breewrites

[breewrites]

[breewrites]

I went to Ikea today and went home, touched and proud of everyone who’s home, fighting and trying to protect our freedom.

After the shopping trip at Ikea, I planned to leave with an Uber - but to my surprise (or dismay in this case), I got turned down by 3 of their drivers (1 of which was even a van). Being incredibly annoyed, my friend and I eventually opted for ViaVan. We didn’t want to take it initially because of its fixed pickup point policy.

Luckily, Omar (the driver) was understanding, and came to pick us up.

During the ride back to the city, he asked where I was from. I told him I was from Hong Kong, and then very unexpectedly, he said, “I am so proud of the people that went out and are out protesting against the law, the government!”. Shocked, I turned and studied him. The baldness, heavy eyeballs and greybeard hinted that he was probably old enough to be my father.

“There had been 2 million people on the streets, somebody had committed suicide […], and I’m still watching the news everyday to keep up with what’s going on in Hong Kong.”

“I am originally from Kashgar [a city near Kazakhstan], and you know, it’s so important that you people keep fighting for your freedom. You cannot trust the Communist Party; all they want is [power], and in 1949 when they established they took my home and made it into China.”

“Now everyone speaks Mandarin, and everything is taught in Mandarin. Did you know they have concentration camps there? They’ve put 3 million people into camps, and they are brainwashing children at school, to love the Communist Party, to change their identities.”

“If you have no freedom to think, then what difference do you make, [compared] to an animal?”

For the entire 15 minutes, the conversation went around Hong Kong, Kashgar, China, and freedom.

For the entire 15 minutes, I was reeling in shock. I did not expect someone of his age to be paying attention to international news, let alone be rooting for the younger generations back home.

I’ve always thought that if there is an age gap, there will always be a gap no matter what. The older generation will never understand where the younger generation is coming from, and vice versa. But Omar changed my perspective. There is no correlation between age and a lack of acceptance. It just depends on whether the individual /wants/ to see things from multiple perspectives.  

“You need to keep fighting. If you stop fighting, that’s it. Then you lose your freedom. […] But you cannot let them take that away and you [all] need to keep fighting against it.”

[breewrites]

[breewrites]

Angele Dubois by Brittany Chan

[breewrites]

[breewrites]

Planning a stay in Phuket? Check out Lub d Hotel

And give one of my favourite artists some love and listen to Phum’s Lover Boy

[breewrites]

See you in a few, Hong Kong

In a month’s time, I will be leaving my city again to return to a country I fell in love with at the second sight (Dutch weather is that horrible). But instead of continuing what I have had left behind in Rotterdam, this time round I will be starting a new life (pursuing postgraduate studies) with an old identity (a student) in Holland’s capital. But coming to terms with this decision had been way more difficult than I had originally planned it to be. If you’re currently working full time in HK, you must be thinking, “what the hell is wrong with this chick?” I am aware that I’ve been blessed with a supportive family and that they’ve given me the golden ticket out of a city I probably won’t be able to survive in, but for the past few months, I’ve had countless internal struggles. There had been days where I thought to myself, “everything in my life is so comfortable, settled and scheduled right now. I get to see my friends all the time, I get to enjoy some of the best meals cooked by my dad after work, see my aunt over the weekends and be greeted everyday with (literally) sounds of joy from Bella (my dog). Why would I want to throw this all away and put myself in a brand new city, challenge myself to adjust to a new life again?” These thoughts come to me at least once every month, especially when Mother Nature duties report. But once they’re gone, I’m back to being excited about leaving the city and going back to being a student. And then that time of the month comes again and we’re on a never-ending cycle of “I-want-to-leave-and-now-I-don’t”. I guess this is what adulting does to you though. When you’re secured with a 9 to 5 job, you make plans according to it, you move in a rhythmic pace and ultimately your life rotates around it. In the process you subconsciously give up on doing things for yourself, enjoying youth and spend weekends like your grandparents (sleep all day errday). It finally hit me why they say “youth is wasted on the young” - because we do waste a lot of the youthful qualities we’re supposed to embrace. We’re not as courageous, reckless or impromptu enough to call ourselves “young” at all. We fear over losing an over-demanding, underpaid job as opposed to losing the springtime of life. And I guess this is where I realized I didn’t want to be a gear in a machine (listen to this). I needed a change in environment, and so I jumped at the opportunity, even though it’s going to be terrifying, undergoing changes again. But like Chris from Skins says, fuck it. You could only worry so much - so why worry at all?

