Journal: Life in London

Hola, everyone! I know that time flies just too extremely fast, it's just suddenly november! BOOM! I'm nearly 18, people......... Nerissa is not a kid anymore.... in 2 months. So happy to announce that I'm probably, like 89% gonna spend my special day with Kim and Yvett. I love them too much, three much, very much.... <3 p="p">

I don't know why but Kim is just like my older sister, Yvett is like my mom and Angelica is like my twins. And the guy behind us is... I don't know who is he, he's probably from a countryside who really wanna take a picture with us. No, he's our friend, Tiago.

Last week we had three new students in the class: Mariana, Kathrin and Ali. Then this week, we had five more............. i dont really remember their name... Akira, Patricia, Erika... and i forget. But, everyone is really nice. I'm being nice also with everyone, welcoming the new students with my wide smiles. Because, at my first week I had rough days... It was really difficult to get nice close friends in my general class. Everyone was like just playing with their friends and I just sat alone with my phone like a kid who doesnt have any friend... It was sad. Thats why I dont want the new students feel the same. But, then now, I have lots of nice friends.... OH THANK GOD, i am totally blessed. Alhamdulillah. ALHAMDULILLAH.

Yesterday in the class...
Daniel: Mary, tell us something about Patricia (the new student)
Mary: Patricia is from Mexico.. bla bla bla.. bla bla bla... she used to have red hair, but now she's having blue hair
*I was totally shocked, then was staring at Patricia's hair*
Me: oh... blue... *talked with a very impressed tone, because I was really impressed with her hair*
Then everyone was turning around to me and laughing. I was so embrassed, because I didnt expect them to laugh at me.
Mary: You're soooooo cuteeee, Nerissa......
Tiago: Nerissa is truly our baby...
Daniel: Nerissa is totally impressed by Patricia's hair, she had blue eyes last week... (he meant contact lens)
I was like... so shy. Then i heard Kim was telling the other new student, "she's always like that, so cute, right? Thats why we love Nerissa very much.."
And that was one of the best thing I've ever heard here. To know that you're surrounded by amazing friends, eventhough that you're all from different countries, cultures, language, backgrounds, religions and beliefs. But, you know that you're loved.

No, it wasn't new year fireworks, but we went to the Guy Fawkes bonfire night last monday night at Canada Water and it was really cool! For real. The fireworks was like about 20 minutes started from 7pm. 

"Are we in Disneyland right now?"
"Yes we are, Nerissa..."

My old picture, taken at the first week in Westminister. Yes, first week. And this is my 8th week.. 

 1. I GOT MY RED ALBUM. SO HAPPY. HAPPY. HAPPY LIKE U COULD NEVER IMAGINE.

2. Had lunch in Nando's. Sooooooooooo good.

3. One of my present for my niece, Zetta. I bought both the bag and the notebook from Accesorize, the most cutest shop ever. And the notebook is mineee. Totally cute.

4. That was the day when we had one degree celcius in London. i was like freezing and couldnt feel my hand and cheeks.

1. MY WONDERSTRUCK.

2. Cute notebooks from Liberty.

3. Hot chocolate in the middle of freezing night at Angel.

4. Lovely room in Kensington Palace.....

I didn't really go to tourist spots these days... Don't know why, thats why I dont have real tourist pictures on the blog because I always put my camera in my suitcase.  

Anyway, I feel really good now because my friends are really supporting me about the-russian-guy. I love my girlfriend totally very much... :''')

"You know who just kept looking and watching you, Nerissa?"

"Who?"

"Your guy."

AND my favorite advice from Yvett, Mariana and Kim was, "you dont need to worry, Nerissa.. Just be yourself, because you're really cute and sweet just the way you really are. Just say hi, then start from asking how are you and the conversation will go just like a waterfall."

