Jin Yee's Birthday 2022

Dear Jin Yee,

Congratulation on making to the end of this scavenger hunt!

Click HERE to view your best present:

Loves,

meLodyyap

时隔两年重回家园

 上飞机过海关前的那一刻我的心情

就跟当初过来美国留学一样,

不舍得这个地方与人物。

感谢所有帮过我度过任何难关的人

（家人，朋友，亲戚）

谢谢你们带给我的温暖，

让我身在他乡也饱受温情！

想当初从马来西亚过来的路程有多远多辛苦，

万万没想到回家的旅程更煎熬，

飞票被取消，签证快过期，三趟转机，

核酸检测，十四天的隔离，

与及全程戴上护目镜，手套，N95口罩的心酸。

但我想回家的意愿都陪我熬过这些，

终于回到来啦，想你很久了，马来西亚！

早上4点的早餐，无敌感恩Tony妈妈给我做的平安面线<3

飞机上的第一餐

从美国LAX到日本Narita机场的路上有两餐，吃第一餐的时候饿了感觉有配菜非常丰富。吃完还有冰淇淋和零食但我没要冰淇淋，因为已经饱了，而且我得在7分钟内吃完，不想在封闭空间长时间不带口罩，太危险了，虽然那一趟很少人，大家都隔很远。我可以伸直腿躺着一排睡觉也很舒服了。

另一天早上第二餐比较朴素

入住酒店送的小零食

日本航海给的小零食

隔离十四天真的超级无聊，带的东西不多，不过也不错啦，拿来调时差。一星期就适应了这边时间。最后一张是办理退房的时候拍的，因为第一天凌晨四点一进去就没出过来（除了血液检测），没看见那么好看的lobby。很庆幸我回来了，以上是我回家的感想。

Loves, meLodyyap.

My last post as a student!

  14th December 2019 officially marked the end of my university journey, I became a University of Wisconsin-Stout graduate! I have finally completed my degree in Real Estate & Property Management concentrated in Retail and a minor in Business Administration with Magna Cum Laude (CGPA 3.87), two Chancellor's Award and two Dean's list award at this university.

Time flies and I could not believe all these happened in a flash. I started preparations for graduation back in summer this year, I applied for graduation, booked my guests ticket for the ceremony, got my gown, purchased flight ticket for my parents, as well as planned for the ultimate trip with my parents the next day after the ceremony. Not only that, I have also got my graduation photos taken by my friend - Carol in late October before the snow start falling and the sky turns grey (it happens alot during winter in Menomonie). I have been looking forward to this day for a long time!

I found this at my work place, so sweet of them!

My parents arrived at Minneapolis International Airport (Minnesota) on the night of 13th Dec, Tony and I picked them up from the airport and went out for a dinner together. It was the first time they met each other, everything was smooth. We drove home for an hour and 30 minutes, the roads were slippery as it snowed at the afternoon, the dawn also turn the water on the surface into ice when it gets below 0 degree Celsius. The next morning, we took them for breakfast at one of the typical American breakfast chain - Denny's. My dad missed the pancakes and the hash brown (it is different from the hash brown we have in Malaysia) the most, he has not eaten from Denny's for years, for your information, my dad loved Denny's when he was attending university at Ohio about 20+ years ago.

For the first time, they visit my "home" for 1.5 year. It was super cold that day (for them), they requested to walk around my apartment building and guess what they came back after 10 minutes saying that it was too cold to walk outside hahahah, it reminds me that I stayed outdoor for 45 minutes on the first week I arrived Menomonie. My mom helped me to curl my hair using my roommate (housemate actually but they called it roommate in USA) - Jessica's hair curler. I did the make up by my own, brought them walked around the school and get everything ready before 1pm.

S for Stout was carved with ice at the hall.

This was taken in front of my apartment building.

This was the building that I had most of my class.

Look at that amount of snow, at least 15 inches accumulated.

We made our way to the ceremony venue which is the Johnson fieldhouse, where I met up with the rest of our class. There were approximately 750 graduates for Fall 2019. We had to wait quite a while for the commencement to start but time went quickly as we were all just too excited. It started with us standing up for national song, several speech from the chancellor, dean of college, and student speaker. It was surreal when the host called my name and I walked up to the stage with my hand shaking. I was so nervous that when I hug my program director, my graduation cap fell, and I clearly hear my friends shouting at the audience seats hahahah. Such an embarrassing moment. I then quickly pick it up and proceed in collecting my certificate, check the video here, sorry for the bad quality. They took my graduation picture right before I get off the stage, fortunately the photo turned out to be not so bad. I bought two pieces home eventually. I watched the rest of the ceremony, it was lovely to see my course mates to get their diploma on the stage. They directed the graduates to a court for reception with food and drinks provided after all the student has done. Looking at my photos I realized I look terrible with my cap on so bear with me hahahah.

Got these pins from one of my professor.

I bought those flowers and wrap it by myself because the florist here sucks.

Can you believe my foreigner friend found my mom without meeting beforehand?! I never introduce them to each other! I guess we just look very alike hahahaha!

From the left: My program director - Fredderick Prassas, Myself, My professor - John Sobota, Tony, and another professor that I do not know.

Once outside. I found my parents and my friends, received warm greetings, cards and gifts from them. It made my day knowing that they cared for me so much. It was such a surprise that I also received a gift from Jin Yee on that day! Thank you and it means a lot to me. I spent the evening celebrating with my family at Applebee's for dinner and the night with my friends. Tony bought a cake the night before, it was a tiramisu cake which is my favorite! My parents and I depart from Minneapolis to San Francisco the very next day even though it should be my final week. However, I have completed everything I needed and spent the rest of the month with my beloved family at California. To check out our trip, please stay tune for my next post. 

Shout out to Jin Yee for being the sweetest friend!

Now that it's all over, I have had the time to reflect and really take it all in. It is absolutely a day I will never forget, I feel so lucky that I was surrounded by some of the most important people in my life, cheering for my new chapter of life, who made the day even more special. A huge thank you to all my friends and family for always believing in me and supporting me no matter how. I wanted to share this day with you as you have been a part of this journey. Through my years at Stout, I have experience so much. I am proud to say that it has made me into the strong, independent, confident woman I am today.

For the birthdays I have missed, the people I could not be there for and for everyone who has put up with me for this long, this is for you. Happy graduation to myself!

Loves, meLodyyap.