[breewrites]

Tibet visual book from a year ago 

[breewrites]

YOUR GUIDE TO DEALING WITH AN UNHEALTHY WORKPLACE

If I had to use 1 sentence, to sum up my past year as a Project Executive, it would definitely be “yes, workplace can really get that mental”. But does it have to be that mental? No, I’m doubtful. If I had been less gullible in the first place, I would’ve been able to get away from all the unnecessary trauma and stress I had to deal with. I’ve gotten multiple pieces of advice from my friends, telling me that with this experience I’ll be able to learn how to deal with a difficult boss in the future. I would like to clarify however, my frustration doesn’t come from the unending amount of work, but a boss who has difficulties with sticking to one management style and constantly adds lots of personal emotion into the team. But I guess after a week worth of reflection, I do somewhat have been able to learn something from this psychotic episode of a year. I don’t think I’ve ever written anything more difficult than this piece, because I had to keep reminding myself to detach any personal emotions I’ve felt, so as to make this article a piece to stir up actual conversations and reflections, as opposed to something for people to agree with and move on. In short, I hope that this reflection of mine will help you get through an unhealthy workplace professionally and with ease.

Leave your true self at home, don’t bring him/her to work

Before anything else, the first and foremost task you should do is to leave your true self at home. In an office, you’re more likely to come across two-faced colleagues who try to be your friend so they would have something to gossip about to your boss, or colleagues who approach you as a friend, but unintentionally offers you advice as a colleague and essentially misguides you into taking actions that you would regret the next second (I had to learn this the hard way). Being fresh out of college, it’s more often the case that you become extra vulnerable, because of everything you have to adjust to. The transition from being a student to a full-time employee is already a whole lot of stress, and on top of that, all that talk about how god awful workplace can wear you even further down. My advice is, take a chill pill and don’t fret too much. Yes, it’s going to be hard moving out of a comfort zone you’ve spent your entire life in, and yes, it will be challenging not to trust the first group of “friends” you will make at work (because who would’ve thought that human beings can be that nasty?) But if you’re not cautious, reality will slam you hard and you’d find out the hard way that it’s really not all rainbows and unicorns as you hope it to be, despite being so new. So if you’re like me, soft-hearted and trusting, lock away this version of you and don’t bring him/her to work. Build a new personality if you have to because you will not meet anyone’s true self at a workplace.

Set your own rules

In a society like Hong Kong, there are many unwritten rules about the “right” work attitude. They always tell you that you’re not supposed to leave the office on time, that you shouldn’t take the entire hour to have your lunch, or that if your boss screams at you without validation, you ought to sit through it and accept the mental abuse. I’m pretty sure that such work culture is stemmed from Eastern values, and are continually disseminated through our education system, where at young, local kids are taught that being obedient is equivalent to being respectful, and that there is always a structured answer, even if the question might be an open-ended one. The result of this would be a bunch of adults-turned-cyborgs who do not see the value of their own being, and end up selling their soul to such work culture and give in to modern slavery. Don’t let this happen to you. Don’t let unethical work traditions start in your life and take control of your entire life before somebody else does. If you don’t start on the right track, you will be tricked into thinking that all workplaces are this unethical, and eventually you would start saying things like, “well as long as they pay me enough, I guess I can live with the horrendous treatment”. Don’t be that person who sells their dignity, because we are the generation that flips the finger to anything and everything that doesn’t make sense. Embrace the essence of being a millennial and let that guide you in setting your own rules.

Spot the bully at work and leave ASAP

So the other day I came across an article that said, “8 signs that your boss is a bully”. It said -

If your boss:

Verbally abuses you

Intimidates you

Questions your commitment

Stalks you

and/or isolates you

Your boss, is a fucking bully. They always say that it’s a good idea to take a gap year before you start your postgraduate studies, because that will give you a taste of the real world, and that will benefit you for sure. Well let me tell you how it tastes. If you stumbled upon a bad workplace, it tastes like milk that has been sitting in your kitchen for god knows how long. It’s sour and lumpy and the only thing your body would want to do after you accidentally take a sip of it is barfing the meal you had the day before out. And if you turned out to be as unlucky as I had been, in between the lumps you would feel something that feels foreign and odd against your tongue, and when you spit it out, you would see what you had been praying you wouldn’t see - a dead bug. The unlucky bit represents the unforeseen bully you had not been expecting, because honestly, who would’ve thought you’d come across a bully in a workplace? You hear about bullies in kindergarten, in primary school and high school, but never from a workplace. So what is the deal with the bully at my work you may ask? Well she had done basically everything on that list. She had stalked my personal Facebook and messaged me asking why I hadn’t liked the two Facebook pages our team manages. She had isolated me, by asking everyone but me to internal meetings for two weeks straight. The list of examples goes on and somewhere in between I should’ve been smarter and left the job on the spot. But of course, being the dumb fresh graduate I was, I worried that such impulsive decision would “ruin” my CV. Don’t make the same mistake as I did and leave your fucking job if your brain starts wondering if your senior supervisor matches any of the qualities above. Save the wishy-washiness and don’t give another second to staying for a full year because if your supervisor can bully you once, love you in between and act like nothing had happened, she will most definitely go back to giving you a hard time when you leave.

