Jo's Musings

Eucharistic Prayer III

2010-11-13T14:01:00.000-08:00

Eucharistic Prayer III : Meeting the family of Christ (and my family) at the table

Dear family all over the world,

It is difficult indeed to be away from you. I think about you very often, and miss you very much: some of you I saw recently, others I have not seen for years. (There's even some of you that I have never met). I am writing to let you know that even though we do not often get a chance to meet or talk to each other, we are intimately connected through our faith and celebration of the Eucharist.

In this past year I have grown so much in my appreciation and understanding of the Eucharistic celebration during the mass. I remember my heart first stirring about 2 years ago when I attended Latin Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes. Rather by accident, I ended up at a Latin Mass that was not the Tridentine Mass, but rather the 1970 Roman Missal Mass, identical to the Post-Vatican II Mass I have attended in English all my life, with the Liturgy of the Word in English, but the Gathering, Liturgy of the Eucharist, and Dismissal in Latin. I was moved to tears during the Mass, as I suddenly felt an immense connection to all the people who over 2000 years had celebrated the Mass, heard the words (not precisely those words, but very similar) and experienced the intimate connection with God and the Church in the Eucharist. I spent the rest of that semester attending Mass in Latin, reveling in the intimate connection I felt with the global Church -- we often speak of English as the universal language, but at one point in time, not that long ago, Latin joined believers all over the world. Do not get me wrong, I am a great supporter of celebrating the Eucharist in local languages so that the congregation is closer to the mysteries being celebrated, but I think that everyone should experience mass in Latin at least once in their lives.

The reason that I felt so responsive to this image of the global church was the great gift I have had through my short life of having celebrated the mass all around the world – across Asia and Europe, in Australia and in the USA. In every place, the Mass was the same, just in different languages– the same prayers, the same rituals – the same Body and Blood.

Perhaps most important to opening my eyes to the universal (catholic) Church was my experience of World Youth Day in Sydney two years ago, where I saw the great gathering of Catholics from around the world, and experienced our truly global faith. For two weeks I basked in the presence of young Christian men and women who had traveled the world to be together with the Pope to celebrate our shared faith. I was often moved to tears during those two weeks, seeing the droves of people, walking towards the same location, waving their flags, singing, praying, dancing and glorifying God together.

Some of my cousins and extended family, past and present

Having seen the global face of Christ, and knowing that I am so deeply connected to you all over the world through our relationship, I have lately been drawn to an even deeper understanding of that connection – you and I are linked with every celebration of the Eucharist. Just like Danielle Rose sings in her song (posted above), “we receive each other's presence” in the Eucharist. That gives me hope when I am away from you. Every time I attend mass and celebrate the Eucharist, I now think of you, all over the world, as you attend Mass throughout that day, across various timezones – we are joined at one table. As a family, we have always placed so much emphasis on eating together (for any occasion) and now when I receive Holy Communion, I think back to Sunday lunches, when I was young, sitting at the table for a special meal to be shared with you. I even think of family dinners in front of the TV, as we ate together, talked about our days, and about the television shows we bonded over. I think of countless birthdays, baptisms, first Holy Communions, weddings, anniversaries and funerals we have attended together, sharing food and drink, good conversations and being enveloped in love. Here I am now, away from all of you, but I have faith that “when we gather at the table, we are closer than our breath.”

My parent's wedding and our family photo

There are four Eucharistic Prayers in the Roman Missal, which are the words of prayer, offering, consecration and transformation of the simple offerings of bread and wine into the Precious Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Out of these four prayers, Eucharistic Prayer III allows me to feel the most intimate connection to you and the global body of Christ through it's words of invocation and consecration. In this prayer, the priest says the following words, that speak to me personally about our intimate connection in the Eucharist.

"From age to age you gather a people to yourself, so that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of your name.

[…]

Grant that we, who are nourished by his body and blood, may be filled with his Holy Spirit, and become one body, one spirit in Christ.

[…]

Lord, may this sacrifice, which has made our peace with you, advance the peace and salvation of all the world. Strengthen in faith and love your pilgrim Church on earth; your servant, Pope {Benedict}, our Bishop {name of local bishop}, and all the bishops, with the clergy and the entire people your Son has gained for you. Father, hear the prayers of the family you have gathered here before you. In mercy and love unite all your children wherever they may be.” (emphasis added)

As you can see, the words of this Eucharistic prayer join all peoples together (through time and space) such that I am intimately connected through the celebration of the Eucharist with all of you, my living family all over the world, and also my family in Christ, globally and through all time.

So the next time you attend mass, listen carefully – you might just miss it – Jesus is calling us all to His table, into His arms. So “come and meet me at the table, come and meet me in His heart […] though I cannot see your face, I will see you in the Eucharist." I know that, as Matt Maher sings in the song I have posted below, even though we are far apart, “Love Will Hold Us Together.” I have utmost faith in the God that IS Love, and I know that in my love for you and for God we shall be ever connected.

"Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us." (1 John 4:7-12)

I am sending you the deepest love and best regards. The next time you celebrate the Eucharist, please think of me, for I shall be thinking of you as I approach the table of the Lord, I shall hold you in my heart and I know that "I will meet you at the table, I will meet you in His heart."

Do not be afraid,

I will see you in the Eucharist

Love always,

JoAnn

2009-06-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

Inspired by this post on youhf.wordpress.com (where by the way, I have recently been published) and in honor of the Year of the Priest, some videos done by a priest:-

Also, have you guys ever heard "The Priests" an amazing group from Ireland.

Mary Mary...

2009-06-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

This post was meant to be written for May, Mary's Month. And it's now almost the end of June. I do not know how the time slips me by. I think of something I want...no NEED...to express, and then forget it, let it slip through my mind -- forgetting things that really matter so easily distracted by other less important, more frivolous things.

And what did I do in May or for that matter, in June? Not as much as I would have liked.
I have been steadfastly continuing with my Rosary chain...but not always with the concentration it deserves. :( So today I will write this post, which will help me concentrate I believe...
I've meant to write this for a while now. Many people wonder about the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Church. She has always been a great part of my life -- from rosaries prayed daily in childhood, to the Our lady of Fatima statue that stands in my room today.
But who is Mary? What does she actually mean to us? Why do we Catholics hold her in such high regard?

I have been toying around with this idea for a while, and here it is finally. As I remember that I forgot to finish this post in May. As I remember that I often forget about Mary. To remind me, and all of us, why our veneration of the Blessed Virgin is important. Because there REALLY is "Something About Mary"

As for me, I'm trying to devote myself more fully to my own part in the rosary chain that we WYDers took on ... and from time to time I sit and devote myself to contemplating the full rosary. But praying it alone is difficult, and I long for the semester to start so I can find some friends to pray with.

In the meantime,

Here's my list ...

