The last week

Before we get into all the nostalgia and sentimental stuff that comes with the last week of the 6 month exchange program, a little update about what Albert has been up to after the road trip.

GRAHAM's ISLAND

They went camping at this camping hotspot called Graham's Island in Devil's Lake on Tuesday:

The entrance



Surrounded by water and dead trees


The campsite


Had a nice fire going










And unbelievably, their prom dates, Iris and Julia were there too, only 2 neighbours away, apparently they were there along with 2 other girlfriends to celebrate a birthday. Strange, strange coincidence. On a Tuesday of all days. They met the girls just as they were about to go for a swim. Talk about luck.

He experienced some American camping traditions, like roasting marshmellows over a fire,




and then having some smores(its basically a melted chocolate bar and roasted marshmellow sandwiched with crackers)





The next day he caught the sunrise



magnificent. Bear in mind that the LCD screen is still busted.

And they left Graham's Island.

WATER TUBING on Thursday:

The Berg's, who are nothing short of the quintessentially perfect family that you would see in those ancient cereal ads, came in with their huge boat and invited Gigih and Albert for a ride down at the lake and a little water tubing.

which was great since it was ridiculously hot that day



the boat

Into the water

and we're off


Captain Berg( you cant imagine the innuendos that come with the titanic sinking last name)



this was Albert's first extreme water sport experience, prior to water
tubing the closest he's got to extreme water sports would be doing the butterfly stroke.

Albert went first


Then Gigih( watch for 3:11 when his face smashes into the tube and at the end when he flips over)


3 days later and his arms still hurt. You know nothings gonna happen if you let go, you just bob along in the water, but when you're going that fast(it doesnt seem like it but it is), you want to hold on for dear life.

But you cant hold on forever.



As luck would have it, he managed to get a shot at Gigih being airborne

Not bad for a busted LCD.


He has never done anything this adrenaline pumping before, EVER.

With all that out of the way, all he is left with is a strange concoction of mixed emotions about having to leave this place. On one hand it would be great to get back home, watch football again, see the old buggers again; but on the other hand he hates to leave this place, its so relaxed and easy going here, you dont have anything to do, any place to be, no schedules to stick to, just being able to do whatever you want whenever you want to do it. Just for this brief 6 months he gets to experience REAL freedom, without any guilt-ridden choices about being irresponsible and all that crap.

But all good things must come to an end it seems, and all thats left now is to pack up, go home, and get back to Form 6.

There shouldnt be a reason why he should want to go back to form 6, being a month behind being the chief reason, plus form 6 just some how reeks of lameness. Yet its nice to know that he's going back to familiar territory, which goes a long way to helping him fit back in. Which is also strange because he's been living there all his life, fitting in shouldnt be a problem, but when you know what you're missing, having to reconcile yourself with the fact that you're a mouse in a wheel again, makes it alot more difficult to even want to fit back in.

Then again, finally being able to watch football again, and gorging on roti canai and chicken curry with milo ice, damn, its worth forgetting about paradise for. Never shall he take Malaysian food for granted again, NEVER.

Plus, he remembers longing for the time he will get back with his crazy bunch of AFS-ers when they parted ways, and now it will be only a week form now that they will be finally reunited, he cant help but feel that getting the heck outta here cant happen any faster. 3 days in DC, and 3 days in Malaysia again. Gosh he loves those guys.

So what now? All thats left is the farewell parties, and the movie dates with friends, and yadayadayda, the 6 month adventure comes to an end.

Where does the time go?