Report it (if you want to), but don’t bring personal emotions along when you do

Now that you’ve dropped the R-bomb, you’ve still got a full month left before you actually get to leave this hell hole. What to do next? Your supervisor isn’t likely to pass any more projects for you to work on, because that would complicate the whole handover process. Based on my experience, you’ll be reporting to the office everyday for at least two weeks, with nothing to do. She will not ask you to join meetings anymore, and if you’re not huge on writing or reading like I am, two weeks will feel like two decades. Don’t let that happen. Start your last month with writing the most detailed handover note you can so you can make your teammates’ lives a little easier. Rummage through your office laptop/desktop and start saving down the projects you’ve worked on throughout the year and add them to your portfolio. Start clearing out your desk, drawers, walls. Throw shit out, because that feels hella good. And while you’re all at this, make sure you jam out to 88rising’s new album because #asianpride man. Then as your final day approaches nearer, print out that exit interview and draft out what you want to put down. Depending on how much you want to ruin your boss’ career, you may or may not want to point out her lack of competence to lead a team. In case you do, remember to detach all personal emotions and write it down in the most objective manner possible. If you really want to ensure that your point gets across your supervisor’s boss, check with your HR department and see if they can arrange a meeting between you and the big boss before your last day. Make sure to draft your speech at least 5 times before that happens so you can come across as the mature, professional and sensible one so you can savagely look at your boss, one last time and mouth “bite me” before leaving forever.

[breewrites]

Thoughts

Just this week I had the opportunity to meet the local artist who drew the trick-art installation for the organisation I am working at. Looking down at the artwork, I was quite amazed just with how he had managed to calculate how long the buildings/figures had to be as he drew the floor sticker. I later learnt that this wasn’t rocket science at all and was easily be done via digital planning. As we spoke about this he brought up something worthwhile to reflect about. Translating what he had said in Cantonese, “with what once used to be the subject of appreciation, the power train for conversations; art today has become an object for the me-generation to use as a background and fortify the importance of one-self." Murals, art exhibitions and shows we will see this month will not be here for pure admiration, but instead a tool to accentuate self-obsession. “If anything, I wish that one day I need not paint my ass off to earn a living. It’s a bummer to see so many artworks used as a background.”

I hope y’all visiting Art Basel/Central this month will actually take the time to appreciate the work in front of you instead of trying to get the perfect shot.

[breewrites]

Tibet

I reckon one of the silliest advice we had taken for our graduation trip is to bring a ton of warm clothing, because in reality the autonomous region is much warmer than what Mr. Google suggests when you look up “weather of Tibet in June. Similar to Europe, the length of daytime during summer tends to stretch till 9 to 10 p.m.; and it is only afterwards when it gets chillier. But even so, to bring a duck down feather jacket with you will probably be too much (unless you’re planning to visit the base camp of Mount Everest). It is quite unlikely of you to leave your hostel/hotel after the sun has set. Some of you may argue that you want to explore Tibet after hours — but mind you — the last bus in Lhasa departs around 2130 — 2200, pretty self-explanatory as to how exciting it can get after dark.

My friends and I (a group of five) — travelled around Tibet for 15 days and I have to stress, do not book a trip this long. 12-13 days would’ve been the epitome duration; if you stayed any longer, you will spend the remaining time in Lhasa (where there are limited destinations to explore) so you would resort to watching films, eating the same food (again and again), and rot till you can catch your flight home. The reason why we decided to book a longer trip in Tibet was because we worried that we might fall ill before our road trip (due to the high altitude) which would cause a delay; so we decided to give ourselves a couple of more days just to be safe. This was pretty stupid of us (and evidently, lazy too), as it could’ve all been avoided. We were travelling to Tibet from Shangri-La, Yunnan, which is already 4000m above normal sea levels. We all managed to hike up the glacier, in the rain, for 4 hours without falling ill — so normally speaking, getting up to Tibet wouldn’t have been difficult for us. But none of us were bright enough to realise this — so in the end we wasted 900 RMB on cans of oxygen and 120 hours doing (literally) nothing.

