First day back at work

I started work in the lab again today. Early morning starts again...ahhhh...and my 2nd bus at 8.01 am was late which made me late to work but anyway, it was really great to see my workmates again!! Simple acts of friendliness and smiles can go a long way - it warms my heart just to get to know these people better. No matter where we go, we meet different people, whoever they are, with their own story to tell. Even you...yes you, you reading my blog now!!Anyway, If I ever had to leave, i'll find it hard-pressed. I'm not sure about the outcome of the job interview yet but found out i've got one of my coursemates working there too!!

Been feeling so lazy, the weather is making my bones and skin wither away like an old granny. hahha...

Back in Sydney again!

Now that I'm back, there are some things to sort out....work, i've got another job interview on wednesday, coming accommodation plans, brothers might be leaving etc etc...

Came back this morning and unpacked most of my stuff but I've been sleeping all day. And it's raining....rain, rain, rain...cold and wet. I prefer it hot hot hot!!

I miss Taiwan :(
I was really getting used to life there. I don't really want to be back. But ...it was not hard to adjust back...just lingering sentimental feelings, you know.

Next, just focus on the next part of life.

Taiwan - 4

It's my last night here in Taiwan =( July22, Saturday night as I write this.

so quick quick quick!!!

I've really really enjoyed my time here in Taiwan, it's like another part of my life, another short phase. And I really like it how it was not just a holiday and seeing a whole new place and all, but I got to learn Mandarin and other Taiwanese culture stuff and also develop new friendships. I wished I could have stayed another week or a few more weeks or something. But reality is, money will run out here and back in Sydney.

I should be really thankful for this opportunity. At the moment, my heart feels a bit heavy....sounds a bit off-key, but anyway, i don't know how else to describe it. Not the fact that I won't be in this room anymore tomorrow night at this time. Our calligraphy teacher and her husband took us to her mom's place an hour away out of Taipei today and we had so much fun there singing Karaoke and going out to see the lotus flowers and crabs and then coming back to have a great dinner her brother prepared for us. It was fantastic. I wanted to go meet my friend as well in the evening coz she was going to show me where she volunteers every Saturday evening at an Internet helpline centre. I really really really wanted to go see it. Thought I would have enough time, but no, there wasn't. Hopefully, I can see my friend tomorrow. She's my coursemate's best friend and she has been so nice and so patient with me, she's like a great big sister. I've met up with her every week! Learnt so much from her, not just coz we have to communicate in mandarin but from who she is and her life and work. Yesterday, she took me up to see the university she went to, which is up the mountains and to have dinner around that area and then followed her to pick her brother up. Her brother is autistic and she is truly such a good sister. She's also a social worker with kids and she studied Chinese culture as well, so she's really good at Chinese. She explains so well and patiently in Mandarin when I keep on asking her my questions in my childish mandarin way - what is this, what is that, what do u mean...sometimes using wrong tones. And she listens when i try my best to tell her a whole heap of things that I've been up to and experienced in Taiwan and other things. I decided the only way to improve was to keep on finding things to say and ask and to listen and at the same time, to study my Mandarin textbook to improve my vocabulary! I'm still pretty crap.

So, yeah i wished I could have gone to see her voluntary work thing. But being in my room now, with my roommate having left yesterday (I really enjoyed spending time with her too), had some negative thoughts forming in my head, 100% non-Taiwan related. Stupid feelings that make me feel like my life is worthless to some people and other stupid stuff. I try to think about stuff my really "whatever" friend told me or when I meet some people and the kind of people they are. Even like, my Taiwanese friend's workmate who is so friendly and talkative and funny! She taught me while we were on the MRT on how the Chinese Bible she has (New Testament) works. I've kinda forgotten most of the things she told me now. I've been going to this Catholic church on-campus (it's a catholic uni) - to the Mandarin service at 8.30 am. And I was so lost until I met these Vietnamese people and got off a pinyin sheet of them, and then I improved a little in my understanding. Spent one night going through the dictionary and the sheet - but I still haven't finished going through it personally.

