With the Holy Spirit

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Stealing some time off my lunch to put up some photos out of many hundreds that I took... =)

Chilling out at the park near INSA Lyon after school. Taking a break from our brains being fried before going back home to be grilled in french again.

Ducks ducks ducks and more ducks!! Quack quack. This was where my spare food leftovers from lunch went to... Heh.

My girl friend and I. Just enjoying the stillness of the waters and basking in the sun at the river bank. Now I know what a river bank is!!! Haha!!!

At the park's playground, being a kid once again... =D

Weekend fiesta

The market at the mountains. How cool is that!!! We're on our way to Chamonix, a part of France.

I never saw so many poulé being roasted at one go in my entire life!!!

Sparky darling look-alike. I miss my sparky darling. This doggie can't replace him. Naughty one showed me his backside. Bleah.

Ahh!!! That's us and the tram whick took us all the way up to the snow-capped mountains!!!

Manifique!!!! Chamonix!!!!!!! Snow!!! Ooh lala...I fell in love with the mountains!

Posing in front of the mountains. Our smiles frozen cuz it was so cooold!!!!!

Chamonix and its mountains!!!

Look at the snow-capped mountains!!!!

The town of Annecy where we went to after Chamonix! Annecy is a Venezia replica. And it is beautiful with the buildings by the river and canals!!!! But there are no gondolas here... sadly.

Taking a break and 'manger' our favourite glacé. Melon!!! Ever since Italy, I hardly touched any ice here in France. But this one caught my eye, and my friend's eye too... Melon gelato! Bon appetit!!!!

The town of Annecy once again. By the mountains!!!! The lake at the valley of the mountains. It's so interesting!!! The lake is fresh water, and the water comes from the snow to the valley!

-Yours truly ;

Friday, June 15, 2007

Believing so true that Papa is working wonders, even beyond the seas and oceans. That because we are all one in Christ, His Holy Spirit is always with us. Always. And His love, transcends all borders to entertwine us as one.

Something happened to me yesterday night. I didn't join my friends to go around to sightsee and shop around. Instead, I chose to go to the Basilica, and to Father Sandre's house for dinner...It was a wonderful evening. And there really was so much to share, to talk about. Realising how excited and crazy we were about our Lord, and of the Charismatic Renewal.

Thereafter, I was on the way back. I took the Metro (aka MRT), and then waited for the bus. The bus frequency was 1 hr apart, and I only managed to catch the 9.42p.m bus. I reached my bus stop at "Le Raffour" only at 10.15p.m, sunset time.

There on the bus, there were 4 punks. And they were suspicious, cuz they kept looking at me and whispering. I was frightened. Petrified. I never felt that way before, not when I was travelling alone in Italy or around the suburbs in France. But this time, when I stopped and found them stopping with me, my heart also stopped. And they were stalking me...I knew it. There was nowhere to hide, cuz it was just a straight path. But still, I walked as quickly as I could. I didn't know why the footsteps behind me ceased as I turned round the corner to the house, and turned the lock with my trembling hands.

They lost sight of me.

And more than that, what happened when I woke up shocked me even more. Realising that my sister had been praying for me in a msg I read when I woke. I realised then that what happened when they lost sight of me, wasn't a coincidence, but was the Holy Spirit at work. Thank you fei...thank you...thank you...thank you *hugz*

And thanking all of you who have been keeping me in prayer too...
(^-^)

-Yours truly ;

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Thought that just as a picture will say a thousand words, so will I then follow suit. Ta daaa!!!!

My host family!!! Madame Danielle with Monsieur Jean-Marc. Bottom most is youngest son, Leslie with girlfriend. Middle is my mum, Madame Danielle, and middle son, Lucas' girlfriend. Top most is Lucas and me, and then Monsieur. Eldest son, Louis and girlfriend weren't around.

At INSA Lyon. This is what I am given to eat everyday for lunch. Not the same food of course! But really a balanced meal. I always can't finish my food. And so usually I pack them back, cuz I don't like seeing them thrown into the junk. Henceforth, became known as the "ta pao queen" as my friends call me. Sigh.

This is the main city square in Lyon, France. And high up, is, la Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere. That's the church I always climb up to go to. And also, where I have my youth group meeting with Father Sandre and the asian people of Lyon, France.

An outdoor excursion to the basilique with moi as the tour guide! And my 7 other girl and guy friends. Heh.

I simply love this angel statue at the basilica.

My favourite place. At the top of the Basilique, at the backyard. I like to sit on the stones and just hang my legs over...overlooking the whole of Lyon and just spending time there.

A festival held at the centre of Old Lyon where the oldest church in France stands, during the weekend to celebrate the history of the old Lyon. All of em dressed in olden clothes. Shy also. Haizya.

This is the National Park in Lyon. It's not a park really, but a park cum zoo!!! Cuz we can picnic with the animals all around us!!! Like it is in a zoo! But they are not enclosed. SO cool right?

The park and its flowers!!! WAA! The flowers!!!!! They're really beautiful!! And here is where couples take their wedding photos too!

The lake at the zoo cum park... Simply ooolalaa.

Not the end of photos, cuz next up will be the best photos of each city that I went to in Italy!!!! Voila!!!! =)

P.S. I miss you all...feeling a little homesick. Happy birthday to Mer!!!!! Happy happy birthday!!!!

