The little things that make me happy (2)

1. Listening to Pheonix on grooveshark to relax after a busy morning of cramming reports into my head
2. Knowing that Spring is here and the sun shines a minute more each day
3. Waiting for the long weekend and looking forward to taking a break in Rosario, the first holiday since I started work again
4. Reading a mail from my friend asking me to be her bridesmaid, and even though I know I most probably can’t, it still made me smile
5. The Korean instant noodles waiting in the bag SY gave me, SOS help whenever I miss Asian food and want to be reminded of home sweet home
6. Receiving a lovely SMS from my aunt telling me she misses me, and hopes things are well
7. Biking down Libertador Avenue all the way to Retiro, seeing Buenos Aires in a different way
8. Chatting on skype with my best friends in the world, no matter how far away they are
9. Discount shopping, which gives me greater purchasing power
10. Picking up the phone to call my family, or a friend, and breaking into a smile when I hear their familiar voices and translated smiles
11. Thinking about CNY back home, eating homemade pineapple tarts brought by my mum
12. Cooking Chinese food– yes, it is actually therapeutic, and the smell of chicken rice steaming in the rick cooker almost makes me believe I am back in Singapore
13. Spanish classes with Veronica, one of the nicest and sincerest Argentines I have met since arriving 6 months ago
14. Arriving at work and having my morning chat with colleagues, before starting a relatively peaceful day
15. Reading reports on Singapore and feeling I know much more about my homeland now than ever before
16. Discussing holiday plans, and the arrival of a cousin’s birth
17. Writing, about anything in particular. It is my theraphy.

So many little things that make me happy. Life is good : )

Feliz Primavera!

Can’t remember the last time I sat down and wrote! It’s Spring already!!

The last month flew by with my time spent majorly on working, sleeping, eating and then working some more. Finally a Friday when I get home early enough before dinner and awake enough to want to pen down some thoughts.. and maybe update those of you who read this page.

I’ve been working hard at my new job, and surprisingly not because I’m forced to, but because I want to. Getting into the office before 9am, and sometimes leaving after 9pm. Man, I don’t even remember being this much of a workerbee in workaholic Singapore! But the job is a great start for me, because honestly I’ve learnt so much in the last two months (well, of course the learning curve is always steepest at the start), but other than that, I find myself actually being less afraid of models (not catwalk models duh! its excel spreadsheet models!) and more able understand a balance sheet and income statement without shrinking back in absolute horror of the mere quantity of numbers.

In some way, this job combines what I need to know to analyze stocks (and eventually invest in them myself) with a similar scope to what I did during my rotation with Tai & Alvin in Global Research. I read so many articles, scan the net leaving no page unturned, until I manage to get a good idea of an exchange enough to be able to comment and state my view on it. I’m starting to enjoy the stock exchange industry better, getting a grasp of an industry I never even thought about just a mere 3 months ago.

I’m also learning everyday how to manage relations between colleagues who absolutely don’t speak to each other. I find out more about them everyday; what pisses them off, what makes them feel good, and how to manage situations. I realise some people are very needy for attention and ego-boosting. Their competitiveness makes them incredibly intolerable but at the same time you can’t do without them, especially if they are senior in their position, and also intelligent. Then there are others who are extremely helpful and polite, and are willing to go the distance with you. Two types of very different people, in a very small company.

I like my work, I’m getting more settled in the company, and life in general. But I don’t want to feel so tired everyday. I want to come home energized and refreshed and be able to do all the other things I dont get to do during the week, not sleep my whole weekend away! Guess its going to be a matter of adjustment before I start rescheduling my time and making more time for myself. I miss my family alot too, and whenever I walk along the streets of Santa Fe, or Callao, and pass by the Petít Colon cafe at Tribunales, or the French design building Ronald loved so much when he was here, I miss them even more. I’m reminded of the time we spent in Calafate, in la Boca, in Recoleta, Calle Corrientes, Puerto Madero. And how much fun we had.

Not sure when I’ll be able to take leave to head back to sunny Singapore. But at least for now Winter is over and Spring is finally here! Off with the woolen jackets and leather boots, and hello sleeveless tops, shorts and bikinis!!!

