Hey friends, I hope it's not too much at a time. :-p

16/3 (Wed)
I have a luck!
=> A lady from my college office got back to me, saying that I'm still eligible to apply for the travel subsidy.

17/3 (Thu)
Relieved after hearing from the LIN* department of my school
=> They accept overseas application for the summer program

*LIN- Linguistics and Modern Languages Department

Have no clue of what to do. Confused. :-(
=> Taina told me that she would not be in Helsinki for two weekends in June : June 10-12 & June 17-19

18/3 (Fri)
Stay Cool. Keep Smiling. :-)
=>Don't go over the edge. As you travel life's pathway, keep your eyes upon the doughnut, not upon the hole. Adversities should never monopolize our attention.

19/3 (Sat)
Have a dream last night. It's the first dream I've ever remembered to be sensible ('cause all my past dreams were illogical and senseless!).

I saw myself back home, telling my parents about the summer program. As usual, my dad didn't buy the idea of going to summer school,thinking that it was a waste of money and time, while my mom was strongly supportive.

In another scene, I saw my mom and I were checking my bankbook, only to find that the balance of that month was only HK$ xxxx --- which surprised me!!! "So now how am I gonna make it to take the course???" I thought. Thrown into a turbulence of confusion and disappointment, I woke up.

謝謝陳媽媽 ^.^ Love you Mom!!!
=> Mom gave me a call this morning and we talked a bit. With flashes of the dream that I had last night on my head and feeling I should no longer holdanything back, I told her my tentative summer plan. Before even learning about the college subsidy and the credit transfer stuff, she gave me a green light of taking the summer program ... in FRANCE~~~

Now the remaining hurdles are the study visa
=> how am I gonna apply for it when I'm not even in HK? ... oh wait, if i enter France as a tourist, I dont reli need a visa at all! I'll see ...

and (perhaps the toughest hurdle) accomodation in June.
=> 'cause as scheduled, I was planning to leave London in early June. If I am to extend my stay in Europe, I've got to look for somewhere else to stay for the entire June ... otherwise ... :-(
I'll go to wherever offers me a bed...

So much has been going on here. Anyway, I'll see how God makes the way.

20/3 (Sun)
Palm Sunday - Glory to the Highest!

Just a week before Jesus was crucified, he entered Jerusalem triumphically. He was much welcomed by people with plam leaves, which signified his authority and that he was the Lord.
It's amazing to know the Lord rising from death gives us hope. If Jesus died for us on the cross without resurrection, what power does the Lord have? The entire gospel would not have been so powerful to us. On friday he died but he rose from daeth on Sunday - which gives us plenty to celebrate on Sundays now! It's interesting to see how fickle we are - we are doomed one day but then we are the other way round the next because of the Lord.

What's more- our faith is not how strong our faith is, but the object we have faith in and how strong He is! Isn't it just wonderful? :-) The same goes with the identity of us as His people. The identity itself does not carry much value. It is to whom we are belong that makes our identity special! Think about the necklace that was worn by Princess Diana, the gown worn by Marilyn Moroe, the paintbrush used by Van Gogh etc... how much do a necklace, a gown and a paintbrush worth? Isn't it because of the people to whom they are belong that make them priceless and targets of antique collectors? The fact that we're the chosen one and we belong to our Lord makes us unique! That makes our identity as His people valuable! :-)

Hosanna! Glory to the Highest!

***

Having come back from Sunday service, Maria knocked my door when I was about to start my scripture reading. She asked if I could go for grocery with her because as the house programer, she has to prepare food for the food pavilion tomorrow. Our don Steph has promised to go with her but at three this afternoon she came to Maria, telling her that she hadtoo many stuff to do and Maria had to go by herself.

As we walked back, carrying with numerous bags in our hands, I couldn't believe how Maria was going bring all those stuff back had she gone by herself! I don't understand why Steph could excuse herself! That's part of her job and having too much to do doesn't excuse her from it!

***

Wow~~~ Lai(Carol) has just called!!! Dying to hear my best friend's voice!! It's been 3 months since we last talked. So much has happened to both of us for the past few months.

Now the second half of story about not going to Spain at X'mas continues ... she said I had made a sensible decision! Oh yea I knew it! :-p

But sad to say, she had to go out. I hope we can talk reali soon!!!

21/3 (Mon)
Got a bit upset as I got an email reply from my friend -- I was "accused" of being "忘本"(the closest translation: forgetful)! I admit that it's hard to keep contact with everybody, but I did try to make an effort! Think of those phone calls I've tried to make, only to find that they didn't answer them or were too busy to talk. I'm keeping a "journal" here largely because of them. I put them in my prayers more than I did before. However busy I am, I keep emailing some of them to update them with what I've been up to. At Christmas, I didn't forget sending them christams cards by post! And for a few of them, I actually wrote to them!

The feeling of being misunderstood is just awful! I'm not trying to point fingers to anybody, nor saying that I'm blameless. What I wanna say is that sometimes the form of communications that we use to keep in touch may be different and if it is this difference which pulls us afar, I don't think anyone of us should be accused of being "忘本". Instead we should try to work out a way of communication that connect both of us! Anyway, I'll be upset if anybody out there wrongly think that I've forgetten all the friends back home. I'm enjoying my life, but that doesn't necessarily mean I've forgotten them. Here I truly agree with what Yaya once said :

兩人划船渡河，甲出力划，乙則划不得幾下便停手休息，船前進得很慢很慢。甲有見及此，再出力一點，怎料乙停手了，甚而向反方向划，船停滯不前。甲不忿，用多幾分力，船就翻了，再過不到對岸。
友誼大概就是如此，需要雙方付出，才建立得好。只有一方用心用力，另一方不聞不問，會很吃力。但又不可說哪一方錯，畢竟友情要看雙方是否合得來，不可勉強。也許你多用點力就可觸動對方。

但願如此。

***

The procedures of applying for the travel subsidy seem to be too tedious. Plus the amount of the subsidy isn't that much. Alors(Therefore (have got to practice my French!)), I don't think I'm gonna apply for it. Mais(But) I'll still go ahead for my plan. Still looking for accomodation ... :-/