First day of school in Indonesia.

Dear Friend,

It was my first day at 'the school' today. 1 being terrible, 10 being very awesome, I'd rate it a 6. My classmates are nice in general. Nice people. They didn't bother to get to know me and stuff but whatever. I don't really get their music taste, and I don't know them well enough to have my opinions, so I'm not going to say anything. However they are pretty nice. In the general meaning of the word 'nice'. I don't fit. Then again I don't really fit anywhere. I suppose I'm contradicting myself now.

Today was Class Decorating Day. I think this happens every half term? I'm not sure. But anyway, today, from around 10am to 4pm, we didn't study at all! We decorated the class, as you have probably guessed. Hehe. My class is 8afro. Cool name, huh? I know. I love afros, so it's all fine and dandy for me. :) The teachers are such nice people! They interact with the students and treat us like friends/children haha.

I have to go now... Proper schooling tomorrow and I have to sleep. Maybe I'll write another post this weekend, update on my social status and such. That sounds so stuck up eugh. But you know what I mean. I'm wishing myself luck. Maybe I'll wear my four leaf clover ring tomorrow. Hehe I will. All the worst subjects tomorrow, excluding IT! Oh gosh. I'll listen to The Fray again now, for moral support. Oh and I wanted to tell you, in the car on the way home from school, I was listening to Home Is In Your Eyes by Greyson Chance and I cried. I miss everything good and I haven't been happy for a long time. I hope I'm not depressed. At least I don't self harm. I hope to never self harm. Another thing I want to tell you, I can't go to The Fray's concert tomorrow and I'm really very sad about that. If anything, I wanted them to be my first concert. I teared up again 'cause of that. I'm such a crybaby. I really do love them though. They're one of the best of alternative rock. I love alternative rock. I really have to go now.

Love always,
Tia xxx

Here's a song by The Fray from their newest album. I love this song so much. When people aren't reliable, rely on music. When music isn't reliable, rely on God.

new haircut, new hi-tops, and a sleepover.

Yesterday I got lots of new things. A new haircut;

I either look like a small kid or a mum. Nothing like myself. It was supposed to look like this.

YA SEE WHAT THEY DID TO ME? D:


And yesterday, I also got some cool new kicks. Grey boots. Or hi tops. Can't decide whether they're boots or hi tops. My lovely aunt got it for me. From Australia. :)

and I slept over at my 2nd cousin's house. She's the only female 'cousin' I have. It was fun. She's an even bigger directioner. And Twilight fan. I'm not too into Twilight. But whatever. We took stoopid pictures and crazy videos. I only have some pictures with me. I'll post one here;
\

Yes, we're ever so pretty. I know. Stayed up till 2am. Then I just had to sleep. But it was itchy. Hair from the haircut was everywhere 'cause we didn't feel like showering before sleeping. We're such slobs.

I'll write more tomorrow. Bye for now. 

Love always,

Tia xxx

1/11/2012

Dear Friend,

Well. I should think I'm getting quite addicted to Blogger. Which sounds extremely lame. But you can't expect 'cool' to come from a lamo. You might wondering why it is that I'm writing right now, because yesterday I said school starts today. Well, the school (I'm gunna keep referring to it as "the school" for select reasons) called Papa at work and told  him I'll only start next week Monday. So here I am.

Today, I finished reading an amazing sequel to an amazing classic. Mum bought it for me. Wishing For Tomorrow, it's called. A sequel to A Little Princess. You know, that amazing classic by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Wishing For Tomorrow is by Hilary McKay,  but it lives up to the original classic. It's so amazing, you have to check it out. What I love the most about this sequel is that it makes me change and rethink how I feel towards the characters. I actually love Lavinia, Jessie, and Miss Minchin now. However, I dislike Gertrude with a bigger passion. I think of Sara a little bit bit differently (still love her though), and I really love Ermengarde.

