Home Sweet Home

I can’t stress how much I loved my home, although there are many things which are different now. I finally get to sleep in my bedroom I longed for, the one where I will immediately feel sleepy once I enter it.

I also get to finally touch my beloved PS2 which I didn’t even have a chance to see it for almost half a year. I got to finish some games for the sake of accomplishment before I leave it again.

And my cute white Myvi too. I thought I would have forgotten how to drive after walking for so long in Adelaide. I only got the chance to sit in a car twice in Adelaide so far, and I wasn’t even the one driving. It’s really good to be carrying myself wherever I like to go again. I can’t believe how fast my memories just sip into my brain again, and in a few seconds, all my good and bad habits of driving came back again.

Lastly but the best of all, I get to eat some real Malaysian food. I am sure that is the thing I missed the most when I was away. Things can’t get any better with such nice food whether it’s at home or outside! I’m just glad to be back. I even put on 2kg in one day after I got back!!

On the other hand, I have to stop myself from being so greedy. I shouldn’t miss my life in Adelaide. It is obvious that I cannot be in two places at once, I got to remind myself of the meaning of opportunity cost. I have to forgo the moments I can spend with my dearest friends in Adelaide so that I can enjoy my part here. I hope it would really be worthwhile coming back over for such a short period.

Return

Now I have finally returned home safe and sound. It is indeed good to be back, even if it’s just 3 weeks.

I was really looking forward to this initially, but not anymore when it comes to farewells. Sometimes, I even thought of not coming back so that I don’t need to encounter so many farewells. The feeling of missing people is so hard and painful. I wouldn’t need to experience so much of that if I don’t travel back and fro.

A world without family would make friends so much more important and valuable. And when I leave that world, my heart felt like being pierced by a thousand swords as I think about those friends every once in a while. I dare say Shu Yi, Jeffrey and Eric, I wouldn’t have been alive right now if it wasn’t for you all. Spending my memories with you all did helped to distract me from some of my problems. But now that we’re separated, I just realised I need to be more independent in facing my problems.

I have to admit that what I missed most in Adelaide is those magical moments that I spent with you three, and Su Ling. I just hope that our friendship can remain strong despite the absence of each other.

I guess I just need to force myself to keep looking at the bright side. I am back home to enjoy with my family, relatives and all my beloved friends. I will leave those emotions of missing you all till I get back to Adelaide. After all, it’s not like “you’re gonna miss me when I’m gone”.

Not Football Fever, But Exam Fever

My first ever final examination in Adelaide is just 1 week away. I am trying my best to race with time and hopefully, I can win it by finish revising everything before the exams.

Long-hours studying really causes some side-effects on me. I get so emotional after that, and pessimism just sips into my fragile heart. This hasn’t been the first time, and the main cause of it is always me being “last minute”. If I hadn’t always leave a subject till the end to prepare for, I wouldn’t be so suicidal.

• 1st semester – Introduction to Management
• 2nd semester – Introduction to Law
• 3rd semester – Communication and Information Systems in Business

These are the subjects that made me forgo all others and I always spend the whole study break going all-out for it. Now, things just get worse when this 3rd semester subject is a combination of two textbooks – Communications & Information Systems. Usually, people study both of them separately, and now I am studying it in less than 2 weeks.

What’s more is that every time I am preparing for examinations, there would be some distractions which makes me sidetrack from revision. The first semester was the Astro Star Quest 2009 which I was so enthusiastic with, and I spent the whole revision period managing Alvin Chong Fan Club – www.alvinchong.forumotion.com. The second semester wasn’t too bad with some events by Taylor’s Accounting Club. Now the third semester just gives another blast with Kelvin Yeoh’s Taylor’s Students Support Group. I am part of the committee and here I am again creating a forum– www.tssg.infodiscussion.net.

Let’s just hope that the end result would be the same as the previous semesters. Good luck to everyone preparing for exams!

