I'm still on a buzz from yesterday. I somehow get along with Angeline quite well, and it's not cos she's the only Singaporean I knew in Dresden. I think she's what I wanna be, when I'm older and have to give up being a kid and become a woman. She's got the liefstyle and the smarts that I'd love to have...and she's really really easy to get along with.

Anyway, today wasn't bad either. It started off pretty good...well, not THAT great. I had to drag myself out of bed at 4.45am, cos Fu Wei wanted to go swimming too, so I had to wake up earlier so both of us could get ready and get out of the door early enough. Fu Wei's a great person, but a little scatterbrained. We'll have to repeat this tomorrow morning because we're meeting at 4.45am at the Hauptbahnhof to go to Rostock. Blah. It's nearly 10pm and I am not in bed yet. To have gotten my 8 hours of sleep, I would've had to go to bed at 7.45pm. Instead, I was baking muffins at that time. I haven't baked in quite a while. Today I made chocolate, coconut and raisin muffins. Trying to finish up the coconut that Fu Wei bought the last time. She thought you could add water and make a drink out of it. But it was erm, dessicated coconut. So I've been using it for cakes and cookies. Oh..and I sprinkled almonds on the top. It's great to have a basic recipe and then create all these different variations depending on what you have at home.

Ok, back to the swimming. I luurve the coach. She's really good at motivating pple...I've learnt more in the last 3 weeks with her than 2 semesters with the last guy. She really watches you and gives you concrete tips to improve. And mind you, it isn't a one-on-one session. She gives great tips to everyone! And man, my strokes are nowhere near perfect, but she compliments you on what you do right and tells you what you can do to improve. Man! She is great lah...I usually don't like people telling me what to do, but she does it right. And, I actually notice the improvement myself! I find that even if I'm not doing it perfect, it definitely feels way better than it used to. It's no longer so strenuous in a bad way. But she was really full of praises...but not in an insincere way. She said that she could really see that I was putting in effort, and that some other people didn't really care and just did what they wanted. Well, I used to be some other people...but she's discovered the magic formula with me. Telling me everything I do wrong doesn't help. I have an intrinsic rebellious reflex. And if you tell me what I do wrong, you have to tell me how I can do it right. I only accept constructive criticism. The compliments really help to soften the blow of the advice.

So, that's why I felt so good this morning! Then, went home and settled stuff...cooked and all that. Then had my Contemporary Indian Cinema seminar. It was kinda funny. We watched a song and dance sequence with Amitabh Bachan and Shah Rukh Khan...very colourful and lively. And then the Prof had a stillframe of the both of them. These 2 guys who walked past our seminar room actually stopped and stared at the photo of the 2 guys. Then when they noticed us laughing and the prof turned around, they quickly walked away.

Then there was tennis. Actually, I think the coach is kinda cute...but ugh...I HATE all the drills he makes us do. I do not deny that I have ZERO "Ballgefühl"...but it's just embarrassing to have him watch us do these drills...I don't like hitting the ball up in the air for fun...or using my hand to hit the ball...ESPECIALLY using my hand to hit the ball. It makes my hand hurt like crazy lah! It made me a little whiny and pouty. Like some spoilt child. But, I forgive him because he's cute. But this session made it clear to me that it was a good choice to have joined the beginners' class. I'd probably die if I were in the advanced group...just cos I totally am not good enough.

BUT...I really really WANT my OWN racquet! My family's not really efficient...I asked my mum to check how much it costs to send my racquet here...it's been days and I haven't heard anything. If they aren't gonna send it, I wanna buy my own! I cannot tahan the heavy and SMALL-faced racquets they have...the stringing is lousy lor! Blah.

I went to REWE after tennis to get butter, eggs and baking powder for my muffins. There was yet another cute guy at the cashier. This is quite amazing...ok...maybe not all of them are cute, but it is surely a change from all the typical 35-45 year old female cashiers that you see all the time. Haha...this is definitely an improvement for the female demographic! ;)

Today was absolutely fabulous! I haven't had as much fun as this in ages! The day started off pretty normally...went for Swedish class and didn't understand a thing, which isn't new. Then I went home to shower and have breakfast...and then was late for class for the very first time in my uni career, cos I was waiting for Mai and we missed the bus. We promised ourselves that we'd definitely go earlier next week. It was a bit paiseh to walk in so late...but we didn't miss THAT much. There was one very long, very boring presentation. The girl next to me was reading the whole time...but I wasn't going crazy trying to copy everything down, cos the presenter was gonna put everything online anyway...AND, I was looking forward to meeting Angeline for lunch. Very looking forward to it. I haven't seen her since just before Christmas. It's been months! She came back this weekend to move out of her place here. She's been in the south since the new year. Sigh...it's a sad occasion, but I got to see her at least. She'll visit Dresden again in July, but that's still a couple of months away. But we'll probably get to do more then, cos she'll be staying about a week and my exams should be over by then. Yay!