Unlike my friends, our experience with our driver hadn’t been the best. Our road trip lasted for 8 days in total — but it would’ve been 9 1/2 days if we hadn’t been rejected to visit one of the lakes (and if the driver knew beforehand). The drive alone took us 6 hours; but it only took the officer 2 seconds to inform us that tourists were not allowed to enter that day. What we learnt out of this is to always, always ask for a local when you need to hire a driver. If we had known earlier, I think our trip would’ve been a much easier and much more pleasant one.

The places that you would end up visiting are quite all pretty much going to be the same as everyone else; Nyingchi, Yamdrok Lake, Namtso Lake, Mount Everest Base Camp, and Shigatse. Throughout the trip we actually bumped into the same group of travellers from Hong Kong a couple of times, but being the typical HKers we were, we didn’t speak to them and vice versa, they didn't speak to us either. Now that I think about it, a part of me regrets it as it the journey could’ve been a little more lively. I mean after all, the more the merrier right? Regardless of that, this graduation trip had been unlike any other I have ever taken, and Tibet will always hold a special place in my heart. I have never seen such clear, blue skies — not even in Europe — and you would be astonished to take in the beauty of Mother Nature. We were told that Tibet and Xinjiang were the only remaining unpolluted destinations in China; and to learn this brings in heaps of sadness because it sums up the destructiveness we are able to bring about. To all those who are all about adventures — consider Tibet as your next stop. It will not be a comfortable trip at all (we only had two outfits to change into the toilets can literally make you feel like you’ve entered the portal of hell and you will need to spend at least 8 hours each day commuting) — but once you see what it has to offer, you’d realise it was all worth it.

[breewrites]

Croatia is a common destination for most Europeans whenever summer is around the corner. Being Chinese, we prefer to stay fair-skinned and out of the sunlight as much as possible. Despite having returned with an extreme tan, I am actually surprised with how much I enjoyed my week down at the Adriatic Sea. I dare say it was one of the best weeks I had during my exchange.

What made it such a great trip mostly had to do with my journey to the coastline. My initial plan was to meet up with my friends in Ljubljana - we booked bus tickets and were going to bear the brunt of our long-ass ride to Šibenik together. I travelled from Rotterdam on my own and everything was under good control - until I got to Frankfurt. That was when life really put me on the edge. For some odd reason, I managed to miss the flixbus going to Ljubljana, even though I started waiting an hour and a half prior before the departure time. By the time I found out my bus was long gone, it was already 10 pm. Frankfurt hadn’t been my favourite city - it was dodgy and regardless of the fact that I had already been there before, I still felt pretty uncomfortable. Being stuck there on my own didn’t help at all. I ended up having to pay an extra 150eu; 1) for the train ticket next day (110eu) and 2) for the hotel fee (36eu). All that effort trying to be frugal gone straight down into the drainage.

Thankfully, I managed to make it to Slovenia on time for the next bus ride. Commuting for 36 hours straight really put my patience to test. I was quite proud as to how I managed it all without having gone slightly dysfunctional. I even had some extra time to roam around and chill a bit at Ljubljana. I wish I had included it in my itinerary - I had no idea what it was going to be like (since it was only a stopover); it turned out to be city with some pretty nice, soft vibes. In the plaza there was a man in his 50s blowing humongous bubbles while a bunch of kids ran around him, squealing. Walking away from the plaza we came across a musician/traveller belting out Dancing in the Moonlight. There couldn’t be another song that could’ve described the nightfall better; “everybody’s dancing feeling warm and bright, everybody’s dancing in the moonlight. It was the epitome of a perfect summer evening.

At midnight, we got on yet another bus, and 7 hours after, we finally reached our ultimate destination - Šibenik. The second we alighted the bus, my friends and I shared a mutual WTF moment - it was quite nothing like what Google Images had shown. No sights of houses with red roofs. The sea was nowhere within our vision. Nada. The city was empty, rustic and barely anyone was in sight. We stood there for a good 5 minutes in awe, and then started making our way to our hostel. Contrary to what we had expected the hostel to be like, it turned out to be relatively hygienic. That was the sign that we needed.

There are a few things that you should keep in mind before going to Šibenik - this is coming from personal experience.

1.) Get kunas before you reach the East European country.

Many of my friends advised me to only get kunas when I touched down - but it was probably one of the dumbest things to do. The rate that my local (ING Bank) charged was a lot higher than what I would’ve paid if I had changed it back in Rotterdam. So be wise and change it in your own country before headed there!

2.) Prep large amounts of sunscreen and lip balm with at least SPF 50.

If you happen to be the ‘mum’ of the group, make sure you have enough sunscreen for everyone that’ll last for at least a week. You are going to need to reapply at least 4-5 times throughout the day; or even more if you’re down at the beach and taking dips in-between sunbathing. Summer sun is no joke and you will burn - if you’re not well prepped enough.

3. ) Bring something thick to lay on.

