Ciao for goodbye. (say ‘Ciao, Bella’ to the pretty ladies!)

Especially in France, the locals are unwilling to communicate in English, so some knowledge in French would really be helpful.

3) Be wary of suspicious people/locals selling overpriced goods and/or at crowded places. We encountered some sneaky Italians in Milan who extorted our friend of €1, and some gypsies in Paris who surrounded our male friends and tried to pick their pockets. Always carry backpacks or bags where you can see them (ie: in front of you) and keep a watchful eye on your important belongings all the time.

4) Try to use small change to pay for souvenirs/food at roadside stalls. The locals may take advantage of your large banknote and refuse to give you change, or overcharge you.

 

And that’s all I can think of at the moment…hope this was helpful in some way! 🙂 It was definitely an interesting Europe trip, and I will be back with more experiences, stories and photos. Till then, thanks for reading!

Aimless

Don’t worry. I’m alive and breathing. I have not been kidnapped by the Italian mafia, nor gotten lost in the depths of the English Channel. Though I wish somehow, someway, my plane ticket had disappeared so I could stay a teeny bit longer in London. But, no…here I am, back in good, old, stuffy, hot Malaysia.

Not gonna lie. It was hard leaving the UK after three months (which went by way too quickly in my opinion) and saying goodbye to the cheerful British people, good looking ang moh leng zais and cool clean air. It was even harder after traipsing through Europe and not having the chance so stay longer and explore. Oh well, at least I had a ‘glimpse of Europe’ in the 2 week trip, which I will be blogging more about soon.

Upon returning to reality, I caught the dreaded UK ‘bug’ or also known as the UK withdrawal syndrome. This happens when you are forced to leave the UK, and go back to your home country without prior mental preparation or assurance that you would be able to return. Much like pulling the pacifier from a stunned, wailing toddler, or withholding Facebook from a technologically addicted teenager. It happened so quickly that the effects were disastrous. And there was only so much I could do to hold on to the memories of UK…most of which involved annoying my family members by gushing about UK whenever I get the chance.

Well this does not mean all my experiences in the UK were pleasant; there were some awkward incidences, but I did have the time of my life while I was there. Perhaps it was partly due to the excitement of being at a foreign place without parental supervision (haha), and having the freedom and independence to make my own decisions.

Having said all that, I’m still getting over the bug, but it would take time. And currently, I’m unemployed, aimless and lost. But grateful to be back in the company of my family, rediscovering Malaysian food, and trying to get used to the weather.

A couple of days ago, I was sitting on the couch browsing through some photos on Facebook. My mum was beside me, hard at work replying emails. I asked: “Mum, do you ever feel aimless?”

She thought for a while and said: “No, but I do feel as if I have too many things to do, and not enough time to accomplish everything.”

And that got me thinking. Instead of moping around and feeling aimless, I should occupy my time and thoughts with goals and activities. Its been a long time since I’ve been truly busy, and perhaps now is the time to get my life back on track. Plus it might help me get over the withdrawal syndrome.

So here’s a list of things I would like to accomplish before turning 25. Or 30, if things progress slowly, haha. May not be able to finish them all, but at least these are goals in which I could work towards.

1. Climb Mount Kinabalu
2. Join a gym
3. Take my Grade 8 piano examination
4. Participate in a marathon
5. Learn a new language (Korean, maybe?)
6. Open an online blogshop and sell plus sized clothing! (One of my dream business ventures)
7. Ride on the world’s tallest rollercoaster! PS: Disneyland Paris’ Space Mountain was legend…wait for it…dary!
8. Buy a car
9. Learn a new musical instrument (maybe take up cello again?)
10. Travel to Korea and/or Australia
11. Go back to the UK to work/study!

Seems like most of the items on that list require $$$, and its probably time for me to get realistic and find a job. That’s another dilemma, a blogpost for another time. Meanwhile, meet my new boyfriend!

“For I know the plans I have for you”, said the Lord. “Plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” -Jeremiah 29:11

So, I hope to be aimless-no-more and filled with purpose! Till next time…thanks for reading!

Thankful

Apparently, I never, ever keep my promises. So I won’t bother making any. Just kidding…

But seriously.

So our time in Sheffield has dwindled down to a mere three days. 72 hours. 4320 minutes. 259200 seconds. God knows how many milliseconds ticking by right now.