Anyway, writing here makes me feel a bit better now. Hmm....wondering what I should do now. I still haven't started packing all my junk. Maybe I should finish watching this Mandarin-dubbed HK Andy Lau movie? That'll take awhile. Write some thank you notes perhaps. Think what I'm going to do tomorrow - last minute stuff especially.

It's also half past one in the morning and I want to wake up for my last church service tomorrow.

Ok i'm outta here...

Taiwan - 3

sighh....the typhoon hardly even hit Taipei today. That's what I think.

So, we had class. It was raining on and off all day but nothing exciting or anything.

So, in the afternoon a couple of hours after lunch, some of us caught the bus and MRT to the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. He's one of Taiwan's past great leaders. It was raining unfortunately but we had a good time and managed to catch the guards marching in front of his huge statue figure. About 6 guards, all in sync, and so skillful (for eg. twirling their rifles with just one hand).

Chiang Khai-Shek Memorial Hall

Inside the Hall

My Taiwanese friends didn't really want to go there with us but of course encouraged us to visit it. To them, it is like what the outside of the Opera House is to locals in Sydney.

Well, after that, we went somewhere else to do other stuff.

Yippee- it's the weeekend now!!!! =D I can finally sleep in.

Taiwan - 2

The 台风 (Typhoon) is hitting Taiwan!! And because of that, our field trip to the Eastern part of Taiwan tomorrow and Saturday has been postponed to next week. Coz that's the part that is supposedly being hit first by the typhoon - tonight! I'm really looking forward to going there after hearing how really nice it is from a few Taiwanese people so I really REALLY hope we actually get to go there next week!! Typhoon, please go away!!

My first typhoon experience - but it's probably going to be just raining and the wind howling like it was last night. The rain isn't that heavy and the temperature is not cold. But if it gets worse, then I might not have class tomorrow. That would of course feel like good news to me when I wake up in the morning. But I'd rather the weather be hot hot hot like it was last week coz at least we can go out and do stuff.

Have I mentioned how many dogs there are loitering along the streets? Major street, small street, in the university grounds and even in front of my dormitory building! This dog slowly walks into Watson's (a shop that sells things chemists sell -except the drugs) and sits down on the floor in front of some shelves and goes to sleep. The salesgirl didn't even shoo it out. Wow, dogs are allowed to come in? I think the dog came in for the air-conditioning.

Some stuff we got up to besides our usual Mandarin classes.

We had a couple of days of learning a little bit of chinese calligraphy! Some of us have done it before but it was my first time. I write not that great but it was fun!

Our school took us to the National Palace Museum. It's supposed to be up there with the other top museums in the world like the Louvre in Paris and the museums in London and NYC.

Our calligraphy teacher, who is so nice and outgoing and says funny things, took us out to Danshui which is up north in Taipei, next to the water. She told us "don't stand me up ah!". She brought her husband, whom she told us in class - is "very funny man" and some of her other young young students. They were so nice - treated us to dinner and some other small foods. And we're having another "date" next Saturday just before we leave.

Catherine, me and my roommate, Robyn

Taiwan - 1

It's the ending of my 4th day in Taiwan, 2nd out of 15 days of Mandarin classes. Feels like I've been here awhile because I think I've done a number of things and hanging out with my other study tour mates has been so great. There are 9 of us, actually 10 but the guy flew home yesterday. I hope he's really okay. I sat next to him on the plane and I never thought it would turn out like this.

Mandarin skills are improving slowly I suppose. It was a struggle talking about technical stuff....like whether it is better to buy a SIM card or phone card? what are the options? I even went to the catholic church service on Sunday coz I wanted to walk around the campus and see what it was like. Attended the 8.30 am Mandarin service. I didn't realise till later that there would be English services after that! It was a good experience even though I didn't understand most of what was being said except when we read in their bible "and Jesus said" and bits of the eucharist. Thank God for this nice girl whom I sat next to even though I was trying my best to understand her.