Journal: London

I can't believe this is already my 6th week here............. I miss my family, like A LOT.
And last night I had a very bad fever, i mean, very bad. It was only 12c outside, but i felt really cold, and i even wore a sweater and my warm slipper for a sleep! I tried to sleep at 8.30, i really had a looot of dreams, then i woke up, i though it was already 5am, but it was only 11.20pm! I felt extremely dizzy. Nightmareee, then i finally cried quietly. LOL poor myself. But now i feel a lot better! Alhamdulillah :')

Anyway, this week was really a blast! Another two girls came to our class, they're from Sweden and they're soooo lovely! I loveee them!

Please don't mind my face, yes, it's because I AM so happy. The picture was taken by Jose on our way to Hatfields. We walked there very happy... There were also Tiago, Janson and Alex with us! I dont know why but i really love my classmates now, i mean, not all of them ofcourse, but it feels soo happy to play and hang out with Jose, Angelica, Kim, Yvett, Tiago, Janson and Richard.

I know, eventhough Jose sometimes is being mean to me, like he really does like to tease me. And he said, "Nerissa.. I don't know why I really feel so good if I tease you..." and i was like, "I heard it for million times, Jose.. Its an old story." But, he does care about me. Like, after we finished our lecture class in Hatfields, we walked to Waterloo Station together, Jose, Angelica, Richard and me. I said to them that i have to top up my phone, so they can go first to Waterloo, but Jose said, "No, I'm coming with you."
"Huh? But its raining..."
"Dont worry, I'm coming with you.."

Not only him, but also all my guy friends are really nice. They really know how to treat girls really well, they understand what is 'ladies first' truly mean. I was raised for three years with my classmates in my highschool, and realized that they're really childish. I mean, kita cewek yang ngalah dari cowok-cowok kelas. No, i'm not comparing my fanta boys with these guys, but they're truly different.

After that, we planned to eat Fish&Chips but we ended up eating McDonalds instead. We didnt talk a lot, but I like the fact that I really found what will make me hard of saying goodbye later in December/January to London.
When I didn't come to class on Wednesday, they even told me like, "Nerissa... where have you been yesterdaaay? We miss you.." and "Are you okay? Why didnt you come to school yesterday?"
I love them. For reaaaaal.


These pictures below are like what just happened in a week here in London:

1. I bought that love pattern trousers at Topshop in a very nice price! I bought two for my sister and I! Sisterhood<3 nbsp="nbsp" p="p">

2. The first polaroid picture we took together in the class! Jose now keep this photo in his wallet!

3. My niece who is growing prettier and smarter! I MISS HER A LOT.

4. My three-pounds lovely slippers!

1. I used to buy a cup of strawberries with nutella everyday. But, this strawberries was free for me, the cafetaria guy just gave me instantly! He even blinked his eyes to me! LOL

2. London eye taken from Embankment Pier!

3. My iPone4 Harrods case!

4. AUTUMN!!!!!!! I DO really see a lot of colorful trees here! LOVEEE<3 p="p">

A week ago I also went to Windsor with Kak Us & Rizky and it was really fun!

Super pretty right??? i know... :""""")

I'm sorry, a lot of pictures....

Alhamdulillah! Thank You Allah for everything. For giving me the best parents ever, to give me the opportunity to have new friends, new families and new experiences which I will never ever forget for the rest of my life. Alhamdulillah. Alhamdulillah..

Cambridge + North London

It's been more than a week.. I wasn't busy, but I did a lot of travels here. Like, everyday. Eventhough there are still a lot of week i'm going to stay here, but for staying all day in my room is like a big no-no for me..... because i have no roommate now :'(

A glimpse of pictures I took in Cambridge a week ago, i went there not because i want, its because I dont want to feel lonely in the house after someone left me two days before... But, Cambridge was really good so far! It was very clean, not as crowded as Oxford Street, no traffic jam like in Picadilly or Central parts in London.. I really felt like, 'ah.. this is the feeling of autumn' 

As everyone knows, living in England is TOTALLY not easy. Good foods are expensive. A few days ago, I ate only side dish, chips, hot chocolate and it costed 14GBP. I want to cryyyy, I could buy a new sweater at H&M with 14GBP... So, when I went to Cambridge, we could only ate chips and apple juice because we got tricked with the prices list in front of the restaurant... Yes, they are all like 5-6GBP, but they're only the side dishes!!! The main dishes are like 13,14 and so on...

