I Turned Twenty!

Yesterday, I turned 20. The big TWO-OH! I made it to 2 decades! Only the day before that I was in college. I was in high school the day before that. And I was in diapers hanging out with my parents the day before that.

Time seriously flies and there was a time in my life when I could not even imagine being in my twenty…pretty much until I was 19. When I turned 19, it was like a countdown timer started. Tick-tock…you are that much closer to 20 and there is nothing you can do about it. When I turned 20 yesterday, a wondrous thing happened, I felt great! I felt all grown up. That’s a strange sensation.

I realized that I'm fortunate to live in age where young people have the tools to be instigators of change. And I'm beyond grateful to have people in my life who share this vision too.

When I think about my wonderful and supportive family and friends, I feel overwhelmed by my luck. I start to see that happy, supportive and loving families aren't as common as I thought. In fact, they are pretty abnormal. Thank you to my beautiful family for being the best parents and the little brother I could ask for. No matter how far I go, I’ll always come home.

And to my friends, no matter how long it’s been since we last talked or wherever we are in the world, thanks for letting me be a part of your lives. I love you all lots!

I think this was the best birthdays I've had so far. Although there's no grand birthday party, no grand gifts, I mean my birthday is even on a Wednesday. But I appreciated the quality time that I got to spend with my favourite people. The texts, voicemails, memes, little gifts just meant so much. And not to forget, the secret plan that you girls made, I felt really touched!

Puisan entered and gave me surprise! 

With Puisan 

With Jzlyne

With Siewhui

With Steph

Another part of my life 

Thank you for the gifts! 

My 20th birthday was a day filled with gratitude, and that’s all I could ask for. It’s funny how old I feel, yet I know my education is only just beginning. I've decided that the current state of my life – a state of constant, unexpected change, is just how things are going to be from now on. There will never be a time when I'm not in flux. There will never be a time when I'm not readjusting my sails to deal with new experiences, people, or interests. I think the more I learn about the world, the more the world reaffirms my own ignorance. But, I'm starting to accept that I know nothing, I will forever be a student of life.

I know that I will live a passionate and disruptive life. I want to make, do and create things that matter, and I want my family and friends along with me for the whole ride. Stepping into my defining decade, I promise to trust in my future. Everything will work itself out. The only thing I need to do is breathe and search for the happiness in today.

Thoughts #4

"Death doesn't take someone else, it misses someone else, and in the small distance between being taken and being missed, lives are changed."
- Mitch Albom

A friend of mine passed away recently and I've never ready when it hit me. Even if I saw her struggling and fading away, I've never ready for the moment that the colour fades and the lips soften and the last breath is taken. I've never ready to hear the condolences or listen to cherished memories or see the newly posted pictures. I've never ready to hear the final goodbye or the final hug.

There’s a silver lining.

The darkness and the sadness of death hide it. It’s hard to see through tears and grief. But, the good is there. In between the D and the E is perspective, hiding under the A is love, crouching between the T and the H is companionship. The finest facets of life, all found in death.

I've been always reminded of humanity’s vulnerability. All of us live life like it’s the song that never ends. When the song suddenly stops, we are standing awkwardly in the middle of the dance floor, not sure what to do next. When we are waiting for the song to start again, we then realize how important it is to remember every melody and enjoy the lyrics, cherish the ones that have been swaying along with us. We fall in love with dancing all over again. I remember to appreciate the people that I share the dance floor with.

Death shouldn't be needed to experience the silver lining. Life should be lived as if someone we love could die at any time, but in reality, they can. We grow complacent every day and we tend to forget a person’s impact and being to reserve our kindness for a few. However, the truth is, we are privileged to forget how precious our life is. We worry about the inconsequential and the unnecessary because our lives are so unpredictable. Our existence is filled with so many amazing people and experiences that, sometimes, it takes a loss to truly appreciate it all.

I always remind myself that people around me are like a spellbinding book that wraps its story around me, makes me fall in love with its characters and invest in its outcome, and when the story comes to a close, it’s sad at first. But when time passes, I'm left with a story – a meaningful yet wonderful story. The story maybe inspirational or uplifting, changed me or helped myself to grow, made me laugh or cry or even taught me a lesson, and all of that is of tremendous value.

The same goes for chapters with people that close. The end of a story doesn't devalue its meaning; things can be immensely important without being for forever. When a chapter with someone closes, let that story add a layer to who you are, and realize that is not so much an end as it’s a gift.

As unexpected death is, we are all expected to die one day. But it’s the manner and the time in which we die that we think of most. Will we die of old age? Will a botched surgery destroy us? Will our bodies shut themselves down on us? But one thing is certain, if you are alive, you can’t wait to see the next morning, you can't wait to see what is going to happen next. But it’s when you start thinking of how everything started. You won’t realize until it’s too late, but that’s the beginning of the end.

[WESTERN AUSTRALIA 2014] - Meet The Kangaroos! (Part 2)

Reached Caversham Wildlife Park after the three-hour journey. Caversham Wildlife Park is a family-owned business, with more than 200 species and 2000 heads of animals. Bought our ticket at AUD25 per person and sadly they don't accept International Students ID Card.

Entrance

Made our way to meet the kangaroos first as we were late for the farm show. And like finally, I had the chance to get close with the kangaroos. 

Quokka

Black Swans

Wombat

Emu

After we visited the kangaroos, went to see the koala bears. The wildlife professionals instructed us to only touch the back of the koala bear with the back of our hand.

Lazy furry friend

Rushed for the farm show after visited the koala bears. Watched the sheep dog mustering the sheep, sheep shearing, cracked a stock whip and etc. 

After the farm show, we made a beeline for the "Meet the Wombat and Friends". They instructed us to only pet and stroke animals in particular way on particular part of the animals' bodies. 

With wombat

###TO BE CONTINUED ###