Staring at my cosy, warm-lighted room in Opal 1, littered with bottles of Lucozade energy drinks, stray hairs and a faint vanilla scent, I feel a rush of conflicting emotions all at once. People say: 3 months is a short time. I beg to differ. 3 months is a REALLY, REALLY short amount of time.

Just as we’ve settled in to Sheffield and gotten familiar with the surroundings, it’s time to leave. Why, universe, why?

To keep this memory forever engraved in the web and at the back of my head,

Here’s a list of my best, most cherished memories in Sheffield so far:

1) Lazing on the clean, crisp grass, soaking in the sun and breathing in fresh summer air at the Peace Gardens. With a chilled cup of Caffe Nero caramel latte, and good company, of course. We would never be able to do this in Malaysia…we’d get mud all over our clothes, sunburnt, or sent to a mental hospital for loitering.

My idea of a perfect summer day!

LIVERPOOL in a day

The iconic Liverpool Eye!

So if you’ve been wondering (or not) about where I’ve disappeared to, fret not, I’m still alive and kicking. But barely. Anyway, just finished my live radio broadcast which was, to be honest, one of the scariest experiences in my life. Let’s just say I’m relieved it’s over, and I did learn tons in the progress.

Moving on, this post is LONG OVERDUE. So here it is. A shorter, concise version of Liverpool in a day.

The journey to Liverpool took about 2 1/2 – 3 hours in the coach. For some reason, the driver was feeling rather ambitious that day and took us on a joyride somewhere in the city…and we all felt rather carsick (or coachsick) at the end of it. But the thought of Beatles, ducks, shopping and fun quickly pushed those sick (pun intended) thoughts away.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS in LIVERPOOL! (As far as I can remember, because my map has disappeared to oblivion:

1) Albert Dock: Tons of Museums, Galleries, Attractions and rides
2) Liverpool One: For all you shopping freaks out there!
3) Beatles Story: A museum containing all legendary Beatles memorabilia!
4) Cavern Club: The club in which the Beatles became famous!
5) Liverpool Cathedral: The largest church in Liverpool!
6) Liverpool Chinatown

Meadowhall shopping haven!

SuperTram to Meadowhall Shopping Centre

In continuation with my shopping posts, it’s only apt to share about the MEADOWHALL SHOPPING CENTRE, one of the largest shopping centres in Sheffield, UK.

Compared to Malaysia’s mega shopping malls like Pavilion and Times Square, Meadowhall may seem to be on a smaller scale. But it carries most of the major brands and stores in the UK, and if you’re looking for a one-stop shopping centre, it’s the place to go. Plus it’s opened till 9pm on weekdays and 8pm on Saturdays!

Two transport options for Meadowhall:

1) Supertram, which is nearer to our accommodation but costs £3.90 for a return trip, or £2.20 single trip.
2) Train, which is slightly further but ONLY costs £2.50 return

Shopping in Sheffield!

Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet Haul!

Alright so after another disappearing act, I’m back again…and what better way to celebrate my return than with a SHOPPING post? Needless to say, shopping makes me very happy indeed, and when I came to the UK, it was like discovering a whole new shopping heaven. *insert cliche sigh here*

In Sheffield, the main shopping places are the Sheffield High Street and Meadowhall Shopping Centre. The High Street is basically a long street lined with endless shopping opportunities, including clothes, accessories, books, video shops, restaurants and so on.

Less than A MONTH?!

Alright, so here’s the latest update:

LESS THAN A MONTH till my Sheffield and UK adventures come to a devastating end. 😦

And as you may have guessed, I’m more than a little upset about that. How did the time fly by so quickly? And I’m sad to admit that I don’t miss Malaysia too much, well except for the food of course. Will there be some divine intervention that will allow me to stay here in the UK? Highly doubt so, but can’t help hoping.

The biggest uncertainty I have upon returning to Malaysia is: the transition from studying to working. Yes, it has inevitably arrived. No more short part time stints or internships. It’s time for the REAL DEAL! *kicks feet and throws tantrum*

Not ready. Not ready for it at all. But the world doesn’t care if I’m ready…or does it?

Enough talking about my bleak, stressful future. If I have anything I’m certain about, it’s that the next few weeks here will be the enjoyed to the FULLEST. Each and every moment will be treasured and remembered and stored in the back of my mind.

And it will be AWESOME. Assignments or not. Don’t try to stop me.

-post ends abruptly here while I reluctantly continue working on my assignment-