The arrival of Winter

Temperatures these days hover between 11-13 degrees, and with sun they make nice days if you’re covered well and feeling snug and warm under your jacket and pullovers. But without the sun and adding the chilly wind in your face, it makes it a tad difficult to enjoy the last weeks of autumn.

Winter starts on the 21st of June, and already the girls have begun to strut their stuff in Argentine high fashion – leather boots, well-cut trenchcoats, lovely scarves and fur coats. Stockings, leggings, tight sequined jeans, whatever, you name it, it’s out there on the streets. As shops here in Argentina are mainly by the roads, (shopping centres are the exception, rather than the norm), it makes it quite a delight to walk in the streets and window shop. At the same time, clothes and bags and shoes here aren’t exactly cheap – especially if you want to get something of a reasonable quality that will last.

Bought a pair of orange-brown leather boots two weeks ago, my first pair of leather boots that I fell in love with the very moment i tried them on. They go great with a short dress and stockings, or just wear them over a pair of fitting jeans. The only problem is that because it is a rather bright colour, it is slightly difficult to match everything, so I’ve only used them 2 times so far, for special occasions. I’m currently looking for a winter coat/jacket to last me the next 3 months – something that is nice yet versatile so I can flexibly mix and match my accessories and other pieces with. Have been looking around for quite a while but till now have yet to find one that makes me fall in love immediately.

I have to admit that Argentine fashion is beautiful, especially on the girls here – but you have to search around for something that fits both your taste and budget. Argentines pay special attention to the way you dress – your shoes, your nails, the quality of your clothes, the colour combination especially. It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t put in any effort at all in their dressing – it’s sort of ingrained in their DNA.

Winter season is when all the winter clothes and shoes come out, and my oh my, despite the pain in the ass temperatures, it is a pleasure to dress up and observe the people here! Wish all of you were here.

Provincia de Buenos Aires (San Isidro)

No football, no parties and no cafes this past weekend, but what an extremely gorgeous day we spent at Provincia de Buenos Aires, in San Isidro, just chilling next to Rio de la Plata (River Plata) alfresco on a rooftop restaurant, overlooking the windsurfers riding on the river waves and watching young children and dogs playing on the fresh green lawn below.

The outskirts north of Buenos Aires (just outside of Capital Federal) bring you along a changing landscape of less busy neighbourhoods that border the main part of the capital and eventually lead you to an extremely residential part of Buenos Aires that tourists rarely get the chance to see. As the leaves start their annual colour changing into a very pretty yellow that also reminds you autumn is here and winter will soon arrive, and as the maple leaf-lined streets lead you as you drive through the neighbourhoods, you gather a sense of contentment and peace. Ah, Sundays like this should be everyday. Or maybe everyday should just be a Sunday.

On the pavements, people are cycling, little ones and largers ones, a family all in tow, couples walking hand in hand, old ones and young ones too, and as you drive on by the rustling of the autumn leaves trail behind, swishing and dancing about in tiny circles. Houses are large and big, with gardens blooming with colourful flowers which will soon fall and welcome the entrance of winter. I stare out of the car window, mostly in awe and in complete tranquility, to be away from the havoc mess of city life, to be near a calmness that can only come with distance from crowds and heavy congestion.

We had lunch on the rooftop of a small club in San Isidro (I think it was called Molinos) and sitting alfresco with a view of the people windsurfing or just spread out on the lawn below playing with dogs and little children, it was such bliss. The wind in our hair, a great recommendation by the waiter which is a cut of the cow called “Vacio”, amazing rocket salad with parmesan cheese, provuleta cheese in a hot pan with tomatoes and a sprinkling of dried oregano, and a perfect dessert to top off the meal – pancakes filled with dulce de leche (a type of condensed milk whose name literally means “sweetness of milk”) dressed with warm chocolate sauce and dash of icing powder. Ah, what a perfect day.

