Fate's Plan

Michelle left for Singapore today. This is a very interesting and bizarre story that I must share. It can pass off as an episode in a drama serial! Michelle came from Singapore all by herself to help a friend in need here in NZ. Her friend is called Terry. Terry's family migrated to Auckland from Singapore 3 years ago. She recently left home to live on her own because of some problems with her family. So, she's going through a rough patch, struggling internally as well as trying to make ends meet on her own. Because of all the many things that were and still are happening in her life, she felt really depressed and lost. Upon hearing that she left home, Michelle wanted to fly here immediately but Terry refused to let her and ignored all her emails. Finally, Michelle gave up the thought of flying here to look for Terry because it would have been impossible to find her without knowing where she's staying. After that, Terry started to talk to Michelle again and reveled that she was staying in the city.

Shortly after, Michelle flew over to Auckland City to look for Terry without her knowledge. Tricky huh? Anyway, she found Terry and since then (about 2 wks ago), she's been helping Terry settle down in her rented room and helping her buy the necessities. How we got acquainted was thru Alex. Alex and Michelle were JC classmates. By chance, Michelle found out after arriving in Auckland that Alex was also in NZ and so met up with him. So happened, we were meeting up with Alex to have lunch at a Japanese restaurant too and he brought her along. From then, Michelle stayed with Yeefang, Tze Chia and Chao Chia and we have been hanging out with her since.

I really admire Michelle for what she did. I mean, it requires so much courage for a girl to go to a foreign country all by herself, with no clue of where exactly her friend is staying. I'm impressed by the strength of their friendship. How many friends would go all this way!! Her coming has made me reflect on myself as a friend. She made me realise how BIG a difference one can make in the lives of their friends when they are in need or in trouble. Now, I will certainly go the extra EXTRA EXTRA mile for the friends and family that matter so much to me.

I am also in awe of Terry. She is only 19 this year and she's fully independent now. She's earning money to put herself through university. No doubt, she is taking the student loan, but paying for rent, daily expenses and food is a big feat! (and this is on top of going for lessons and studying and volunteering! yes, she does volunteering as well!) We went to visit her place and it is a really dodgy place. The rooms are old and the environment is very bad. When the lift door opened, we were faced with this unshaven guy who looked like a homeless tramp who was waiting to get into the lift. These are the kind of people who are her neighbours! I really fear for her safety. Terry is really brave through, she’s fine with where she is staying and even made friends with the dodgy looking neighbours. Even then, I think that she should consider moving some place else, after all, the rent there isn’t exactly very cheap, it is $150 per week.

Terry doesn't have many close friends here in NZ so she's really just depending on herself. We want to include her into our activities so and be there for her when need be. She has expressed so many times that she has never been so happy in a long time and she feels as if she's been transported back in time to when she was schooling in Singapore. What is sad though, is the fact that we will not be here for a long time and it seems that all this is just transient for her. Because of that, she's afraid to get to close or rather be too reliant on us emotionally for fear that she would not be able to handle the loss when we eventually return to Singapore. I feel really sad wrt to this point too. Michelle did suggest bringing Terry back to Singapore but Terry does not want to go back. She's very into the Arts and the Arts scene here in Auckland is more vibrant than in Singapore. Hence, she wants to stay here for that. How I wish she could come back to Singapore with us. What I hope for now is that the internal turmoil within her will soon die down and she can be lifted off the emotional burden. I am not sure of the exact situation of what is happening in her family but I do hope that her parents will come and look for her soon. She deserves so much more, she deserves a warm happy family.

Dinner at our place. Daryl cooked lasagna. There's Terry at the extreme left corner and Michelle is beside here. And yes Yishu, Terry is a girl.