It's been almost three whole months since I came home and not a day has passed without being reminded of my life just half a year ago. Little things would transport my mind back: the mug my landlord gave me before I left, the contact lenses I ordered from the optician across my street and of course old Snapstories and my Instagram feed. Oh, what a life that seems almost surreal. To say it felt like a dream would be a serious understatement I wish I knew how to put that better into words.

Home... still feels like home. Being away for more than six months I imagined myself getting lost trying to cross through the office crowd, or at least be unable to register the new synthetic grass we have on SMU's Campus Green. But surprisingly, I slipped back into my old life so easily it didn't even feel like a pinch. The only blunder I probably made was forgetting to tap my matriculation card to open the gym's glass door, while the gym staff inside stared at me like I was a freshman (do I still look like one 😇). Other than that, I adjusted back to our humidity rather well too, and to me that is an amazing feat considering how bloody hot it is here.

What I miss most about exchange would be the lifestyle. I could have all the time I wanted in the world to myself. I would lie on my bed and stare at the ceiling or sleep, or binge-watch an entire series, for hours on end and not feel the least guilty. I probably wouldn't bring myself to do that now. Time is just too precious to be wasted staring at the ceiling although my duvet can be a nice big fat cloud.

Home is fantastic. Everyone that keeps me grounded and everything that makes me me, are here. There're countless of things to do and I haven't had much alone time in a while, but it's still nice. The past few months were of course spent meeting everyone, telling them countless stories and listening to everything that I've missed out on the past half a year. Would be lying if I said I didn't miss all the familiar faces, the catching-up and breathless story-telling. I also started on my internship and so far I'm enjoying it. Doesn't feel like three months have gone by tbh. The different projects we start or the ones that we're assigned to take the mundanity out of actual work and that's my favourite part (but of course there are down times and really slow days). I still abhor being a 9-6pm office lady but we'll see how it goes in the next year or so. 

This is probably a bit of a photo-dump but an accurate depiction of how and with whom I spent the past three months. Obviously all that eating on exchange was showing and I had almost everyone tell me that those were some serious gains... Still working on it though, promise I will always still be working on it hahahaha.

Lou-hei with my relatives the weekend I returned home (and very graciously accepting all the comments on my gains) also only ate half a bowl of the laksa my aunt made because she was watching me like a hawk HAHAHAHA

A whole new generation of sailors

#sportscampneverends

Our 4th year and clearly with a few more additions to our expanding Starring family :')))) 

Year 4 sailors defected and went climbing instead hahahaha (oh god our arms ached as if we moved slabs of concrete after this two-hour session)

The occasional sailing by the bay calls for good shots at the helm altho I was really shite at driving the boat (lol figures) 

Also had Sentosa sun-day with Sissy (also my ultimate tanning buddy) and we're thinking of ramping up the frequency of our trips to the beaaaaaach

Went for mei's dance concert in NUS (cannot believe she's embarking on her third year of uni already where did all the time go???)

Celebrated birthdays of the two April babies (also, superb earl grey and lavender cake)

Made muahchee last Thursday with my sisters after watching a video by the Meat Men (surprisingly very easy to make + so chewy I probably would no longer spend $2.50 at pasar malams). Also the ongoing debate on peanut vs sesame........ why can't I like both!!

Work situation - stay tuned for what's coming up ;)

More work situations -- actually walking through the guides we created for one of our projects #healthylifestyle

lyf x SMU x interns

Definitely did not feel like I've not seen Ruth and Elaine in almost two whole years (social media???)

Year 4 Sailing reps

Feels very weird not seeing this bunch often because we used to meet at least once a week (if we weren't travelling) back in Lisbon ahhhhhh minha família em lisboa :'))))))) looking back now they were the closest semblance to home

Speaking of home, the fomo I always felt while the sailors were back home partying finally went away HAHAHAHA ugh gdi fomo gtg. The first Starry Night of 2017 definitely felt very different from my first few ones but I guess we have to adapt to the environments we are thrown in. Severly missing those on exchange this time round!! Nevertheless still a great night (ok not everyone was pictured above where do they go every time we want to take a photo...) and I was very proud of myself for surviving well and making it for a full-day training on Saturday morning ^^

Buzzed Weina and Buzzed Bel make a great pair <3

And of course what's Starry Night without bumping into Kelly :') (in the library hahahaha)

As always, good time well spent with Yun hehe we've met twice since I came back and obviously she's going to be off jet-setting again over the summer tsk 

Met Iris for lunch at Sarnies because our offices are 300m apart (despite the long lunch queues, whoohoo I love CBD!!!). We almost lost track of time talking because there were just too many things to catch up on - defo relish in times like these heh :')

Rare complete meals together because Vic is currently in another continent ugh woman should come back more often

Finally met this rabzking for dinner after our last meeting in Lisbon

This was lunch at A Poké Theory at Telok Ayer with Pris as a good midweek treat ;)

Meet only a couple of times a year but always feel like we have endless topics to cover because of the long absence tq for being very much a constant the past years (I think we've known each other for 10 years???? How different we were in those days hahahaha)

KAVS!! CAME!! TO!! SINGAPORE!! Haven't seen her in seven years jeez louizzzzz so when she texted me last month because she would be coming to Singapore on a work trip, I was hella psyched whoohooooooo. We had dinner over laksa and nasi lemak and tbh I was more excited to show her Singapore's food-scene than its sights hahahaha

The following Saturday we spent touring Singapore like both a local and tourist (quite literally) - had breakfast at Zamzam, visited Kampong Glam, Little India (how could I not show her Mustafa Centre and Tekka Market), Chinatown (made her try liushabao and she's a convert yay), Maxwell Market (for the local delicacies), Orchard Road and we ended our night with some wine by the Bay

Introduced our now-$1.20 ice-cream to her

Defo had a superb time and I was genuinely sad when I sent her off in a cab after spending a night at my place ahhhh I really hope the next time I see her wouldn't be in another 7 years

No make-up but still gorg ya ugh I miss visiting new places and pigging out and watching trashy Geordie Shore with Hazel (but guess now we have prata that's not too bad too heh)

Ely's birthday celebration at Blu Kouzina (Greek food never disappoints!!)

Finally complete after almost 2 years of LDR - this is our 13th year of friendship these girls are so so so precious

And of course the big reunion with my best friend Cheryl - so much misses while I was away and I think we've both grown a little but I'm glad some things don't ever change (definitely a keeper)

Visited Artbox Singapore last weekend and of course after reading reviews we didn't get our hopes up - it wasn't TERRIBLE but I thought they seriously underestimated how popular it would be because the lanes were so, so narrow there was hardly any space to stop and browse (the humidity after the rain made the experience worse but of course we can't fault the organisers on that)

We visited the Universe & Art exhibition at the Art Science Museum and I would say it was a good experience albeit a little short (also had astronaut's ice-cream it was so tasty!!)

In all honesty, when Kavita came I saw our little island through her eyes and well, Singapore is gorgeous too and I'm very proud to call it home. I mean come on, I could eat something different for three meals everyday for a week and still not have to eat something twice...