7 Things I Learned from the Blessed Virgin Mary

Live a life of chastity

( Mary said to the angel, "How can this be since I am a virgin?"Luke 1:34)

Show care and concern for those around you, put others before self

(In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country. Luke 1:39)

Praise God

( And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness (tapeinosen) of his servant. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me and holy is his name.His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly (tapeinous); he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever." Luke 1:46-55)

Contemplate the words and deeds of Jesus in your heart

(But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19
Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. Luke 2:51)

Bear witness, even when it seems dangerous, and few remain faithful

(Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. John 19:25)

Say Yes to God

(Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word. Luke 1:38 )

And the last (and possibly most important) thing that I learned about Mary in the Gospels and through my own life?...

Mary is Our Mother, and Mary's intercession is powerful

(When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." then he said to the disciple, "Here is your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. John 19:26-27

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them to the brim. He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward." So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now." Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. John 2:1-12)

All bible verses from: http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/resources/bible.html

Summer Lovin'

2009-06-23T20:18:00.001-07:00

Hello Hello.
I've been MIA. TV and reading and makaning have been ruling my world this past month....but here I am...1 month into researching. It's interesting: in case you didnt know, I'm looking at how religion (both theology and inter-religious dialogue) can help create peace in post-conflict situations, especially when societies are divided by religious differences!
woah. cheem. i know. :P
It's been an interesting summer. I'm living with Qian Hui, who's also from Singapore.
My typical day/week:
Wake up after snoozing my alarm obscene numbers of times. (thankfull Qian is also a lazy bum like me and we both snooze and laze in bed for AGES until one says to the other "erm...i think we should get up." or "OH NO! 9AM! DIE! GET UP!")

Breakfast
Go into "office" (me sitting in the polsci department reading my work and chatting with Marge.)
Eat lunch
"work" more
eat dinner
read books (for fun, not polsci); watch tv.

on mondays and thursdays i work as a TELEHAWK. which sounds scary i know. but mostly it's just boring. I call up people who might be itnerested in my uni and talk to them (or their parents) about school. it was funner at first (i know that's not a word, chill) because I was calling students who already were definitely coming here, so i could talk to them about impt info -- eg which dorm to choose, what mealplan, what to bring, etcetcetc. Now i'm just calling random ppl in highschool to tell them about OpenHouse. but it's not too bad. som days weirder than others.

I also bake brownies. Hang out with some friends from time to time. and in general try to have fun, without missing my home terribly.

My parents just celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary, and I'm bummed I'm not home to celebrate with them. They truly are an inspiration to me. I hope to find love like theirs someday. And be able to dance like they do.

But since the 21st, it's become LESS THAN 6 MONTHS TO GOA 2009. Which is fabulous. (I'll be arriving December 21st 2009 in what we like to call God's Own Abode ~ GOA!) I cannot wait, especially since I heard about the newest addition to our giant clan...the new Baby Boy Mascarenhas. (born June 18th).

It's going to be a fabulous Christmas season....all I need now is to find myself a dress! :P

Me on a trip to DC

Jess and Qian Hui when we attended GeoKids and then helped collect the kid's garbage.

Sam and our amazing chocolate chip chocolate syrup brownies. YUM!

Me and Qian Hui!

Some funny videos for you to watch:

This one was shown to me by Sam (not the same one pictured above) and I laughed so hard...because as a fan of both Buffy and Twilight, I KNEW that's exactly how Buffy would have treated creepy-controlling-obsessive Edward. lolations...

2009-06-07T11:35:00.001-07:00

Happy Trinity Sunday!
Very lovely article I read:

http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=33757

Deathbed Request: 'Tell me About the Trinity’

By Deacon Keith Fournier
6/7/2009

Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

'Tell me about the Trinity' Jerry asked me. He also brought me closer to the Dance of love that he has now joined.

My friend taught me a lesson at the hour of death; one that I will treasure for eternity. Now, at almost every Mass where I serve as a Deacon, I pray for Jerry. I know he also prays for me. I periodically ask him the question which he asked me on that day. I know he has the full answer. “Tell me about the Trinity?” On this Trinity Sunday, Jerry is joined in the joyful dance of love.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (Catholic Online) - It was June of 2005. I was at the bedside of a dear friend, a faithful and inspiring Catholic.

He was dying; just the night before he had received the news that he had less than two weeks to live. The cancer that he fought with such heroic courage had spread throughout his lymph glands. He was preparing for the passing to the Father with the dignity and beauty that authentic Catholic Christian faith can forge in a soul receptive to grace.

Jerry lived a full and fascinating life.

He was always a staunch and courageous defender of the Catholic faith. He reminded me of the great lay evangelist Frank Sheed - at least what I imagine Frank Sheed was like, since I never met him. My friend loved to tell anyone who would listen of the beauty and fullness of truth found in the Catholic Christian faith. In fact, he would engage any issue concerning that faith, with anyone, and at any time.

He especially delighted when Christians of other communities would come home to the full communion of the Catholic Church.

As a Deacon of the Church, I had the privilege of bringing Viaticum to him on that day. His beloved wife sat next to him, displaying the courage, beauty and dignity of sacramentally grounded, faithful married love.Theirs was the kind of transforming love that had stood the test - and the invitation- of so many years and had only grown stronger and deeper. It no longer needed words, only presence.

I prayed with them both that day, at that bedside.

After the completion of the Viaticum Service, during a tender and profound moment of silence, Jerry turned to me, focused his piercing, peaceful, and intensely inquisitive eyes upon my own, and asked a question that was so unusual - and so profound- that I have dwelt upon it since.

I will carry it within me for many years to come.

“Tell me about the Trinity”, my friend asked me, “are they really happy?”

By God’s grace, I was not taken aback by such a profound and unexpected question. In fact, the Holy Spirit gave me an immediate response.

“My friend, they are intensely happy -and soon you will join in their joy” I said.

I continued, “There is a Greek word used in Eastern Christian theology in an attempt to open up the mystery of the intra-Trinitarian relationship to us mere mortals.”

I could tell from his eyes that I had captured his attention.

He and I had shared many times about theological truths and the deeper meaning of our Catholic faith. He was such a wonderful example of the great gift whom John Paul the Great referred to as the “Lay members of Christ’s Faithful” in his letter that bore that title.

A natural theologian, my friend had deepened his own practical and mystical prayer life with a lifelong program of theological and spiritual reading.

“What is it?” he asked

“The Greek word is ‘perichoresis’”, I told him.
I continued, “It is loosely translated as a joyful dance of love. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are joined in continual dance of love and, very soon, you will be invited to join in.”

Without missing a beat, a smile broke out on his hollowed face; he leaned toward me and responded: “I hope I can keep up with them”.

“You will”, I assured him, “and you will pray for all of us.”

I have learned in my years of Diaconal ministry in the Church that people die the way they live. I have seen this truth demonstrated many, many, many times.

On that precious day, right before my eyes, I was witnessing the transforming power of faith and the reception of the last gift given to those who really believe; the grace of a peaceful death.

A priest friend told me when I was a young man that the most requested prayer he received from people facing death was the “Hail Mary”; a prayer that Catholics are taught from their childhood.