A Little Princess is a book close to my soul. And heart. A couple years ago, my grandpa (from Mama's side) gave me this book. Back then, I had only started getting into English books, and was at the Geronimo Stilton stage. Not Beautiful Classics stage. So I didn't read it. Until after he died. He was the greatest grandpa ever. He doted on me, I was the only girl in the extended family. Gave presents that I loved as a little girl. Just holding this book makes me feel close to him. Whenever I'm sad, I read this, and I feel better in a way. The story of a queer girl named Sara Crewe. I can relate to her, and sometimes I'd imitate her when she's all "princessy". I just love Frances for writing this book. It's timeless. I know I'd never be able to produce writing like this, hence my biggest ambition isn't to be an author. I appreciate books, that's it. I do write, you should know if you read my stories on Wattpad; http://www.wattpad.com/user/TiaHanifa. But it could never compare to Frances's, or JK Rowling's, or Roald Dahl's, or Shannon Hale's work. Obviously.

I also got my tooth pulled out at the dentist's today. Call me weird, but I love going to the dentist's. I find it exciting somehow. And they always say my teeth are good. LOL. Mild compliments affect me. I was also sad today. I woke up all sleepy and dreary, and later on in the day, looked through some memoirs and letters and photos of Singapore times. It all feels so far away. I miss them S'pore bruthas. The photograph my bestie Shirmaine gave me is right next to me now. And the box(es) of Singapore stuff on the other side. I really do miss them. I'd look around at my surroundings, or lie on the bed, and be "This isn't Singapore. I'm really not there and I'm not going back." It's so surreal. And not too much in the good way. However, this weekend I'll be with my cousins. They're all boys and they really are my bruthas. Grew up with them, still with them. They influenced me lots. Without them, who knows, I could be a girly, frilly, pink-mouthed, pop-loving bimbo right now. The horror. I'm scared for Monday. I don't want to go to school. On the plus side, I'd be less lonely. Hopefully.

I love you, whoever you are. Goodbye. :)

Love always,
Tia xxx


P.S. I found some new tunes today. Check 'em out. x

Disintegration by Jimmy Eat World

Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole by Martha Wainwright

Wonderful/Crown Of Thorns by Janet Devlin

Indonesia- There goes the rooster! AGAIN.

Dear Friend,

Yesterday was like a dream. Not necessarily a good dream, but nor was it a bad dream. Just a dream. Today too. Yesterday, two very lovely friends of mine- Keerti and Sheryl, came to send me off at the airport. Keerti's dad, along with me, expected me to cry at the airport. I didn't shed a tear. It just didn't feel like I was leaving for good. It didn't feel like that was the last time (at least, somewhat the last time) being in Changi Airport. Even on the plane, I didn't cry. They had really good food. And I watched Step Up Revolution. A bit of it. Because it was only an hour's flight. Only when we were waiting for the luggage to come (mind you, the conveyor belt in Soekarno-Hatta Airport takes quite a bit of time), did I start reminiscing Singapore and there, in the crowd of other passangers, did I start crying. Bit embarrassing, but it felt good to let it all out. So, yesterday, after arriving in Indonesia, I was a bundle of tears up until I fell asleep to the sounds of a random Indonesian jazz band.

Mornings in Indonesia are lovely. Nice and breezy, and- there goes the rooster. Should be the 16th time it's cuckoo'ed today. Crazy rooster. But it feels great to listen to roosters instead of honking cars. I'm staying in my gramma's house in Indonesia, until my family can find and buy a new house. Gramma's house is in the neighbourhood, and it's pretty calm and old and VERY VERY VERY VERY hot. But I guess I ought to get used to it. Dad said we won't have too much air con here. I really miss my friends back in Singapore, even the school(s).

Did I mention, school starts tomorrow? Yeah. While my Singapore friends get several months' break (that I too deserve), I'll be starting at a new school in Indonesia. Only a day after I move. Ugh. A couple months ago, I went to be tested to get into the school, and I got through, simply because I'm secretly a genius. It's a very very religious school, and there are three different uniforms on different days. Monday; a white long sleeved thick material shirt with a blue pinafore that goes down to the toes. And long tights are encouraged to be worn underneath. WTF. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday; even worse; a sickly green long sleeved thick material shirt with the same blue pinafore as the Monday one. Tights recommended. I suppose Fridays are best; white long sleeved thick material shirt same as Monday, with long white trousers. Still extremely warm. And for PE, it's an orange (not 100% cotton) long sleeved shirt with long green trousers. And everyday, it's a must to wear the head covering shawl us Muslims wear. So now you should be able to imagine my horror. But the school isn't all that bad. The English is better than the usual local school, since my school is a private one. Lots of religious studies though. I'm not very religious. Hopefully my faith will increase or something like that.