Started from last week, I had a lot of new classmates in my general class. Lots of guys. I dunno what happened to me, but i'm pretty sure that I prefer to play with guys... Maybe because i dont really like to put make up on my face, i only like to put eyeliner & blush on. No, no, i think its not like that. But, i've been close with my new classmate, his name is Janson.

Ya! I know, somehow a bit similar to Jason.. But he's really kind. On the second day we became a classmate, after school he greeted me like, "Nerissa, saya nama Janson..." and i was like... "huh?" then he replied that words for more than three times til I got it right... "Ahhh! I see! Nooo... its Nama Saya Janson.." and the conversation just kept on growing like that. Since that day, we always sit next to each other in the classes. Ofcourse with Jose in my another side. Then, I'm sure in a few times soon Daniel our teacher will call us 'The Three Muskeeters'. 

Janson and Jose speak spanish.. Because i often sit in the middle of them, my face always become like -_- when they start to speak in their language. Then i decided to speak spanish a bit too, but my pronounciation got wrong, i said "paicha" instead of "paisha" or "paisa" then it just became a silly word to laughed at me everyday. Like when we met at the courtyard.. "hi paichaaa.."

I also have Carlotta in the class too! She's another Italian friend who is veryyyyy kind since the beginning of my course started. I love herrr. Also, a new friend from South America again, who speak spanish again, she's 18 and we really easily get close together. I think now i already found the thing that will make me say goodbye is hard to London.

Last sunday we went to Arsenal... I was soooo happy. Alhamdulillah :')

It was like something I can't believe I was finally there. I know, I like Barca better, but I'm also a fan of Arsenal.. And i was there. Dear Allah, I'm blessed. Alhamdulillah.. Thank You.

London Recently

There are a LOT of things just happened in a week. Yes, this is my second week in London and ya... Alhamdulillah, I feel so much better, my homesickness is okay. But, I do still miss my family so much....

SO, I (with friends) already went to Buckingham Palace (not entering the palace, because it's closed already), Picadilly Circus, British Museum and Natural History Museum this week. Not that fun... Because, I went to the museum... Birnur my Turkish friend was so excited and I was like... always texting and only taking pictures. When she asked me like "why are you always texting...? this is such an amazing place!" and i was "yeah, my mom will get mad if i'm late to reply her." No, its not my mom. It's Yusuke. Sorry Bi, love you.

hehehe... do they remind you of something?

"Can I touch this?" (almost touching the statue)
"No! Dont touch!"
"Why...?"
"Because it will change the value..." and I trusted her, so I didnt touch.
Soon I found out that there's a board written like, "Dont touch if you're able to see."

Before we left for Natural History Museum, we went to Buckingham Palace first and it was VERY COLD.... very windy, and stuff like that. I always freeze here, always.

Do i look fatter? I eat dinner a lot here. My mum Michelle is very good at cooking and i always eat CHICKEN every dinner, so I'm going to eat chicken everyday until I come back home.

And today! I had my first B23 class... Thank God i'm having the general class with Jose! I dont really like the new teacher, I think Andreas is the best. He's funny. I miss him. Luis, Paula and two other friends are also with me in B23.

