Limitations & Latitudes

Thursday, April 29, 2010

The one in a foreign land...

Hi there. Back again and this time I will be putting up the few photos I have taken while here in Austin. I guess I can divide them up into three main categories - one set being the shots I took when I first arrived, including the trips back home and right up to the time when Jo and Ethan came over here for a holiday in November last year. The next set would be the fun photos of that holiday trip here of which I had uploaded quite a bit on my FaceBook page. Then there're the photos from then till now.

Its been pretty much a roller-coaster ride for me so far. Many ups and downs, getting used to first - the excruciatingly unpredictable Texas weather, the culture, idiosyncrasies and habits of Austinites (as opposed to Americans in general) and the work environment of a truly home-grown, hard core Austin company. Whatever said and done and taking all the precious moments and the frustrations, I don't doubt this was a good decision. For myself and for Jo and Ethan too. I just have to make sure I do the opportunity justice.

Oh well, enough drivelling on, here are some photos (older ones). Enjoy!

My first flight into the US...
Taken at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport - its a vending machine like no other!

The DFW is one of the newest and swankiest of US airports

The welcoming sign that the gruelling over 30 hour trip is almost done...

Austin, capital of Texas. The Capital building is larger than the Federal Capitol in Washington DC. Why? Cos' everything's bigger in Texas!

A view of my apartment which turned out to be nicer than I expected. This was to be home away from home for the next one year...

The kitchen equipped with the standard necessities - fridge, stove & oven, microwave, dishwasher...

The main bedroom. I was given a two-bedroom apartment and this was the one I chose to be the main one

The attached walk-in closet.. Jo approved...

My first meal in Austin. My work colleagues went shopping and bought me some food from Whole Foods and the local supermarket HEB...

The main living area of the apartment, nice TV and sofas but thats all there was. Taken on 22 July 2009.

And the same scene taken on 4th November 2009, just before Jo and Ethan's trip here. The plants do help.

The outside view of my apartment. Arrow marks the spot.

A spectacular Texas sunset...

Saturday, April 03, 2010

The one which is LONG overdue...

Oh wow! Its been just over a year since my last blog entry. And they were all photos anyway... such laziness! It would take me ages to update the happenings of the last year so I won't. I will assume those who need to know about what's happened to me will already know and those who don't - well, so there.

One major change which I will have to speak about briefly is that I have changed profession, joined an American Multi-National company and have been based in Austin, Texas for the last eight (8) months on a training stint. It will be August this year before I will make my way back to Penang to work in a new start-up there.

What all that really means for this blog is that the very title of the blog "Limitations & Latitudes" will have to take on an entirely different meaning. When I started this blog, I wanted to depict and record my life's milestones. At that time, I was a spritely 39 year old who had never travelled to any country ABOVE the 20degree North latitude line! My life, my knowledge and my experiences were all limited by that latitude line.. hence the title of my blog!

Well, in one foul sweep.. I managed to find my way to Austin, Texas... which is earth shatteringly located on the 30.17degrees North line! I made it. Broke the artificial barrier. In many sense of that phrase and in more ways than one. It has been a learning experience like no other and without being overly dramatic - life changing.

The emotions, the trials and the intrigue which all played a role in my mental growth these last eight (8) months need not be documented. I am sure anyone out there can understand if not emphatised with all that I have had to go through. Suffice to say, it's been quite a ride but I will remember to tell myself now and then.. "Hang on Eugene, there's more to come!"

Here are a selection of photos to fill in the gaps from when I last blogged...

Ethan trying to start 2009 with a bang...