Schmasian

The chinese shopkeeper of the convenience store looked at me curiously.

"Are you Vietnamese?" she asked
"No, I'm Indonesian"
"Where?"
"Indonesia"
"Oh, sorry. You look Asian."

She was surprised that somebody from Indonesia would look Asian.

I was confused and was about to say something, but then decided not to.

Swing.

Having endured lectures peppered with high level intellectualism that I am not entirely sure I grasp, and classmates who not only have opinions but know how to tailor their opinions so as to sound extremely competent, uniform levels of diligence and concentration everywhere I go, and grades that could have been better... I suffer bouts of insecurity (although I am told this happens to absolutely everyone). I swing from confidence and drive to pitiful helplessness and apathy from one day to the next.

So this is just for me really, but I'd like to put this down in writing and to the (virtual) world as an engraved reminder of my utmost basic principles that I should just stick by, period.

1. Ikhtiar. (Do Your Absolute Best)
2. Tawwakkal. (Ask God To Do The Rest)