Gratitude
The last few days have been bittersweet. After completing my last final on Tuesday, it finally felt real that exchange is coming to an end. My remaining days in Singapore have been packed with non-stop social plans to say goodbye to my friends. While I am sad to go on our separate ways, a part of me is confident that I will cross paths with these people in the future.
Eva and Mai are my closest friends at NUS. They have truly been there since the very start, specifically Sentosa Island.
11.27.2019
On Monday, I will be flying out to Kathmandu, where I will solo travel for two weeks. Sorry, mom! In typical Cathy fashion, I felt inclined to challenge myself. While I had the opportunity to travel with different friends after the semester, I am happy that I made this decision. Despite being a huge extrovert, I have been craving for alone time. At the moment, my head is full of disconnected thoughts about this experience and I am certain that my time in Nepal will be perfect for self-reflection. I do want to admit that I had a lot of hesitation about traveling alone as a woman. However, I am so thankful for the abundance of support from friends and my dad to take on this challenge. Things will be okay!
After Nepal, I will be reunited with Eva in Hong Kong. Then, I plan to meet my dad and siblings to travel to Vietnam together. Two nights ago, I read through old journal entries. I wrote about my nervousness about navigating through Asia as a Vietnamese-American. It's the classic Asian-American story of physically fitting in, yet feeling like a foreigner. Since living in Southeast Asia, I have continuously reflected upon my ethnic identity, heritage, and privileges (future blog post). From my SE Asia module, personal research, and first-hand experiences, I feel as if I have a greater understanding of Vietnamese history and the adversities my parents endured as boat people. My gratitude for them has flourished and I am more proud each day of my heritage. Words cannot describe how excited and thankful I am to be able to explore Vietnam with my dad and to understand his upbringings.
Lately, the idea of timing has been on my mind. This semester, I have been surrounded by incredibly inspiring people, who all have their unique perspectives and experiences. However, it is just a matter of whether your paths will cross to develop a relationship. I rarely have regrets, but I do wish I met certain friends earlier, where instant connections were made. With all of these thoughts, I spoke to my friend Noah. We concluded that if we are constantly seeking for more, for something better - you'll never truly be content and end up with nothing. This is why I strive to express gratitude daily - how fitting for Thanksgiving. Recently, I recognized how I often give affirmation to others and constantly express my appreciation. For those who have made some impact on my life, I want it to be known that I value our relationship.
It has been a transformative and growing semester. I am excited about my future adventures and to have the time to process what I have learned from this experience. I also can’t wait to reunite with my family and friends back home. As much as I would love to stay in Singapore, it is time for me to go back home.
Happy Thanksgiving xx
Joyful Moments in Singapore (November 2019)
A rainy afternoon in Tiong Bahru with Mitchell. I love Plain Vanilla.
11.13.2019
Eva and I woke up at 5:30 am and we met at the Buena Vista MRT to head to downtown. After countless sunny mornings, I was determined to do a sunrise run. We stepped out of Raffles Place and I couldn’t hold my excitement of how beautiful the sky was. DREAMY. Afterward, we had the most delicious cold brew with oat milk. Truly, a highlight.
11.27.2019
Meet Shining and Xuanting, two of my local friends from class! This morning, I was bummed for missing out on Thanksgiving. However, we had delicious dim sum, and I couldn’t be more happier that I could celebrate with them. Today’s weather was absolutely insane that we waited out the rain to stop for a solid hour.
11.29.2019
Happy Birthday to my dear Sean.
Love you with my whole heart. It was Latin Night at Haji Lane. Amazing music, company, and a joyful night out.
11.23.2019
It was definitely a splurge, but we went to a Cercle event !! on top of Marina Bay Sands !! with The Martinez Brothers!!
Truly, what a time to be alive. One of my all-time favorite dance night. It was a groovy night.
11.18.2019
Dumplings in Clementi with Ryu, Kevin, and Amy! Summer 2020 Road Trip to Banff National Park?
11.05.2019
Last dinner in Singapore with Eva. We came full circle because we had this dish (our personal favorite) together when we first became best friends.
11.26.2019
Ladies Night with my absolute go to’s.
11.27.2019
Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant. YUM.
11.29.2019
Another morning run around MBS.
11.20.2019
Dinner at Lavo, a bougie Italian restaurant at MBS. We all splurged on Cercle, might as well have a nice dinner to end the night, right?
11.18.2019
A Crazy Rich Asian remake with dinner at Newton Hawker Centre. 10/10 would recommend BBQ Stingray.
Also, I am a BIG Amy Dong fan and I adored her hometown friend, Kelly.
11.07.2019
HaiDiLao Hotpot for Eva’s Birthday. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE.
11.08.2019
And they were roomies!!
Latin Night at Haji Lane.
11.23.2019
Last brunch with my Viet sister — just a “see you soon!”
Dinner at Clementi. On the way home, we were so distracted in our conversation that we missed our bus stop and circled back to Clementi. Here’s to getting lost in Singapore - 10 minutes away from campus.
11.06.2019
A night out of dancing to techno wouldn’t be complete without a McSpicy from the McDonald’s at Boat Quay