兄弟姐妹 Siblings

I am a lucky girl, with four younger siblings. We are all two years older from the next one. 

Growing up, we eat breakfast circling the dining table 5 o'clock in the mornings before school, six days a week. We eat dinner together, seven of us circling the dining table every evenings. I never ever thought this is not going to last long. 

No. None of us is sick or whatever. When I was 19, I left home to study. I was back home about 1-2 times a month. "Going home", I used to describe these journeys. Sisters was in their upper primary school years and lower high school years when I first left my family. They pretty much passed their teenage years without big big sister living at home.

And I never ever thought, not so many years after, my younger brother, who's two years younger, has bought his own house, where he and his partner are gonna live in and raise their own family in that house. And for me, I am living quite far away now, saving for a house for me and my partner as well. 

I never ever thought, breakfast together, all the chit-chats and laughter only lasted for the early 18 years of my life. I would have hoped it would be forever. But that is certainly just a big fat dream.

All I can see of them is from their photos and videos shared on Fb. All I can hear of them is from Skype or Line. All I can know more about how they are is through their Fb posts or blog entries. 

This is just one story of how many siblings and families in my generation live like. We are going around the world, pursuing what we think is valuable to us. We are staying together digitally. With a family group page or a family group chat on Fb or our mobile devices.

wild/random thoughts in 20 minutes

• business-minded me (to-be)

few weeks back, i suddenly have a burst of ideas of how i want to run MY bed & breakfast inn. the price range. the breakfast. the simple but functional room. and the people who will come to my b&b from all around the world... ... how to pamper employees..
also, running a cafe can be a part or separate business from b&b. ideas ideas ideas

then few days later. i thought about how i must pay myself well enough, my marvelous awesome employees well enough. SO, i have to learn about running a business. because ultimately, i m going to run it efficiently and profitable to keep it running. and keep this business as an inspiration to people involved in it, visited it, and myself.

• mummy me

once you are with someone close to 10 years, and married more than 5 years, you cant help but thinking about family. plus, honestly speaking, i can hardly explain to people how conducive Oz is, at least to me, for setting up your own family. kids study 8.30am-3pm, office runs 8am-4.30pm. with the gardens available in my little town, with the nature closeby, with the libraries and other infrastructure, incl. safety etc. it is simply conducive. it makes me wanna do more with my life. wanna dream bigger. learn more. be better.

and just yesterday, i saw a relaxed cool mum on the bus i took after work. the way she talked sweetly to her son, how she taught him "when the bus come to stop, 3, 2, 1, jump down (from the chair, because he was so short)." The bus driver waited people to stand up, walked to the door, alighted. the thinking of waiting a little bit more for the young and the old is something people naturally think and do. and i appreciate it so much.
***of course, not everyone does it. but the people who dont is something, you know, culturally unacceptable. while in malaysia and sg, we are so so fast. we take waiting as something extra, and people who do it are like saints (or "gracious" as we commonly described) instead of just being the way it should be

last but definitely not least, the importance of family, weekend, and relax in Oz culture is simply something no one wanna take it away from their lives, and their children's lives, their children's children's lives...

• still a lot of things i wanna do (may or may not be able to do)

i wanna write better. hopefully. get people out of my social circle interested in reading my views as well in years to come. thus i ve to just keep on reading, writing, and of course think
i wanna backpacking/couchsurfing to all 7 continents if i live long enough. with or without partner(s) with or without kids. while i am still not capable to, i shall keep myself updated with what's going on. keep understanding countries, people around the world more

next short term target, be a barista who makes great coffee everytime hopefully by the end of winter (coz cold weather is making our cafe so so so so so busy. it is tiring but it is definitely good training!)

1/13 三月：抵达

空间

居住的Dubbo市区边上有一条清澈的河流，河边有步道。步道就是不长草的黄土，不似新加坡步道的砖块或泊油铺成。清晨，或午后，有穿这运动服的男男女女沿河步行、或跑步锻炼。最美的，是一家人带着狗一起走着。有时不比狗儿高多少的小孩会和狗儿一块小跑步，非常可爱

乌克丽丽

我们居住的沙发客主人家有乌克丽丽，他是初学者，不过还是为我们俩露了两手，还很大方地把乌克丽丽借我们玩。乌克丽丽非常容易上手，四条弦，搞清楚如何看谱，随意播两下，就能伴奏或自弹自唱喜欢的歌曲。我们在租来的小房间弹，步行到河边弹，也在Skype弹给远方的妈妈听
即使弹得不好，相信当时妈妈的心中也和我一样有些感受

灯柱。阳光

这里的灯柱是一整块木头做的，新马的是水泥做的。这里的阳光照射的角度让赤道上长大的我觉得陌生好玩。日正当空的时间似乎很短，大多数的时候太阳都从45度角左右射过来。有时太阳斜射我的眼，有时阳光让照片变得很好看。一次，放了一堆番茄在家中的落地窗旁，强烈的阳光斜射番茄们，形成了对比非常大影子非常暗的好照片。

二手店

因为澳币对一个马来西亚人来说，很大。没有任何东西对我们来说是便宜的。市中心的商场旁有一家红十字会(red cross)的二手衣服商店，里面也卖一些小商品、书籍、瓶瓶罐罐等等。后来我们也发现一家救世军的(salvation army)的二手店里面有更齐全的厨房用具什么的。我们开始享受购买这些“被爱过的”商品(pre-loved)。我买过两个很有特色的陶土的杯子，一个已经被我摔坏，再也找不到相似的了。

australia produce。7am-3.30pm的咖啡店

在超级市场里，一开始连盐在哪里都找不到，几乎放弃前还是找到了。不过最令我惊讶的是一个绿色的牌子到处都是，清楚写着"Australia Produce"澳洲农产品。到现在也还没弄清，澳洲人是如何开始这么注意并且支持本地的农夫们的。街上有一家位置很好的咖啡店，在市中心的中心位置，一边还是步行街道（没有车）。那家店早上7点开到下午3点半而已。我很惊讶，竟然有人这样做生意的，非常希望自己有机会在这样一家帅气的起早八早打烊的咖啡店打工。
一直到搬离Dubbo后，我才有机会去那里坐下来喝杯咖啡。因为在Dubbo的日子非常节俭，连喝杯咖啡都觉得奢侈不应该



接下来，
图书馆的在我们两个新移民的新生活中会越来越重要……