3rd week in Portsmouth

This week was a busy and stressful week for me as I need to do lots of reading and conference day is getting nearer. In order to prepare myself well, i really need to read and read and read...

Thanks to Dr Tony Centeno who came to Portsmouth on Weds to visit me. We introduced Boris (my PhD supervisor) to Tony. Tony brought me to stadium to get some football shirts. I didn't get any shirts but he bought some. Then, he drove me around Portsmouth and showing me his old place. In fact, Tony's wife was in Department of Mechanical for her MSc and PhD. They stayed in Portsmouth for a few years and it's like 2nd home here. After that, we went to Starbucks for coffee. I took hot chocolates. The hot chocolate drinks taste better when you really need a hot drink especially the weather is cold. ops..forgot to snap a photo with him. Then, we proceed to a restaurant for dinner. i had smoked salmon pasta. it was soo delicious! thanks to Tony for hot chocolate and dinner!

Dinner at my place's kitchen. These were the food that Bel cooked and she brought it over. All in all, each one of us paid 70p for this lovely dinner. Oh yea, we also got kuih raya, it was brought over by Siti's parents who just came 3 days back.

On friday night, we had a small 'makan' at my place. A few Malaysian students came over and Bel cooked curry chicken, fried salmon fish, savoy cabbage & carrots. She also cooked a big pot of rice. It was the first time i had rice since i came to UK. i think ididn't take any rice a few days before i left for UK as well. i'm just not a rice person. my stomach always have difficulties when it tries to digest rice. i prefer bread, especially wheat bread! We had a great time. The main purpose of this makan was to say goodbye to Siti. All of us told her that we want her to come back again to Portsmouth. Guess what? she is a mother to all of us, because she dealed with most of us when we tried to get ourselves register to the uni and the hostel. We met her in KL office. Siti, we hope to see you again in Portsmouth!!! After the dinner, we also sat down and discussed where to go for holidays in December. Personally, i would like to travel up....hmmm..Scotland!!! Edinburg!!! Glasgow!!! But, it's gonna be freezing cold. One of the malaysian students said he drove to Scotland from Portsmouth for 14 hours!!! No kidding, 14 hours! He suggested us to fly by economical jet like EasyJet and BA also might be cheap. Ar..hha..some plannings need to be worked out. Fern needs to go somewhere this Christmas!

In fact what happened was Boris came to Fern's room and said 'Fern, you need to save some money' Fern looked upto Boris and said 'Oh yea, i need to save some money to subscribe to IEEE and pay the monthly digital library?' 'Ops, you got me wrong! i'm going holidays in December until early January and i'm expecting you to be on holidays as well!' Then i told myself 'Eh, Boris! i expect you to pay for my holidays also lar!' hheeehheee, Boris's right. i need to go holidays and i need a break because PhD is not an easy course. Anyway, this is only work, we must enjoy our lives as well. Alright, where should i go ? i really don't know. Any suggestions?

On saturday, i went to Bel's place. It was a cold and misty saturday. Both of us agreed that saturday is the coldest day since we reached UK. Bel also took out her winter knitwear and put it on today because the weather is too cold. I can't say no to my scarf because as i walked from my place to her place, it's a 30min walk and the wind is strong also. We went shopping and we decided to get pizza. Wow..choose any 3 for 3 pounds. Alright, we bought 3 and we baked the pizza for 20 mins but we finished eating within 10 mins. Bel commented 'the pizza is sedap gila!' Indeed, it was very tasty and i really love it. We're gonna bake another two this week and she will pop by to eat dinner she goes home!

Tomorrow is sunday again! Bel and i are going to King's church. We did a check and we found out that there will be a student lunch to welcome the students. i pray that this church will be a suitable church for me and it's so much nearer compared to Trinity methodist church.

dear God, i really need some fellowship. i pray that i can settle down in a church ASAP. In jesus's name i pray and ask, Amen!