We met at Asia Snack for lunch. The food was great, as usual. This is only the 3rd time I've eaten out since coming back. Don't usually go out on my own. I had my fave beef noodles...mmmm...after sitting in the sun for a while and chatting for about 2 hours, we bought drinks and walked down Prager Strasse. We went into a lot of stores...it was so fun...and we talked the whole time...she tried on shoes, which were really pretty! She bought them, they're pretty, blue Esprit ones...I've brought my new shoes over, so I didn't need to buy any new ones. I told her about them though. Haha :)Then we went into H&M and spent a long long time there! I tried on quite a few things, but they were either too ex, didn't look THAT nice, or were similar to what I already have. But I ended up with one top that I liked. It's actually maternity wear, but you probably couldn't guess except for the label. And the fact that's it's longer and doesn't taper in at the waist. But it's great for those "fat days". And it's pink...haha. Looks great with my jeans. Angeline bought a lot more, but that's cos she doesn't get to go shopping much now that she's working in a way smaller town. But it's really fun to shop with her. Time just passed by really really quickly! Then I went to Orsay and saw that skirt that I'd wanted to buy in Berlin. The saleslady then had told me to check in again in 3 months, cos I'd told her that it was too expensive for me then. It cost 39,90 Euro. And today, it was 9,90! I really couldn't believe it! And I was just telling Angeline about it before that. Amazing!! 9,90! Sometimes having patience really does pay off! :) Yay!! But that was just one of the highlights. Angeline and I then went to the Altmarkt Galerie , where she needed to get contact lens solution. Her husband called her...and this was the first time we'd looked at our watches. It was already 6.30pm! Amazing...and cos it doesn't get dark so early now that it's summer, we totally didn't notice that time had flown by so quickly! We walked around Altmarkt a little while more...then after buying some groceries, we left and walked to the tram stop. It was hard to say goodbye...but at least I know I'll see her again in July...it might be a long time...but the fact that I'll definitely get to see her again really does help a lot. By the time I'd gotten onto the train, it was already 8pm...amazing how time flies when you're having fun! It was really the best day I've had in a long long time! I've been so busy with work that I haven't done anything apart from uni-related stuff. And I hardly have friends here...so it was just so much fun! Liu Jian will be back for a week next month...and Steffi will be back in June! These are my closest friends here and most have been away for eons...I think this sem will be great...apart from being busy with school, that is. I really do love summer! I love the long days and being able to wear pretty clothes! :) Now I just hope to survive the huge pile of homework and assignments.

I am exhausted. Think I am dehydrated too. Feel a little bit weak. But I've drunk some water now, so hopefully it's better. I also wanna eat some grapes...I bought some today...they are more expensive than raisins but juicier! :D I was so tempted to come back with a lot of junk food...but there was thunder and lightning, so I just quickly grabbed the grapes and the tomato paste I need for dinner tonight and scrammed. I actually wanted to go to REWE to see if the cute guy was there, but I figured it isn't really worth it to get caught in a thunderstorm for something as silly as this. So I decided to go to the nearer but not so well-stocked supermarket. Which is why I wasn't able to buy everything I wanted. Oh..the grapes are not bad though...might end up finishing everything...darn! I just lost a grape to the dustbin...cannot find it.

Anyway, what I wanted to blog about today is actually a very small and yet rather disturbing incident. I was on my way home from school when a car horned at this PRC who was sauntering his way right down the middle of the road. And the PRC turned around and gave the driver the finger. I mean hello, I'd be pissed if I were the driver...the guy was walking right in the middle of the road. I think if he were back in China, he'd probably kena killed by the drivers lah...then there was some shouting going on...I didn't hear much, except for "But it's the road!" and the PRC going "So what if it's the road?" and more frustrated, totally self-righteous crap. If I were the German driver, I'd be thinking that foreigners are really rude...and I, as an observer, feel pissed off that creeps like the PRC are giving foreigners a bad name. I don't just mean PRCs...I mean anyone in a foreign country should pay even more attention to their own behaviour...why give people a chance to criticise you and hate you when there's already enough negative stereotyping around? Sigh.

But anyway, classes today weren't bad. Got back my stupid reading CD. I got a 1.0 but I will have you know that I am still very embarrassed for having had to read it out to my computer and burn it on a disc. Got to talk about our school lives a bit...that was quite nice.

Ok...will do other stuff now.

The presentation is OVER!! Yay!! It was a nightmare though. I forgot to print out the vocab lists and had to rush home to get them. Thank God for buses..and that I only live one bus stop away from the seminar location. But I was sweaty and panting by the time class started. Thankfully, we actually met up early enough and the teacher didn't remember to let us start the presentation until nearly the end. But it ended and I am glad! I wasn't perfect, but I guess I can live with it. He liked that our presentation was organised and very easy to follow...and we (me and my partner) knew what each other was talking about...yay! But whatever it is...it's OVER!!! *hops around in circles*. I actually have at least 2 more presentations...but I'll live somehow...and worry about those later.

We also got back our writing assignment. I got a 2,3! My goodness...this is the first 2 I've ever gotten in English...I mean for language courses...ok, I mean I had 2 mistakes..but his comments were "Good format and expression of your intention"...hello...what do I have to do for a 1?? Or even a 2,0? This class isn't gonna be easy! Sigh.

Been stuffing myself with almonds and raisins lately...they were meant for my nasi briyani, but I've basically finished nearly everything. Blah...probably need to buy a new packet of almonds esp.

I'm sleepy! Maybe I should take a nap before Czech class. It's been a looong day today. First I had the presentation..then went to the examinations office to try and collect my Zwischenprüfungszeugnis...but I apparently still had to submit some language thing...so I went home...about an hour later or so, Fu Wei and I went to AAA to pay for our excursion to Rostock and Stralsund this weekend. Finally man...aiyoh...so mafan! But it's done. Then I went to the exams office and settled that too...now I have my cert and am officially in Hauptstudium...finally!! And thanks to my other grades, my ZP grades have been pulled up...have a 2,4 for DaF and 1,7 for Anglistik. Definitely better than the originals.

Stupid internet keeps being unpredictable today...blah.