In that prayer, after reciting the message the Angel gave to the Virgin of Nazareth, “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus”, we ask Mary, the mother of the Lord and our mother, to pray for us in these words:

“Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.”

After I left my friend’s house that day, I prayed that prayer all the way home. I thanked God for the witness of this faithful Catholic man who was ready to die, because of how he had lived.

Words quickly became inadequate. I arrived home and sat in silence.

“Tell me about the Trinity” Jerry had asked me. In the inquiry he brought me closer to the Dance of love that he has now joined. The entire encounter filled me with unspeakable joy.It still does every time I reflect upon it.

My friend taught me a lesson at the hour of death; one that I will treasure for eternity. Now, at almost every Mass where I serve as a Deacon, I pray for Jerry. I know he also prays for me. I periodically ask him the question which he asked me on that day. I know he has the full answer.

“Tell me about the Trinity?”

On this Trinity Sunday, Jerry is joined in the joyful dance of love.

2009-05-24T10:55:00.001-07:00

I forgot to post this last week...
I made my mum a mother's day video.
I thought the song was really meaningful

Long time no post....

2009-05-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

uh-oh. it's been a while. weirdly enough, it's when I am really busy that i find i need to blog. when i have hours and days and an entire summer spear out before me, i feel so reluctant to blog.
it's been almost 1 week since i' ve been back at school. 2 weeks since Spring 09 ended.
Spent the 1st week at clive's after having moved EVERYTHING out of wynnewood. that was tortorous.
and Clive bought a WII!! which was a lot of fun. he also decided to have a bbq party...which meant JoAnn was put to work cooking. but i cooked really well! marinated all the meat. marinated like 15 chicken breasts after cutting them up intop chucks for skewers. and then 9 pounds of beef and made burgers. let's just say it was hard work. and then i was running around during the party too.
saturday went to the SPA...finally. after having put it off for ages (clive gave me the gift card in Dec 07) had a nice manicure and a fabulous massage....only after the massage had to go to the beef burgers....so all the knots returned.,.,.,and remain.
Moved back to school on Sunday.
and here I am at St Mary's. It's allegedly haunted. but i dont believe that. i believe that it is old and decrepid....but i ant really complain. i have my own toilet, and the shower is right down the hall. it's not as nice as wynnewood was, but you cant always live the high life. my only major complaint is the internet being kind of sucky here.
it's been slightly lonely. i dont really know many of the ppl here....and they arent really my 'kind" of people. hoping that when we do some of the SSP activities i'll be able to bond with them.
on the bright side, sam atten and sam koch are around, so i get to hang out with them.
tanya is still here. but that's bittersweet, because on tuesday she's leaving to go back to india. tis sad sad.
i try my best to go into the polsci office to do work so that i actually accomplish some. otherwise cooped up in my room nothing gets done. in the meantime, i;m returning to reading fiction for pleasure. and watching all the shows i missed.

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*
i'm pretty bumbed that terminator:the sarah connor chronicles wont be returning...wld have been cool to see what wld have happened....
as for prison break...series finale...oh gosh. PB became a bit crazed this season. the last couple of episodes returned to the cool plans/action/ticking clock thing, and came kind of full circle (special S1/2 guests!) but that ending? ridiculous. seriously? seriously? and that's how the show ends forever? like that? i know we cant always have happy endings. but seriously?
speaking of SERIOUSLY? that grey's finale. omg. shonda keeps delivering amazing tv. i just hope that the rumors arent true...because...i've always loved george. from the first episode....when he remembered what meredith was wearing...haha.
(trying to blog without giving stuff away)

on the bright side, CHUCK got renewed. and i LOVE Chuck. i;'m super excited.
have to wait forever for my tvshows to come back.

in the meantime, i'm hoping that roach can come visit me (roach if you are reading this, remember....no pressure!) waiting for my mum to come visit. i need a healthy dose of home.
and in 7 months....i get to be home in Goa. so different from being home in Singapore. but somehow Goa is always magical...especially this year...we're adding at least 4 new members to the clan in 09. and i cannot wait to meet all of them.

i've always been a homebody. and i dont think i'll ever stop.
so now when i'm away from home. i'm ust going to have to make my own home-ness whenever/whereever i can.

<3 Jo

Baaaa Confessions.

2009-05-06T18:59:00.001-07:00

So 3rd post in a few hours. This one religious. Read below for other updates.

This one has been with me for a while...probably 2 Sundays ago the priest quoted this for his sermon, and it was so beautiful. I have been itching to share it! :)

(based on http://www.osjmonks.com/saug.html)

St Augustine (c350-c430 AD) was one of the early Church fathers, and he did live a pretty sinful life for a very long time. (he wrote: "God, give me chastity and continence - but not just now." )

Eventually, with the prayers of his mother, (a saint) and the help of St Ambrose, Augustine returned to the faith, and later started a monastery -- serving eventually as the Bishop of Hippo in 396 , and fought numerous early heresies.

He's so important I even read him in my Political Thought class (alongside Locke and Hobbes...and yes, Aquinas)

The priest in his sermon, quoted this passage from Augustine's Confessions. So poignant.
How many of us are seeking and searching and looking everywhere. So easily sidetracked by other things.

Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness.
You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed you fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.

Imagine Augustine...seeking the truth, seeking the Lord, but being lost. And God found him. Flashed. Shone. Breathed. Pray that we are not so blind that we ignore the flashing lights.
We forget where God truly is...within us, coming to us every single Mass, in the Eucharist. in HIS Real Presence. No symbol. HIM. Body and Blood. He is with us, in us, we just have to believe and as that hymn goes, "taste and see, that the Lord is good." It took me a long time to see what the Sacrament meant. but here I am. I believe in what it is. I probably tried to ignored the flashing lights. The knocking at my door. How amazing is it, God does not give up on us? He keeps right on knocking. Or He finds the window and comes in. Or He sends us people who challenge us, lead us, inspire us. We just have to be willing to hear and see Him.

Which I guess brings me to this week's Sunday readings:
it was Good Shepherd Sunday. And the readings were about sheep and shepherds. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. The Church does however, have shepherds to lead us along. and they are called and challenged to be good shepherds for their flocks. Do we the "sheep" act as good sheep? Sheep aren't stupid. Or just a mindless pack (remember, the reading is about the sheep dispersing/getting lost!). [this isnt going to be a post/rant about conformity thought...i am not going to get into it, but i think that stringent individualism is bad. I believe in community, in unity. Conformity can be good (as long as it doesnt clash with one's conscience i guess)]

Back to the SHEEP! We are called sheep because we are called to LISTEN. What does listening mean? It means to hear and obey. To internalize what we hear, to act on it.

That's what we are called to do! Hear. Act. Internalize. Listen. (woah. that spells HAIL how apt...)

O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts.

