Blog-crastination

it’s been some time. =)

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A month has passed for me in Uppsala, Sweden. Quite quickly, in fact. By the time I got my bike, and start to get really used to life here, making new friends, keeping in touch with loved ones back home in Singapore, and just going around schoolwork — A month has really passed.

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But time paused for a moment this Sunday afternoon.

-Taken at Gamla Uppsala, the Old Town of Uppsala.-

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Only 2 things have the power to take my breath away — Love, and Nature.

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Time smiled warmly, and asked if it could sit beside me for a while. Time took out a paintbrush and painted this..

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“It’s beautiful!” I thought to myself. And Time nodded knowingly, and smiled. The air was crisp — scented with the warm glow of the sun. It was better than sleeping in on a Sunday morning; better than a hip & hyped up party; it was like a meaningful conversation. Time just sat beside me for that moment, and I could hear it breathe. It was very, very nice.

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I love to imagine.

Power!!

Amazing! Never knew this song was created this way! I love her voice too!

Was watching this all night yesterday.. It’s from Britain’s Got Talent. =) Connie Talbot is so sweet!

Semi-Finals:

Amazing Talent! The finals.. the full song:

THE ULTIMATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:

Ok here’s the compilation of the BEST from Britain’s Got Talent!

Lovely Sunday

Today has to be one of the most lovely days for me in Uppsala.

Waking up without the alarm clock’s nagging was a very good feeling. A sleepy-eyed glance out of the window to a vast of pure, fresh snow makes me smile. There’s this drousy-lazy feeling that snow gives me. Time seems to pause for a moment, beckoning me to take in a few more deep breaths of fresh crisp air. What will make this day extra special for me, is that I will be going to a church service this morning.

It is true, that one can never find true peace if he/she hasn’t found Jesus. And just being somewhat ‘away’ or disconnected from God this past 2 weeks has made me somewhat lost, and empty inside. I needed to stay connected. Going to church doesn’t make one a Christian, but I’d say it is only but a means of staying connected. And staying connected is the point that is important. I’m thankful that there was English translator through this device, where we plugged in headphones and hear the voice of the translator in the AV box above. It really helped. =) It was even more heartening that they sang familiar songs, only in Swedish. But I loved these songs and memorised them, and just sang together with them in English, of course. But I was ministered and I couldn’t help but thank God for placing me in Kantorsgatan, where this church was only 5 to 10min stroll away. It’s amazing what God has planned out for me. Simply beautiful. And then, they sang ‘Above All’ in English and my eyes stung with tears. Experiencing God in a foreign land is indeed comforting. “I will never leave, nor forsake you” and as long as I seek Him, I will definitely find Him. I’m just in awe and at peace — I feel rested for the first time in Uppsala.

And I just have to mention that the worship leaders sung very very well. I don’t know, but maybe because I’m a worship leader myself, I observed them. And although it was in Swedish, the translator was interpreting the words as best as she could, and I thought they sung extremely beautifully. And all they had was the grand piano and a bass guitar and solid beautiful voices. Amazing. (Their sound systems were Bose, but that’s probably besides the point. ) I was ministered through their singing.

Fika after service was nice too. It was seriously European style living, where we sat by the window, with little coffee cups on saucers, eating cakes and cookies with a flask of coffee, with a view of the outside snow floating down. Spoke to Carl (from america, also from int’l bible study) and he was sharing with me about cultural anthropology. Amazing. That’s exactly what I wanted to really understand — the culture in sweden and its people. It was a light hearted yet meaningful conversation which I appreciated and it has enriched my understanding of how “moderation” is so infused into the Swedish culture and how it can be different/similar to American and Asian cultures.

The stroll back alone was fantastic. Padded snugly with my parka coat and my fur-rimmed hood over my head, I made my way through 4 inches deep of snow. Snow glided past me, sitting itself onto the snow-filled path. Snow is the simply the purest of white I have ever seen. I could stay out in the snow alone all day simply because it makes me smile. Love it!

And what’s more lovely to Skype with my family and my sweetheart when I get back to my room. I really wish that they could be here with me to enjoy and take in all these beautiful things. Hard to express it, but I wish more, that they could be here with me, rather than me back home in Singapore with them. Because in here, it’s simply AMAZING. The world can actually be so so beautiful. The grass is probably greener on the other side, but at least on this side, there is SNOW! =)

Well, this is my lovely Sunday. I wish my sweetheart could be here with me. We could have snowball fights, make snowmen and snow angels… It’d be perfect. =) I miss you.

Lovely.. lovely. =)

Some students building a Snowman!

~*`*`~ SnOwiNgGg ~`*`*~’

It is finally snowing here. Not everyday, but it has been the 2nd time yesterday.. and it’s really beautiful! Fresh snow is the best because it’s like icing sugar.. and when it’s snowing, you open your mouth and some gets onto your lips — can be fun! =D

Well, snow is crystals right? So in fact, the streets are lined with sparkling crystal when light falls upon them. The way home in the evening is a fantastic sight.. most Swedes might overlook this.. but their streets are actually lined with GLITTER and SPARKLING CRYSTALS! It’s so so wonderful! =D And everything is so picturesque.. with snow hanging on the edge of leaves (in Singapore the best imitation is pathetic cotton wool! puh-lease) And making footprints in the snow as your feet sink it 3 inches down… and the luminous PURE white vastness of snow is simply overwhelming! =) Lurve it!!

