La Vita e Bella

It was such a drama when i went to ISS this morning;

it was windy, rainy, and so cold…

but nothing can stop me i am in a mission to submit my research paper!!!

i have been keeping this headache for too long, it’s time to just submit and let go, come what may!!!

So i went biking in the rain although it was so hard,

the wind keeps on blowing my hood and the rain made my jeans wet

but i wear my smile

knowing that this is the last time i HAVE TO force myself to go to ISS

and after this, i’ll be free…..

I went to computer room 2.15 first to do the printing,

i can feel the tense atmosphere as most of us are still doing the final touch there

then i ran through the hallway to get the printed paper,

bumped into some friends and congratulate each other

When i reach Josee’s office, another drama waiting.

there was Dubravka there, she hugged me and said ‘congratulations, Chrysant…’

and Josee too, she said ’schatje, after this you won’t have to come to my office for academic matters’ huaa….. it made me happy but sad at the same time.

After those dramas i decided to have lunch with some new batches from Japan.

i just realize that i havent been interacting so much with them partly because of

the paper. now i can spend time without having the paper on the back of my

mind.

i’m free!!!!

Born Free…..

Born free, as free as the wind blows

As free as the grass grows

Born free to follow your heart

Live free and beauty surrounds you

The world still astounds you

Each time you look at a star

Stay free, where no walls divide you

You’re free as the roaring tide

So there’s no need to hide

Born free, and life is worth living

But only worth living ’cause you’re born free

Last night I had my second farewell party, this time it was from the new batch in WGD class. It was as nice as the farewell party from Gondelstraat people, but this time as I found myself dancing, singing and laughing with them, I felt the sadness starts to creep in. Especially when we dance with our anthem, the Vulundlela song (http://chrysant.multiply.com/music/item/25) I was thinking to myself where, how, and when can I possibly meet all these people and have such a grand time like this again. To see how Mofiz tried hard to follow the rhythm (which he was never successfully able to) or TD with her crazy moves, Dubravka with her elegant style… Lillian that always looks so cool, and wow, I just knew that Kara is such a good dancer especially if it’s with Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie.

We sang together the Bob Marley’s song, this time as "no Gender no cry" as we remember the moments that we’ve been through, especially all the difficult and challenging times. Some of the new batches eagerly listen to our conversation, and sometimes show the expression of “I-hope-it-won’t-be-that-tough-this-year.” It’s funny that they express how envy they are to us that we’ve almost finish the study, while us, we are envying how they seem to be so full of energy and ready for the ‘adventure’. Oh well… there’s a time for everything under the sun, isn’t it….

Last Sunday the new batch in Gondelstraat made a farewell party for us. It was lovely…. not only because they cooked us dinner and gave us free Heineken (hehe), but also because they were able to drag us out of our room,  stop writing, and socialize a bit. Manana and Tiina, for example, i havent seen them for such a long time! And i just found out in the party that they are going, soon, end of this week! Oh…

In the party they asked us as the old batch (oh i hate that term) to share about our future plans. They made me have to think really hard for that, for i dont have any clear plan in my head (hiks!)… I guess my other friends were like me as well, coz they spontaneously point to Carlos and Fany - the only people who have a well-prepared plan: get married!  This gave the impression that all of us are planning to get married, that’s why when Tiina speaks, she close with a bold statement: "no marriage!" Then Rina also mention the same thing; she has her boyfriend Cyril, maybe have lived together, but apparently marriage is simply not on their list.

I dont know, i never think about getting married either… im still 24 for crying out loud!!! But then another question popped in: what if you’re 30 like Marcia, would you be able to laugh about how difficult it is to find Mr. Right just like she did?

I suddenly remember having a conversation about marriage with a friend last year. She told me, yeah, right now maybe you dont feel the pressure to get married yet. But wait another three or four years, and you find that one by one your friends are getting married… then you’ll desperately wanting to get married too!

Hmm… i dont know whether her prediction will be right or wrong.

I really have no clue.

One thing for sure, i now hate Bridget Jones ideology that being single is such a tragedy. Spent days counting how many calories that you’ve consumed, singing ‘all by myself’ and crying about how unlucky you are in terms of love life, drinking alcohol and smoking all the time to ease the pain…. i found it so mean that they picture single people like that. Hey, i know single people who are great. Father Jaques, for example… eh wait, he’s a Father, he’s supposed to be single… priest have to be celibate remember? hihihi… Okey, Condy for example! or…. all my lecturers in WGD!!! They are great although they are unmarried…

Being single and unmarried is not a crime… Just because 9 out of 10 people do it, doesnt mean you have too… doesnt mean that you’re incomplete or something… i guess.

Ah ok, now i think my research paper will be easier to think about for the moment.