More Ponderings

2009-05-06T16:42:00.000-07:00

I'm on a bit of an update-the-word-about-me spree. (see posts below. some new, some have added pics)

Finals are almost over! technically they are over, just have that silly paper to do. will sit and do it tomorrow :) then FREEDOM! (for 1 week, before i have to go back to school for summer scholars)

the weather has been sort of crap lately -- all rainy and dreary. not that i like the hot hot sun either. (on account of my ezcema) but today the ezcema is acting up for no reason :(

Today I had my Islam final, and therefore ended an entire semester with my "daily buddies" the 2 people I got to see every weekday for over 3 months. Most awesome semester, involving shared misery, shared laughs, and lots of bitching! I could not have survived without our post-Islam bitch sessions. So right after Islam we 3 headed over to Wendy's so I could have a frostie. (which i have been craving since Dr Carter mentioned milkshakes in class like 3-4 weeks ago) It was my first ever frostie, and i got a chocolate with twisted in mnms (ok. it's like a mcflurry, only better)

pictures of ma daily buddies! (sadness because erina is leaving for ireland next semester, and possibly spain after that)

Studying:

Frosties:

(attempts to take a picture of all 3 of us daily buddies....slight fail.)

Also, last friday, I finished my research methods paper: it clocked in at a whopping 31 pages. and was entitled:

Crouching Tigers Unleashed: Understanding How Structures and States Created East Asian Development Through Comparative Case Studies of Mexico and Singapore

I know! :P ridiculous. but i am so proud of my achievement! :) If any of you want to read it (haha) send me a message and i'll send you a copy lol.

So last friday, i needed to unwind. How better than with the ASA?
Had a real blast with them.

In the car...

Chicken cheers!

Me and Miguel! :)

Asian Love :)

It's Been a While

2009-05-06T15:45:00.000-07:00

It's been a while. Don't worry, I didn't forget about blogging! I just had quite a few crazy things going on ... numerous papers and now finals week. But I'm so close to being done! (only 1 take home essay left! :) )

So, my last post was on April 25th: my bro's birthday. The next day, I "entertained" by having him over, and cooking him a huge dinner. I'm so proud of myself -- did it all from scratch! :)

It was a multiple course meal!

Soup: Hot and Sour Vegetable Soup

Appetizer: Stuffed Mushrooms (stuffed with mushroom; sausage; hotdog)

Main Dish: 4 meat pasta (shell pasta, cream sauce, hand-made meat balls [with onion/garlic in the meat], hot dog slices, italian sausage, bacon...all topped with cheese.] yummilicious if i do say so myself.

Dessert: Chocolate Pudding (also my very proud creation); Salame de chocolate (my very own version without egg, because you can't cook it, and that could kill you)

Post-dinner: Tea and the same orange-cream biscuits I ate as a child.

All in all, a fun fun evening.

The Stuffed mushrooms:

Me and my bro with the soup and the appetizers:

The process of making the pasta! :) Take a look at those hand made meatballs:

The Birthday Boy was excited (p.s.: i had given his that tee-shirt once)

All the Desserts: chocolate pudding...

Salame de Chocolate

Nomnomnom

Orange biscuit! :)

Brothers and Sisters rule :)

Overdue Pictures

2009-04-25T11:02:00.001-07:00

Miguel's Confirmation Photos (i swiped them from Vi-Zanne)

(On the walk to the church, James Manion and me...It was a beautiful day, and I was happy...but after walking 8 BLOCKS I was unhappy -- since had terrible blisters!)

Miguel and his Sponsor for his confirmation -- his 1st cousin once removed (aka his parent's cousin)

All of us in the gang who went to the confirmation...and no, that's not vi-zanne's baby, that's miguel's cousin, who was ADORABLE!

Me and Migs

Miguel and His cousins....the one on the right actually gave me a hug! :) (and then Nate told him to watch out, because I am a hug fiend who steals hugs from everyone... =P )

We had to wait for a while before we could be seated to eat...so we camera-whored a little

Vi and Me

Amanda, Me, Miguel

Asian Power! :)

No, I didnt really kiss migs.

CHEERS!
Rob and Teresa...the new couple in the group :P

Karl and Vi, the only non-Catholics on the trip.

Force feeding miguel because he refused to eat my fries while he waited for his food.

me displaying my talents :P

The Week...

2009-04-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

This week has been rough.
I had a bad experience yesterday, and what's worse, I couldnt keep it to myself...i'm a complainer. and so i wont complain about it here. Suffice it to say that I wasted a lot of time yesterday, and therefore was late starting my paper, and sat and read all the info Thursday night, and then woke up at 6am Fri morning and between 630am-930~10am I managed to finish a 5 page paper. sometimes i wonder at my own crazy amazingness. i wish i could plan ahead, and not do things so last minute. but i seem to work best under pressure -- so what to do?

today went to the induction dinner for Pi Sigma Alpha, the Pol Sci honor society. I was as usual, overdressed for the occasion (when am i not overdressed?...but then again, better over dressed than underdressed i suppose) it was a nice dinner...i sat with Marge (if you dont know Marge, she's the Admin Assistant for the Pol Sci Dept, and she's the best!) We hung out all evening (i told her I was latching onto her since i only knew her haha) got a cool certificate. anyway...funny story of the day: When I went to get my cert, marge tried to take my picture, and the guest of honor, when i was shaking her hand, says "oh wait. pose for a while...your mum is taking our picture" hahaha. so basically this Judge thought that red-haired irish marge was my mother. am considering giving marge a mothers day card before i leave now. haha.

Also, they had voting for offices of the honor society, and I am apparently, the new (something) secretary of the Chapter! (there were 2 kinds of secretaries, and i'm one...woah weird. especially since i didnt really know many of the other people...but it's another thing to write on my resume i guess)

When Marge sends me my picture I'll put it up on here.

THe weather is behaving, and it's going to be a busy week ahead. it's time for me to start packing up, because I have to hand stuff over to my brother when he comes to visit me on Sunday (it's his bday and i'm cooking him a big fancy dinner)

that's all from me for now. Sunday i have the history honors society. who knows who i'll know there.

i think i tend to gravitate towards older people. i have more in common/more to talk about with older people i feel. which is probably bad. if i cant talk to ppl my age. dont know what it is. i'm an old soul.

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Judge Rendell, Me, Dr Baglione (who's laughing because I couldnt figure out where to stand to take the picture...or about the fact that the Judge thought Marge was my mum)

My certificate...fancy

My "mother" Marge :)

Spice is Nice

2009-04-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

I'm living day to day, assignment to assignment. and interspersing my stressed out moments with little bursts of television to distract me from the trainwreck that is my organizational abilities. So day to day it is.
Last night stayed up to write a paper for Islam class (or rather stayed up till 230am and then went to bed and woke up by 7am to finish it by 10am...but who's counting?)
I can't talk about that paper right now, there are so many more pressing things that are disturbing me

1. I can't concentrate. I am so easily distracted, it really is not cool. whether it's reading fmylife.com, or watching some 25minute tv show to space out the chapters i have to read, i'm pretty sure i'm in deep trouble with my study habits. i really need to spend the week post exam week rebooting my system so that i can start my summer scholars set to be all studious. (ok fine, you and i both know that will be a tv-watching palooza) So for right now, i just have to kep my limits in mind, and know when to stop. (luckily fmylife doesnt get updated every 30 minutes...people stop posting after 10pmish, so i can get to work by then...curse whoever advertized for fmylife in their FB status. you know i do everything fb tells me to do!)

