I have nearly forgotten and given up on this blog for my entire exchange, I am feeling so guilty now. I promised I would write and document my entire exchange here, but seems like I've been too preoccupied with really immersing myself in the whole exchange experience. Still, it is not too late to begin.
My previous blog post just made me realize how wonderful trey parker and matt stone are! They have serious music talent, albeit the crude lyrics, but its still funny! Its not a scary-movie dumb kinda funny, I genuinely laugh when I listen to their songs. Today, I watched Team America, a movie created by both of them again. All my life, I have been studying this particular sex scene using dolls, and it is only today that I realized it is from this movie. How slow.
But apart from the crude humor, the set design is AMAZING! Imagine creating all of that from scratch! The main cities they replicated were Paris, North Korea, Cairo, Team Base and Panama. My favorite was Paris- fun fact: they decided to combine ALL the major city attractions within a small space, and their set design was based on an American viewpoint of what Paris would be like.The details that went into the planning was amazing, and recently, my lighting and design professor has been showing us many movies relating to the set design. My personal fav, and will always be, pirates of the caribbean. But i digress.
Team America's set design for Team Base, which is this awesome penthouse-clubhouse area where the team stays, was also so pretty! And its amazing that they actually make miniatures of actual furniture that were popular during that period of time. The room they spent the most effort on was Lisa's room, which sadly went unnoticed because of the puppet sex. But because they had pointed that out, I spaced out during the sex scene to pay attention to the details of the room, it was really well done to create the right mood, and certainly captured the essence of Lisa in that living space. But when it came to the whole shitting-on-the-face part, my attention was completely drawn back to the puppet sex. Parker and Stone certainly know how which buttons to push to rile the MPAA, for it is deemed obscene for any excretory activity to be portrayed.
I really love their portrayal of Kim Jong Ill as well, and I really wonder if he did watch this movie. His palace in North Korea was so accurately detailed that it is scary. I wonder who did his voiceover, but it sure sounds like that chinese dood from The Hangover, he has this annoying undertone in his voice. I especially loved his 'shark' tank and pet 'leopards' which were actually catfishes and black cats. Wonder how they trained the animals to attack the puppets though, I'm suspecting they hid food in the puppets.
One part I didn't get was the Matt Damon scene, he seemed all retarded in the movie, I tried googling it but all I could find was his anti-war stance or something like that. Matt Damon's an awesome actor, he's nothing as retarded as they portrayed him to be. Still, I read that Damon loved his spoof in Team America.
Its finally down to these last two weeks here in TCU. Time really flies, it wasn't long ago when I first arrived in TCU, all ready to begin a whole semester. Many things have happened in this semester, I've met many awesome people, forged true friendships which I am sure will last even though we're on completely different continents/ends of the world. These people whom I've met here are so awesome, and they've given me so much more than I can ask for. I have been told many times that I often live under a rock, there are so many things in the world that I haven't tried, and these dear friends of mine are always saying 'You have to try this before you go!' I'm so grateful to have met them, and they're truly the reason behind my awesome exchange experience.
It really brings tears to my eyes when I know I have to leave this life behind. I have thoroughly enjoyed myself these past 4 months. I go to school, I enjoy all my classes, I have spare time to catch up on all the movies on my watchlist, which is a habit that I intend to continue even when I return home, I have the time to go to the gym at least thrice a week. On weekends, I sometimes stay over at S, and its wonderful, its like sleepovers all over again. I marathon kdramas with K! I'm gonna miss it so much, we're still in the midst of dream high 2, and I had forgotten what its like to be a fangirl with another fangirl and go crazy over all the sweet bits in the drama! I thought I'd left that all behind years ago, but that part of me still exist.
M was the first friend I met here, she is the sweetest, she invited me over to her place and cooked me dinner twice within the week. I missed chinese food so much that when I had the first bite of her cooking, I honestly felt so homesick and my insides warmed right up. These dear friends of mine have really provided me a home away from home, they were the company that I look forward to every weekend, and I have forged so many memories with them here, its gonna be really really hard to say goodbye.
There are of course others, like E, who has never failed to brighten up my day. He gives the best hugs in the world, and everyone's a friend to him. He just brings the energy wherever he goes, and its so hard not to feel energetic and alive in his presence. Ks is always the funny guy with the funny laugh, and is always generous with his time.
During spring break, I got acquainted with new friends again. M&C are the sweetest couple I have ever seen. They're both so unique and awesome that its almost like they're a match made in heaven. I know it sounds ridiculous to say this, but speaking from a completely objective POV, you can just feel it when you know two people are meant for each other. M always brings out the fun side in you, she has this quality that makes you want to open up to her, and just go crazy with her. While in Austin, we stayed at A's place. Her home is amazing, and that was another home away from home. her family showed such profound hospitality that words couldn't express my gratitude when we left. Austin was one of the most beautiful memories I had forged during my time here, and I will always carry that with me.
Some of the places we explored in Austin were the SXSW festival, Barton Springs, the food trucks, Trudy's, and I also remember the night we spent watching Adventure Time! One of the best cartoons ever! I miss Shamaus very much too, its their bunny cat, and he's soooo fluffy!
We also headed to San Antonio which was a beautiful beautiful city. I will never forget the city walks, and that dinner we had in Schilo's, and that one night at D's in San Antonio.
After spring break, it was a mad rush in school again. Having spent the week at S, I was completely drawn away from all the work due that very week. As a result, I had to rush many of my assignment through the nights, that was a baaaad week, but for all those memories in Austin & San Antonio, I would have done it all over again if were given the choice. Its still amazing how I was able to recover and be ahead of my deadlines again in 2 weeks. Back home it takes me an entire sem, and having to forgo so many outings and weekend meetings. I made myself promise that weekdays were reserved for work only, and starting from Friday, my weekends would be prioritized to hanging out with friends! It is sometimes difficult to let go of the mentality that I need not do well for my modules here, I still have that nagging feeling deep down inside me. Through my exchange here, I have learnt to let that go and know that I have so much more to appreciate in life rather than just my studies alone. It is a beautiful lesson that I have learnt.
The weeks zoomed by, weekends, weekdays, a blur of assignments, lessons, movies and more movies, and before I know it, I'm down to my second last week here in TCU. :( The weekend before, I went to awakening as well, it was a spiritual retreat, and I got to meet some really great people there! It was well worth it, and just last weekend, I headed down to the ZOO! FINALLY! :D I have been rushing to visit everything in this area before I have to leave, and its so sad that I have to say goodbye to this beautiful place. I really wish I could have been here for another semester, just one more semester. I miss home, don't get me wrong, but the life here is too amazinggggg. Although I am envious of friends that have gone to Europe for their exchange, given the same choice once again, I wouldn't have forgo this chance to come to TCU!
so right now its down to this point, 23rd April 2012, I have 3 assignments due this week but I am more bummed out that school's ending. Was working on a lawðics 10-page paper, and got the best email informing us that the deadline is only on Thursday. Life is good with such simple joys. I am almost tempted to watch a movie tonight and continue working on it tomorrow. HEEHEE!
Sad as I am to leave fort worth, I am excited for my san fran trip, as well as my 3-week holiday with my babyboy. Its all planned out and set to go! :D This is the first time we're gonna be traveling so far away from home, and its just the two of us. I know how lucky we are to have this opportunity, and I'm going to make the best of it!
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