Driving, Drama, Ham.

Well, that was an eventful few days.

I finally took my Hazards test (so I can take the final driving test now). Hurray! I've only had my Learner's permit for 5 years.

Saturday was the next grand event. Med ball, Alice-in-Wonderland theme. My long green dress made me look like a big, beached green whale. I've gained too much mass to wear the silver blazer with it. It was still fun getting dressed up, though, glittery heels and plum coloured lipstick.

I was a little apprehensive about the whole thing. I don't like being around people when the alcohol has been flowing. I don't like seeing them say or do embarrassing things, revealing the defects in their character like it's a hilarious pride-worthy quirk. I also found out that it's very stressful being the sober person in a group. Not that it wasn't fun; I was with an awesome group of people, the food was okay and free soft drinks - kinda hard not to be happy with that much sugar and fizz in your system.

The night did end on a slightly less celebratory note. We needed two taxis to get all of us back home, and managed to hail one. One member of the party was really anxious to get home, so me and another female friend were left behind to wait for another taxi. It was dark, the middle of the night, and the centre of a not-so-friendly city. We waited ages on the roadside and on-hold to the taxi service, and eventually just walked into town to find a taxi. I know that I am a strong independent woman of colour who don't need no man and all of that, but you don't leave people alone in the middle of the night. It's not nice.

I am trying not to remember that as the defining event of the night. On the night I felt like I'd had a really good time hanging out with some fun people, but now I'm not too sure. I wasn't comfortable with some of people's activities, I don't drink alcohol and so witnessed everything with the clarity of a sober mind, and the heels made walking a tad difficult.

Anyway. Sunday was over in the blink of an eye. I walked down to the shops and splurged on yoghurt and pasta. The longer I am away from my family, the easier it gets to become caught up in my own world. But it also means that the moments I miss them are even harder; it's literally the little things, like asking my sister's opinion on an outfit, getting my youngest brother to help out when I'm cooking, hearing the sound of my family as they go about their lives, seeing their books in the living room.

Sigh. My brothers are growing up and my sisters are progressing through life and my parents are busying themselves and I'm alone in my room. I know I shouldn't waste my time day-dreaming when I could be living in the moment and making things happen. I catch myself every now and again, and I do try. But there seems to be some fundamental flaw in my character that stops me from being proactive and productive. And I know that the flaw is my fault and that I need to accept it and address it. And I don't know why I'm not.

And finally, last night's drama with meals from the residences' cafeteria. We get three compulsory meals a week (can't opt out of it), and there was drama earlier in the year because the uni advertised halal food but there was none available so my housemate and I had to resort to eating salad three nights a week. They assured as that the situation would be rectified, and since then halal food is available every now and again. The food isn't great, but it's food.

Anyway, so I get take-away meals, and I always write down 'halal' under the options, and last night was some sort of lasagna thing, and when I took it home I found a huge slab of ham in it.

That's right.

Ham.

Not cool. I understand that it's the staple diet of a large portion of the world, but I'm a Muslim and pig products are big deal in the forbidden list. I emailed the lady in charge of our residences. I wish I'd used stronger language. Like, of all the things to give, why would ham be okay?????

Blah. I hope I get out of the meal plan. I'm tired of eating over-priced salad (the food is basically less than acceptable) and being iron deficient and feeling yucky. That's right, I, a 23 year old educated woman of science and learning, just used the word 'yucky' to describe my feelings.

I think that's all for now.

Peace and love, 

S.