2. I'm hungry all the time. There is rarely an hour during which I do not
a) think about food
b) eat food
i'm going to assume it's about dehdeng and let it slide (wait. are there boys who read this blog. haha. poor you tmi.)

3. I crave spicy food. This one is pretty weird. I have this need to consume something spicy like ALL THE TIME. Especially when it's late and I'm trying to stay awake. that's when i hit the indian mango pickle, and the sambal belachan. yumyum, but not just eaten plain everyday..possibly 2ce a day. my stomach is protesting i think, but i'm eating plain yogurt to curb that. crazy confession: i just drank about 5 teaspoons of hotsauce. plain hot sauce (that's like tobassco a little bit) can you imagine that? what's wrong with me?

Maybe I have the same problem Buffy did in this video...(minus the whole coming back from the dead because my friends resurrected me to fight the forces of darkness and they thought i was in hell when i was really in heaven)

Easter Eggs are Very Nice

2009-04-21T06:25:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to be able to concentrate. Maybe it's the taste of the finish line. I can see it, it's in sight, but I'm losing sight of the hurdles I have to jump before I reach that finish line -- 2 weeks of class = 5 papers due, and 1 week of exams = 5 finals, till May 9th when I'll be FREE (for 1 week before I have to return to school for summer scholars program :P)
So I've been trying to read this book for Islam and it's not really absorbing into my brain, and the paper is due tomorrow...i have to finish this book asap. :( and read for all the other classes i have to read for. but i'm remembering my resolution to give up complaining all the time!

So on brighter notes...
On Sunday I did something for the first time ever ... I dye-ed eggs! (Easter style) Basically you hardboil eggs and then decorate them on the outside with dye. (pictures below). Sam Attenborough was so sweet, she heard Vi and I had never done it before, so she invited us over and was our host/guide in this exciting "American" experience...haha...when I mentioned how we at home make CHOCOLATE eggs, everyone wanted to drop their hardboiled eggs and run to asia for those chocolate eggs! haha. also, by some coincidence, we were dye-ing eggs on the day of Orthodox Easter (Easter for the Eastern churches who work on a slightly different calendar)

Our Handiwork!

Me and the 2 eggs I made...psychedelic!

Was listening to Pandora today ( I love Pandora...you can create "stations" of music you like...if you are not in the US, use jango.com, it's the same idea, but not as awesome) Anyway, was pandroa-ing, and Matt Maher came on (Matt whom I love since I heard him at WYD and he made me cry with his great performance and great words)

Empty and Beautiful is actually about St. Paul...so here are the Lyrics:

Lyrics to Empty And Beautiful :
My past won't stop haunting me
In this prison there's a fight between
Who I am and who I used to be

This thorn in my side is a grace
For because of it the flesh and blood of God
Was offered in my place, my place

You fought the fight in me
You chased me down and finished the race
I was blind but now I see
Jesus You kept the faith in me

Where did my best friends go?
In my defense they disappeared
Just like Your friends did to You, oh Lord

But You were there, You gave me strength
So this little one might come to know
The glory of Your name, Your name

You fought the fight in me
You chased me down and finished the race
I was blind but now I see
Jesus You kept the faith in me

Awaiting, set apart like incense to Your heart
A libation I'm pouring out
Empty and beautiful, beautiful, beautiful

You fought the fight in me
You chased me down and finished the race
I was blind but now I see
Jesus You kept the faith in me

You fought the fight in me
You chased me down and finished the race
I was blind but now I see
Jesus You kept the faith in me
Jesus You kept the faith in me
Savior, You kept the faith in me
[ Empty And Beautiful Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]

It's funny how this song touched me when I heard it, and when I went to check it, it was actually about St Paul (funny because Matt Maher talked about St Paul during the concert in Melbourne, and what he said made me cry ...)

Of Confessions and Confirmations

2009-04-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

So it's time for me to write something real.
This past weekend was Miguel's Confirmation, which really got me thinking back to my own confirmation, which was almost 5 whole years ago. It seems pretty unbelievable.
As I wrote to Miguel, I reflected on the past 5 years, and how they have been a great journey of discovery to get me to this point, when finally, I am secure in my faith, and I believe, a full participant in the Church community.
(With an humble heart I can admit here that I avoided that sacred sacrament of reconciliation for the past 5 years, until this year when, in the middle of the Holy Week, I managed to find the courage and the grace to take me to the confessional and come back to a reconciled relationship with God. How blessed am I that I have met especially through the past year, so many people who are on fire with their faith, who experience God in their lives daily, who centre their lives and relationships around God. It was these wonderful people that inspired me to search my soul and come back fully to God. And how hypocritical I felt to have people think I was a good Catholic when for so long when there was this dark shadow over my heart as I feared the love that is expressed in that amazing Sacrament. That hymn I would sing as a child in Goa now echoes in my ears "I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back" Having encountered God so fully in the sacrament of reconciliation --to the point that I wept through the confession and penance for I felt so lucky to be forgiven--I know there is no turning back, and that I will make sure to water the spiritual garden, that it may bloom well!)
I still struggle everyday, because I am not very courageous -- I dont feel I have the courage to speak up and speak out. So often I am willing to just smile and let things slide, even when they go so contrary to what I believe in -- for fear of offending others; for fear of spoiling a relationship; for fear of having people think badly of me; for fear that my words will misrepresent my faith. Fear. Fear. Fear.
Notice only one of the fears is directly related to the faith. All the rest are selfish fears. For I know in my heart that no true friend should be offended by me being outspoken about my beliefs, just as I cannot be offensive when defending my beliefs. And aren't we most blessed when others revile us and think badly of us for our faith? But oh how hard it is to live like that! How much we want to be liked. I pray that I have the strength to speak the truth that I know.
So this is what I said to Miguel in his gift/letter (the gist of it)...
I said to Miguel, "I'm going to tell you things I wished people had told me when I had gotten confirmed" (I wish I had known more at my confirmation, I wish that I had realized how big a deal it was...I can't blame anyone else, my lack of strength in faith is my own fault)
So I baked Miguel brownies. and included 14 pieces of brownies in a little box that was attached to my card/letter.
And what does 14 mean?
This thanks to my little Compendium of the Cathecism of the Catholic Church (thanks WYD08!)
14 = 7 x 2 or 14 = 12 + 2

2: The two commandments of Love:
1. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
2. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
7: The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
1. Wisdom
2. Understanding
3. Counsel
4. Fortitude
5. Knowledge
6. Piety
7. Fear of the Lord
12: the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit
1. Charity
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Generosity
8. Gentleness
9. Faithfulness
10. Modesty
11. Self-control
12. Chastity

So as a confirmed Catholic, I wished Miguel that his life be ever grounded in the 2 commandments of love, that he may gain the 7 gifts and manifest the 12 fruits.

