Little Girl coming to St Cloud

(I've been so lazy lately to update anything.. Here is a blog I wrote for World Learning. It was posted in another blog specially dedicated to UGRAD members two days ago)

Hello World!!! How are you? My name is Anna Lim from Malaysia. My major is International Business. I grew up in the capital city, Kuala Lumpur where the Petronas Twin Towers are located. Where is Malaysia? You can find us in the south east of Asia in the world map. I always think that Malaysia looks like a sweet potato. That's how I studied my domestic geography :) We have sunshine and rain through out the whole year.

Thanks to World Learning as they brought me to St Cloud State University, Minnesota. It has been 21 days since I came to St Cloud. I never seen snow before until I step foot on this land. I really love them even though they could be harsh to my skin. One thing I learnt here is the weather sucks but the people are warm. Pretty much true.

I enjoy meeting new people especially those who come from different cultural backgrounds. Each day I find out fun facts about my friends' countries as well as expose to foreign languages. Well, Japanese and Spanish aren't so foreign to me now as I listen to them everyday. It was really amazing to see a group of international students and Americans sitting at one table in the cafeteria talking and laughing. The diversity that we have created is so fantastic.

Even though I will be here only for the Spring Semester, I want to make the best out of it. I wish to bring the world back home. I am positive that this would be an experience that I will never regret. Cheers.

I feel like skipping on the street today

My mood is UP today for no specific reason..hehe. I am happy and bubbly as if I want to skip skip skip.
Mr Bohnen of Introduction to Finance was ill and he cancelled the class. Yeah!!!
So, I went to the Husky Bookstore to get my textbooks and ran other errands.

These are f***ing expensive. Total cost is $378. That's approximately RM1300.

I thought I was going to eat my breakfast alone but luckily I met Walid.

Almost forget about my health screen appointment.

Then I decided to go to the library to do my homework.

Met Enrique on the way and he called me a nerd because I didn't join them to the bar yesterday.

He was definitely kiding.

I love the weather today.

A little cloudy but made everything look so beautiful.

This is Lawrence Hall.

I live here on the 2nd floor.

Got lost again

I miss Race in America.

The class was at 2pm but I thougt it was 3pm.

The instructor let me in even though there was only 15 minutes left.

I tagged along with Jessie to her house. Just half an hour away from St Cloud.



Tonight is a good night because we (Jorge, Enrique, Ram, Patsy, Gabriela, Kenneth, Ram, Walid, Hannah, Shiori, Ayaka, Katie, Michelle and Geovanny) listened to reggaeton and dance in Hannah and Shiori's room.
Hot like a sauna.
Everyone have fun though.

Good night
Oyasumi nasai
Buenos noches
Wan An
Selamat Malam

Orientation Week Part 2

Hey all, I really miss Malaysia. And Nasi Lemak.

Here is some if the things that I am doing all these while.

We cooked dinner in Lawrence Hall kitchen

ok ok, I didn't cook because I don't want to kill anyone. I just help them to cut spam (it's like luncheon meat)

from left: Rachel, SK, Cam, Jasmine, Anna and Quynh

Game night where we played bowling, pool, dart and ping pong

then party in Nash's house. I learned to play poker.

I didn't sleep at all that night because of jet lag. yup, take me something to get used to it.

The next day;

Visit to Halenback.

There are gym, pool, football field, basketball courts and blah blah blah.. All the sports stuffs.

And we had pizza, lots and lots of pizza.

watched my first hockey game. pretty cool and rough.

Cheers

International Orientation Day 1

I've been staying in St. Cloud for about a week now.
Getting used to the weather here and I think I am going to love it =D optimistically

6th January 2010
The beginning of International Student Orientation, Spring 2010.

International students are all divided into many different groups that are represented by colors such as blue, brown, pink, gray, orange and so on. I'm in yellow.

First and foremost, we are required to check-in with the Center of International Studies, paying health insurance, signing up for health screening, openning bank account, getting student ID done. Lots and lots of forms to fill up. And the Peer Advisor are there to help us.

Then, we had lunch at Garvey Common. How shall I rate the food there? Yucks!! Totally not my kind of taste at all. Imagine that I have to eat there for the 1 whole semester. Okay, shut up, don't complain. There's food and be thankful.

During break time, Kenneth from Costa Rica and Francisco from Nicaragua came to my room to register for courses because I already have internet access on my laptop but they don't. Both are also in the Global UGRAD program like me. In another words, we are in this together. Hehe. I am so gonna pick up some Spanish from them.

Words I learned today are bienvinido (welcome), uno dos tres (1,2,3) and mi nombre es Anna (my name is Anna).

What's on the schedule today is Campus Tour as well. We hop from one building to another. And it's really a chilly weather, as usual. Or the Minnesotan might say "it's a wee bit nippy today".


Then we came to a big atlas and marked our home country with a red thumb nail.


Nicaragua and Costa Rica are neighbours. I just found out today :)

We had dinner and welcome by the President, Provost and the Center for International Studies at 5.00pm.


Yellow table: there are members from Japan, Chile, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica, South korea, China, United States, Africa.


These are my new Malaysian friends. We talked here as if we are in the mamak, yum cha-ing.. Gosh, I kind of miss my night life. :P


Last thing in the schedule today is movie at the Atwood Theater. What are we watching? New in Town. About a Miami working woman got relocated to New Ulm, Minnesota. Very funny. You should watch it and you ll get a little idea about how I feel when I step on the land of Minnesota.


Francisco, Walid, Hannah and I walked to the Mississipi River behind Lawrence Hall and played snow just now. We made snow angels. Well, no pictures taken because I couldnt take out my camera. My hands were frozen. One more thing, always wear a beanie or ear muff if you want to stay outside so long. I forgot and my ear hurt a lot. Ouch.

Alrite, I want to sleep already le... Night.

Cheers.