Monday, June 20, 2005

~Saying GoodBye~

1
Tonight's our last night here in GIST; as we'll be leaving for Seoul at the brink of noon tommorow. And as I cramp in the last of my many clothes into my already full luggage I can't help but reminiscence the journey we have taken and the paths we've made as well as the incredible acquaintances whose lives we've crossed with. Looking back, I can safely say that we did okay. Not incredible, but just a simple adequate okay. We may have not been able to make a huge significance in GIST but we sure did leave our mark on many, many lives here.
2
Earlier this morning I bid farewell to my labmates; those whom I have shared their wisdom with, those I've been blessed to be with for the past two and a half months. Saying that our goodbyes didn't left my eyes tingling and my emotions awry was indeed far from the truth. The thing is, sometimes you just don't realise how much someone means to you until it is time to let go, and I took experience of this first hand today. Of couse, miraculously the parcel Andi sent me from KK arrived earlier this week, and so I was able to give all my labmates souvenirs to remember me by. So little that I know that they were also planning a suprise farewell party for me. And to think that they just forgot I was leaving....
3
Anyways, they bought me a cake with my name on it; along with a tub of Baskin & Robbins ice-cream as well as a huge watermelon. Yup, a HUGE watermelon. That's what Koreans stray after every hot summer. It's strawberry in Spring, watermelons in Summer. We talked a lot about life after GIST, as well as who's gonna be married in a few years time; whether I'll be coming back to do my Masters - you know what I mean. That final gathering made me realised how much I'm gonna miss them once I continue onto my life after all this. I gave each and every one of them their gifts, exchanged thank yous and heartfelt gratitudes, and left with Jo who also just said her farewells to her labmates.
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We departed from the Life Science Department with a note saying how much we appreciated their warm welcome and sincere kindness throughout our internship; attached on their bulletin board as well as in the elevator. It's the least we could do...
5
Later that evening we had our farewell dinner with the Director of CISS (Centre of International Students and Scholars) Prof. Wang and GIST's present Chairman, Prof. Ra at Gran Piatto Italian restaurant just across town. We talked about our experiences in GIST and frankly speaking it didn't turn out so bad after all. Prof. Ra was indeed suprised with our feedbacks and was definitely pleased, and I'm sure Prof. Wang was too. Anyways, to cut the evening short we have a wonderful dinner and it concluded in two hours time. Not being forsaken by our Muslim brothers, Farhad and brother Shah indulged us in a small gathering to honour our internship completion after Isyak prayers at 10pm. Cik KB was there too. It kinda felt that we're rather thought of and cared over a lot of people, and for that we're so thankful for. We enjoyed the gathering and cakes they brought over and spent the rest of the wee hours of the night with Farhad chatting. By now I'm just about ready to get to bed.
6
There've been a lot of things happening during the concluding days of GIST's 10th anniversary; all of which I promise to tell once I get back to Malaysia. I don't think I'll have the chance to blog when I'm in Seoul. However the sure thing is this - this internship will indeed have a place in my heart and the people I've met will always be a part of my life. I cherish each and every individual we've befriended here, be it Pakistanis, Koreans, Indians, Vietnamese, Chinese, Taiwanese or even Bangladeshis. Collectively all of us are a part of a huge family, a family that'll forever leave a mark in my whole existence.
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To all those people, kamsa hamneeda.
8
-JeP

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