Baby, I just wanna dance ~~~

What my school does on a last Thursday of the semster
dance party in the quad at 1pm

I was too busy the past 2 weeks trying to finish papers and study for exams and before I realized it, the last week of school was already over, and nothing about it felt really special. Just another week, and another spontaneous adventure. Although I got to thanks Spencer and Nadia for feeding me all week with delicious food since I was *cough* a little bit busy to eat *cough*

Strawberry cheesecake with oreo crust <3

After surviving on 2 hours of sleep for 3 days, the moment I finished my exam on Wednesday, I decided to … bake, of course. It took Spencer and I approximately 2 hours and a bottle of wine to successfully create a delicious strawberry cheesecake with oreo crust. I know, I always make cheesecakes, but the entire 4 months I've been here, I've always done some weird modification of cheesecake and never baked a real one. So this is my first traditional, conventional, regular, nothing-special cheesecake. Note-to-self: learn how to cut strawberries in equally thin slices - it makes the decoration that much easier. I also realize that I never put whipped cream on any of my cheesecake product, got to try that sometimes. It was a lovely night spent sitting on the kitchen floor waiting for the delicious dessert in the oven, hanging out with Nadia, Spencer, Wes and Susan. Although we did migrate to Nadia's flat at one point so Spencer can, and quote, "feed me real food" aka pasta. Spencer and I ended the night with "Knight and Day". 

Thursday, we decided to go gift shopping. It's that time of the year already. I love going gift shopping, trying to figure out what would make a perfect gift for this person, and running into something that reminds me of someone and just have to bring it home. It is the best feeling. Although there are certainly frustrating moments when I can NOT think of anything to get for a certain one, or I have an idea what I want to get but can NOT find it anywhere. Regardless, Spencer and I roamed Green Market Square and Long Street for 4 hours. Turned out that all those years of training in bargaining in Vietnam came into good use. These people were half as vicious as people at home, and that made my life so much easier, and less scarier trying to bring the price down to 1/3 of what they told us. Got half of my gift list done and an adorable croquet crop top. Mission accomplished.

Also, I ran into this girl that made my day, actually no, she made my week/month. I have been looking for these particular earrings ever since I first came to SA, and no matter how hard I tried to look for them, I could not find them ANYWHERE. So when I saw her wearing those, of course, I ran over and asked. Turned out, she hand-made it. Duh, why haven't I thought of it before? Used to do that all the time. But, she offered to make me a pair and all I have to do is stop by her shop next week and pick them up. I love nice, friendly, artistic strangers. They are the best. That or I have the best disappointing look because so far this is the second person offer to make me something because I couldn't find something I was looking for.

Friday is IES final dinner. Not gonna lie, I have been waiting for this event for two weeks. Reason: I just want to dress up. Definitely something I miss about being a Sigma: mixer/event every other week or so. I remember I used to be too tired to put on nice clothes and heels and show up at parties in jeans and flip flops. Now I was just dying to wear my dress (that I haven't taken the tag off yet) and my blue leopard heels (which were in the same condition). Plus, if people know me, I always go hardcore party after hell weeks are over. The more tough time I had to go through, the more all nighters I pulled, the more tired I am, the more I want to hyper I am go to party and have fun. Yeah, I'm weird, I know.

Beautiful photos credited to Monica <3 

Anyways, back to the final dinner. Spencer, Nadia and I finished getting ready fairly early, so we headed to Alma house to wait for the transportation, and used that chance to finish champagne, shots and take pictures, of course. It felt like prom all over again, having people outside of the houses, the girls in their dresses and the guys in suits, posing for pictures. I also picked the perfect day to forget to bring my camera. Epic fail, but that's okay. I love seeing guys in suits, looking sharp and finneee. I have always had a thing for dress shirts and ties, if I have my way I would wear them myself. But again, I'm not willing to give up my heels and bags, and many other female privileges. 

