Sorry we've been away...

We've been missing recently, sorry!

 Assignment season just ended and we were both victims of some pretty intense deadlines. But... we're back! Now is the time to relax (joking - I still have 3 more assignments to do over the holiday, boo) and take some much needed me time in the form of binge watching Korean dramas. In less than a week, I finished watching a whole show, yeah, a whole complete show lasting 20 hours. This may not sound particularly impressive, but it wasn't just the one show I used to wind down. Nope, there were other programmes to be caught up on too! But whatever, that's boring talk. The exciting news is that I'm going away to Germany! (!!!) So excited, you wouldn't believe it. Alyssa is actually away at the moment in Madrid and I'm really looking forward to seeing the photos! Am insanely jealous, especially of the food she's bound to be eating. I've been "experimenting" at home too (with blue cheese, would you believe) with soup and pasta recipes but I'm pretty sure it don't got nothing on Alyssa's Spanish food :(

This is just a short post but we'll both be updating more often after our trips! Here's a little sneak-peek at what may be coming up. 

M.

Hong Kong!

Hey all

 So Alyssa and I have both applied for a part-time campus job with Student Travel Ambassador which we're gonna be working on together.(!!!) I had to submit a video application for the job which definitely wasn't an issue, it was pretty much been another opportunity for me to experiment with different types of media and creativity (which, of course, I absolutely love).  I used the footage from the interview video plus some extras to make a HK day trip video!

So.. here it is, enjoy! ☺

M.

(P.S thanks to my friend Chris for helping out with the filming and showing me around)

Sun, Sand, Sea Please!

Been shopping too much online, I've gotten lazier, but there's excitement in receiving a parcel or a few.. in my case, and ripping it open after waiting a few days for it! Its exhilarating and I'll be sure to capture my fellow compatriot Melody's look of glee when she tears open her asos boxes. Perhaps an entry about our addiction to retail therapy is in order.

Its funny how our interests change when we're older. I've gotten more and more interested in cooking, in bed sheets, laundry softener, carpet cleaner, candles, music and whatever else. I just realised when I got the new white bedsheets I ordered and how happy I was. No literally, I was so excited I washed them and changed my bed sheets straight away. Fantastically weird but I guess we all go through that at some point in time.  

Its been extremely sunny in Durham as of late. The birds are back too! It can't be spring already. However I'm not complaining, I cannot stand cold weather. I long for white sandy beaches, ocean water, coconut juice and the sun. I'm talking about Thailand! Bangkok is amazing, however its still a city. If you're looking for resorts, try Koh Samui. My family and I had the pleasure of going there during the summer (resulting in me turning charcoal tan..) However, its pure bliss. There are little islands pocketing Samui and you can take boat rides out to scuba dive, or you can go banana boating, have coconut water on the beach whilst you roast yourself or read a book, go shopping in the villages or eat scrumptious amazing thai food - and more - til your heart's content.

I'd die for that right now. Some people have natural environments in which they thrive in, and mine are.. my bed and the beach. Hands down. I grew up in the sun, I'll always love it. However I'd still go to Iceland. That's an exception.

Any of you need an escape right now? I could surely do with one. 

A.

work work work

It really does feel good to get stuff done! As I've been away from home and out of the country, I just can't seem to bring myself to do work. I've got quite a few internship applications I need to do and the deadlines are like an impending doom shadowing over my life hah! Bit dramatic there but I think it's just one of those things that people don't wanna do. Once I get started it'll be fine and I'll be able to do it all (I hope). 

Today I actually did some stuff I needed to do.. mainly in the form of revision. I've been meaning to do revision of my business law module which is definitely my most difficult subject, but it feels good to be able to read through notes and actually understand it. 

Inspiration can be hard to find but these pics below seem pretty relevant and helpful in these sorts of situations, hope they can help you out too! ☺

M. 

黄竹洋

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A few days ago I travelled to my mum’s old home town, where there is only one villager left residing with his three dogs. Back in its hey-day, Wong Chuk Yeung had a population of under 100 people, all of whom left the village to pursue bigger dreams in the city, leaving the village to decay.

The trip started with a two hour trek up a mountain (a feat in itself as I’m not the sportiest of people) following the MacLehose Trail. We had decided to leave at 11am on a relatively sunny day and this made the initial start very difficult, but with perseverance and many breaks, we finally made it over the mountain and to the other side where we were greeted by the village.