And the last two days, I just spent my evening with the nicest person I've ever met in London, tadahhh! Yusuke. Again, him. I swear to the infinity and beyond, he's nice, very nice and caring. I love him, but I dont love him in that way. Because, he's a smoker and he loves to drink 15 glasses of alcohol everynight he goes to the pub. And he has 25% attandance at school, which is not very good. I always call him like, "you bad boy."
The first evening, which was on Sunday, he asked me to go for lunch together but too bad I was at Picadilly alone to top up my credits and i met my friends then we went to British Museum, but he was waiting for me for like three hours at Waterloo Station! He said he was okay.
After I arrived at Waterloo and ran over to the McD to meet him, we didn't know what to do, it was 5pm already and not at the right time for lunch. He asked me if I want to go to Haunted House and i said of course I didnt want to. Then we finally started to walk to London Aquarium, and that day was raining so hard and i didnt bring my umbrella. So, you know, he's as the man who the one who plays the role as a man.
I like our conversations. Our conversations just keep on growing and growing.
He asked me again, if I want to ride the London Eye and I said I dont have much money... and he surely said, "I pay for you."

But finally we didnt take London Eye and London Aquarium, but instead we went back to the Waterloo and we found out that our home is just close! We take the same train and get off at Catford Bridge Station also! So, we just finally ate dinner in Sapporo Restaurant.... and he paid my dinner. We do really talk a lot. And he waited me waiting for the bus while he was holding the umbrella and the temperature went down like crazyyyy.
The day after, we went together again to ride Cyclone and Starflyer near the London Eye.

It was really fun! Not the Cyclone, he found out I cried after riding that cyclone.
I paid myself for these, ofcourse, but only a half. He said he didnt need my money. He's bad boy. But, i pushed him to accept my money and finally he gave up in one condition that I only need to pay a half.

Today, he just accompanied me during my freetime in cafetaria, i sent him a text that I'm alone in cafetaria and he just said "i'll go there, just wait."
He even introduced me to so many friends.... Kento, Mie, Yuki and two another Japanese friends I forget the name. I don't know how to thank him. And I hate the fact that he'll be leaving on friday. End of story.

London: Day 1

So... here it is, since my dad asks me to blog my days in London (yep, i've just known that my dad reads blog also...)

After seventeen hours, or maybe fifteen hours flight, I finally stand under London's sky. Once i saw BigBen from my van window, i was like 'am i dreaming? i always see that on tv, magazines, internet.. and i finally see it on my own...' alhamdulillah...

The first thing i really want to write now is, i've got some very nice friends today from Turki, Qatar, Korea, Germany and yep, Japan. And that one Japanese friend is Nabila's friend when she was here 2 weeks ago. Okay, this is so funny. When i was sitting at the courtyard, Nabila chatted me on line and told me that i have to meet her friend, named Yusuke, but i said i don't know which one is Yusuke because there's a looot of japanese here..
And suddenly, Nabila sent me a picture, it was the courtyard and i was in it. I told her like, "OMG THAT'S MEEE, who took the picture?!!!" and she answered calmly, "Yusuke took this. He's not sure which one are you, she keeps asking me 'nabila where's nerissa' and 'which one nerissa'..." i laughed "he should come and say hi to me, i still dont know how Yusuke looks like.." but then i realized, i think, which one is Yusuke. Because i catched him was looking at me and then he wrote something on his galaxy note, and i'm sure he was talking with Nabila.
Then it's already 4pm and it's time to go home or free time, i was sitting at the activity room and that one japanese boy came to me with a veryyyy huge smile.......

"You're Nerissa?"
"I am. And you.. Nabila's friend, right?"
"Yes yes yes.."
And the conversation went naturally, so i can prove Nabila's words that Yusuke is a very niceeee person. He even "see you later" me again when i walked out from school, and he was playing pingpong with his friends.

Hmm i could say that London is great, very great.. but i miss my homecountry so much. I miss my mom, dad, sister, brother and my niece... I miss how i can speak easily when i do not need to think how to say that one word.. or this one word... I always end up of feel so homesick when i am alone. Like now, i'm now having dinner alone in my room. My roommate Zunisca will be home late she said. I wish i could have Charlotte and Joe Bubar back to be my hostparents.... They're the best hostparents ever, i mean, like ever, forever.

Buuuut, i know, i have to discover moreeee! I'm planning to go to Oxford street tomorrow at 9am before my class which starts at 2pm. Hehehe, free time.