To digest and enjoy the day before the sun set, we walked around the neighbourhood and stumbled upon an Antiques Fair that is there every weekend and public holidays, regardless of the rain, and my oh my, what an interesting experience! It wasn’t the first time I had been to a fair like this – I went to the one at San Telmo a couple of times before, but this time I took pictures of the things that were on sale – you will be surprised and amazed at the sort of stuff that were available! There were crystal glasses, old watches, record players, old and disgusting sofas that looked cat-bitten, wooden tennis rackets, radios from the past that were still able to play, tiny football figurines, glass coke bottles (still full of coke!), a chinese family portrait (my newly found Chinese family!), tin cans going for 25 argentine pesos (ridiculous!), old song records, and even a broken fussball set! How amazing is that?!!

Tremendously fun day out with Juan and his parents. We proceeded to watch Synecdoche, New York, an extremely intriguing show that I will not proceed to elaborate on. I would recommend it for those interested in cinematic art and a twist to the normal commercial productions that generally appeal to the masses. Click on this link for a sypnosis on the movie by Wikipedia.

That was all for my weekend… Hasta luego y Buena Semana! (Till then and have a great week!)

Christmas is coming, and I want..

I want to travel.
I want to see Europe again, free of worries, smelling the sweet fresh air of hope, promise, joy.
I want to walk on the streets of Barcelona, waltz down LasRamblas as I take in all the sights, the tourists just like me, and hop from tapas bar to shot bar to crazy club.
I want to stay in the large carefree apartments with the beautiful tiles from the past.
I want to walk in the cobbled streets that lead into alleys full of quirky shops.

I want to feel the sun beating down on my Venetian straw hat, as I pose for the photo by the rivers that make Venice so beautiful.
I want the colors of Cinque Terre imprinted always in my memories.
I want to lie on the stony beach, shades on with the breeze in my face, barefoot in the sand.
I want to sit facing the view of the sea, which takes my breath away, as I smell the sweetness of the seafood pasta blowing in my face.
I want to walk in just the two-piece, salt in my hair, camera in hand, with eyes crinkling and spilling with joy.

I want to walk in the Asian supermarket and smell the familiar mixes of soya sauces, onions and garlic, in the dimly-lit corner shop.
I want to be queuing at the Durum Doner shop at 3 am after clubbing at Zapattos, stomach growling in anticipation of the yummy treat ahead.
I want to skip into Lidel with a shopping cart empty and come out laden with shopping bags.
I want to amble around the Weinachtmarkts and beathe in the heavenly gluhwein, cheeks cold from the winter air, dreaming of Christmas.

I want to look at things in wonder, amazement, new and fresh in my mind.
I want to hear a different language, peek at the laughter in their eyes, the life and passion in their steps as they skip and sit on the grass, full of the sun’s shining rays.
I want to feel the autonomy and independence and security.
Yet I also want my family to feel this lightness, this flight of peace.

We’re so fortunate to be able to travel the world, where each country sings of love and romance and brilliant happiness.
The light in her eyes captured in an instant, because she found love, and a passion unleashed.
I have friends all around the world, gone to pursue their dreams, their loves, a life different from that which they were born into.
Finally one of them is coming back, and I can’t believe how fast the year has passed.

Life’s little surprises

I often remember Mannheim days with extreme fondness, with plenty of love and happy thoughts. One day I remember especially well is the day Faye brought back a cake and I saw her walking home with it, with me sitting on the number 60 bus. Somehow I knew the cake was for me. I remember being so happy when she really did surprise me in the room with it!! And to my greater surprise, she told me that Shawn my wonderful cousin had actually contacted her via facebook to coordinate the surprise for me!

I remember skyping with Shawn as I ate the bday cake, very very happy that he had actually bothered to do all that. I can still remember the exact cake, it was chocolate coated and there was a banana on the top. I loved it.

I also remember how on the eve of my birthday I was skyping with Shawn before the dinner Faye had booked me for, and she was telling me that it was just the two of us but that I should dress up cos it was my birthday. Then when I arrived at the restaurant, I got a huge shock when I saw 20+ guests gathered at the Istanbul restaurant all beaming at me! And then later at night where half the party adjourned at my hostel to celebrate and party even more.