But the brownies were still useful for a bigger story.
Brownies start out from humble ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa, eggs, butter, milk and baking powder
and you wouldn't want to eat those ingredients by themselves now would you? (eeew to eating flour out of the bag...or raw eggs bleagh..and y'all know how I hate to drink milk) but what happens once all those ingredients are taken and mixed together? you get a delicious batter. the ingredients are not the same, because they have changed and become the batter. and the batter tastes pretty good. It even has the baking powder in it to make it rise just a little. but you know what? it's raw. (and my mum tells me that eating raw eggs will kill me) and you cannot just leave the batter as a batter (even though some people are content to just eat the batter) that batter started out with a purpose, and it's only when it goes into the fire of the oven that the baking soda is allowed to act fully, and it goes from raw batter to fully formed brownies!
Ok ok...so what does brownie batter have to do with confirmation? EVERYTHING! (free your mind and follow me here...) When you are baptized, you get all stirred up and changed. and you have th Holy Spirit in you (baking powder) that can help you rise a little over time. But it's when you get into the fire of the oven (confirmation) that the baking powder gets to work its magic, and you RISE! Confirmation takes a catholic from raw to help him/her fulfill his/her purpose! :)
(see i told you this was leading somewhere good!)
[and then i told miguel "from one brownie to another, I pray you rise in Christ on this your confirmation" -- haha get it? because we are 'brown'?]
So that was Miguel's confirmation gift from me! (I also included prayers by/to his patron saints, Gabriel (angel) and Ignatius (of Loyola).

we all took the train down to the city and walked AGES to the church (in high heels for me...bad call) and went to Mass...and then went out to dinner and had tons of screaming/laughing fun.

But about that Mass. it was pretty amazing. This weekend was Divine Mercy Sunday, and also the Sunday where we remember St Thomas' doubts....and I really loved what the Bishop said in his homily. Key things that I took away from my own meditation on the reading, and the Bishop's homily:
1. God (Jesus) wishes us PEACE. That simple yet powerful greeting that we must pass on to others
2. There was reference to the beauty/validity of the confessional! (those who's sins you loose, they are loosed, those who's sins you bind, they are bound)
3. No closed door can keep Jesus out. not even the closed door to our heart! (This was what the Bishop said that almost moved me to tears in the church!) How true this is! What good news it is! And as Matt Maher wrote in his song, "I'll leave a light on for you my Lord!" How I hope that I can also leave the door open!
4. Jesus helps us in whatever way we need even in our times of doubt. He knew what Thomas needed to believe. And he knows when we falter. Pray that we may be willing to see the signs and shout "My Lord and My God!"

Oh golly...I've gone on for a while. Hope I haven't turned you (the reader) off with my religiosity. This is my first step in becoming more courageous about my beliefs.I pray that someday soon I'll have the courage to defend myself in a face to face dicussion.

<3 Jo

It's been a while...

2009-04-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

I'm back here again! :) (probably because Roach said she read my blog, and i remembered I hadn't written in a while)
I stopped writing in Europe, just because I had so many stories to tell, and I was determined to write them chronologically and fully -- but maybe all stories do not need to be told, except the ones I feel at the moment of the writing. That tale that compels me to put my fingers to the keyboard, the tale that, the telling of which, is cathartic to me as much as it is entertaining to you (if it ever is).
(so as you can see I've been watching too much Frasier)
Since my last post, I went to the lovely Paris, visited my family in Portugal for 10days, and then had crazy exams etc, before going home to Singapore for a whirlwind week then on to Goa, for an AMAZING Christmas and New Year, then back to Singapore for 8 days of shopping and packing and then flying back to the US for school...
Where I am right now. And the semester is almost over. Just a couple of weeks left, and everything is racing past now -- papers papers papers galore :(
This Summer I'll be here in the US for a summer scholars program (research work with a mentor)
That's the catchup for now. So keep a lookout for more posts soon. There's a lot going on in this head of mine that needs to be said ;)
<3 Jo

2008-10-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

So I know that I have been derelict in my posting!

Here I am back again....I have lots of stories to tell though, so I will have to start at the previous weekend, even though I am DYING to write about Paris!!!

So the weekend of the 10th-12th was pretty eventful.

It all started on the 11th, when I went on an adventure with people from Church.

We went to this place called Zoet Water, that is in the middle of these woods, and it has a natural spring that has cold fresh water.

So, we were going to bike there, which would be "fun"

It was lots of fun...

.....for everyone else who got to see me try to bike for an hour uphill!!!

Seriously!

I don't know what I was thinking when I thought that I could ride a bike for more than 20 minutes. and the part where I forgot the leuven is full of hills. haha.

so i ride my bike (actually a borrowed bike from someone at the program) and the bike was very "tight" as in the pedalling was difficult, so one of the people i was going with swapped bikes with me, and that was better, and then i swapped with someone else. everyone was super accomodating and nice and consisderate of the fact that i was an idiot biker. i really felt very loved.

So after 30 minutes of the biking, we finally reach the forest, which we have to BIKE THROUGH. it's all gravely and weird and uphilly. sigh. when we got off our bikes in the woods to take a picture before we carried on, my legs were all wobbly and i couldnt stand! it was so bad it was ridiculously funny. but i think i was making everyone have a good time, because i was complaining in a funny "i was delusional to think i could do this" way.

And the woods were very blair-witchy woods, so i kept making "this is a horror movie"jokes.

once we got to the final place where the spring was though, i had so much fun! we picnic-ed, we sang songs, we talked, we wandered. We also went to visit where one of the priests lives, and had mass there. It was so nice to have fellowship with the people from the church, who are from all over the world! It was great. the people are so nice!

the journey back from Zoet Water was so much easier...mostly because it was a lot more downhill! and i was super numb!! :P

That evening had dinner with one of the people I went to the picnic with...Mary! It was a lot of fun, and after my break we probably will go to Bruges together. yay!

That evening as we were walking out of the restaurant, these guys celebrating a bachelor party were trying to get us to pay them money, and then eat whipped cream of a art of the body of the groom...any part of the body we wanted, and we cluld put as much whipped cream as we wanted to him before we ate it off...so technically might not have been gross :P but still....

then kelsey/julie/natasha walked by and saw us, and we dragged them into the conversation with the bachelor party people, and in the end we paid the groom to breakdance for us...even though they wanted him to give one of us a lapdance :P

On Sunday we went to Luxembourg. That's Julie Kelsey and I. We left at around 10am and got there around 1-130, walked around a lot. Luzembourg is really cool, except it's full of the remnants of these fortresses, and you have to CLIMB everywhere....and ofcourse i ached all over from the great bike escapades. So climbing was an issue. but it was a really pretty place to be! :) We roamed and roamed and roamed. And we ate for dinner....something that kelsey and i had been craving forever! Chinese food. I had hot and sour soup! yumyum! :) and then we shared chicken dish and fried rice dish.