Tea Tree Plaza - Adelaide’s Shopping Heaven

Yesterday, I spent the whole day at Tea Tree Plaza, a shopping mall in Adelaide, with Vernon, Shu Yi and Eric. It’s been three to four months since I’ve stepped into a shopping complex. Memories of Sunway Pyramid and Mid Valley swept by every step I took into the multi-storey indoor complex.

Another AU$15 was spent on a movie ticket. This time, it’s Prince of Persia. Luckily, it did not disappoint me. I’m satisfied with the story overall although everything seems so predictable to me.

As winter drops by officially now, I am being pressured into a treasure hunt for winter wear. What’s more is that sales are everywhere! But sales only meant that prices are reasonable in Ringgit sense. This makes shopping hard as I always find myself stuck in the centre between nice but expensive clothes and cheap but awful clothes. I have not much time left before I turn into an ice-stick. This will prove to be a difficult challenge when I now have 13 more days to exams.

Su Ling’s Birthday Celebration

For the past 2 days, I have been busy preparing and celebrating my best friend’s, Su Ling’s, birthday. Her friends and I gave her a surprise party at her apartment during midnight of her actual birthday. This is not the first time we give surprise birthdays to our friends. But it certainly is fun. The feeling is certainly satisfying when I see her so happy and touched with what her friends and I prepared for her, such as inviting friends and planning for the celebration. It is indeed really rare that I have this satisfaction derived from other people’s happiness, and this is one of them.

I just went to Glenelg, a town beside the beach, to have a buffet dinner in conjunction with the celebration. Time really passed so fast during happy moments. But I don’t know why my emotions just changed to the opposite once it ended. I guess my time is up; it is a better decision to concentrate on preparing for my exams which is in 2 weeks time.

Assignment Danger

I have finally finished all my assignment for this semester, with the finishing touch on Quantitative Methods in Business.

Bad things have been happening recently. The worst one is about my friends in Taylor’s who got accused for conducting plagiarism. This happened in Introduction to Law, as well as Financial Accounting 2 where we were required to prepare a full company’s annual report all on our own hands. I just wish them the best of luck so that they do not fail and repeat the same course.

Now that made me really worried about my own assignment. I have a bad feeling about my CISB assignment which I have mentioned in the last two post. I noticed that a part of my assignment which was done by my group mate is sort of a copy-and-paste version of information on a website. I obviously got no time to change everything, but only able to include a bit of in-text referencing into it to reduce my chances of being caught plagiarism. I just hope everything bodes well in the end.

Post-Vesak Day

 After market, I’ve went to Adelaide’s temple for prayers in conjunction with Vesak Day. I suppose this is the Australian spelling of Wesak Day. Its structure looks wonderful as you can see. It even seems like an imperial palace. The temple is located quite far and it is so inconvenient to go there. Lucky thing I had Eric and Shu Yi as companions. Everybody else seemed so tied up with their studies that they did not want to go. I almost catch a cold for travelling there as it was raining throughout the journey. I’ve never seen so heavy and long rain in Adelaide before.

I managed to Skype with my family and my relatives came over to “their” house. I’m glad that my cousin, Wei Li got the JPA scholarship to study her A-levels as well as the 6-years medicine degree in Poland. Like wow! Congrats to her!

I ended my night by watching Digimon Tamers with Jeffrey. It really brings back memories, but the beginning part of the series is a bit boring. Hope it gets more interesting soon so that it is worth my time watching it. After all, getting to spend time with him is worth the time.

My Most Productive Day in Adelaide So Far

What a tiring and shocking day for rushing my Communications and Information Systems in Business 2500 words report. I managed to finish it right ON the due time of 5pm. I am pretty worried as I never get to check through one-fifth of it, and I did not do the Introduction and Conclusion of the report. I’m just glad that I successfully submitted right on time, but I’m not too sure whether it’s considered on time since I submitted at 5:00:10pm.

