Sigh, what can I say? My summer break is over yet again, and just like the past 8 summer breaks prior to this year's , it went by after weeks of wastefulness.
But come on, a break is a break. And think about it, once I start working full-time, I wouldn't be getting any more 'Summer Breaks'. Might as well continue living the break as a break instead of trying to work and be exhausted by the end of it. This break, I appreciate that I had a couple of relaxing yet exciting travel trips and was able to experience Suzhou from a different perspective. I'm also appreciative of the stress-free lifestyle I was able to have. But perhaps most importantly, I truly treasure the time I spent with my family in China, and with my grandparents here in Malaysia.
Of course, part of me can't wait to go back and get on with the productive stage of life again. Active learning, studying, working, exercising. But the other part of me just can't afford to leave my two old and weak grandparents behind. I guess that's probably the major difference between my reluctance to end my summer break when I was younger and now. Back then, I didn't want to summer break to end because I didn't want to go to school and work hard. I wanted to stay at home, relax, have good food, enjoy myself, visit the cinema, play lots of games and read lots of book. I didn't want to work hard. Those were the naive days. But now I've grown to appreciate life as it should be -- work hard and enjoy the state and rewards of doing so -- yet I still don't want my summer to end, this time because of my ageing grandparents. Potential time spent with them are getting more and more precious as they age. Sooner or later, once they're gone -- touchwood -- the memories of the time spent with them will be luxurious and all I will have left of them. And I can't bear to leave Malaysia and end my time with them this round. But such is life, things have to go on, and I have to live my life. What will come, will come -- I have to go back to Sydney.
Looking on the optimistic side, I look forward to getting back to routine. Study hard, exercise well, and commit enthusiastically to my community. And of course, I look forward to International House's O-week where I will get to meet lots of new people, catch up with old friends, set new goals for myself, and ultimately, have fun. And I'm sure Time will pass faster than I can live it, and the next thing I know it, I'll be boarding a plane again, this time heading back here to Malaysia [it's looking like the end of June].
So with a resilient mood, Sydney here I come.