Something cool i found out that weekend, because on friday we went looking for Chinese food, was that Dutch, presumably because of the colonial history, absorbed a lot of malay words when it comes to food...so the menu will say things like nasi goreng ; migoreng. isn't that weird!??! it made me weirdly homesick...i want my salted fish friend rice and my mee goreng!!! AND BLACK PEPPER BEEF!!!! ooooh....black pepper crabs.....am going to stop now...

Yummy chinese food!!! :)

It said Casa Lopez! :)

I climbed up all around THOSE!

Louvin weekends...

2008-10-10T04:48:00.000-07:00

I love the weekends here in Leuven.
Last weekend was very nice.
First of all...the internet was down (of course!) But we helped Keith fix it, MacGyver style. Agnes and I hung out, tried to study, got a pizza...veggie pizza = yumyum
then i went to choir practice! Which was pretty scary, I mean, the people are really nice and I feel very welcome, but liking to sing and then actually singing in the choir are so different. I feel a lot more self concious that I will go as they say in portugese "dizafinada"
There are only 2 other altos with me, and so when we start singing in parts, i am terrified/kinda bad. but they are all super nice about it! :P
Saturday was our day trip out. We went to Heizel, which is off Brussels, where they have the BRUPARCK which houses the Atomium a very cool building built in 1958 for the world's fair. It's actually constructed in the shape of a molecule. Check out the pictures!
After the Atomium we grabbed some lunch, (burgers! :P) and then in a wave of nostalgia, we sat in a merry-go-round! and Agnes and I sat in a teacup, which goes round it's own axis while the carousel is turning (like the earth!) But while we were riding, this weirdo man comes to check our tickets and so abruptly stops our spinning teacups making me feel ill :(
Right next to the Atomium is MiniEurope, which allows you to walk through all of the EU 27 and see some sights from their cities! While we were here our camera batteries started to fail, but luckily mine died just as i was leaving! :) Yay for my fabulous camera! :D

Sunday was another wonderful day! Started out early, as my days usually do, with me going to church and singing in the choir! :) Was lovely. Also it was the official welcome mass, so we all had a reception after, where I made some new friends!

So far Leuven is lovely!

2008-09-30T04:21:00.000-07:00

I Amsterdam!

So, I know this post about Amsterdam is so overdue! But it's here now.
We woke up early on saturday morning, had packed up some food and grabbed a quick breakfast before running out to the train station. It was Natasha, Julie, Kelsey and I who made the journey out there. We arrived in Amsterdam at around 12 or 1pm, and then put our things in lockers before buying our IAmsterdam cards (which gave us free entry to many sights and free access to the public transport)

Amsterdam "Coffeeshop" where they don't quite sell coffee...

Our first stop was Rembrant's House. Since Rembrant went bankrupt and all his possession were reposessed (think Justin Timberlake in punk'd) they had a major inventory of all his stuff, and therefore could restore his house to its former glory and then charge people to get into it to see "how he lived" =P

Rembrant's House

Our next stop was Anne Frank's House. Or rather, the hideout of the Frank family during WWII. It was clear across town, and we really had to make a long journey out there. We finally arrived and went in. No cameras allowed though! It was pretty interesting to see, would have been more powerful if we had the chance to be led through it in small groups. But I could definitely see the scary stairs they had to climb, that were super steep like a ladder. And how hard it was to be quiet in that place. and the windows were blacked out to make sure no one saw them. The saddest was to hear all about Anne's neighbour who saw her in the concentration camp before she died. And how Anne had lost the will to live because she thought her entire family had died :(

After AnneFrankHouse we made our way back to the train station and collected our bags then went out to our hostel, where we were pleasantly surprised to find that instead of a dorm the 4 of us had a private room with bunk beds, an attached shower, and breakfast was included! :) yay!

Kelsey and I in our hostel room

We left our stuff there then headed back out downtown to see the famous Amsterdam Red Light District. And WOAH! was it Red Light! haha. there were peep shows and prostitutes standing in windows like meat. and there was one pregnant prostitute with a tattooes stomach, and one 60year old prostitute with stringy hair and orange skin. Walking through the red light district, some man comes up behind me and starts commenting on my ass, and mentions how big and nice it is, and says "Can i BITE it?" So i grit my teeth and say to julie, who's infront of me, "WALK FASTER JULIE!" and julie says "what? why? what's happening?" I'm gritting/whispering "WALK FASTER JULIE!!!" haha. never even saw the guys face in the end.

Me at the red light district

From the red light district we wandered over to Dirty Nelly's the irish pub, where we had a drink...bacardi breezer for me, because bailey's is too expensive!! :P We were sitting in the window, not like in the red light district though! ;) And we started singing to the oldies playing. Then the Grease medley comes on. And we start singing. And this guy comes walking past, and ears us singing, come back, puts his hand to his ear to make sure we're singing what he thinks we're singing. Then as we start into "I got CHILLS, they're multiplying!" he starts to dance....like danny dances in that song!!! With the taking of the jacket and the dancing in place! :) It was so a-mazing!

Julie and I with our breezers

We then went out to the square, where some random aussies convinced me to mount a lion. No, that's not a euphemism!! These random aussie brothers were posing for pictures on top of tis statue of a lion. and Julie and Kelsey had climbed a lion when we were in Brussels the day before (ok maybe that's another post) So here was another lion to be mounted, and we were waiting for the aussies to leave, but they saw us waiting, and insisted we climb up there. so julie and kelsey, lithe that they are, manage to do it. I dont even try, but they try to get me to come up there. and by they i mean random aussies. and he keeps on and on and on until finally i give in. but you know me....i cant climb anything. so i'm like NOPE, not gonna do it! And then all 3 brothers team up to get me to the lioN! I ave to stand on one guys shoulder get pushed up by another guy and then have another guy pull me up. fabulous really. so glamourous. but after much persuasion, i finally do it! and it feels so GOOD! Thanks random aussies! Then came the issue of...coming down. But no problem, ausssies to the rescue, they just helped me down. So sweet.

The random Aussies who helped me climb the lion.

After that, we took some more random pictures and headed back to the hostel, with me falling asleep and almost falling out of my seat on the tram back! :P
Started our day early the next morning, becasue the IAmsterdam is a 24hr pass, and we had to make full use of it before 220pm. So Julie and I started early and went to this huge museum of art, saw all sorts of cool paintings, and then met up with Kelsey at the Van Gogh Museum. Which basically had tons of van gogh stuff - his paintings, his inspiration, those he isnpired.

Me at the super cool art museum

After the museums, we ran to the canal cruises that took us for a ride through the canals of Amsterdam. Pretty kind of, but we'd seen most of it while walking around.

Some towering tower

Sights from the canal tour

A giant ship

We managed to finish the canal cruise at 205pm, and then Kelsey and I ran off to see a secrety catholic church that was in an attic because catholics couldn't practice in the open at the time in the Netherlands. it was really pretty!! Julie went to a Jewish heritage museum, and then met up with us later.

