Bonne Année: Happy New Year


I've been waiting so long to write this 2017 reflection & 2018 new year post of mine.

I've started to write 'new year post' since 2016 and I thought I was late this year...But apparently, I am not! Tracing back to my two previous new year posts (2016, 2017), they were all written mid-January. I'm glad that I haven't given up on taking care of this space and updating myself here during this 7 years' time (!) and now we are coming to the 8th! This space even recorded my 'newly' determined wish/ goal when I was 17 to be a Landscape Architect, who I am today, that's amazing. Thanks to the younger me for thinking that far and that much, you are leading yourself in a good way, with support. 

I had high hopes for 2017, and I think I've done my best of the best and I almost did it.
(proceed to the 2018 New Year Intention part if you find its too long to read...)

In the first half of the year, 

I went back to Perth after my 2016 Christmas and 2017 Chinese New Year holiday, decided to start my first semester for Master of Landscape Architecture at the University of Western Australia (after a very long time of thinking and consideration). Due to my Architecture background, I am suggested to take a total of 5 semesters (equals to 2.5 years) of full-time study to complete my master degree. 

Here comes my first semester. This was the long-awaited first semester of uni since I've graduated from the University of Tasmania 2 years ago and working in Perth for almost 1.5 years. I wouldn't say I was a hard-working or smart student when in Tassie but this time I really want to try to do my best, without giving myself a lot of stupid excuses. Because you want it, you saved your money for it and you're going to work 100% for it. Yes, my timetable turned out to be 5 days a week (how bad!), and I didn't plan to quit my working position as well, so I sleep early every night, wake up early for uni (to get the rare free parking spot), drive to work after uni and work until 5/6pm (depends on your tasks), drive home, cook myself dinner, take a good shower, facial care, quality talks with housemates and sleep. Repeat. Because I rarely have any quality thinking and time after work, I spend my lovely weekends at uni...again, but with my boy, CJ. He gives his best support although he doesn't quite understand what I'm doing, he makes sure I'm not starving from time to time and he handles all my bad temper whenever I don't come out with a satisfying concept/outcome... 

After all, I've made a lot of new friends, we helped each other to fight through the semester. I got the unexpected satisfying results and it is the very first time, my work was chosen to be exhibited in the school's exhibition building and I was very lucky to get the chance to attend the International Landscape Architecture Festival held on October, at Sydney. I felt like opening up a layered gift box, surprise reveals another surprise!

I flew home for a two week holiday right after my last submission for the semester. And I missed the school exhibition, but I guess that's okay? I miss my home, my family.

下半年，

抽了两个星期回家放假，趁机也让祖竞有机会来新山走走看看、见见朋友。回来的第二天我带着祖竞和我一起到对岸新加坡完成我的澳洲签证身体检查。身为吃货的祖竞来到新加坡果然兴奋，阿姨本性马上又跳出来说新加坡的食物怎么这么便宜、还这么好吃...想一下也没错，在珀斯买一餐至少都要花个7块钱吧？在新加坡5块钱以下就能吃上好吃的家乡美食，他想着就很开心...回来之后还和家人去了一趟半岛透透走，也去了祖竞的家乡——实兆远。看过报纸写据说这个地方名的由来正是因为这个地方“实在远”，真的...实、在、远！他有我最喜欢吃的福州卤面！

我记得当时在机场离别的时候（我从怡保回新山），祖竞的爸爸妈妈妹妹都来送我。虽然我们几天后就会回珀斯见面，我还是想跟他来个拥抱送别。怎么知道这个黄先生在妈妈妹妹前害臊，在我打开手要抱他的同时他居然用肚子把我“撞开”了。我真的是无言了，非常，无言。

最后回到新山的时候我收到了体检中心的电邮，说我的体检不过关，得做几个更深入的检查。当下我和我妈慌了...也因为这个不过关，我没有上飞机回澳洲，在怡保机场的搞笑送行变成了最后一次见面，我和祖竞就这样在无预警的状况下开始了“远距离恋爱”。也在这个很关键的时候我的外公过世了...的确陷入了一个很心慌的阶段。

收到体检通知以后我看了n次医生，照过n次x-ray，等了n个月，我终于在12月14日开始我的治疗。于身体状况来说我并没有生命危险，只是心理上的挑战多一点。首先担心自己的身体，到害怕，到接受这将不是两个礼拜的短假而是一年，悉尼去不成，得向学校请假，停学...然后我的嘴巴要像复读机一样，对每一个关心我状况的人把来龙去脉一遍一遍的重复。有时候我的心里其实是很不开心的，因为那个时候我还没办法接受事情没有跟着我的计划进行，而每一次的复读，都像是提醒我不开心的病毒。花了很长的时间一直到确诊，我才开始觉得比较安稳、平定。因为不再是漫漫等待，而是有期限的。

在这段期间我也没好闲下来，既然谈了“远距离恋爱”，我也顺道谈了“远距离工作”。在几次讨论后决定在新山为澳洲的老板Michael工作。虽然没办法实地考察，画图这个部分还是可以进行，于是沟通占了我们工作中非常重要的一部分。偶尔接到突入而来的老板致电还是会倍感压力，但老实说Michael真的给予了我很大的通融，让我一个“病人”在家也可以工作，我也有机会帮他。最近我们在进行着珀斯天鹅河SRPB“使人疲惫”的85%园景设计图，1月尾要交稿。我的天，今天已经1月6号了...

写了好多，希望我没有落下什么重要环节。

2018 New Year Intention

1. 学会吞药，完成疗程

2. 疗程结束后，继续第二学期的学业

3. 给家人、爱人和自己一个reward trip

4. 读5本书

5. 爱自己、对自己诚实

6. 2116财务规划

7. 多吃素，少吃肉

Taken right after sunrise at Gunung Merapi, Yogyakarta.