If it’s not too much of a hassle, pack an inflatable mattress or a couple of thick towels with you. Unfortunately beaches in Croatia are not sandy - and trying to get comfortable on a rocky beach could be a real challenge. You could always opt to rent out beach chairs at the restaurant, but trying to get a hang of the renter could be a tad bit difficult.

Now that you’re set to travel, keep tab and come back for more travel infos!

X, Bree.

[breewrites]

IK HOU VAN JE R'DAM (PART 1)

I know I’ve been MIA for almost four months - but having to settle back to my life here, topped with deadlines after deadlines haven't been easy. I have just started my winter break so hopefully, I can utilise this month to get back into the habit of writing.

In approximately two weeks or so, it would mark the day since I started my 9 months longs journey in a city filled with youngsters sporting secondhand wear, charming yet affordable cafes and modern installation artworks on every corner - Rotterdam. I can finally think about my exchange without streaks of tears rolling down; so it seems appropriate to write about my temporary home for the past year.

The second biggest city in the Netherlands, also known as Europe’s second largest port has more than it’s maritime museum to offer. In fact, instead of expecting a full lecture on the history of how the ports used to run - Rotterdam is perhaps one of the few places in the continent where you can find yourself connected to modernity instead. In place of traditional Dutch architecture you would see in Amsterdam or Leiden, you will find yourself walking into a train station (centraal station) that very much resembles the container that holds kapasalon or through a row of cube houses right about your head. I can guarantee that you are likely to come across some of the most unique and modernistic constructions (and this is coming from someone who grew up in Asia’s World City).

9 months is a fairly awkward period of time. It’s not exactly long enough for me to know Rotterdam inside out (only by the last week did I discover that the formation of the city is rectangular; before that I would spend at least 45 minutes walking from centraal to blaak when it would really only take up a maximum of 15 minutes) - but I did not leave merely as an exchange student either. I have a handful of information which can allow you to know this hip place on a more personal level - get an insight of how locals (or uni students) like to roll around.

START YOUR DAY RIGHT WITH PROPER COFFEE

I’m sure that many of you can’t start your day without a good cup of coffee. I know I can’t - and a few of my personal faves to grab a good cuppa include NOC-NOC, Round & Round, Hopper.

NOC-NOC crafts one of the best chai lattes I’ve had in my life - and it’s one of the drinks I highly recommend you trying if you’re a fan of chai. It was my go-to cafe; especially if I had huge deadlines to meet, because despite the fact that it wasn’t as big as some other cafes, it was bright and warm - and the best part is, it closes at 8pm.

Round & Round is definitely one for those who fancy Japanese-inspired and handcrafted sweet things. They serve soft, fluffy pancakes topped with a good amount of fresh fruits and whipped cream, a good assortment of swiss rolls and cakes.

Just before turning into Witte de Witte, you will come across Hopper. It’s usually quite busy down there, packed with chic looking people - writers, curators and artists, grabbing a quick drink on the go. My friends and myself like to head down there just for a quick chat; but not so much to work since it gets a little difficult to stay on top of our work with so much going on around us.

GET SOME FRESH FRUITS, VEGGIES, & FISH

The best part about studying in Erasmus was that I didn’t have to attend uni every single day like I do here in Hong Kong. This meant I had plenty of free time to explore around. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, opposite to Station Blaak (near the Markthal), stalls selling fruits, fresh frozen fish and meat, vegetables and even rolls of cloths are set up. Since my crew and I lived around the area, we developed a habit of heading there together to get cheap, fresh ingredients to prep for our weekly gatherings. I might also add that you should give those _frites _served from a van a try - they are hella good. These open markets are probably one of my favourite things in Rotterdam - mostly due to the fact that I can always get quality avocados and oh-so-sweet strawberries for a relatively good deal. Living on a budget is never easy - so thank god for these markets!

THURSDAY NIGHTS ARE BAR NIGHTS

I am probably going to sound like an oddball when I say this, but I was completely unaware of what a “student night” was. Back here in Hong Kong, it’s not very much of a local culture to get wasted and go out; we’re more keen to go shopping, dine at some new restaurant, have dessert and then disband. Trying to adapt to going out on Thursdays was one of the harder tasks I had to overcome; especially when I always had early classes the next day. Paying 3eu for a drink was new to me; hearing dark beats and hip hop on the dance floor was new to me, dressing casually to go out was new to me. All of it was new to me. In Hong Kong, the average price of a drink is at least 7eu (and we’re only talking about a beer), and if you do not dress up slightly, you’re most likely going to be rejected by the bouncers. Oh and don’t even mention the music - DJs are still playing Chandelier and Timber. Evidently, we don’t have the hippest scene (despite the fact that international students really like coming to 852 for it), so being able to witness the scene in Rotterdam got me ecstatic.