I hate the traffic here. Scooters and motorcycles are crazy and tooooo many. Like swarms of flies on the road. The cars and other vehicles don't even follow the road lines even in busy parts of Taipei. Malaysian driving is crazy but definitely not as crazy as this. I nearly got knocked down by this motorbike as I was getting off the bus as I didn't look left. The motorcyclist called me some name but I couldn't hear it. But then the next day I realised that that stupid man was coming in the opposite direction to oncoming traffic!! (If u didn't know, people drive on the right hand side here)

Ok i'm not mad even though I may appear to be from the way I write. I'm really having a great time!! My brain is a bit tired now....just studied quite a bit. Write more next time.

And yeah, it's true about the toilets. And there is no toilet paper!! Just like Malaysia I suppose. I'm getting used to it.

Taipei 101 (current tallest building in the world)

Just checking out some facts about Taiwan

Check out these facts about Taiwan courtesy from www.lonelyplanet.com.

Population (and land area in brackets):

Taiwan: 22.5 mil (35,563 sq km)

Australia : 19.5 mil (7,680,000 sq km)

Malaysia: 23 mil (329,750 sq km)

Woww...Taiwan really has a lot of people, huh?

My friend told me something about Taiwanese toilets which I found pretty disgusting. You can't throw the toilet paper you've used into the toilet bowl. Instead there's a bin next to the toilet bowl where you can. Reason? Something to do with the inability of the toilet system to flush the toilet paper down. Could clog the system.

*eww* Let's see if this is true.

Almost 2 weeks since I started the lab job..

It's been a week filled with a mixture of emotions. And I feel pretty tired and a little sick. I woke up early one morning just to throw up and I had a bit of diarrhoea later on. It was weird. I have no idea why because I didn't even bother losing my sleep over the World Cup.

JX, little brother in our bible study group...had to fly home to Malaysia all of a sudden and defer 6 exams. He even deferred an exam he was going to sit for in 45 minutes. His mum has been admitted into the ICU and is semi-conscious. She had to undergo chemo last year but it seems now, her condition has become worse. I was feeling kinda down that day but after reading JX's email, I can't compare at all to what JX must be going through.

On a happier note.....guess what? I am going to Taiwan this Saturday!! for 3 weeks. It's a study tour kinda thing. To study intensive Mandarin. Actually, I haven't mentally prepared myself to the fact that I am even going. Just made my mind up recently, that's why.

wooo hooo!! a little excited though to be getting out of normalcy for awhile.

Just an update on my job progress

Dear friends,

I'm going to be starting work as a laboratory technician at this flavour and ingredients company. It's a casual job, which means no benefits and not having to come in every weekday. But i'll be working every weekday for 2 weeks to start off commencing next Tuesday. It's actually a simple job, not requiring the academic qualifications I have....and I'll actually be assisting the food technologists in preparing the product samples they need (If you didn't know, I did a bachelor degree in Food Technology, so actually, i prefer their job). In the interview, he was telling me he's looking for someone who would be staying for awhile and not leave after a few months, all the hassles of conducting interviews and training....and I'm like uh huh...okay..... but honestly, of course I don't want to stay like that for too long. Anyway, it's going to be a good opportunity and experience to just learn from the people around me for sure. Being able to learn from my food technologist colleagues without the responsibilities they have.

When people ask me what I'm doing now, I've got a pretty standard answer. Ask me if you want to know what it is.

So saying that, I guess I'm pretty happy at the moment to be finally getting a job in the food industry! (And I don't mean retail or restaurants). Finally.....! something related to my degree. And I can modify my standard answer now :D

Many thanks to a friend of mine who's working there.

Book Review

Title: A Spectator's Guide to World Religions

Author: John Dickson

Publisher: Blue Bottle Books

In this book, John Dickson presents the current big 5 religions in the world: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He provides a fair and comprehensive account of the history, belief systems and spiritual practices of each religion from their own perspective in very clear and simple English.

I have actually just finished reading this book which belongs to my Korean friend, Hyunju Kim. She actually thinks it's a very good book and so do I!! This book gives a very good foundational understanding of what each religion is about as believed by the believers of each religion.

