14th August 2014.

 thank you guys for the send off. i can't believe i'm actually here in chicago. it's really surreal and weird. please keep in touch! i miss you guys tons already.

 my favourite (and only) sister, thank you for being the strong support for pa and ma these past couple of weeks, and always encouraging me in the things that i pursue. if not for you, i may be heading over to the UK hahaha. you know me best and ahh i love you loads woman. miss you :'(

nic! thanks for always being there for me and checking on how i am. it's been two years! :) drive safely!!! 0 points siol.

HADI (and all the art kids), hehe thank you guys for an amazing two years together (joel will mock that i wasnt together because i was closeting but wtv), i'll miss you guys a lot. please meet up during the hols!

aunty joyce - for being my spiritual support and always helping me to grow in my faith, and caring and loving me.

 mg friends:') it's been way too long. but thank you guys for the memories. it's crazy how much we've been through together, and will still continue to walk through the journey of life together :)

jon! for teaching me positivity and how to truly love and serve the Lord once again.

family, for being family. thank you dad and mum for coming up all the way with me, and supporting me endlessly on this crazy journey. 

 awkward gang; sorry we should've taken another photo hahaha. chums, thank you for always being there, and waking me up (HAHA about packing and getting organised), for all the meals hehehe llaollao, teochew porridge, shiok maki, and everything else, we're such piggies. aaron, for all the snacks that i really love (especially the mangoes i ate one pack already HAHA), and always being so encouraging.

beth, for always giving and loving me. thank you for all your encouraging notes and verses and messages. 

and everyone else who was unable to make it as well, thank you guys. i am immensely blessed to have friends like you guys. 

 His amazing creations.

 daddy feeling apprehensive hehe. 

 BEAN! (cloudgate) finally here with parents. really different from the last trip, feeling a lot more settled and letting it sink in that this is going to be my home away from home for the next 4 years. 

ryan! future schoolmate. and moe mate. :)  

had to throw in my favourite US gummies from cvs. :D

the next 4 years isn't going to be easy, but God has promised provision and protection over this season (2 kings 1-4). Trusting in Him, and i know that He will walk with me.

childhood friends

It's nice to know that little has changed.

My heart beat with excitement as i took the steps two at a time, to the second level of the crystal jade at HV. upon spotting my two old friends, i ran over and hugged them both. it had been ages. Sam came a while later and we lapsed into conversation almost immediately, as if rachel hadn't been in Scotland for a year and a half and sheryl and i have not met for more than a year. we were so comfortably ourselves and we laughed and joked like before, conversations peppered with anecdotes of our shared childhood.

there were many things to catch up on, the events that filled our lives these past few months we'd been apart. We shared each others' excitement and it felt nice, looking forward to our futures - though our paths were really different, but in that moment, for that night, we were together. and it was nice, and heartwarming and it felt right. 

the few of them have truly been God's blessings (as many other things and many other people have). And i've come to realise that time and distance perhaps doesn't matter all that much as i thought they do - it's the heart that is most crucial. and i'll definitely keep them close to my heart, in my thoughts and prayers :)

where the next few years will take us, only God knows, but i'm sure that we'll all come back together and our lives will converge again eventually.

and i am immensely thankful and blessed.

prettyteeth-sherbabes

 arayofsamshine progressively dropping some ice-cream on her bag

sherbabes, rachelchan11, arayofsamshine, tingyannn/gg95