The rundown to start your weekend goes by something like this:

Thursday nights are BAR nights. To avoid paying the entrance fee (10eu), you can click ‘attend’ on their events page and get there before 12. The only problem of getting there before 12 however is that you’d need to wait an hour or two before the party really starts pumping. Concentrated on the main dance floor are usually hipsters dressed in adidas tracksuits or altered 70s/80s shirts coordinated with wide-legged denims. Walking down to its basement, you’ll find yourself surrounded by a slighter older crowd, shuffling to techno. BAR is one of the few places where the party runs until you see rays of light peeping through the clouds.

On Fridays we like to go to BAR’s sister - Annabel. The crowd gets more diversified on this day so you don’t find yourself stuck with in-vogue youngsters only. The vibe is relatively chill and when it isn’t raining, it’s always a good idea to huddle around in the biergarten just before dancing to Drake.

Saturdays - the last day to party of the week - is reserved for Witte de Witte. Two of our usual spots were NRC and Witte Aap (they were just across each other) and both are very fun (and very crowded) bars. Prices down these two places are nonetheless not as student friendly as BAR or Annabel, as their target consumers are mainly office workers. But if you are up for something more sophisticated - these two places would make excellent choices.

Coming down this far I suppose you’re able to get a hang of what life is like in Rotterdam - it’s really all about being youthful, lively and most importantly, yourself. What makes the city special is mostly how everyone is so young at heart, with great determination to make something out of their lives - and this is a trait I embrace with all my heart.

Till the next time,

Bree

[breewrites]

10 tips to note down before you start your exchange

Going on exchange is majorly life changing and whether you have fun depends on all sorts of factors. Now I know this may not seem like the funnest piece to read and it also probably looks like a rip off from Buzzfeed, but I guarantee you, even if you don’t have the best time skimming through this, if you are about to take off for exchange/you’re planning to do so, with these babies in mind and 30% luck, you’re bound to to have (cue:) the time of your liiiiiiiiife!

1. Choose a foreign country The idea to be stuck in a foreign country with foreigners, speaking an alien language is horrific. That’s how it would seem anyways if you use the word ‘stuck’. The purpose of an exchange trip is really to try to get your own culture/knowledge out there and to bring home new ones - so while this opportunity is open - go somewhere far! Go somewhere where you can improve your second or third language! Choose a destination that will make people frown at you! If you’re ready to start an adventure, the least you could do is choose somewhere exotic! Only at youth would you ever make such decision.

2. Choose a small city/town Paris, Amsterdam, New York, Sydney, London all sound amazing - I know. I had Paris on my list and I was so close to going there for exchange, but thankfully I didn’t. Oof. Big cities have a certain charm and I can imagine how badly you’d want to be able to tell people that you’re going there (they just sound so cool), but based on personal experience (and some of my friends’), I assure you, you’ll be better off in a small city/town. No questions asked, travelling to the urban jungles and metropolis’ will definitely fulfil your thrill of re-enacting movie-related fantasies - but that won’t last for long. What’s offered will be limited (especially if you’re not well-off) and you’ll get tourists, tourists and more tourists. I grew up in a frantic financial hub so I’m used to waddling through pools of globetrotters and jet-setters in the metro, malls and on the bus but even I get sick of it. If you’re from somewhere really chilled, by the time you’re used to the hustle, it’d be time for you to head home. Instead of putting yourself through the trouble of adapting to a vast, complex city, opt for somewhere smaller and less known. I went to Rotterdam and yes, it really is tiny - no regrets though. The fact that it’s so small made it easier for me to explore around. You want to be able to go back and tell your friends and family what the city you were in for half a year like, not complain about uncultured swines knocking into you everywhere you went.

3. Check the percentage of international students enrolled You don’t want to end up in Lonesville during the half a year, so before you apply for your host university, check the percentage of international students that are enrolled. That would give you a good prediction of whom you’re likely to be hanging out with in the following term/year (and also if you’re even likely to have friends)

4. Pick the 2nd term (or even better, go on a full year!) I went on exchange during the 2nd term like a lot of my friends did, and it’s one of those decisions which I will never regret about. Unlike those whom actually did theirs during the 1st. The best part about the 2nd term isn’t the fact that you get to travel through the continent (if you are planning to visit Asia/Europe) during summer; it’s the fact that you will have a chance to experience all four seasons! Alright, alright - winter in Europe probably isn’t something to be excited about (specifically the NLs - its dark by 4pm) but being able to live through the cold, and then watch the flowers bloom, and finally complain about the heat heightens the experience! Plus you’ll have excuses to hunt for chic coats for good 2 months - sounds pretty appealing doesn’t it?