I was captured by the way the story of each religion unfolded in the course of history. Take for example, when I was reading about Islam. If you've been schooled in the Malaysian Education System, you would know that we had to learn a lot about Islamic history in Form 4. I seriously didn't understand Islam and I still don't understand what it's all about even though I've been brought up in M'sia. Whenever prayers are recited on TV or through the loud PA system from the nearby mosque, I just tuned off.

And about Judaism, the first time I had a deeper understanding about the Jews was when I read a book by Stan Telchin called Betrayed! (This is another really good book but guess it'll have to be saved for another blog entry). I mean, I knew that Jews were brutally prosecuted during the Holocaust and that there's some war going on between Israel and Palestine but those were just... distant facts. Or when I actually visited the Sydney Jewish Museum 1 1/2 years ago. It was interesting history but I was mostly enamoured after meeting these 2 old ladies who are actually survivors of the Holocaust. The other factual stuff displayed just slipped out of my mind even though I tried to read and learn more about Jewish history and customs.

What I'm trying to say is that the clear explanation of how each religion originated and how it progressed and what it's all about provided in this book gave me a richer and clearer understanding. It would be now so much easier to understand where my grandmother is coming from with her Buddhist beliefs for example. And I guess it also helps us when we try to converse with other people with other religions because each religion is so different.

As the book concludes, to remain with the pluralistic idea that all religions are the same but are just different cultural perceptions of the ultimate reality is just an unwillingness to explore each path more deeply. Isn't it easier to just accept 2 different accounts as just being 2 different ways because it's just the path of least effort on our part?

Anyway, this is a really gooooooood booook!!! Need I say more? :)

Random thoughts

Bosses, leaders among us, be it at work, church, uni or wherever...

Sometimes I think they have this level of authority that makes me think they have it all made. They have more knowledge than me, able to handle things better....how can I explain it? They'll be okay in what they do. I just have to listen to them, respect them and that's that. They're somewhat "untouchable".

But sometimes I realise that they're human too and they can go so down and depressed. They may also experience the same stupid relationship or other personal and professional problems. They need support too.

shocked, shocked, shocked...

I just found out today after having a conversation with a friend that our current Prime Minister's wife (Malaysian PM), Datin Seri Endon Mahmood died of breast cancer.

And when did she die? October 2005.

I was so shocked.....

shocked, shocked, shocked.

I can't even remember if my dad mentioned it to me or my mum. If they did, it didn't stick in my head...but something like this would have, so i guess they didn't tell me.

I'm not going to tell my dad this coz he'll ask me why i don't read the newspaper.

Note: read the Malaysian papers online.

Sign up for the 40-Hour Famine!!

What is the 40-Hour Famine?
It is an initiative by World Vision and is a popular annual event to raise funds and awareness in youth. It gets us involved by giving us a taste of what it feels like to go hungry. But it isn't just fasting from food for 40 hours. We can choose to go without anything that matters to us (eg. technology, talking) and then, raise donations for this.

This year's funds raised by World Vision Australia from the Famine will be channeled to East Timor specifically but also to support World Vision's work in Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia and help poor families survive natural disasters like floods, earthquakes and cyclones.

When is the 40-Hour Famine?
World Vision Australia has set it for the weekend of 18-20 August 2006.
(I just realised that other countries have it not at the same time as us - and instead of 40-hours, some have just 30 hours)

What is this about signing up?
Well, the UNSW World Vision Club is running a drive to encourage people to sign up and get involved in the 40-Hour Famine this year!

• When: This week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) 30/5, 31/5 and 1/6
• What time: 11.30- 2pm
• Where: In front of the library .... look out for our banner!

If you sign up with us, you'll get a free gift bag!! (more than a decent amount of nice stuff inside truly) You'll also be given the 40-Hour Famine booklet where you will find information inside on what to do etc..and also where you record amount donated, give receipts to people who have kindly donated and so on. The booklet is important and you will have to give it back to us after the Famine. We're basically doing this as a club and we'll collect all the booklets and donations and give them to World Vision.

For those not at UNSW and those who are but can't make it, tell me if you wanna take part okay? I guess preferably if you are here in Australia, preferably in Sydney. I'll get you a booklet, minus the gift bag (anytime before the Famine starts). We can do it together and spur each other on! Or let me encourage you to sign up by yourself wherever you are. Very easy peasy! Go to the website and follow the instructions. World Vision will mail you the booklet.