I think it doesn’t take a lot to make me happy, just some simple gesture and kind words and I treasure the friendship/ thought for life. Faye did the same for me last year when she brought a bouquet of flowers for me for my bday, taking me completely by surprise.

I think life is beautiful, when you are surrounded by friends and family who care and share so much.

I still remember the first day in Mannheim, our first lunch as we walked through the Turkish quarters, eating at DBO doner, as we bought a sim card for communication in Mannheim. I remember drinking in the sights and sounds of the city, smelling the freshness of summer’s end ushering in autumn’s majestic entrance, the sunshine spilling though Crystal and Jengyin’s sky windows in Hafenstrasse, and their kind offers of biscuits and chocolate.

I have a sudden longing to return and see Mannheim again, to walk next to the Schloss and its large white-framed Baroque windows. To tread down the cobbled streets along the Hauptbahnhoft, and dance in Zapattos. I want to sit down behind Hafenstrasse on the grass, in the heat of summer, lying on nothing but a mat and eating butter pretzels, drinking beer and listening to music blasting from Aaron’s laptop. Watching him cook the weisswurst in the hot water and giving us an introductory course on slicing the German sausages.

I want to return to Mannheim, and replay all the memories, so many made, and especially those with you.

Life’s little surprises, are so beautiful.

Mannheim was one of them.

Random Scribbles

To a place and back
you leave your heart there
the bits of light that flashes so
glows with the fire of your soul
That summer glow
I am in love with the seasons
Of life, of love, of emotions running high
The willowy trees swaying in the light warm breeze
Birds in the silhouetted sunset
gliding through the air
No continuing thoughts in ordered fashion
Just whimsy dreams and longing passion
All stages set for their performance and
Here we wait in reverence
You followed the road,
Not often travelled,
Whose least trodden path
Takes you down the yellow wood
Brilliant beams of gold
From heaven stuns through
The thick green canopy.
I am there, somewhere.

The European continental story.

As often as the mind wanders to a time past and memories cased in silver, the heart stumbles upon the road winding into the garden of life, love and beauty. The frosty winter night, waiting for the tram to bring them home; the lights twinkling in the chilly dark, the jingling of the bells announcing the arrival of Christmas, they hold the keys to her heart. Gluhwein in the sunny afternoon, next to the church on the street bursting with life; the river enshrouded in the season’s mist, the cobbled streets, strong and sturdy under their feet.

So many events, so many friends, through chance encounters or similar timetables, sitting on the bus ride home, chatting, bonding, breaking the ice between the massive differences in cultures. The route to school was always new, each day bore forth a separate adventure, a different path, a unique encounter. It was the summer’s end which began the story, the scorching sun on the grand schloss’ windows. The first glimpse of Mannheim, the flowers singing in their pretty blooming heads, it was hope, and a journey whose twists were anticipated, and savored.

Bags packed and doors opened, train tickets and the travelers sauntered, into the voyage they dreamed up of; through nights and days of endless planning. Finally, the earth seemed ready, for their exploration and eager souls. The sculptures, the great stone structures, next to carefree artists; yet again spilling their love of art from the magnificent sunset onto canvas. The ancient bridge, sturdy as a rock; and there they sat, glued, to the glory of nature’s masterpiece. Rivers and canals and squares and quaint shops, they dotted the self-explored map of their adventures. The mountains and landscapes unraveled the lost history from where Mozart was birthed. It was a stunning beginning; a blindingly magnetic draw, to continue in the continent which separated two ends of the earth.

Settling down in a town now home, for months to come; the classes began, a system different yet strangely familiar. It was their first time away from home so long, so brilliant and beaming with dreams and experience. You take some time to adjust they always say, but once you have, and have found their little nook and cranny in the mould of your heart, you feel less homesick and more alive. That summer ended; and autumn took its place on stage, a gorgeous rehearsal of auburn reds and rose-burn shades. Leaves which lined the pathways and cascaded in the smooth cool breeze, landed on the ground, tracing the doorways of their hearts. Friendships blossomed and reciprocated acts of kindness brought forth the surge of confidence to do what they would never have done before. A walk by the sea in Lisbon, city of seven hills, and trudging in the sunshine. It was time of indulgence and feeling the vibes of wherever they were.

