The start of winter

Glasgow on a good day.

2 months has gone by since I blogged, and a lot has happened since then. Highlights include me turning 23! Hooray! Another year of living! Gian and friends have made turning a year older something to feel thankful for! Thanks again. 

Had a nice celebration at Saramago, with 2 cakes! Hee Eun got me one and Shweta baked the Strawberry Victorian Sponge cake for me! DELICIOUS. Was so happy that night. ;)

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Halloween was after my birthday and I had the brilliant idea of dressing up as the Duke of Wellington statue in front of GoMA. It was a success because the reactions of most people we encountered were like, "OHHHHHHH YOU'RE THE STATUEEEE WHOAHHH". Loved it haha.

Points for originality? 

I don't think the Duke and the horse had this kind of relationship though.

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Also, I was offered an internship with InDI in GSA. I feel really lucky, especially because my job has been extremely fun (making kites every day, drawing, doing crafts, meeting new communities and people, helping with filming). We're preparing for an event that will happen next week called the Scottish Leadership Forum. We have the job of visualizing the voices of invisible communities, and so, we'll be doing that with kites. Here's a proper explanation of what we're doing.

I appreciate my colleagues/ex-studiomates who have made the transition a lot easier and less awkward for me. Nice to have such great friends as fellow interns. Lots of hearts to you guys! Regardless of the troubles I foresee with my visa (being Asian can be so troublesome here ಠ_ಠ ), I'll try my best to work well and gain experience! So far, things have been great! :)

Here's us "testing" our first kite. Nope, Didn't really fly but we can dream can't we!

A very poetic photo of Ed with the kite that appears to be flying (or spiraling into its ultimate destruction or something you know wtv).

These are just the few kites I've made for the event we're helping out with at the end of the month. 3 days left til the event, and I have to make like 192893829 more kites. YAY!

Also, Giulia, Ed and I had to make this animation thinggy to illustrate a gypsy traveller's daily experience and so, Giulia drew out this drawing and we filmed the process of it being coloured. I think it'll be super nice when it's added in with the other footage for the short film.

So far, this job of being an intern-jack-of-all-trades has been extremely great, especially because we get to meet people from the different volunteer communities in Glasgow! Within a month, I've met founders of communities that help gypsy travellers, refugees, ex-prisoners, the ageing population, women and the general public. And it's amazing to listen to their stories and experiences! A lot of the kites that we're designing and making involve putting quotes and messages from these wonderful people! This one is one of my favourite quotes so far.

"Differences and diversity is beautiful". I grew up embracing this quote, even when I didn't realize it! There are still people who are being isolated and stigmatized for being "different" according to the standards established by the common people of society. You tend to absorb so much information and have your eyes widened to this world when you meet people who's experienced such things.

We also recently went to the Scottish Women's Convention where we helped visualize the discussions that the women were having about current happenings in Scotland and how they could potentially tackle certain complex issues. At the end of the day, Christine (a super talented artist) visualized this mural, as a way of illustrating their voices! We're gonna display this during the event we're organizing next week.

Anyway, so far, loving what I'm doing, and I hope I get to continue for a much longer time!

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I'd like to thank friends who were kind enough to support Gian and I in a competition that we entered by the Disruptive Innovation Festival called the Biomimicy Challenge. We submitted Gian's SCOBY project and made it to the Top 3 for People's Choice award, but we didn't win unfortunately, but it's okay. It was a good try and this just means that there's scope for us to develop Gian's concept in the future! :) Watch the video I made below to learn more about SCOBY.

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My man just turned 25 years old recently! He was stressing out about being "old" but excuse me, you are practically 25 years young! Silly fatty. Hope you enjoyed my simple celebrations baba! We're too busy to do anything special at the moment but I hope that the December holidays will make up for loss time this month. :) Hope you loved your little surprise too!

Will make up for the busy month soon my love! We can properly celebrate our birthdays when we're on our break! In Amsterdam is preferable, with the best waffles in the world hehe :)

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Also, Hee Eun got an internship in Bristol with JoyLab. I'm super sad that she's left Glasgow, leaving my flat empty and without any life ... I'm never great with goodbyes (though I know I'll see her again soon, it's just that initial absence that affects me quite badly). I'm glad she was offered an internship though, and at a lovely part of UK! Can't wait to visit her when I can! And I hope that she'll be offered a full-time job from this firm! She deserves it after all.

Unnie! I miss you already! I miss hearing, "Ciaoooooooooo" or "Haaaaiii Saaarrahhhhh" when I get back home. It's too silent now. But I hope you will do very well because I know you can! Lots of love from your personal chef in Glasgow! SARANGHEYO! :)

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And oh hey also, I cut my hair ... myself ... with a pair of scissors used to cut paper. Ya. Not bad right? After 5 years (or what felt like forever) of having medium-to-long length hair, I finally feel like my big head is lighter. And I now spend like 80% less time washing and drying my hair. So happy with this decision! Haha. Might just trim it to be a bit shorter than it is now, but happy with it so far!

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Can't wait for December when I get to travel again! Will be going to Amsterdam for the 193894th time, to visit my sister and cousin, and especially my new baby chipmunk niece Isabel! Can't wait to meet that chubby bundle of joy! And then some days in Brussels and Berlin, and then Padua for Christmas to meet the Menini family (gonna gain more weight at this time for sure). And then for New Years, London with Amir and Joseph! :) Finally get to see the extravagant fireworks display for NYE. Also, gonna be a whole month of traveling!

I CAN'T WAIT MY GOD.

OK gonna go bai. Here's a pretty photo to welcome winter with open arms (insert blind optimism here).