I was astonished by it, I knew it had been abandoned for many years but I really wasn't expecting what I saw. All the buildings were decaying, with broken glass littering the ground and massive weeds and leaves growing out of buildings. There were many houses with trees growing out of them! It was simply amazing. I was with my parents, brother and cousin and my cousin was a little freaked out. I think she found the village scary I guess it was, but I found it mesmerizing and fascinating. 

It seemed that the previous residents had just left in the dead of the night without taking any of their belongings. Some houses even had crockery set out on the tables, ready for dinner. Despite the derelict and decaying surroundings, I still found the place breathtaking. Later on I found out that a little after the nativve villagers left, Wong Chuk Yeung was inhabited by squatters from China. When we got to my mum's old house I imagined how it might have looked when the village was still alive, and I have to say, it would be pretty impressive! I thought that it would suit a beach setting, the upstairs was pretty cool and the kitchen featured cute little baby pink and blue tiles. Super sweet.

The whole journey was just amazing: although it might not be a big deal for others, being able to trek up that mountain and see my mum’s home town for the second time (I was 2 the first time I went) was an accomplishment for me. I’ve never been sporty in any way (apart from hula-hooping, I swear I could enter a competition for that) so the whole day was a pretty good achievement. The journey made me want to travel even more; it reminded me of how much I love rambling in forests and nature.

I can't wait for summer, I'm hoping to get an internship here in Hong Kong, but failing that I think I'll travel around with the boyf and possibly find work along the way. It'd be perfect if i got an internship but even if I don't, I reckon that summer's gonna be pretty awesome anyway. 

M.

感情

Sometimes photographs reveal the soul more than words can. 

疼

A.

2014

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re Doing Something.

So that’s my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.”

— Neil Gaiman 

Happy New Year from us at A Slice of Life.

Scotland Part II

I think after being around so much nature, mountains, castles, and rain, an abundance (definitely an understatement) of rain, I got a little sick of it all and I just wanted something familiar - aka my house. I still can't sleep in my own bed because the parents have not left yet, but that's alright. The oldies leave on the 3rd, and I will be by myself for ten days before my house mates start coming back to Durham.

Scotland is interesting. It has an air of old regality, historical and rich, very rich Scottish blood and royalty anywhere and everywhere you go. The architecture of the buildings, the untouched beauty of the many lochs and hills and mountains that take hours to get to, and the towns and isles on the father ends of Scotland that left me in awe because they were so absolutely far out in the middle of no where but yet, I still found some comfort in. Scottish people are extremely down to earth, loyal and homely. Everyone smiles and laughs, and they have such an interesting accent to go along with their jolly personalities. I wonder if it has anything to do with all the whisky and scotch they drink...

In other news, new years day is tomorrow, how quick has this year passed! Finishing my first year of university, turning twenty one, crazy adventures with friends in different parts of the world, going through life changing phases, finding the best group of friends i'd call my family at uni as well, and of course, what would a year be without finding someone special to share it with. I think the best thing that I've learnt, well learnt more of this year, is to have faith. Without a doubt, you'd have faith in your family, friends and people you love. That faith and hope will never fade. However, the strongest faith you should have is within yourself. It should not waver, it should not wobble, it should never unsteady itself. To be honest, I don't have very strong faith in myself yet. But I'm still working on it and I continue everyday. It is hard. But there are days where I feel at the pit of my stomach, a big strong rock that anchors me and gives me the strength I need to get through not just the bad, the tough and the ugly, but even days that are good. Its extremely difficult, and many times I've cried to myself but after, I always try to figure out a solution to conquer what is bothering me - whether it will work or not, I try to give myself the faith and courage that it will. 

New year's resolutions have never worked for me. Though I feel that next year I will strive to be stronger physically and emotionally, more loving and more compassionate. As Noah said to Allie in The Notebook, "The best love is the kind that awakens the

soul and makes us reach for more and that plants a fire in our hearts and

brings peace to our minds...that's what I hope to give to you forever." 

What would you like to improve on in 2014? 

Good question to ponder, and so I shall leave you to it with a few interesting reads from some of my most favourite most raved about most loved websites online. I am currently enjoying an amazing glass of red wine and listening to Lykke Li's I Know Places and my anxiety has settled into the depths of my stomach. Finally at peace.

http://thoughtcatalog.com/ella-ceron/2013/12/this-is-how-you-almost-date-someone/

http://elitedaily.com/news/world/beautiful-moment-son-returns-afghanistan-surprises-

mother/

http://www.kinfolk.com/presents-heart-mind/

http://matadornetwork.com/trips/portraits-from-the-streets-of-havana-cuba/

A.