Sweet Thursday

Here's another belated post! So a few weeks ago, Simona flew in from Arkansas and we began our city adventures on Thursday, which was unfortunately cold and windy. I was layered up in a faded denim button-down shirt, a brown jacket and acid-washed skinnies, along with a thick shawl and a beanie to protect my neck and ears from the freezing weather.

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Simona donned a cream jacket and a silk Malaysian scarf (present from me) over her blouse and black denims. Since I was the one with a bulky DSLR, she offered to carry my beige handbag. :) It looked good on her. 

Our first stop of the day was SoHo, one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the city and home to retailers like Forever 21, H&M, Mango, Zara, Urban Outfitters and other international flagships. SoHo contains a nice cluster of shops, ranging from relatively affordable to couture designers. 

A lot of the architecture is influenced by an older era, like this church. 

SoHo has a good mixture of food and fashion. You shop until you're about to drop, and then you discover a cute cafe around the corner serving good tea and chocolate croissants. Fresh & Co. promotes healthy salads, soups and sandwiches, while Le Pain Quotidien (just a few blocks down) boasts fresh French pastries and beverages that never fail to leave a good taste in your mouth.

Le Pain Quotidien

It was really cold, so we hopped in and sat down for a good half hour to recuperate and get some carbs in our system. Simona decided to try their hummus, which came with dates and rye bread. 

I was craving something sweet, so I ordered the Belgium hot chocolate and two mini tarlets - lemon raspberry and chocolate. Simply delicious. The rich, creamy texture of the hot chocolate made me lust for more.

Minutes after we left the bakery, we found *gasp!* MAX BRENNER one block away. I always thought Max Brenner was an Australian thing, and I'd craved the chocolate goodies since my last visit to Aussieland. So stumbling upon a big Max Brenner restaurant was like walking into chocolate heaven. 

Chocolate was fashioned into all shapes and sizes, from chocolate-coated nuts to truffles and bars. 

 

Being chocolate lovers ourselves, Simona and I went crazy. We were literally kids in a candy store. "Forget about the calories," we said as we each purchased a Max Brenner bar. "Today, we're feasting to our hearts' content."

She's never been happier.

Grinning like children, we unwrapped our Max Brenner treats while walking toward Union Square Park. Even the sun was beaming at us. What a perfect afternoon to chill at the park. Sunlight filtered through the branches and cast a golden gleam upon the city.

 

Model in the making! She's a true beauty, inside and out.

  

 

Love her to bits!

Saw some guys wrapped in a serious game of chess at the park.

Our candy craving didn't stop at Max Brenner. In fact, it propelled us to Times Square, where we wandered into Godiva. I wasn't intending to buy anything at Godiva, but I have a soft spot for chocolate. Staring at the rows of flawless truffles did the trick. I caved in and bought a peanut cluster. Just ONE cluster.

Hello Times Square!

Our next stop was Toys 'R Us! Childhood memories flooded back as we swept through the aisles of endless toys. A huge Ferris Wheel was positioned in the middle of the store.

It's Prime time!

I was so honored to meet the King of Candyland.

We also swung by the Disney Store which was a few minutes away from Toys 'R Us, and to my delight, I found pink Minnies! I used to own a life-sized Minnie doll when I was 7 because it was a present from my mom for doing really well on a big exam. I don't know if that doll is still sitting at home, or if it's been donated. But seeing these Minnies reminded me of my childhood once again.

And that wraps up our Thursday in Times Square! Despite the cold, our hearts were warmed with the joyful memories of the day.

More NYC adventures with the lovely Simona soon!

Fortunate to Fly

I had the privilege to travel the west coast with my family. In December, they flew to the States for my graduation and the day after my graduation, we hopped on the plane to Los Angeles and stayed there for 4 days before moving on to San Francisco. From San Francisco, we made a quick trip to Las Vegas. In Vegas, we boarded a tour bus to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, then headed back to Vegas, and the next evening, flew back to San Francisco. Our long, adventure-filled family holiday came to an end yesterday. They're currently on their way home to Malaysia as I'm writing this. I came back to Arkansas last night and am thankful to be staying with the Neals, my second family.

 It wasn't easy saying goodbye to my family, after all the great times we'd shared together throughout those fun-filled weeks of traveling. The last time I'd seen them was in the summer of 2011, when I flew back to Malaysia for three months before returning to Arkansas to finish my final year of college. The first time I flew to the States was 2010, and that was really hard for me because I didn't want to say goodbye to them. I'd grown up under the shelter of my parents' wings for a long time. I depended on them for strength and wisdom. They were my mentors; they nurtured me and guided me through every moment in life.

So leaving my home and my family behind was a terribly painful thing to do - not only was I afraid, I was uncertain that I'd be fine on my own. They were concerned for me too. Of course, the first few months by myself in a foreign country wasn't totally easy, but as time went by, I got accustomed to the new culture and learned to adapt to my surroundings. I also learned to step out of my shell and embrace the unknown. I still depended on my parents for support, but I soon realized I was able to make big decisions on my own and rely on my judgment. I was able to handle important matters concerning myself without relying too much on my parents. 

I was becoming more independent, and I was proud of myself for this. The environment coaxed me out of my shell. I didn't think I was capable of it, but time proved me wrong. 

When I saw my family again in December, I was overwhelmed. I hadn't seen them in over a year. It was an emotional moment for all of us as we huddled together in a tight embrace, each of us trying to stifle our tears. I was able to feel the warmth of their hugs and smell their familiar scents on their shoulders. I didn't have to go home to feel at home - home had come to me.

