Mr. Hyde Park.

When you stop to think about it, whether you’re sharing an umbrella in the rain with one of your best friends, or when you’re alone in your room trying your best to hang your Polaroids on the corkboard without piercing a hole through them, it’s near crazy how quickly one can get used to a new environment when forced to be on their own. I wouldn’t say adapt – not yet at least – but the fact that we’re already able to build up a routine with barely two weeks to our name in London surprises me.

It feels almost surreal being here - almost like a holiday and any moment now, I would have to pack up and head home to the sweltering humidity that is Malaysia. But the fact that I spend more and more time worrying about the lectures I’ve attended, the societies I want to join, and the best time to do my laundry, as opposed to how cold the weather is or how much cheaper that bag is here than at home just cements the reality of actually being here to study.. To become more educated, to be challenged, to learn.

I’ve only attended several lectures so far but already we are being constantly reminded, day in day out, of the challenges that await. Beginning each session about how fragile our mental states are and how the pastoral role of the university is fulfilled via the counselling rooms and Academic Advisors available seems to me a little more daunting than reassuring; why on earth are you telling us this on our first day? Do you want us to get a nervous breakdown??

To be honest, it’s true though. It’s true that being here doesn’t evoke the same pressures as being at home and I got that reminder in failing to make the team for a debate competition this weekend. It’s humbling and encouraging at the same time to know that there are so many of my peers that I can look up to yet frightening because I can’t help feeling like the most stupid person in class.

I spend my days like an average student, with a 20 minute walk to university after breakfast in the dining hall (more on International Hall soon), followed by hour long lectures which have so far been really interesting but filled with tonnes of reading! I walk back, have dinner, study a little, and the cycle repeats with a few alterations here and there. Weekends are spent like tourists, with picnics and museums whilst the weather still permits. When winter comes about, I foresee hours of hibernation in my fluffy socks and silk comforter, and if no one is watching, I might even wear gloves and my panda onesie.

But before we get carried away with imagining so much fluff, I must share a new found love affair I have with feeding birds. Prior to our arrival, I had already expressed my intentions on doing things here which I can’t quite do back home and feeding ducks was on the top of the list. I’m most certain that the opportunity to feed ducks back home is there, but sweating in a park in a temperate country isn’t as appealing as the trenchcoat-breadcrumb-slightwind effect here.

The ugly duckling!

BIRDS!!

 

The worst/best part about feeding them is that I’m slightly, possibly, mildly, quite terrified of them so I’d toss the crumbs of whatever I was feeding them with (mostly chocolate cookies that day) and watch them come closer then I’d take a step back. This would repeat till there’s a whole load of birds/ducks/swans from where I first originally stood till where I end up standing (which is usually about 8 steps away). Then I run away because I’m out of food and keep thinking they’d bite me. =/

We went to Hyde Park because the Malaysian Society organized a picnic for us to get to know each other better.

LOL, you know my face very well already but here’s another introduction.  

Whilst everyone stood and mingled, Squishy (pictured above with his mouth open wide) and I plopped down and feasted.  

Us again!

Our non-Malaysian Malaysian Society member who was keen to learn more about us!

I believe there’s a Singaporean in the above picture.  

Hyde Park really is beautiful, with its green grass accompanied by a mirror of still water.

Waaaaa.

Henry and Tummy. Is one too tall, or is the other too short?  

With some of the Malaysian girls this year! Spot the photobomb.

Hello, Karti!

En Leang got me to sit on the grass for a photo and in typical Malaysian style, within moments..

Typical lah!  

My knee looks bizzarely swollen here because in true Tiffany fashion, barely a week into my arrival, I had to fall and badly scrape my knee on the cobblestone streets. A walking disaster indeed.

And here’s En Leang, which I’m sure you all know by now, who has been doing a pretty good job of taking most of my pictures here in the UK!  

I’ve been going out a lot in anticipation of the significantly heavier workload that’s bound to come so tourist shots aplenty!

Even walked to Kensington Gardens for a look at the Peter Pan statue. I’ve always loved Peter Pan (had a crush on the cartoon) and as I grew older, developed interest in J.M. Barrie’s life so it has always been a dream of mine to see this famous statue.

Big Ben and Tiny Tiffany. (HAHAHAHA, okay no I just said that for the alliteration.)

It was quite a sight to behold at night though and for now, although I’ve been slowly getting into the rhythm of things, the city still manages to excite me and amaze me, and for that, I’m grateful.

HEEEEHEEEEHEEEEE.

Peace.