Alright, fate ain't with me.

Anyway, we went over to Jeremy's homestay this afternoon for potluck. And, the amount of food was... crazily a lot man. I kinda expected that. I mean, I always had an impression that kiwi families prepare heaps of food when they have visitors. And if all 8 of us bring something, the amount of food would be far too much. I thought I could finally sleep in after a week of early mornings but No! I had to wake up as early as if I need to rush for an assignment or something. Randomly did some sushi, baked potato and carrots, did a lil housework and rushed off.

The place was a wee bit far from the city and I'm sure I'll be late everyday for lectures if I've to stay that far. Food was good, tried several local dishes but I was just too full because I practically ate my lunch when I was preparing the sushi - I need to eat all the ugly ends.

I'm sure there are heaps of photos in the others' blogs but I don't because I didn't bring a camera here. They gave me the what?-you-mean-you-don't-have-a-camera-overseas-are-you-crazy? look and I returned a I'm-not-a-camera-person look. I mean I do want photos but I don't want to take them. Its like, I'll just rip them off from the rest because even if I had a camera it would stay in the bag.

And about photos, I just need to say this! I get real restless when people start taking photos of food. My food especially. Like, when I'm so damn hungry, after waiting for so damn long for my dish to be served and waiting for everyone's else's, you still got to wait for a photo-taking session! And its as if the dishes are some celebrities or what. And its so torturing to just sit there and look... thinking everything is going to get cold soon. (Haha, I'm just greedy.) I know, its not abnormal to do that because majority of my friends do that and they know I'm super frustrated when they do, but they still do it! 'Huiling! cannot eat yet! Wait.' Me: 'argh' and rolls eyes.

If my parents ever see this post, they will probably be shaking their heads saying 'Huiling, you're very greedy leh... don't eat already la. You very fat already you know.' And I'll be replying, 'Orh.' Still eating or thinking of what I'm gonna cook the next day. I remembered how my parents tried controlling my diet when I was young. I was and still am like a vacuum cleaner wiping out everything on the dinner table and my mom had to always take half a portion of my rice away when we were out for dinner. Because of that, I'm perpetually angry with her during dinners. Up till today, they still ask me to stop eating so much. But it is different when I came to Auckland. They always ask me to stop eating so much but soon after, they would be asking, 'eh, you better eat properly you know, don't just think about saving money. Want to eat then eat.' When they were here last month, my mom cooked heaps and ate so little and pushing everything to me. See the irony? That is the irony of parental love for their children.

Anyway, I was reading through some of my history readings from the Ming Dynasty all the way till the Iberian control over Americas. Suddenly I sensed a lil familiarity... and I realized a few years back when I was reading about poverty for GP, they said something about poverty's root cause was because of the British. They stated very briefly why - something about how they manipulated wealth and stuff, but I didn't really understand. But when I read about slavery and plantation in America, it kinda drew a link with the issue of poverty and in my mind was...'Damn! the British are really...cunning.'

I quote, 'American land, African labour and European investment and management.' (for plantations) Yeah right - investment and management = . = I didn't know how far-reaching were the effects of colonization till recently. I especially don't like that idea about 'the character and moral of the 2 peoples, that is with perfect right that the Spaniards exercise their dominion over those barbarians of the New World and its adjacent islands' - like.. whatever! And that receiving their rule of writing, laws and morality, imbued with the Christian religion is a 'gift' to that colonized country. Its something like - I killed your best friend and instead of saying sorry, I said 'you really should thank me because I think your best friend is not good enough, I'm better. Now, thank me.' And then you're supposed to say 'Ok, thank you (for killing my best friend).'

And, I'm just feeling a lil uneasy the past few nights. Because thanks to me and only me, I'm frightening myself again! Last night, after dinner, we went to Gloria Jeans for coffee and chatted. We talked a lil on scary movies and stuff like that but thats enough to make me scared for the rest of the night because the thought gets stuck in your head and it just start weaving its own imagination till you get so scared and paranoid you just wanna hide under covers. I reached home slightly after midnight and by then, the lights along the corridor were already dimmed which made it even more well, mysterious? And if that is not enough, once I reached home I started my drama which was about a murder case and occasional shocks already made my heart skipped a beat several times. I really lack self-control when it comes to these kinda stuff, I so wanna hear but I know I'll be totally freaked out. And its stupid to do so because I'm staying alone and the rest are staying with house-mates! I remembered previously I was the one who said I didn't want to listen but a few minutes later I was the one saying. No, this will never happen again!

You know, I really need to study. Like now. I really need the grant next year. No more money. And yesterday,
Me: 'How was the contracts test?'
Jen: 'It was alright, I just hope I pass.'
Me:'Is it that difficult?'
Jen:'Yeah, I failed the previous sem. You know, 40% failed criminal last sem. Some in this LT are repeat students.'
Me: 'Shit.'
And don't know who told me crim was the easiest out of the 4 Part II papers. And don't know why I'm so stupid to believe that. After that conversation, I'm quite sure I'm not going to join them for the trip to South during Spring break.

What a long long long post, I still got lotsa stuff I wanna say, especially about witchcraft! Ok, I'll just say it now. I found it amusing about the punishment for witchcraft. I mean its cruel but nonetheless, ha ha. How did they punish the accused: Try drowning her. If she drowns - she is not a witch (Yay! She is acquitted! But she is dead) If she doesn't drown - she is a witch (Yay! She is not dead! But she is a witch. Damn... gotta get another punishment which I reckon, worse than the one she just been through!)