After many many many "Oh my god you look so nice", "I love your shoes/dress/make-up/hair", etc. have been exchanged, we all got in two minibuses (classy, right? Gotta do it the African way) and headed out to the hotel, where our presentation and dinner took place. The committee started out giving "paper plate awards" for all of us, which were incredibly funny and amazingly suitable to our personalities. Guess what mine was? "Most likely to see the world in purple-tinted glass", go figure! Only after I sat through great speeches by my fellow IES-ers, and a heart-touching pictures slideshow that it suddenly dawned on me how bittersweet this moment was. Looking back on everything that we did, verbally and visually, walking down the memory lane, I could not believe that my time here was almost over. I guess we all felt the same way, so we tried to make the best of what we had. Dinner was full of delicious food and tons of dessert (imagine how many "Thanh, this is your section" comment I got), lots of laughters and, for god's sake, an uncountable number of pictures. I can't wait to see these photos on facebook. They will be the best memories I have looking back later. I had all these nostalgic feeling, like I was living Governor's School all over again. Hopefully I will tone down or turn off the public emotion this time. After all, it's been 5 years, I should be used to this by now (or I told myself so).

We went back and hung out in Nadia's room for a little bit, before I realized I was too tired to do anything else. This is my worst habit. I would be all hyper and excited to go out or do things, but if you let me sit and do nothing for 20 mins or so, I would be out of my mood already. Yeah, I'm the if-you're-gonna-do-it-let's-get-out-of-the-door-and-do-it-now type of girl. That, or I just have ridiculous mood swing. Either way, I went to bed early on Friday night, exciting for a day full of shopping awaiting for me when I woke up.

Cocktail before breakfast, I'm telling ya.
 Gotta try it at some point.

Saturday morning, Spencer, Susan, Monica and I headed out to the good Old Biscuit Mill for some delicious breakfast. For some reason, I was already in my crazy party mood at 9 in the morning, so I ordered cocktail with my breakfast pancakes. Best-blueberries-and-ricotta-pancakes-ever! Apparently I was also in a sugar mood, so I had a tons more of the cute mini pancakes and some samosas. We also ran into Wilson and his parents. Yeah, I hate my asian glow. They probably thought I was this weird Asian chick who was wasted at 10am before I even finished eating breakfast. Oops. I wish I could do something about this stupid thing, because most of the time, I wasn't even anywhere close to being drunk and people already insist on taking me home ….. Tough life, I'm telling ya. 

Best meringue EVER!

Spencer and I headed out to the Waterfront afterwards, and exhausted all the stores and resources there within the next 5 hours. I found gifts for everyone I planned on getting gifts for, except for my younger sister and my mom, the two pickiest people I know on earth. Although I was mesmerized by these pieces of jewelry that were made out of chunks, I meant giant chunks, of gemstones that were so beautiful. I stood there for a long enough time Spencer had to peel me off the glass and dragged me somewhere else. Oh, and for those who knows me, know how hyper and excited when I go shopping? Now imagine that + alcohol and lots of sugar. Yeah. Plus, Spencer and I stopped at a patisserie for afternoon tea, and more desserts, including macaroons, meringue and fruit tarts. We were in such a good mood that we kept going to Cavendish mall after Waterfront, and even then decided that we weren't going to stay in and just had to go out for dinner. Thus,, 730pm, Spencer, Susan, Luke and I got a cab and headed to Obs for delicious Asian food. Hmmmm, first Korean food for me after 6 months. It was the best day I've had so far. Wait, that's a lie. I have had many good days they can't be compared. 

Korean food ~~~~~

It just has been such a good weekend (my weekend started on Wednesday) I am still in denial and really do not want to study for exams at all. We have a symposium to present our research paper on Tuesday, something I need to work on, and I'm going to have to study my ass of for the 3 finals that I am having on the 2nd and 9th of November. Then it'll be time to go home. It makes my heart ache a little bit thinking about that. But for now, I still have a month to make the best out of it.

If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do this right. I think it's high time bringing that crazy side of me out. Time to party it up, ladies and gentlemen.