5. Don’t go with your friends This is one of the toughest decisions you’ll have to make in the midst of planning this journey because the imagination of having to be on your own in an alienated environment on your own is terrifying - I’m well aware of it. You can feel your stomach flopping from one side to another and any minute you’re going to puke. You have a list of justifications, ready to argue with me why you need a companion - but trust me, if I and a ton other students have been able to make it - so can you. Don’t let your fear hold you back and stop yourself from growing. In the first month you’re prone to feel doubtful of this advice; but at the end of it, you’ll see why this was a critical step to take.

6. Book a student ticket Before you book your ticket, ask your agency/airline company if they offer student tickets. These tickets will come in extra handy if you’re planning to travel but is unsure of how your itinerary would go. They’re flexible with the adjustment of the dates you’d like to fly out or return, and they also give you a quota of 2 large baggages instead of 1. That’ll save you about 160€ so write this down on your checklist in bold!

7. Don’t stay at the dormitories Go on local housing platforms and try to secure yourself with a shared flat instead. Pick one that is in between your uni and the city centre so going to classes in the morning and heading home after dancing your bum off to One Dance won’t be a pain. I loved my stay with my 3 other flatmates on Vlinderstraat. We didn’t do a lot together, but having had them around made it feel like home and also for me to look forward to going back. You don’t need to do a lot of things to make your memories precious.

8. Be mentally prepared You’d be surprised how quickly time flies. One minute you’re still trying to get all the needed documents together for your visa application and next thing you know, your flight is on the day after tomorrow. Never stall anything that needs to be done, be it purchasing an insurance or shopping for the essentials. Towards the last month or so you will want to have some (extra) time to prep yourself about leaving home. Half a year isn’t exactly long, but it is short enough for you to miss home so really, really

9. Don’t let others influence your decision You’ve made all your decisions and it’s time to tell your parents and family your plans. They’re likely to tell you that it’s too dangerous to travel abroad alone, that you should stay close to uni because it’s the only safe area or ask you to pair up with a friend so you’ll have a safety basket. Don’t listen to them. You chose the challenge to broaden your visions and test your capability, not to remain the same. Embrace it and try to be positive, because it’s all just in your head.

10. Don’t fret too much! As the great Elbert Hubbard says,

-”the great mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.”-

Don’t live in fear! If you have any doubts or questions, feel free to drop a question and I’ll get back at you!

x, Bree

[breewrites]

Like most of my friends’ predictions, Berlin has managed to make the cut as one of my favourite cities. In many ways it was very much like Rotterdam - vibes were chilled and even though it was pretty industrial (Berlin is a pretty dusty city; it did not have the best air quality and this is probably one of its downsides), the city still managed to suck me in as the day fell and we stood on top of the S-Bahnhof, watching the photogenic scene fade away. It was attractive in the sense that it lacked pretentious Kardashians look-alikes strolling down its streets and that Berliners each owned something unique of their own. My friends and I somehow managed to blend in - perhaps it was the identical vintage Levi’s we were sporting or the scruffy canvas bags we were carrying - we did not receive as many unfriendly remarks (racist ones mostly) as we did when we visited other cities - this added points for sure.

In all honesty though, the trip was quite different to what I had imagined it to be; we did not plan out our itinerary until we all got to our Airbnb at 1am (we were coming from different places). I was pumped to visit abandoned theme parks and find treasures at the flea market by day, and dance away to heavy beats by night. Our trip consisted none of those. But despite the unmatched presumption, this little getaway still managed to be one of the best trips I’ve had so far. A lot about the past and the present, morality and amorality, restoration of humanity of faith were read and thought about; and I think if it weren’t for the Germans to be so brutally honest and brave about their past, this world would be twice as fucked up than it is now. The fact that there is still a pretty big population who recognize the need to educate themselves and the younger generations about history restores a little confidence I have for our race and gives me hope that maybe we won’t be doomed to be led in the hands of Trump and his troop (oh please oh please don’t let this happen).

During the 3 days we had, my friends and I managed to visit the following places:

1. East Side Gallery

2. Brandenburg Gate (watched football with the Germans when they played against France)

3. Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

4. Checkpoint Charlie Museum

5. Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp (this took an entire day)

6. German Bundestag (the dome)

Of course, we had a lot more places listed down in our shared google doc and of course we definitely felt a little bitter since we didn’t manage to check out its night scene; but there weren’t much which could be complained about the trip. It may have been a little more educational than I had expected it to be, but what harm could there be learning more?