 I remember hugging my mom at the airport, thinking how lucky I was to be able to hold her in my arms again and how I wish I didn't have to let go. I knew time was running out because in a couple of weeks, they'd be on the plane back to Malaysia and I'd be on my own again. 

During the trip, while they depended on me for navigating and organizing the trip, I depended on them for comfort and strength. Once again, I felt like that scared girl at the brink of leaving her home. I'd forgotten what it was like to trust my parents with the tough decisions. It was nice having them around as familiar pillars of strength.

 So when they left, I was hit with that same void of fear. Not knowing what my future would be like. Not knowing if I'd make the right decisions concerning my employment and living situation. Not knowing if I'd make it in the real world. Suddenly I wanted my parents to help me with the big decisions so I wouldn't have to make them myself. 

But I knew there was only so much they could do. The rest of it was up to me. It was my future, and I had to call the shots. Before they left, my dad told me, "No matter what happens. We will always support you."

Just two days ago, we were having breakfast together as a family at a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. We joked around and talked about the rest of the plans for our final day in the city. And yesterday, I hugged them goodbye before watching them fade into the line of people at the security checkpoint. The moment I turned and walked away, I knew I was on my own again. I'm not sure when I'll see them again. It could be 6 months or longer. Maybe even a year.

I'm really grateful that my parents chose to support my decision to study in America. They released me into the realms of this country, one so far and different from the one I grew up in. By doing so, they allowed me to find my own wings. I'd been living under the comfort of their loving wings for so long that I never had to use my own. This discovery led to a fresh sense of determination and courage that fueled a lot of my decisions.

I was fine on my own and I will continue to be. I've graduated and now a whole new world awaits me. I haven't found a job yet, but I'll keep looking. I don't know where this new journey will take me, but I'll have to keep going to find out. 

It's time to lift those wings again and fly.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Thanksgiving is already turning into one of my favorite holidays. It’s that time of the year when the trees are still colored with shades of autumn, and the air is crisp and punctuated with the smell of roast turkey and fresh apples.

I woke up this morning, thanking God for another lovely day. 

Thanksgiving is the perfect reason to get reunited with family. 

Well, my family’s 9,500 miles away in Malaysia, so I spent Thanksgiving with my American family – the Neals.

They sort of “adopted” me. ;) I’m so thankful to have met the Neals. They’re a crazy, hilarious, loving family who support each other in every way possible. They welcomed me into their home with so much warmth and introduced me to the Southern culture. They even taught me how to speak with an Arkansan twang: "Get yer country fried chickin'!"

Here’s a brief update about my first Thanksgiving with the Neals and their extended families. 

I got there an hour before everyone else started arriving and met Molly, Taylor’s kitten. Molly’s a feisty little thing. She’s really cute, but she hates being held. Whenever someone picks her up to snuggle, she growls and starts whining like a tortured soul. I have never met a kitten who hates being picked up. But then again, I’m more of a dog person than a cat person, so who am I to talk about kittens’ behaviors? Lol. 

One of the best things about Thanksgiving is the food. Oh, gosh. It's like Christmas, when people exercise their inner cook and whip up all sorts of yummilicious treats.

Deviled eggs

My plate of ham, country green beans, deviled egg, butter roll, chicken stuffing and mashed potatoes.

That wasn't even all the food we had. There was buttered corn, pudding, cheese balls and salted crackers, pink salad, banana pudding, carrot cake, chocolate cake, chocolate-coated balls of peanut butter and cream cheese and cupcakes with dark chocolate frosting.

I might have left one or two more things out of the list, but you get the picture. :) We stuffed ourselves with so much food that when the banana pudding was brought out, someone exclaimed, "Get that thing away from me. I am going to puke if I take one more bite because I am about to explode."

When you actually get to the heart of Thanksgiving, you realize that it's not all about the food. Thanksgiving is about the people.

Taylor, my "sister" from another mother. :) She's awesome! 

Meet Gracie! She's pretty much like a human being.

Cathy (Taylor's mom) and mamaw, Taylor's grandmother.

Sue Ellyn, Jason and LaDonna

Being around them was great, but it also made me miss my family a whole lot more. 

I'm thankful for my family back in Malaysia, for their unconditional love, support and encouragement throughout every step of my life. I couldn't have asked God for a better family. Every single day, I miss them even more. But the thought of seeing them in less than a month (because they're attending my graduation!) is exciting. :)

I am thankful for the Neals, for their generosity and warmth and for treating me like their own. They welcomed me into their lives, took me places, cooked me delicious Southern meals, helped me through some of the craziest moments of my college semesters, and offered me the sense of a warm, Southern family.

I am thankful for a loving boyfriend who has been there for me through the thick and thin of our almost 4-year long distance relationship. Thanks to the advancement of technology, we've been able to stay in touch through Skype and Whatsapp. It's really, really tough. But he makes all of this worth it.

I am thankful for friends who have my back - friends who love me for who I am, friends who encourage me, friends who build me up, friends who are able to laugh with me and share silly moments with me. They mean the world to me! True friends are hard to come by, so I thank God for each and every one of these special people He's placed in my life.

On top of everything else, I'm thankful for where I am today, for the circumstances I've had to endure to get here, for the people who made all of this possible, and for God's unfailing strength and grace that bolstered me through all 22 years of my life. Everything originated from Him, and without Him, there would be no Thanksgiving. :)

I'm also thankful to the lady who sold me the African hair clip last weekend.

Thanksgiving shouldn't be limited to just one day. Each day is Thanksgiving, a chance to celebrate the good things in life and to be grateful for everything you have. 

What are you thankful for? :)