Don't worry baby, everything will turn out alright

Can you believe it, I am 12 time zones away from Home, and still that is not far enough to escape the nagging.

The Mom-Nag.

Seriously, it's as though mothers feel incomplete, like something's missing, if they don't nag at someone - son, daughter, unfortunate husband.

So one night my roommate had a male friend (almost-boyfriend) over; I couldn't sleep, I didn't want to do homework, so I came out into the hallway and called Home.

And would you believe ah, I got nagged as though my mom was spewing forth 3 month's worth of pent up Nag-ness.

"Mou gam yeh chong liong ah! Nei everyday sai tou ah? Mou nei ji mou! Yew yong hairdryer ah! Nei goh dou gam dong, hai winter time, mm sai everyday sai tou geh, yat jeng gan baeng jor dim hou?"

(Cantonese, btw.)

So anyway.

That's not event the worst of it. I told her about the courses I chose for next semester.

(So weird right, I've only been here for 3 months, and already course registration for next semester was due 2 weeks ago!)

I told her I signed up for classes in Philosophy, Psychology, Art and French. And a one-credit Javanese dance class.

I might as well have told her I got pregnant.

She went on and on about how Art is not not not a good choice, why would I want to do one semester of art, I'm not going to major in it, and I'm not going to learn proper art in one semester, what is one semester of art?!

So I was trying to argue my point about how art IS a good choice, but the line was bad that night, she kept going, "HAH? WHAT? HAH??", and it was past midnight, people were sleeping so I couldn't talk any louder, you can imagine how aggrevated I was.

"Mm hai yah! Nei teng ngo kong! Ngo lei yi dou zau hai yew explore different areas mahh!"

Honestly speaking la, I don't even know why my parents are spending money to send me here if they want me to stick to the same ol' traditional few subjects.

Maths. Science. English. WTH.

That totally defeats the purpose of a Liberal Arts Education.

But you know what, the best thing about my parents is, even though they have super traditional Chinese thinking, even though they think Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering, Law etc. are the best fields, they never never force us into what they think is Proper but know that we don't like. Or better put, they let us pursue what we like think we are passionate about.

I mean, my brother stopped schooling for a bit to go on a 2-year mission, after which he would finish up his major in sculpture. A SCULPTURE major whaddaheck! That alone says a lot about how my parents don't restrict us at all.

So, as expected, before the phone call ended my mom did eventually go, "Aiyah, nei zhong yi lah. Ngo dim gong nei dou mm wui teng ge lah."

("Aiyah, whatever you like lah. I say what also you won't listen one lah.")

Which I take as a sign to mean I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT. Within reason la of course.

* * * * *

Oh and speaking of classes, I did very badly in my Anthropology exam. No surprise there.

People who were done were leaving one by one, and when it reached the end of class-time I was like, what the heck, hand in only la. But my professor, seeing my half-done page, went, "It's okay, I'll give you an extra 5 minutes."

So there I was, alone in the room, with my extra 5 minutes, trying to figure out what fluff I can add to pad up my super short essay.

After the exam, I went to do my laundry, and I had to walk outdoors to this other dorm because my dorm doesn't have its own laundry room.

So there I was, in t-shirt, a sweatshirt, sweatpants, and flip flops. That's it, nothing else.

And what were other people wearing?

Heavy jackets, scarves, and gloves. And boots.

I was in sweats and flip flops!

I must've been so numbed from being depressed about my exam I didn't even feel the cold.

Haih.

* * * * *

Bagaimana. I have lost the enthusiasm for studying. Or learning.

I mean, I love my classes. I can't wait to speak fluent French, my tutorial class is SO much fun because we watch comedies and have fun discussions, and learning about African tribes and how they go about their daily lives in Anthro class is super interesting. (I can't say much about my calculus class. I don't even know why I took it in the first place.)

But telling me to do my homework / study for an exam is like telling me I have to walk to KL for a bowl of pan meen. I love (LOVE!) pan meen, but the thought of the long walk stops me from going.

I don't feel like studying.

Two more weeks of classes, another week of final exams, and then we're home freeeeeeeeeee!

Or NOT. Everyone's going home but MEEEEEEEEEE =(

One of my friends invited me to stay over with her in San Francisco over winter, so that means -
1. No need spend Christmas here (there are people staying here, but it's still going to be real quiet)
2. Can maybe see my bro
3. Can usher in new year in San Francisco! A proper city! NO CORNFIELDS!

But air tickets are expensive. (But I'll be saving on accommodation...) But air tickets are still expensive! And meals and stuff.

Some of us are talking about going to Disneyland during spring break next March, so how.

I'm using my own money because I don't wanna spend my parents', so it's only one or the other.

Disneyland with a bunch of people definitely takes precedence over San Francisco with very few people.

Sighhh, means really spending winter here.

I don't even care about not being able to go home anymore. I just want something to DO.

I'm going to die from boredom and rot away during winter break. And when my roommate comes back a month later she'd have to brush the cobwebs and dust off me.

* * * * *

I've been playing Beach Boy's Don't Worry Baby on repeat for two days now.

I don't have to worry about annoying anyone because everyone in my hall is American, and so they've all gone home for Thanksgiving.

Jealous sangat.

But STILL. Beach Boys?!

What is wrong with me?