-Yours truly ;

Friday, June 08, 2007

I missed my bus stop!!!! In the mountains!!! Oh my goodness. It’s been 3 days since landing in France and I’m staying in the mountains, at the suburbs of Lyon. There are 4 of us, 3 guys and me, who are the only ones staying waaay off the central district of Lyon, and somewhere in the mountains at the countryside. Man. We take 1 ½ hours, or 2 hrs to reach INSA Lyon where we’re studying and that means taking 20mins of bus, then ½ hr of train, switch train route two times, then another 15 mins of tram ride to school. It’s not that bad for me, cuz I stay at the base of the mountain, but the other 2 guys are staying at the middle of the mountain, and the last one, staying at the top. Missing my stop is the last thing I ever wanted to do, cuz I had to walk 10 mins to reach the house. Wa biang. Thank God there was still light at 8p.m, cuz the whole mountain route has no lamppost. =/

My host family is really wonderful. It’s a family I’m staying with, and there are 3 boys in the family. The oldest, Laris (26, physiotherapist), Lucas (24, engineer), Leslie (22, medical doctor). Their really funny, and nice, good-looking too! And there’s a sweet Japanese girl, Yoka (22, political sci major) studying in Lyon Université, and staying with me!

School’s been fun. But, I’m exhausted everyday. Really. 3 days of school, and I foresee my timetable for the rest of the month.

6.00a.m – Wake up
6.00-7.00 - Own time
7.00 - 7.30 Wash up, clean room. Breakfast, wash dishes
7.30- Run to bus stop
7.43 – Bus comes. Punctually everyday.
7.43-9.00 – Travel to school. Bus-Train-Tram.
9.00-12.00 – French French French Lessons.
12.00-1.30 – Make way to canteen for lunch.
1.30-3.30/4 – French French French again.
4.00 – 7.00 – DO something. Settle train reservations, go shopping for necessities at Carrefour at city central, or walk around, go sight-seeing with friends. And if possible, go for mass at the Basilica or cathedral
7.00- 8.00 – Travel home. City to suburb takes less time.
8.00 – 9.00 – Wash up, laundry, iron clothes.
9.00-10.30 – Have my daily super long dinner. With Madame Danielle grilling me in French. And Monsieur Jean-Marc also tuitioning me over dinner. Wash dishes, do a bit of household chores.
10.30 -11.30 – Do homework, and revision.
11.30-12.30 – My own time.
1.00a.m – Latest. SLEEP! Wa. Tired.

I’m exhausted. Perpetually exhausted everyday. Lessons are fun but brain-draining, and the Madames use French to teach us French. How cool is that? Sometimes, there will be the blank looks on our face, “Pardon Madame!! Je ne comprends pas!!!” (paar don Madame. Jah neh com-pron pah!) aka, “Sorry Madame! I don’t understand!!!!” Then you’ll see her jiggling actions, to explain again. It’s like playing charades in school everyday. Haha…

Voilà!!! (Vwah lah!-yeah!)
très bien!!! (tekh –biaen!!!- That's fantastic!!!)

-Yours truly ;

Saturday, June 02, 2007

I've reached France, Lyon. Had a 7hrs journey from Milan, Italy cutting through the mountains of Geneve, Switzerland to reach Lyon, France yesterday late afternoon.

10 days into travelling with my mum, we're getting into each other's toes. But the better part of it is that, fast as we are to bicker, so are we as easy to forget what we were bickering about aka forgiveness. Worried about her, cuz she really is quite blur, and I'm alwasy the one using the map and directing where to go, I will be leaving her to travel alone while I join my host tomorrow late afternoon.

And so is she worried about me.

I've lung infection, hopefully not bronchitis or pneumonia cuz I've been coughing and phelgming like crazy. I really need all your prayers...thank you!!!

Reaching France, I found out how frenchy the french are...sigh. Most of them don't speak English!!! Having a tough time communicating here, but thank God, we still managed our way around. I'm not exactly looking forward to school on Monday. Though I'm a little excited. Hmm.

Some photos to let you all see...

-Yours truly ;

Friday, June 01, 2007

I saw the fresco on the 'Last Supper' by Leonardo da Vinci today!!!!!! It was amazing...really. The dynamics, the colours, the space, the dimensions.

Thought that Leonardo da Vinci is really an amazing person. An anatomist, albeit an eccentric one, a physicist, an outstanding engineer, a creative artist...oh my. If he was living in this era, I would gladly be his apprentice. Gladly. If only he will accept me. Heh.

Today, I attained another citizenship. A Filippino. Cuz I met this lady in church during mass and she was a Filippino, and she thought that I was one when we started talking!! I thought that it is so cool, cuz earlier, we were in the Basilica of Milan, having service, and we were just exchanging smiles with each other and keeping our eyes on each other. Perhaps 'cuz we are asians, and asians tend to recognise each other, especially in a foreign western country. Though admittedly, I thought that Italians are quite friendly too. Met religious sisters, Fathers, a Bishop who just talk to me in Italian and kiss me on my cheeks when I don't really know what they are saying, but somehow, I understand =)

And I miss Singapore.

I never ate so many pizzas in my whole life. WAA!! I eat that everyday!!!! And I've been eating gelato almost everyday too. Melon flavour is my fav!!! Heh. I'm going to grow fat lah. I need to go for my marathon. NOW!!!!

I miss my ministry, I miss my friends. I miss you all!!!

Reading my mails, I thought that it is so amazing. Indeed, God does make a way, when there seems to be no way. Reading testimonies from a friend who managed to go to Rome for a leadership seminar, it affirmed me even more.

Sharing something with all of you, a prayer I said in Assisi, and it is a prayer that Saint Francis of Assisi said before the Crucifix too, at the Church of Santa Chiara...

All Highest, glorious God,
Cast you Light into the darkness of my heart.
Give me right faith,
firm hope,
perfect charity,
and profound humility
with wisdom and perception.
O Lord, so that I may do what is truly your will.
Amen.

-Yours truly ;