I do not usually post about my life unless there is something of remote interest, and this is an exception. It is about my life and its boring. -

These four weeks that I have spent with my host have been 'uncomfortable'. I do not mean the hospitality of my host's mother, but rather the excess of it. She seems to fulfil the role of the typical caring mother I never had. Yet her genuine kindness leads me to dread her disappointment. A emotion which my own mother does and does not experience, in the sense that my mother is disappointed in me as a person, but not so since she has no expectations of me. My host's mother, Mrs. Koshi, is so effable yet I simply can't seem to feel any gratitude which once again makes me want to feel guilty, and yet I do not. It is almost as if I were living through my grandmother's death once more. And Mr. Koshi reminds me of my own parents, though my hot has mentioned that he did not used to be so. It only occured after he started his own business.

Aside from that, Mrs. Koshi has been organizing trips for her son and myself, much to our disappointment. She would drop us off at the destination at 8 or 9 in the morning, and return to pick us up at 8 in the evening. I really loathed those days when we were to go to any and every single tourist attraction, such as the Bird Park, Zoological Gardens and the Esplanade (which I have already seen to much of). Here is a quick recap of some of the events.

Bird Park- We started off badly by my host almost trudging straight into the flamingo pond since he was still sleepy, then we walked aimless around the entire place at least 3 times before we thought it was a waste of Mrs. Koshi's money if we just stood there. So we somehow managed to walk straight into the Lory Aviary, where we saw tourists paying $2 for a cup of sugar and water to feed the birds. However, these birds are very bold (as a trait of their species) and flocked to the closest sugar scource, since they feed on nectar. Most of them were attacked by these birds though they seem to enjoy it. A bird then flew down next to us and clicked its beak expectantly before being batted away by my friend. The bird then had its revenge by swooping down and squacking at him causing him to swear, thus deserving him several astonished looks from the crowd. Then the wild chickens in the Waterfall Aviary chased us because we had almost stepped on their young, before being pushed away by our legs earning us an earful from the keepers there.

Zoological Gardens- Just to sum it all up in a phrase, "mammal magnetism". Oh, and did I mention that fish hate me? Monkeys, on the other hand, they like my friend a lot. Maybe a tad too much. Here's a short and translated excerpt from our dialogue:
Me: "It's not the water that I hate. It's what's in the water. "
Him: *Quizzical and dubious expression*
Me: "Fish hate me, though the feeling is mutual."
Him: "That's ridiculous. Fish hardly have brains. Not to mention animosity against you."
Me: "Big fish, small fish, they all have it in for me."
Him: "Yes. I'm sure."
Me: " I don't know why they hate me so much. I have never wronged a fish. I hardly eat it."

Esplanade Concert, City Link and Raffles City- We were supposed to be shopping at Raffles City and City Link, but instead ended up sitting in the Esplanade staring at each other, not knowing what to do. At the concert, I ended up giving my jacket to him seeing as he was shivering. During the intermission, he literally ran out of the Esplanade to 'thaw', much to my amusement.

Gardens Festival- The only thing interesting about this was that I learned that I am no longer allergic to flower pollen, probably due to over-exposure ever since I moved to a private estate with a garden. Same old, same old. My friend could not withstand the temperature, which was set so as to prolong the life of the cut flowers which were mostly shipped from temperate climates. That night, my friend was very slightly ill. It was then that I had realized that never once have I ever seen him sick, though I have known him even before either of us had even started school. A part of me was bewildered at this new sight, while the another wanted to laugh at his red nose, which was extremely prominent against his pale face.

Sentosa- This experience was just plain queer. When we went up the Merlion, the guides there gave each of us a coin, to be inserted into the mouths of the Mercubs so as to attain a ticket, which will be exchanged for a prize. But before that could happen, this obnoxious middle-aged, morbidly obese man gased up the entire chamber before bumping into the two of us. Angered, my friend threw his coin at the man, and it hit his left eye at the other end of the room. (So all that basketball did pay off) This, obviously, cause him to start rampage and almost squashed me if it hadn't been for my friend who pulled me away in time. The situation was chaotic.

Mandai Crematorium and the Lee family's private cemetery- Our final destination for the holidays, and the one which I had enjoyed the most, since I picked it. This place is quiet and serene, not to mention that my grandmother's niche is located there. We walked around the place for a while after going to clean my grandmother's niche, and for once we were actually talking to each other cheerfully. And we actually laughed, which is rare, since most of our conversations are usually interrupted. We then left for the cemetery at half past four, and I opened the gate there with the special key. This is where most, if not all, of the deceased members of my paternal family is buried, or have their remains kept. It is a quiet courtyard, though unlike a church. But also lacks the suffocating incense of Buddhist and Taoist temples. We sat on the greener pastures and watered the wilting grass there, as well as the trees. We dusted the graveyard soil off the headstones and cleaned the cases which sealed the urns. It was relaxing for once, and it is fantastic to be away from other people at times. We spoke to each other about death, and for once even toyed with the idea that heaven actually existed. Which we ended up laughing silently about the idea. The only drawback of the day was the fact that Mrs. Koshi insisted that the both of us take a half-hour long shower so as to get rid of the 'stench of graveyard soil'.