Email me if you wanna ask anything :)

This week

It's been a long week! I haven't felt like this in awhile...when last Sunday seemed like ages ago. I worked everyday except Monday when I went all the way to this town called Blacktown which is an hour away by train for something. I had to wake up at "ungodly" hours a lot this week =P (unearthly for me anyway) but ...I really like morning shifts! Leaves the afternoons and nights free which I needed this week. A couple of friends graduated, dinners outside, went for a Christian women's conference (called EQUIP) on Saturday, another dinner where i spent $30 (!!!!) and I think I did my longest bicycle journey ever without stopping, not that I'm going to do it again.

EQUIP was pretty good. I really enjoyed the talks (3 in total) - talks that speak to the heart and challenges the heart to live out the Christian life. I was pretty sleepy during the elective which took place before the talks....shhhh....i feel a bit bad about that....

I felt pretty housewifey this week as well. Cook, clean, wash clothes. I'm trying to be a better sister.

The waiting game

If you'd like to know, my application for Australian Permanent Residency is still pending. It's going okay. I called the immigration office recently and the person I was speaking to said that they were currently looking at e-applications received on Feb 26th. How slow is that? I just lodged mine in before the middle of March. And thinking back, I got back to Sydney from Msia on March 5th or 6th.

Maybe I shouldn't have gone home to Msia at all until my PR thingie was finalised. A batch of people just got their PR application approved 2-3 weeks back after having lodged theirs in at the beginning of the year. But you know, even though this waiting game is taking a bit too long, I'm still glad I went back to Malaysia when I did. Imagine if I just got my PR like these friends of mine recently. Should I then go home now? I think I'd feel like I wished to start full-time work instead and the timing feels a bit off. I feel like I'm in the middle of some life and now I'd have to book a ticket to go home. Going home now would be kinda too late for me compared to earlier.

Anyway, so my brother and I are now waiting..

My brother's graduation today!...and Dor's too!

It was Ching Yung's grad this afternoon. Unfortunately, my other bro couldn't attend it coz he had class from 2-5 pm and he had to do a presentation today but he did come at the end after Yung had returned his gown. Ching Yung doesn't like too many photos and was like, no need lahhh (even to my attending) but today, he didn't mind me taking photos after the initial and occasional no need lahs. Of course I know that his "no need lah" isn't truly a "not important, he doesn't care" kinda 'no need'.....

On the whole, it was a happy happy day! :D

with some of his friends (He goes to UTS by the way --> University of Technology, Sydney)

And a funny coincidence, it was my church friend, Doreen's grad too! that secretive girl.....I didn't know till my brother told me he saw some other of our church friends there. So of course we had to take a photo together! *big smiles*

Busy-ness is just an excuse

Ever get those moments when you realise you've been thinking a bit too much lately about yourself? Or feel like you've been worrying about your things when it hits you that other people are feeling down too?

I just found out a friend didn't do too well last semester and so had to cram all her final subjects in this semester but it was too much, so had to extend another semester. And I didn't even know till now because she appeared okay and always said things were okay when I asked. Most probably wasn't asking enough!

and this is my public commitment from now on.... try me very best never ever to say i'm busy. I sort of had it in my head not to say it because I truly am not busy. If I was, it would be my own fault for not disciplining myself throughout the day and doing things earlier. When i hear about the lives of others, I just feel ashamed for even remotely thinking I was busy.

And i kinda hate the word when it's mentioned a lot especially at work when suddenly the queues get longer and there are more people. They start mentioning that it's busy in the store....or if it's not, they ask if it's been busy. Hate that word.

It's either I agree or deflect it by saying something more encouraging. Or just phrase it in another way.

And the more I use the word at this very moment and look at it, the more i wonder why I so easily see that word pronounced as biziii and not boosi. :P

Zhang Yimou films are fantastic!