OH MY GOD. A man on a horse just went all clippity clop past the house. COOL. Yeah. And now I'm getting attacked by mosquitoes. Good day, all of you lovelies. I'll be watching Honey Boo Boo now, that show's hilarious. Goodbye!

Love always,
Tia xxx

Just a random wishlist.

Word of the day:

Acquiesce (from the song Acquiesce by that amazing band called Oasis)

Lately, I've been feeling like there's a lot of missing pieces in this big puzzle we call Life. Maybe it's because I'm only 13. Well, it probably is. But still, here are several things I wish for;

♛ an acoustic guitar
♛ a decent mp3 player
♛ decent pocket money
♛ a haircut
♛ Oasis to suddenly make more good music
♛ a book by me, published
♛ an olive colour beanie
♛ several pretty blazers
♛ British/UK-related things
♛ me to speak in a British accent for the rest of my life
♛ Ed Sheeran's '+' album
♛ all Taylor Swift's albums
♛ all All Time Low's albums
♛ Adele's '21' album

☠ a record deal

☠ someone to unconditionally love me no matter what and to actually show it

☠ people who don't know me in real life, but understands who I am more than anybody else who actually do

☠ a best friend on Wattpad

☠ a chance to  go to England, or even LIVE there

☠ people to actually read my blog

☠ a good time on my birthday, even though it'll be spent in Indonesia, it'll be on a school day, and I'll be the new kid in a religious school

☠ my friends in Singapore to miss me, but to continue to live their lives and have fun

☠ people to enjoy my music

☠ a happy life forever and always

.....But most of all, for

✪ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴏᴘ ʙᴇɪɴɢ sᴏ ɢᴏᴅᴅᴀᴍɴ sᴀᴅ

Love always,
Tia xxx

-15 DAYS TO GO-

Yesterday. Post-examination period. New torture.

Dear Friend,

Yesterday was really eventful. In the morning, I attended the auditions/rehearsals for the "Comm Arts Showcase" at my school. Basically, several people were picked to audition for a place in the showcase, it's a poetry/drama showcase. I messed up big time. Only managed to remember 2 stanzas out of 7. It was pretty sad. But I'm kind of glad, because imagine how much I'd mess up in front of the whole of Secondary 1 and special guests and all. And anyways I had fun watching the other performances, and one of my best friends got through, so I'm really happy for her.

So, after that, my friend and I went to 7-Eleven on our way home. Since I thought I'd be going straight home from there, I decided to spend most of my money on a bottle of Starbucks' Caramel Frappucino, which is like, the only caffeine thing I love. After fooling around at 7-Eleven, we got a call from a primary school to meet up with the other primary school friends. So we did. It was surprisingly fun to talk to teachers and each each other. We left the school after an hour, and went to a corner shop selling bubble tea that was a favourite among us when we were in that school. That shop also owned a DVD/CD/VCD shop, and that day, had a sale of 1 VCD for $1! I found Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, and since I'd recently lost my BluRay version, I decided to get this one, but I had to borrow money from a friend. It works though, so I was dancing my happy dance, but you wouldn't want to know how that looks like. After that we hung around, played Truth Or Dare, did some cray cray things, Would You Rather, danced to Gangnam Style, all the shit friends do. Then the boys left, and us girls went to a mall (my bus trip payed for by another friend), and pigged out and gossiped over countless chips and onion rings at Burger King. We ended up spending 3 hours just at Burger King, and made ourselves a group called KAQQ. It's a rebellion group. Rebelling what, I won't tell. It was a great day, mostly.

But I feel terrible, living on others' money. Even though I am going to pay them back...

Oh yeah. So all this was able to happen yesterday, because THE EXAMS HAVE FINISHED!!! *insert screaming and shouting and madness*

But here comes the but (But... but... so punny)... BUT (haha, another but) now there's a new torture: The Countdown. The countdown to when I have to leave Singapore. Now I have 16 days left. Which may sound quite a lot, but actually passes really fast. I have a lot to say on this subject, but I think that'll be for another post. This was long enough.

Love always,
Tia xxx

-16 DAYS TO GO-