The secret hidden church

The "Old Church"

The "New Church" with it's "Black is Beautiful" exhibition

I went souvenier shopping while they went to another musuem and then we headed back just as it started to drizzle. this was like 6pm
Finally got on the train home, and on the way, at Den Haag, we get booted of the train, because Julie (and technically me too) was travelling without a passport with her special train ticket. and they made a big fuss, and kicked us off, and then made her buy a regular ticket. which made no sense. if you need a passport to cross borders, how does the kind of ticket you have make a difference? either you have a passport or you dont right? not that they check passports if you dont have a railpass, but still. anyway. so there was a 1hr wait in Den Haag, and this whole issue of actually buying the tickets! To buy it from the office, was 3€ more expensive than the ticket machine. but the ticket machine takes only coins. and it's like 17€ for the ticket! it's possible to use a debit card, but we tried 3 cards and none of them worked! how fun eh? and so julie had to buy a ticket for extra from the office :( By this time we hated "fricking Holland" =P
So we get on the next train an hour after getting off the first one, and this man who smelt like booze and other things sits by us, and keeps yabbering on and on and on....he spoke in a mix of french and english and that's how we communicated back. poor kelsey he sat next to her and wouldn't shut up! After a while, e mentions he's a painter, and we are like "wow!" and then he takes out his case of paintings and then shows us each and every one! And he invited us to come stay with him at his house in strasbourgh! haha.

Stuck in some random station in the middle of Amsterdam

The weird French guy who talked to us incessantly on the train...

Finally reached home sunday at like 11pm, slept in till Monday right before lunch. fabulousness! That's it for my post on Amsterdam! =)

Fabulous Sunday

2008-09-15T02:08:00.000-07:00

I had a really amazing Sunday! :)

It started at 8:30am when I woke up and took a shower ( I don't think anyone needs to hear the details of my toilette ;) )

Anyway, had a nice breakfast where we managed to get pilfered sandwiches for our lunch. And croissants and yogurt :)

And then Brianna, Agnes, Joyce and I went to church together. We went really early for mass. The chapel was tiny, but pretty full. I enjoyed the service. Lot's of little children that go up at offertry time to offer candles. So cute. They didnt know what they were doing! haha.

Then we were asked to introduce ourselves to the church, because we were new (they made all the new people do it)
After mass, we went to the reception, for juice/coffee and cookies. And we talked to a lot of people. It was funfun.

We walked back and Brianna and I met up with Julia and Kelsey, and the 4 of us went out to picnic at the botanical gardens, which were really beautiful! We sat/walked and talked for ages.
Then we went out to the main square of Leuven, and there was a Parade! So we sat and watched that...don't ask me what the parade was FOR.

Then we wandered out to a funfair, were we shared a HUGE cottoncandy thing that was 3 euros. It was bigger than my HEAD! (and I have a big brain remember?)

We got back and relaxed for an hour and then we went for a run...(I know what you are thinking...JOANN? RUN? I jogged for a little, walked for a little, just enjoyed being out and getting some movement into my slack weekend.) Then we went to dinner at a place that has student discounts, pastas and pizzas for 5€. 2 of us each split a pasta and we all split a pizza, and we sat there and ate and talked for an hour, swapping stories etc.

Then we came back up to our room to play cards, but never got around to it with all the talking we were doing.

So that was my fabulous day!
:)

Here are some of the pictures...

Joyce and I after mass

The crypt of Father Damian, who worked with lepers.

Botanical Gardens

Kelsey with the gummy bear hedge

The town hall of Leuven

St Peter's Church.

Julia, me, Brianna

Ice cream truck! It was playing "Rock Around the Clock"

One of the groups in the parade. All the men walking in this group had the moustache.

COTTON CANDY!!!

SUGAR! :)

KU Leuven Library

2008-09-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

I've been complaining about my room/living situation to everyone, so here are pictures as proof!
I'm at the end of a long long hallway, and as I've told many of you, the room wasnt even furnished when i moved in. now there are beds and small side tables, but no big mirror, no cupboards, no desks. living out of suitcases people!!!!

This is the door to the corridor....

The lovely corridor that still smells of construction materials like paint/wood/thinner etc

Some sort of thing that they still need to assemble in my room.,..who knows what that is

Chairs without tables! That's the empty part of the room for the desks (presumably) and cupboards too...
The beds! We probably will move stuff around though.

All in all, I would say that our room isn't bad. Will wait for the furniture to come in, and think it'll be pretty nice.

Only trouble is we have to move again in 6 weeks!!! Sucks right? I'm going to live out of a suitcase forever...

UPDATE ON LIVING SITUATION...

Saturday night, Kelsey and I are in our room and discover we have a bug...a moth. We chase it around the room, trying to kill it (you know me and bugs....sometimes brave, sometimes a wuss) so we finally chase it to the window. and we're looking at the window (that was closed) and we see....5 moths sitting on the window.

So...we just draw the curtains on that and pretend it doesnt exist! Luckily for us, Julia and Brianna come in a little later, and Julia awesomely kills all of them. She's our hero. :)

Also, another major crisis occurred. Kelsey and I heard dripping in our bathroom, but couldn't figure out what was dripping. When Kelsey goes into the shower, she realizes that the light fixture on the ceiling has some sort of water dripping into it and pooling in there from the ceiling because apparently some sort of pipe was leaking into it...Dangerous Much?

By the end of the night, this was the water level. (notice the fact that that water was yellow!)

(Dirty water in the ceiling light)

(Julia our hero)

We tried to watch PS I Love You, but were really tired and didn't finish it.

Our room was really cold on Saturday night, but Sunday we got in space heaters, so am slightly happier :)

University Parish International Community (UPIC) Chapel

2008-09-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

The KU Chapel
From right to left, the pictures are...the Nativity, The Finding of Jesus in the Temple, The Crucifiction, The Ascension, Pentacost

Exterior of the building housing the International Student Chapel

Inside the garden/square (interior of the building)

The Bible Tree. Bibles in various languages is on the tree.

Leaving for Belgium tonight!

2008-09-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving for Belgium.
I'm terrified. I hope it all goes well. :-S
I miss my friends. My gang in the US and my gangs in Singapore.
Stiff Upper Lip!!
I'm going to be strong and go have an awesome 3 months.
And if it isn't awesome, it'll be a learning experience.
So here I go ...
I'm going to take the big leap.

Blogging Again

2008-07-05T23:56:00.000-07:00

Here I am, blogging again.
Not sure if I'll keep at it this time.
But I often feel, going through the day, that I have a lot of things to write down and say, so I thought that I would start this blog so that I could have a place to say (some of) it.
Been home for so many months now.
Am going to hop off to Australia is a few days...right after I turn 19. I find it hard to believe (both the Australia part and the 19 part)
I hope this trip goes well...not just the logistics of it, but the spiritual side of it as well.
Crossed fingers!
Will post more soon.