Only downside is when it melts and it becomes Slush.. it’s not very pretty. ‘Slush’ is a really good word coz it really describes it.. just keep saying ’slushhhh’ repeatedly with the ’shhhh’ at the back and you get what I mean… coz it’s like melted SORBET .. but only it’s grey-brown in colour.. like black sesame sorbet with some milo powder. HA! Yeah but you get the picture… oh well.. =D Enjoy!Snow on my Window Sill!

Bicycles in the Snow!I Love Snow!I Love Love Love Snow!!Snow Dog!

Sun and the Snow

View from my room

Cathedral in the Snow

Peak Out From Inside

See the Snow? Esp the heartshaped one!

Yours Truly!

A walk in the Park can be very rewarding

Amazing!

Lord of the Rings? ha!

Simply love it!

Footprints in the Snow

Checkout my Addidas Goodyear Tyre Shoe!

2 WEEKS IN SWEDEN, UPPSALA!!

This is probably the moment I have been waiting for all my life.

On the 16th of January, I found myself on a 16-hour flight filled with Europeans. Not that I have a problem with them, but I have never seen so many of them on a plane before. That probably proves how little of the world I have seen. So yea, even the tiniest things amaze me.

So, why do I want to send myself to the other side of the globe– leaving behind the world I am familiar with and all who mean alot to me?

I asked myself what I wanted to do with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Do I want to maximise it or just be safe? And I spoke to my prof and she asked me how badly I wanted it. And as they say, the rest is history.

Sweden is a country that is heard much, but known little of – in my opinion. Never overrated yet its presence is somehow still felt. When one mentions the country Sweden — your eyes light up.. but you sometimes dont’ exactly know why it lights up. And that’s why I say it is heard of much, but known very little about. So that’s one of the reasons I want to explore and emerge myself into this mysterious, make-ur-eyes-light-up country. =)

Another reason is probably because I am sick and tired of studying in SMU. Or rather, Singapore. I wanted some moment in time, to find myself again. The pace is definitely slower… and ‘when you pause to smell the lilies’, life seems much sweeter.

Aside from the 34kg + 10kg baggage, there isn’t really much obligatory baggage to score those A’s, or have any real authority over my shoulder. It feels good being in almost complete control — independence and freedom to think on my own two feet. I guess there is an apparent sense of empowerment which I am proud of. But at the same time, knowing that there are loved ones back home supporting and caring to know about me while I am in Sweden is also a great source of warmth and comfort.

I don’t wanna just put a ‘check’ onto Sweden as ‘one of the countries i’ve been to’. My goal here is to really understand the people and their way of life. Why do they do the things they do? What is the political sentiments? What are their views about life? What makes them happy? And one of the ways is to understand their language, and hence, their culture and their habits and their emotions. What are they proud of? What makes them tick? Do I speak to just a few Swedish and generalise the entire population? Or do i want to really know what it is like to be a Swedish — in this short 5 months. What am I going to do with it?

I’ve met people from Finland; Poland; Spain; Hong Kong; China; England; the US; Korea; Turkey… and what hit me is that, which I think is best summed up in this line… “The World, isn’t just known as ‘The World’ any longer”. Back home in Singapore, I find myself saying or reading or hearing things like, “The world is so small”, or “This is nothing compared to the rest of the world”, or “Go to the ends of the earth” or “The rest of the world”… you know, these kind of phrases that we use so often only has its weight now. Because the world, is really made up of people. And we can’t simply say “the world will be affected” when we don’t grasp the true meaning of it.

My world was only Singapore. That’s the real truth. I never saw the world, so big, so beautiful, so amazing and so fascinating. I never saw people of the world to be so similar, yet so distinct all at the same time. And this is only Sweden.

Cooking is now more of a means of survival (to cut cost) and a way of teleporting ourselves, momentarily, back home through our tastebuds and all the chemical reactions that set our hearts to have that warm-fuzzy-feeling. We have learnt some ROCK-HARD lessons about the microwave, as well as the amount of effort required to prepare a simple meal (all of you give ur mum/dad a big hug, now!). But all’s well and at least, I love cooking. Meatballs only last you for a week, and then you start craving for rice, chup chye and oyster sauce and garlic. =P

This first post in Sweden probably is more thought-filled. I realise that I always do that whenever I blog. The pictures will come up later… =)

Erratic weather in Singapore? Rain/shine; Rain/shine? Well, in Sweden, it’s erratic to them because it is supposed to be -10 degrees when it’s only, yes they say, only, -1 degree lowest. -shrug- If this isn’t global warming, I seriously wonder what else it would be. Come on people, if Keynesian theory says in the long run, when we are all dead, i think the long run isn’t too far off anymore. -doh-

Off now!
-J