19 September 2010. My first working day. So it's been a month plus, though it feels way longer. Had my one week orientation in Abu Dhabi where I met some Malaysian friends. Then the next two weeks crash course on what I'm supposed to cover for the rest of my pre-school duration from now until school starts on 21st November. The course is intense but we manage to have some fun clubbing in Abu Dhabi city on a rest day. Too bad no chance to go to Dubai just yet. Met a couple more friends whom I'll be spending my coming three months with in school. And man, these people are workaholic, it really increases your stress level. Oh well, good in a way too I guess. At least, they're all very helpful when it comes to doubt in studies.

After Peptec-0, flew to Beijing, via KLIA and Hong Kong airport, met parents and collected my laptop at the airport  Arrived in Beijing, did medical check up and updated my visa. Had a little more than a day of off day, though it was depressing cause when I have time to go walk around, there's no one with me, and I'm not sure how to get around places, sigh  Took the train from Beijing to Tanggu, and arrived in the staff house on 14th October. Went to work for the first day on Friday but the whole office was kindda empty. Spent that weekend going to work alone and finally met my supposed-to-be French mentor on Sunday. Had loads to do immediately that night and spent the night drinking while learning and got wasted on vodka and whisky. Also had my first dinner with my manager that night.

Basically only had one real day in office, before going for my mentor's farewell dinner and continue working up till 3am in the morning that first night and continue rushing to work at 8am the day after that. Went for my first wellsite visit on Tuesday, came back on Thursday, spend another day (Friday) in office which was wasted cause of some fire drill and safety meeting, and came for my second wellsite visit on Saturday and am stuck here till now. It's great that I needa go to my location in Shekou soon that I needa go back to Tanggu base tmr, otherwise, I guess I might need to be here for at least 2-3 days more. Everything is so packed but yet I still have loads to complete before school starts. And I might needa review with manager before going off also. I definitely need more time.

The wellsite is actually not as bad as I've previously imagined it to be. It is at a secluded place with nothing nearby for the first rig, but the second one that I'm at now is actually in the middle of town. And it's good cos we get to come out for some nicer meals and have a bath after days of not getting good hygiene amenities. Basically, it's like living in a big pile of mud, where u eat, shit, sleep, work and breathe at the same place.

The only thing that I dislike the most here is, getting a lot of second hand smoke. If I ever get sick because of this I'm gonna curse all smokers to hell. They're inhumane as killers.

End of story. To be updated again.

Hmm, so Eve said something to me that got me thinking... I've changed, she said. And I used to be a bitch (ok, she didnt use that word, seriously =p) that got herself too involved in her own world that she shuts out what matters to most of others, in fact shut out friends who aren't exactly close by at different phases of life. And trust me, we've been friends long enough that I can't not take her words.

Which, true enough, because whenever I feel lonely and wonder why I don't have many friends whom I can pour my hearts out to, I realize how badly I suck at being a good friend. She told me how she has needed to try to guess if I was busy or not, or would my mood be ok or not, before trying to call me for a good conversation. Geez...I don't know if i'm even qualified to be called a friend! And it got me thinking too, people usually try to choose their words when talking to me, and in fb photos comments, people just stop commenting after i left a comment, and there are people who just don't dare to talk to me... I've been told how scary my face can be 

I admit though that these mood swings of mine really ain't good to tolerate with, and I pity how my family have to put up with it for so many years. sigh, how should I be a better person? take down all the ego, and be nice to people... I should learn, and there's so much to learn....

So much for those rant entries previously... it was some emotional moments about being able to attend my convo, and finally not... all in the middle of my final exams period in summer school, hence the bitchy me 

I've thought it over, well I always have thought it over, it's just a matter of accepting the hard cold facts and dealing with false hopes that I gave myself. You gain some, you lose some, can't possibly have the best of the whole wide world. I should learn to be more contented. So I got a job that a lot of ppl dream of, and still here I am being a pain in the *ss and kept having dilemmas, a wake up call is what I need. Yes, convocation may seem big, the ceremony that witness the four years of hardship and obtaining my first degree. But so many other ppl have also gave it up for something else they consider more important. And at this point in time, when studies are done, it's really about time to move on. 

