Final Lap
It’s finally here. The final month of my exchange program.
(Disclaimer: Please bear with me, this will be a lengthy post.)
As my iCal suddenly turned its page to a brand new month, I can’t help but feel the chills down my spine. ‘Has it really been 1 year already?’, I begin to reflect once again… Then I look out of my window where the empty tree branches sway outside in the cold. I start to think back of the days in August when I could air my armpits in short sleeves or a tank top without looking like Michelin right now. 
Then again, with all my horrible eating habits, I actually do look like Michelin without the thick jackets too. -_-
So anyway, just as with any sports race, there is an end. A finishing line. At the end, that’s when most people will look back at their performance and the effort they gave during the race from the start of the air horn till the very moment they cross that finishing line. Well, this is pretty much it, too.
The First Lap
To be 101% honest with you, I was not excited about my exchange at all. Call me a phony, call me a liar, but it’s true. You have to understand why I said so though. Firstly, KU Leuven was pretty much my last freaking choice out of five possible options. Of which, even the French speaking Catholic University of Louvain was my 4th. And I didn’t even get a slot there. Feeling all disappointed when the results were out, I still recall I was with Terena and Lim Min in the SR preparing for our Tourism Case Competition when the email came through. But I psyched myself saying, “God wants the best for me.” And life went on.
Beginnings of Annoyance
Belgium right? Okay. You want to send me there, then let’s do it.
But wait a minute…
What do you mean I need a full body check up that costs S$176.55 in order to apply for a visa?? Then what do you mean I need to fork out S$360 for a Type D STUDENT VISA?! Or did you just mention I need to throw away S$55 for the Singapore Police Force to tell me I have not committed any crime?!?!?! It was downright, f*ckin daylight robbery. My disappointment and annoyance was henceforth compounded. I detested the fact I had to come to Belgium, Leuven for my exchange. I absolutely loathed it.
So prior to coming to Leuven, I was so uninterested that I did not even start to pack my luggage until about 3 days before my departure. So much so, my Mom had to do everything for me. From purchasing those HeatTec inner-wear, to changing SGD to Euros. (This, by the way is something I am thoroughly ashamed of… what was I thinking?! A 22-year-old letting her mom do everything for her!)
Ah, yes then it dawned on me. I am always so preoccupied in my double, triple, quadruple life that I cannot even sustain myself. Dragon Boating, Internship, Boyfriend, Family, Church… Thank God Sailing was no longer in the picture or I think I can’t even stay afloat.
Pivotal Change
Well, if there is one thing I am grateful for, it has got to be the fact that I started my entire physical exchange journey on a much better footing than my pre-departure. Do you remember this? Yeah, that was my first brief post about my travel buddy and our (used to be) upcoming trips.
Truth be told, Beatrice and I were not exactly chummy best buds in SMU nor in CHIJ Primary (lol). And the only overlaps our lives ever had were:
- FIDES and our mission trip to Gia Bac in Vietnam
- Aquathalon events during Waikiki (annual sports event by SMU’s Sports Union)
When we were younger, 2011
I literally cannot think of anything else that is common between the two of us.
Which is a bit of a gamble, right? To have to be stuck with someone for 24 hours back to back multiplied by ‘x amount of days’ when you barely know someone… All I knew was that she was bubbly, kind hearted and real. (Awwww yes those were my first impressions of you, Beat! Hahaha)
So we started our whole Europe trotting on a pretty good note I would say. I learnt a lot not just about the new places that we travelled to, but also about my new travel buddy. Her eating habits, her sleeping patterns, her likes and dislikes. Her insecurities and phobias. Small things that made the whole trip worthwhile. And though she’s one whom I deem as non-expressive with her emotions, I’ve learnt that people like her tend to be the most vulnerable too. :‘)
Then when I stop to think back, “If I landed up in Canada, who would have been my travel buddy??”
It became apparent to me – no one.
See, that’s both the joy and costs of being independent sometimes. You just apply for a school/region you think you will enjoy or have a higher chance of getting into, then you leave the rest in God’s hands. And to me, I felt like He really made it happen. Like imagine if I kicked up a big fuss and tried to appeal to get into one of the Canadian Universities and I did get it eventually? Things would have been different. My experiences would be vastly different.
For instance, I would not have been able to meet my Coaches in Prague, Czech Republic.
I would not have been able to live so close to the clouds and hike up beautiful mountains in Fügen, Austria.
Or in Innsbruck, Austria.
Or meet really awesome people along the way:
And although I am constantly complaining at the many inefficiencies here in Europe such as the lack of patience or compassion when you don’t speak their local language, or the fact that there is virtually no power plug in a lecture hall for 200 students. Or, that my school canteen food costs 4 euros which is the same as street food pricing… (Wow I really can complain a lot because I can easily dedicate a whole blog post for this list)
I am nonetheless thankful, and blessed for this opportunity to even be here.
The fact that I am still kicking and alive, is testament to my blessings. Both financially and health wise. I am thankful my Papa makes enough $$$ to send me here. And that God has protected me thus far in the past 4 months. And although I also have Z-E-R-O friendships made here in Leuven, I guess it’s also okay because I had the most important people in my life who came to visit me. My parents in the month of October, and later this week, Fei Fan. :’)
As December starts to fade away with each passing moment, let’s make the best out of this final lap, before we each turn the pages to our fresh chapter in 2015.
This, is the final lap of my exchange. LEZZGO!