missing home.

it’s a lovely autumn day here. I’m sitting in our kitchen, at my favourite spot, where I can look straight out of the windows. the sky is a very very pale blue, merging to white at the horizon, and there’s a single plane gliding across the view, leaving a wispy trail. everything is tinged gold in the late-afternoon light, the trees are swaying with the wind. and ‘Gold In The Air Of Summer’ is playing. I could really just sit and look out for hours.

it makes me think of days at home, grey clouds streaking the sky outside, yet an almost searing brightness. inside it’s cool, and a breeze breathes in. zaizai is lying on his little sofa. occasionally there’s the sound of car horns, or children playing downstairs, or the nasi lemak lady. everything’s still. I’m reading the paper, or ironing clothes, or looking out, or just thinking. soon the rest of my family will be back, maybe my sister with charlene. maybe at night there’ll be supper with a friend, friends.

on those days I could already grasp how fleeting they were, how each moment would inevitably be followed by another.

yesterday I was ironing my clothes and I couldn’t help smiling. I remember how a couple of weeks back my sister said she misses her clothes being ironed and folded neatly.

funnily enough, I don’t feel like talking to anyone. I think it’d make me miss them even more. but I really pray that life is good for everybody.

two weeks later.

the memory of stepping back into my london house almost exactly two weeks ago already seems hazy. yup, a great deal has happened: there was unpacking, and cleaning up, and multiple trips to sainsbury’s and the deptford high street, and going to ikea (in croydon – an hour away, no less).

I’ve already seen muthu twice in two weeks, and met zhang fan and woon loong as well. it is always surreal to see a friend here, both of us transplanted out of our, um, natural environment, wearing sweaters or jackets and wandering around london (or copenhagen) streets. it is also always a profound blessing.

returning this time was surprisingly easy. I honestly thought I might cry again at the airport, because I’d been back home for so long and enjoyed summer so much. I suppose it was about time to come back after all. moving into a wonderful house with friends and meeting up with people from back home sure has helped any homesickness too.

my room

our kitchen. gonna spend a lot of time in there – it’s just nice to sit at the table and nua

spent three lovely days in copenhagen. perfect weather while I was there – nordic blue skies, sunlight and cool temperatures. add to that plenty of canals, lakes and parks around, plus classically European buildings, palaces and monuments, and you have a great place to wander around in. it’s not the most happening place ever, but it seems like such a pleasant place to live. here’s a little selection of photos:

Nyhavn, the most picturesque bit of Copenhagen that always appears on postcards. 

Christiania, a self-proclaimed free town in the middle of the city. Alternative Copenhagen, indeed.

Rosenborg Palace, one of the Danish royal family’s (many) residences. A surprisingly small, almost understated palace, set in a beautiful park, Kongens Have.

along the southern basin of Sortedams Sø, one of the inner-city lakes ringing the city centre. 

the obligatory tourist shot of Copenhagen’s most famous statue. also probably the most hated by Copenhageners – she was beheaded twice! not the most memorable bit of my trip, if I’m honest

many thanks to the host and his friends – I almost felt as if I was on exchange with them by the end of the three days. missing woonloong’s humour (or not) and, on a random note, the foosball table in their hall (brought back NS memories man).

had my first class yesterday: the very woolly-sounding Communication, Psychology and Experience. after the lecture and seminar, I still wasn’t sure what direction the course was taking. have to wait and see I suppose. on thursday I have the equally woolly-sounding Intellectual Foundations of Social Theory, and on friday Script & Prose for practice. which leaves tuesday and wednesday as free days (hence the blogging). the plan is to use free days to blog – need major catchup on Bits & Pieces – and start on learning Photoshop and keeping up with the guitar. though I foresee a lot of reading to be done once essay topics are released.

that should be about it for now. till next time!