It was the winter, however, whose early chill and soon-settled nights made them more aware of life and love, of desires and longing, of a need to be met. Sitting at the stairwell, the night of the party itself, fears dissolved and will suddenly so strong, it took just that moment, after endless persuasion, to make one crucial decision. Just days before a temporary separation, that not known then, but it was a decision to stake it all and feel, the need to love and chance, to try and dare without looking back. Fighting back all tears and fears, it was in another city, where having been etched in their hearts as the seabed of their bittersweet memories, where an exchange of pieces of their different lives was made.

A jigsaw puzzle pieced carefully together, a beautiful picture, stunning and finally completed.

Gold trimmings on the leather bound book

Bits and pieces of me all around the world; residing where my close friends and loved ones are. The world feels so much smaller now than when I was little, maybe because I desperately wish it would be. All around the globe I have people to whom bits of my heart have been given to, a gift for them to keep and take care.

Sometimes I sit at the bus-stop thinking back on times past, of memories gold, and friends of old, who I love so much. Somehow the friends who you unexpectedly find like a treasured book in a second hand book store turn up at the doorstep of your life one day and by some random order, you establish a bond with them. A bond which you would never have made with the next-door neighbour, the classmate who you see everyday, or even family. And somehow, the similarly random order throws by some odd nature of life, chances for these jems to soar the world and achieve their dreams and aspirations, in work, in life, in love. And just a quickly as the precious encounter that allowed that friendship to develop and bloom chanced upon you, an equally unexpected turn of events leaves you finding that the people you love so much are suddenly so far away.

Yet it gladdens my heart very much, to find that despite the distance and physical separation, these friendships and relationships remain, still shining regardless of time and different lives. Sometimes our workloads and busy schedules keep us from writing and skyping as much as we would like to, but each time we talk, I know that friendships dear to me matter as much to them as well. Auburn leaves started a bond that began in autumn, the season whose colours always remind me of friendship and being found. Christmas markets and the walk in the winter’s cold make me smile wistfully, at advice given and taken, and a genuine listening ear. Sitting at the desk learning another language from scratch and using hand gestures to get my point across, yes that was a chance to understand and be understood, teacher and student to friends. Dinner after work on an impromtu desire to meet up, sales sourcing for favourite brands, and make up lessons, they remind me of so many wonderful moments. Dancing across a frozen lake, chasing in the wind, hearing the children laugh and play, that reminds me of you.

The most beautiful thing about these, arent that they make great memories, but that on top of being so, they are still very much alive and remain, shining and true, like gold trimmings on the leather bound book.

And the church bells chime…

Yes I was right. I heard wedding bells far off in the distance, but Thursday’s dinner confirmed their upcoming arrival. In a matter of hours, we heard, we laughed and hugged, we cried. The first among the whole group of us to announce the beautiful union between a man and wife, the first to smile so joyously, the first to leave as well.

A glance at my diary reminded me that the last we had a heart to heart chat about such issues was 2 months past, and now, a beautiful beaming bride-to-be about to begin her life in another place, as the same yet another woman, with her prince, the love of her life. In little more than a month, we will be seeing her off, till her wedding next year where we will once again reunite, ties unbroken, tears ready to flow at the once-in-a-lifetime ceremony.

It didnt dawn on me the huge significance of her announcement, till our trip to the city the following day, among the goals we had, one of which was to check out wedding bands. WEDDING BANDS. Gosh, walking in Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Bvlgari was a first. Seeing all the eternity rings and brochures and blindingly blinking rings meant to declare undying love all at once was an even greater first. Throughout our forray into the stores and our very pleasant journey making conversation with the attendants, I was filled with so much excitement for the bride-to-be, all suddenly in full explosion since the build up from Wednesday’s email.

Its the second time this year I had the privilege of having a friend share her happiness with me, and trust me, no matter how divorce rates seem to drag the name of marriage down, nothing can beat the look and glow on their faces– It is their time, their life, and their love.