How cool would it be if going to lectures every week involved watching films? Not that critiqueing and analyzing them every week would be really fun but we would definitely learn more. Anyway, it just hit me last week when i was talking to my friend, Guan that the Chinese Cinema lectures he sat in for the past 2 years and where he's now helping his supervisor out in the technical sides.....this subject involves watching chinese films every week!! now, why didn't he make it clearer to me then?? I've been under the clouds for 2 years!! and my brother, Ching Hwa absolutely likes classes like this...in big lecture halls where he can just reflect on his own.

I mentioned before that I was attending these other chinese classes that Guan was tutoring every Monday morning. Haven't really been very faithful in attending them every week...Guan called both me and my bro his laziest students hahaha.....and Guan is ever kind, photocopying the chapters for free for me in the chinese department. But I told him to stop the photocopying for now. I'm getting a bit lazy and sometimes, I get lost when Guan jumps from here to there in the readings. Mann...those 3rd year chinese students are not quite good in chinese but put me beside them, and i suck even more. The level of chinese in their textbook is so tough and it's supposedly primary school standard. Well, i know if I put in more effort and don't succumb to indiscipline and laziness, I would improve but unfortunately, i succumb to my negative side ....a lot! .....spank me!!

But well....watching films definitely perked our ears up and the fact that the class is run in english and the films have english subtitles. So I went with my bro today to the "chinese cinema" class and this week, we watched Red Sorghum starring Gong Li. Zhang Yi Mou's first major film - you know, the guy who directed HERO! He's directed a number of critically acclaimed films that have done really well at international film festivals.

In the film, there's this really gross part where all of a sudden, the Japanese invade China. Some of the chinese peasants rebel against them and to squash such rebellion, the awful japanese soldiers force these local butchers to skin those rebels alive. One refuses because the rebel he is supposed to skin is his master. The other is so scared but ultimately does it or else be skinned alive himself. So grosss....such depictions really stir up anti-japanese sentiments in me a bit. You know, after all that world war 2 stories on the brutality of the japs we hear about.

And i can now say "sorghum" in Mandarin!! :D

This morning at work, this chinese guy comes up to the register and shows me his packet of iodised salt and starts asking me questions in mandarin. And I seriously didn't understand what he was asking me about because my vocabulary is so low and i don't even know how to say salt or iodine in mandarin!! Well, I could tell it was something about the salt...probably the iodine or something. I looked around for any of my chinese workmates but none of them had started their shifts yet.... sighh...Maybe I should have pretended to be Korean or something.

It's times like this that i feel my inadequacy and shame of even calling myself chinese. But it does make me desire to improve.

blah blah blah.....gee...what a ramble!! :D

Stroke Identification

A forwarded email from my Dad.
STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters...

During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00pm , Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead. It only takes a minute to read this...

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps, STR . Read and Learn! Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.

T*Ask the person to TALK, to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. . . It is sunny out today)

R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

{NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue... if the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke} If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

****************************************

Strokes are not just caused due to blockage by a blood clot of an artery leading to the brain. It can also happen because the blood vessel bursts and blood leaks into the brain.

My paternal grandfather nearly got one I think - there was > 90% blockage in the artery in his neck last year. My mum has never ceased to rub the bruises we tell her about so hard till we scream in pain for her to stop. She tells us over and over again about blood clots. And then I remember this real story about how a young woman in her 20s just died because an artery burst in her brain. So sudden.

Well, that's all I know about strokes so far.

The life of Freddie

Another life lost 2 Fridays ago.
I heard he fainted while working at a restaurant early that afternoon. He had some sort of heart disease and blood couldn't flow from his left to his right side or something.

Single parent of a 7 year old boy.
Indonesian.
We knew him as he worked in the kitchen at New College sometimes.
I remember the few short chats I had with him at college. He'd speak to me in Indo and I'd try my very best to respond likewise....there's always this little immediate bond when one is able to speak another person's language. Happens when I meet Indonesians. Not that I speak well enough.

Anyways....

Attended his wake Friday evening.
Justin, his brother came up at the end to speak about him. I knew him from college too.
It was difficult for him and his grief touched our very hearts.

There's nothing like someone talking about the life of a dear one huh?
And realising that I should have spoken to this person more.