We Close The Curtains

Before opening this window, I had so much to say about a multitude of different things. I had plenty of things running through my head when I walked through my room door, knowing that I had no obligations to face, no timetables to meet, no assignments to hand up and not having anything else to do with the university for the rest of the year. I also had thoughts of my friends and lecturers whom I will not be seeing. Some for the period of the winter break, and some for a very long period of time. But as soon as I opened this window, all those thoughts suddenly became a garble of unintelligible information and now I don't know where to start or what to say.

Sitting on this carpet, with my laptop in front of me, it feels like the first day I landed here. I don't know how to describe it but everything feels like it is new. The weather was just like how it was when I first got here. The room feels empty and un-lived in, like when I first got here and to some degree, I'm even feeling some feelings that I only felt when I first got here. I don't know why, but this is just how it is.

As always, saying goodbye is not an easy thing to do. Like always, we feel a tinge of sadness and a slight bit of fulfillment all at the same time. Sad because I might not get to see some of my friends here for a very long time. Diego has gone back to Spain and Gauthier will be leaving pretty soon. Perhaps the only time that I'll get to see any one of them is when I visit them in their home country or when they come and visit me wherever I may be at that point in my life. A sense of fulfillment because, after all, it has been one heck of a great ride and I will forever cherish and remember the great times we had. I felt that way when I first left Malaysia. As time went on by, I did start to get used to the idea of being far away from the ones that I love, but no matter how long time goes on, there will always be one thing that will remain constant: my fondness and admiration for each and everyone that I have had the privilege to call my friend.

Now that the end of the first step of a journey that I've long dreamt of has finally come to a close, I can now look back and smile my widest and give myself a good tap on the back. True, I haven't yet achieved all that I have set out to do, nor have I met the goals that I have set for myself, but I will look up with pride and honor that I tried my hardest and fought my best and anything that comes after this, I can only learn from. But now, I can finally say that I've survived a semester at Embry-Riddle and I know now what it is like to be a student of the best aerospace university, anywhere in the world.

Speaking these words, it is only appropriate that I spare a thought for a friend of mine who like myself, started a whole new chapter on the same date I started mine. Her name is Elena. I hope she too had a good and fulfilling time, as I did mine.