Update after a year and the Summer diving!

It has been a year since I wrote a blog entry and it was about my first scuba diving experience in Nha Trang. For the same reason, I want to write again.

Exploring the Memorial Park where my sis new house is near :)

Yorkshire Dales Field Trip in November 2012

YSD field trip, working with my group - Jinxi, Sienna

Life has taken over this past year and I just couldn't find time to write properly. There are lots to reflect over the year and lots to remember, all of which have entered my diary (even it has experienced quite an unstable diet!)

This year contained probably so many memories I can't count all on my fingers. When I left for England in September last year, I started my first year of A level - struggled a bit with all the new adjustment. During term time, I didn't have much time to go out so I spent almost all of the year in the Geography Library at school. Not too bad eventhough I do want to go out but it would cost a lot on my savings....

My sister moved out of Hall to a house she rented with 4 other people. I come here every holiday via Megabus because it's cheap which takes around 2hours. There is a huge memorial park at the back so it has been fun to explore the area. Sis took care of me well, of course and in turn, I helped taking care of the house. I learnt this year how many things I would have to think about renting a house. I had to deal with the bills, maintenance and all sort of other stuff like who the hell stole our trash can!?!

My visa for Morocco didn't go through so I stayed in Warwick with my sister while my classmates experienced my dream land. I had to give up the offer for the volunteer trip to Tamil Nadu in India because we couldn't pay for it. My student visa in the UK caused quite a bit of trouble and I didn't go home in Christmas so I spent my first Christmas in England. Didn't go to the New York art trip either.

I got my fone stolen, my laptop stolen and also had quite a bad day that day at the train station. Things at home weren't so stable. My swimming training has fallen quite badly (did managed to get back into the swim team though!) I reckon with all the crap that happened to me this year, I could write a book of my life experiences being a foreign student lol

My Christmas drawing in ES room

ES chocolate penguins gift for Christmas

With all that being said about how strange this year has been, good things did happen. Problems that arises came with help in the end. My tutor is the best tutor in the world! ES looked after me for the past 2 GCSE years and now she continues to take care of me. She gives us Christmas chocolatey in shape of penguins because she has quite an obsession with penguins :D She loves animals and that makes her even more special! Since I moved to England to study, I have somewhat become a semi-vegetarian too. I stopped eating meat except for the occasional fishes (simply because I can't give up on sushi...) My love for Japanese food will never die haha

Countdown for New Year 2013

Celebrating New Year and Mandy's bday together

Good things did happen, like the fact that my roomate this year was Mandy (a chinese girl) and she is the most amazing roommate! Mandy and I both like to take care of each other and especially we are both a little OCD. She is more OCD than I am of course. I would cook nice dinner for us and she would clean. What I admire most is the fact that she is just so happy and contented with her life that rarely would you see her stress out or get mad at anyone. She listen to my daily ramble about life and always support me in whatever I do. I don't know what title to give her because she is quite an astonishing person for us all to look up too. However, I do have to push her sometimes to do some work lol

Bhakti and I at IF campaign Hydepark (June)

We led the House Music competition together through up and down and won the cup. My idea of a kitchen percussion performance won us the Assemble price. I also ran Cross country (21 minutes or sth I think! Not too bad) and the 10 miles cup which was meant to be ran by boys but we didn't have enough boys. I played all the Sports there were on Sport day - Played Javeline for the first time hitting my silly head three times, Headshot with a soccer ball first time (being the only girl for the Boarding team!). I am now selected to become the Head of Collinson so I am quite proud of that. I also was involved in the 2013 Live below the line again this year and then attended the IF campaign. I also took my economic teacher around on her first trip in Vietnam.

Touring VGM and Hannah of Cu Chi tunnels

My birthday was spent going back to England as usual with a birthday wish from the immigration officer, but friends and Collinson collective made my 18th birthday quite awesome :) Matron made me a special cake and I got prezzi too. Plus I had a Geography lesson that day so that was good too! Here are a collection of photos from the past year!

Sneaking out to buy Wasabi bday dinner :D

Me and Mandy on my bday

Created Tu Linh's corner in GEOG library :D embarrassingly since I stayed here every afternoon till 6, ppl just call it my spot lol

Top of Epping hill with Sienna and Ploy - Bio field trip :D

There were 2 trips this year that I made me quite happy too. The first was the trip of Yorkshire Dales in November 2012 where I spent the most amazing three days in Yorkshire learning geography. Second was the biology trip in Epping in June 2013 where I met an interesting young man who was guiding us over the weekend, showing me quite a lot of cool stuff and in return I helped him plan his trip to Vietnam,  and also I got to trek up the Epping hill.

Bio field trip to Epping - Made friends with this goat who on the last days, rmb to come and find me!

I was given a lot of opportunities to be the technicians backstage for the Drama department this year, helping out the A2 performances, an annual play and then the AS end of year performances. It is great to be welcomed to the Drama department and learnt to do all the lighting I have always dream of. I helped with their costumes too. Overall, it was all great fun!

My artwork at the End of Year exhibition

The UK this year experienced quite a long winter, so when spring did come at last. I had to capture the wildlife booming! I climb a tree for the first time after 18 years of age. That was quite an achievement.

Last homecook dinner for my wonderful roommate Mandy!

Another of my wildlife photo collection from Mill Hill

Three little ducks parading the school

Sis took me to Hatton Farm during my last half term in Summer before my exam.

Caught my own Guinea Pig at Hatton Farm

Making friend with the goat almighty

First encounter with a Reindeer

It became my getaway place - the tree!

Visit to Nottingham uni geog department

Before I left England, I did manage to squeeze in a trip to the Nottingham University to visit the Geography department there. It was amazing to be amongst people with the same interest. Although that means I have a lot to do with my personal statement.

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I came back home in on the 1st July and spent a week or so at home. Although it bugs me a lot that I wasn't doing anything productive much apart from spending time with my family and working at the backstore. I taught my brother to swim and also my cousin so I'm proud of that too. Old friends reunited and that was quite a beauty night! So much fun!

Moving on to the most important part of this post though. I went back to Nha Trang to scuba dive once again after a year. It took me quite a few days trying to organise the trip with Minh (who went with me last year) and My Linh Hime - my best friend. Minh and I wanted to top up our knowledge with the Advanced Open Water course and My Linh is a total newbie to diving.

(content has been moved to a new post - Review of an Adventurous summer 2013)

Us three on the train from Nha Trang back home.

Gosh there are too much to write about.

Thank you so much to everyone for helping me through the year! 

All I want to say is this :

Bad things come as a wake up call, reminding you of the good things in life that you better appreciate it!

and 

I have learnt through all this, I have to create my own adventure because no one will ever make it happens for me!