In God's grace, I just came back from a wonder trip of my life, visiting three of the biggest cities in the world in a week, New York, London and Paris. Summer school ended in a rush and once again, without some real proper goodbyes, I rush to have my short vacation before heading back home. (i realize how i'm always on the fast lane, rushing from one thing to another, whether or not this is a good thing, i'd leave it to another blog entry) So NYC was the next destination after Boston/Cambridge. Spent about 2.5 days there, it was great!!! a real city life, and a real city that never sleeps (literally, 24-hrs subway service) and it's also the place where I spent the bulk of my entire summer enjoying two of the finest meals of my life. Nobu on a lunch and Peter Luger on a dinner on the same day, spending a total of $128 just for food of the day, tsk tsk tsk. And there's when I realize too, how many ppl have such luxurious life that they don't feel a pinch spending the amount that almost killed me  Anyway, Nobu is a great Japanese restaurant serving fine main meals and desserts. One of those places where you pay a lot on big plates with small servings. It's nice, but I don't think the food does justice to the amount it was priced. Definitely over-over-over-priced! Peter Luger was great too, voted as the 25 years straight best steak in the States! too bad I ordered a medium-well, the rare was simply magnificent! Double thumbs uuupppp!!  

Next stop was London, where I met my tour guide/travel buddy, Alson, who's so kind as to take leave from work and accompany for a 5 days trip around London and Paris, did most of the researches and arranged most of the itinerary. *Big big thank you!* I love London, the buildings are so nice and the weather was just perfect. Spent the first day visiting places, Big Ben, London Eye, Houses of Parliament, St Paul Cathedral, enjoyed some street performances, had Spanish food (La Tasca) which was really good.

Went Paris the next day and spent two nights there. Everything was quite a rush but Paris is just another great city. I had to admit we did some foolish thing taking a whole afternoon off by napping and none of us realize until we were almost late for our pre-booked tour. LOL. Went for Moulin Rouge! Highly recommended if you're touring Paris, definitely definitely a good show to watch! it's like Tiger show in Thailand,only way better, a must watch!  Went on the hop-on-hop-off tour of the day and had a bird's eye view on most of the places around town. Eiffel tower, arc de triomphe, notre-dame, louvre, concorde etc etc. Then we went night cruising along River Seine but it was raining, so it ruined it a bit. Went up to arc de triomphe and managed to witness a sparkling eiffel tower and the magnificent view of all the forked roads coming together to the arc, making it like a big giant roundabout at the center. Really beautiful! =) Finally went to Laduree for a late night dinner cum supper and tasted one of Alson proclaimed best omelette ever tasted and a nice club sandwich. and desserts! macarons and a cake of which the name i've forgotten. nice nice nice, I love French food!  

Came back to London and took a stroll around Hyde park, saw Diana's memorial park and had English Tea with scones! something i've wanted to do for a long time, lol, it came with an insider story of my debating career awhile ago in utm, lol. so glad i finally had the chance to do it  went around some more places that I forgot their names, and finally went for Madamn Tussards hehe. had so much fun camwhoring  went to picaddily circus, chinatown, and leicester square to jalan-jalan and had fish and chips that night.

Spent the last morning visiting Buckingham palace, which is a must visit if you ever go to London in summer. Simply m.a.g.n.i.f.i.c.e.n.t. Went Trafalgar Square and headed back to go to the Station for the airport transfer. Once again, it was lucky that Alson was there, if not i'd have missed my flight. something happened with the airport transfer... and i almost missed my bus. All settled luckily and after what seems like the longest 14 hours, I finally arrive in LCCT and now back in home sweet home for a few days now. Still trying to recover from jet lag, which is a lame lame excuse i give myself (whoever suffer from jet lag for more than 3 days??) but i'm really kiling myself with the oddest sleepign hours that I just cant get rid of. sigh. it's a good thing i get some time off before starting work. 

Less than a month more to go, lots of catch-ups and documents stuffs to do before entering the workign world. Hope everything turn out fine and smooth. May God be with me. Amen. 

I hate it when i turn to food therapy to distress... the after effect is just purely unbearable.... I want a way out!!

False hopes are bad, don't ever do that to anyone...