Here’s a couple of tips before you decide to visit the city:

1. Be prepared that these memorial sites are likely to turn you into a temporary emotional wreck, so bring extra packets of tissue paper if you know you’re a softie. (And also for your nose’s sake - Berlin does not have the best air quality)

2. Lots of these memorial sites have a ton of info boards - if you’re blind like me, remember to bring your glasses; you don’t want to miss out any of the info.

3. Learning about the past is important; but it is imperative to also realise so is the present. It was quite disappointing to see many being completely oblivious to the backside of the East Side Gallery. You don’t need to read all the information, but at least spend 30 minutes or so to skim through it. The past can’t be changed but the present and future are controllable.

4. If you’d like to visit the dome, either book online (in a week’s advance) or go to the white cube next to it to book your visit a couple of days prior to your visit. An evening slot (especially during sunset hours) is the prime time.

5. Travel in fours. It’s best - it’ll safe you a lot of money in terms of transportation.

6. Go out. Explore the night scene. I never got to do it and I’m still bummed out about it so don’t repeat my mistake!!!!! You’ll probably regret it (esp, if you don’t see yourself returning to Berlin/Europe the next 10 years)

Cheers!

[breewrites]

Parisiennes, probably the un-friendliest group of Europeans you’ll ever come across - should not be a reason to taunt you off and make you think twice about adding the city onto your bucket list. If anything, they should be one of reasons why you ought to stopover at the city of dirt, rebellion and graffiti’d windows/banks/streets with “brûler l’argent” or “fuck the police” (no, I’m not kidding, it’s not really a “City of Love” unless you’re standing on le Tour Eiffel, surrounded by lovedrunk couples, sticking their tongues down each others’ throats). I have to admit - I was not very amused when my friends and I strolled along Republique at 2 am all the whilst passing beaten trashcans and wrecked bus stops as we made our way back to our Airbnb - but somehow, the display of violence and that tautness in the air left a remarkably deep impression on me. You can say it’s probably because 1.) I come from a city where we’re still fighting for democracy (contrary to popular belief, Hong Kong is not exactly a democratic city) or 2.) It’s rooted in our culture to suppress thoughts and opinions (which would might explain the uneasiness and sweaty palms when we walked passed a “bonfire”). Oddly enough, these were the streets that sealed Paris onto my “places-to-revisit list”. That mutual boldness that bonds the youth at the heart of France is admirable - and I wish it was a trait that mes amis et moi shared as well.

But even if that doesn’t appeal to you - I’m sure there must be other reasons that would validate your visit. Perhaps all the oh-so-fresh pains aux chocolats (I had two every day and returned home with a sore throat) or people-watching while sipping on a latte macchiato, taking long drags from your e-cigarette (note: most parisiennes are puffing from them instead of Gauloises) in one of the cafes along the street - something must feed your appetite (unless big cities aren’t your thing).

The next thing I liked best about Paris was visiting Montmartre, where Sacre Coeur is located at. Besides the little panic attack I had when we ran into these gypsies who tried to tie bracelets onto our wrists even though we rejected them, I had an abundance of liking for this area. Sitting on its steps and soaking in Vitamin D was lush, especially given how rainy it had been since we got there. It’s representative of what you assume the French to be like, with all the painters/portraitists roaming around, either painting the scenery or sketching someone whom you walked by and thought, my is s/he beautiful. If you are a certified, authentic hipster, this is one of the places which you mustn’t miss. This is one of the rare places where you can pretend to be francaise for a day and giggle about it later on.

Cheers till the next time!

[breewrites]

Well I see that you’ve decided to give my blog a try. Here’s my first attempt to make sure that you’ll keep my tap open and hopefully, eventually stashed under “bookmarks”.

Hi, my name is Brittany, but most of my close friends call be Bree. I’ve always felt like Brittany and Bree are two different persons; somewhat comparable to Dr Hyde and Mr Jekyll (a little extreme for an example but you get the gist). Brittany is the girl you would probably know as teacher’s pet in high school (unfortunately) and the freak who thinks a GPA of 3,60 is not high enough (also unfortunately true).

Bree, on the other hand is that girl whom you will never understand why she tries so hard to stay in touch people around her. That girl that takes far too many candids/pretentious shots of the mentioned people (which btw you can check out at sominareo). That girl you would see in the corner of the street, smiling so brightly that her eyes are barely visible to the world and that girl who has the ability to make you smile and laugh.

I am clearly no saint and I’m not here to heal anyone or whatsoever - no. I genuinely just want you to have a good time reading/looking through this blog.

And so in place of grasping an insight from Brittany, you’ll find yourself in Bree’s head instead. And that’s me. I’m Bree.

Brace yourself lad. This is going to be one hell of a ride.

Cheers.