where is athens?

Dear SN,

I need to tell you what exactly is on my mind.
I am sincerely sorry to trouble you all these time about my decision whether to visit u during the break.
I signed up for an event to stay with an American family for one week. I have agreed with a friend of mine since I thought I would have no chance to visit you because the flight to your place is so expensive.

Then the trip was canceled because the family could not make it. Instead the organizer offered us another weekend trip. I was thinking, now that I have more time to be at your place, so I searched the flight ticket and found out that the flight ticket is cheaper at that time.

However I didn't book the flight ticket immediately because I was thinking going to a place -10 degrees colder than my own place is crazy and you told me that you would get back to me once you get the information about skiing, the activity i wanted to try so much. Besides I am thinking about the cost that would pile up (any ticket, trip to chicago, or transportation to michigan if we decide to go somewhere during my visit to your place).

Then suddenly the organizer emailed and said another family is offering the one week trip again and it is FOC but i need to reply very fast because only few places available. If I do not response the place would be given to others. My friend that signed up together with me also kept asking me to go. The air ticket also rose a little as the date draws near.

Conclusion: I am torn and I decided to go for the one week trip. I do not know how u feel SN, coz I adi tell u not to have so high hope but still trouble you find info and plan when I am undecided. Maybe you are angry and I hope u scold me. Or maybe you are ok one just that I think too much. OK, NEXT TIME AFTER I BOOK FLIGHT TICKET ONLY I ASK U ANYTHING OK?

Now my fear is that the organizer email me and say, sorry you reply too late and we got no more space for you. Then I will really go langgar dinding.

Your indecisive friend that misses you,

athens

That day, I was lying on my bed, not wanting to get up because it was so cold outside my cozy warm bed.

I heard her saying, what do you want for lunch?

I was like, huh?

Ok lor, nobody want to answer me.

I got up and looked at her. She was sleeping soundly again.

LOL!

This morning.....

Her iphone alarm was ringing. I was again fully awoke lying on my bed.

She got up and asked me, what pen you want to buy?

I answered, huh? What pen? What are you talking about?

You want to buy pen right? She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

Are you awake?

Of course! She turned off the alarm and went back to sleep.

I was again -.-''''

Dream and reality~~~lol!

It isn't a smooth sailing process.
I don't know why but I kind of like it.

The hardship.

Well, it is nothing much actually.
Most of my friends stayed in hostels where electricity, gas and internet service are included.
Their apartments are furnished too.

My apartment is not furnished.
When some of my friends moved into their apartments, they were so happily admiring their house.
How cozy is the couch! The kitchen is so clean! The heater is working perfectly.

But mine was.....
Err, this place is a bit scary.
The windows are broken.
The oven is not working.
The toilet cannot be flushed.
The room is so empty!
No table, no chairs, no bed.
I need fan!!!! It's so hot in the afternoon!

However, YT and I were quite hopeful.

We called the rental company to settle all things slowly.

We called to set up internet connection, finding my self frustrated with answering machine
because I could not ask the machine to repeat because I didn't understand what the machine had recorded.

We paid many things using our debit card and did many silly mistakes because we didn't know how it works.

We bought some expensive stuffs and we found out we can get them cheaper else where.

We went to second hand stores and moved our tables and chairs home by walking back to our home at a few chilly windy autumn nights.

We slept on comforter for more than a week.
Columbus does have furniture stores, but we have no car to move them back so we ordered beds online.

We cooked a lot together and take turns to say things like, opps, I didn't put salt. Opps, the vege turns black. Opps, I cooked too long. How to cut onions (by YT)?

We wouldn't have so many stories to tell if all things have been arranged nicely for us.

I would have more stories to tell since I am going to remove my wisdom teeth on the 3rd week I am in the US.

Little hardships that would turn into stories. Why not?

I really never thought that I will visit a dentist so soon.
It's only the 15th day I am here.
I did not really pay attention to my health insurance card.
I thought I will never going to use it since I am healthy as shown in my medical report and dental checkup report.

Manatau.....
I had a swollen gum for 3 days.
I thought it was heat so I drank He Ren Ke, but it remains so.
Since US is known for its expensive medical care, I am actually curious and eager to visit the dentist.
(ok, i know i sound like i wana get sick like that, which is not true)

What happened today:
1. I went to the student health center.

2. I turned in my medical insurance card and found out that I needed to pay out of my pocket first and claim it later. I wonder how much will it cost. I always heard of people saying that the consultation itself costs $60-80.

3. X-ray??? It was needed. So I went to a funny looking machine, bit my teeth on a weird looking stick which plastic rods (?) secured my head position.

4. I am having Pericorontis ( ah well). Tooth infection actually. Gum tissue covers the tooth and food debris can be easily caught in between and caused swelling. Treatment- removal of tooth!!!
It's the wisdom tooth. My left bottom one is causing the problem. The dentist said the right one will have infection soon if I didn't treat it. In addition, she suggested me to remove the upper wisdom teeth as well as a preventative measure.

5. Penicilin and ibuprofen (pain killer) was prescribed.

6. Paid for the x-ray. It was $128.

7. Went kroger pharmacy to get my medicine.

8. I need to make an appointment at the college of dentistry for the surgery.

Well.......Y.Y......why this never happen in Malaysia but happens here? Mummy I wanna eat porridge......I emo-ed for a few hours.

English 110

It's English again! Oh no. After taking two courses of English Compositions in INTI, I am really not enthusiastic to study English AGAIN since my English classes were not transferable. Sienz~

History of Art II
From Renaissance to Modern Art, that's the scope. Dad, hehe. I wanted to take US History II but the classes were already full since JPA sent us here so late. However, this seems to enlighten me a lot. I believe that I can see paintings in new light.

Organic Chemistry
???? No idea what am I going to study.

Biosurvey
This is only one credit hr, required of all new students.

Yea, lemme tell you about the ?? and !! being a Malaysian first time in the US

??
1. Why does American washroom have no holes on the floor?
It do mean that you cannot wet the toilet floor as it dries up only by evaporation.

2. The fast food boy asked for my name when I bought food at the counter?
Huh?? What's going on? He said, Order for Ms Eden. Oh, so he called my name when my food is ready. I see.

3. There isn't a switch at the power outlet?
There is no ON and OFF at the power outlet. You can only unplug it.

4. American houses do not have fans and lights in all the rooms?
We entered the house. Huh? No light in the living room? No light at the bedrooms? Yea, you gotta buy your own.

!!
1. Why is the food so sweet????
I threw away two meals that I bought. The scone I bought had a layer of granulated sugar on top and I would say made of 99% sugar. Cook my own then.

2. Oven
You can basically heat everything in the oven. Ready made fish, rice, pasta and everything else.

3. Say Hi to everyone on the street.
Just say Hi. When people ask how you are, just answer I'm fine or ok. (This is mentioned in our international student resource guide!)

4. Free phones? Free Call?
Imagine a Hotlink user calls everyone that uses Hotlink free. Imagine a Hotlink user can send unlimited text messages to another Hotlink user free. Imagine from 9pm-6am a Hotlink user can call to Celcom and Digi users for free, weekends too. Free phone for 2 year contract. Sony ericsson w518a

You really gotta be here to truly know what's going on here. =)