Jeffrey cooked half of the dinner and it’s his second time. The food was great and I really hope I can be like him soon. Night turned out fun for me as I get to play Kingdom Hearts, but it wasn’t too good for Eric and Su Ling who each wanted to be alone for that night. I hope they are okay now.

I have one last assignment to go for this semester which is Quantitative Methods report. I hope all goes well for this one, unlike the one above. After that, I can prepare for my final exam which is in 3 weeks time. Yeah, time does pass swiftly.

Roxas-Motivated Diary

After playing Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, I have been inspired to change my blogging concept to a short and simple diary, like what Roxas usually do.

Today, my Communications and Information Systems in Business tutor, Ms Kathy Darzanos complemented someone in front of the whole class about being the best presenter who showed great confidence and connection with the audience. Although she didn’t mention the person’s name, I am very pleased with myself because she personally told me the same thing a week before that. I felt acknowledged by the fact that at least I’m not fully being discriminated by the locals here.

Tonight’s Aikido was one of the best as we applied the skills we learned so far and had a good practice on break-falls. After that, Vernon brought me to Pancake House along with our Aikido partner, Sam. This is the first time I’ve been here despite staying right above it for 3 months plus. I really loved the Dutch Chocolate Fudge pancake topped with vanilla ice-cream.

Immersing Deeper into South Australia

As you can see, this is my second post on the tranquil city of Adelaide. But it wasn’t all that calm as there was a mild earthquake here with a magnitude of 3.2 on last Thursday night. Oh, and at this very moment is the first time I see such heavy rain here.

Well, I shall begin with my second analysis on the lifestyle here which would be slightly different from the first one, after getting to understand more in the past 2 months. Time really flies! Before I head on crapping about philosophy, just have a look at some of the things I have been through the past few weeks.

The girls (Su Ling, Sylvia Wong, Christabel Tan, Goh Zi Ling, Winnie Wu) in one of my new friend aka senior, Zi Ling’s 21st birthday party

Home-made lamb chop by my housemate, Chin Keat (eaten by him, me, Gan Soon Keat, Sylvia and Danny Tan)

Photo of me at the park along Torrence River, taken by Danny who is one of the professional photographer who came along

Crazy things I did with my friends during my 2-week mid-semester break:

One of my cycling partners, Victor Lam (we cycled for a distance of 30km to Henley Beach just for Fish N Chips)

The other cycling partner, Lim Shu Yi, who is the organiser of this insanely tiring and fun trip

One of the many horses along the cycling track by Torrence River

First thing people do when they reach the beach (now you may guess the location of the first photo of this post)

It’s me and them along the almost deserted beach

Cakes and apple strudel (the overrated must-eats) at Hahndorf, a German village in South Australia

Me with red-leaves maple trees of Hahndorf

German platter at Hahndorf Inn, the most famous dish in the most popular restaurant in village (everything was fine except for the pork leg which was so damn fattening until I felt like puking on every bite of it)

Shu Yi, Lam Yee Teng and Victor who went along the once-in-a-lifetime trip (as I will never go there again)

The whole gang of us who include Shu Yi, Khoo Sin Kuan, Cheong Wei-In, Victor, Yee Teng and me going for the trip

The 3D movie that I watched in Norwood cinema costing me AUD22, equivalent to 11 student-priced movies in Malaysia

Speaking of this movie, I really like Sam Worthington’s acting. He has the heroic attribute and his acting potential really brought him up to his success now. I found that it is fate I get to watch all his movies in cinema not knowing that he was the main actor before entering the screens. First one was Terminator Salvation where I watched with Boon Kuang. Second one was Avatar where I viewed it with Cassandra, Wen Han, Lai Yenn, Jon, Sam, Aunt Jeannette and Aunt Kay. Third one is this with my new close buddy, Vernon Foo, Chan Wai Meng, Bob Ooi and his friends. All his movies were really worth watching and had impacts which blast into my memories. Moreover, he is an Australian, and I hope I can meet him in person one day!

The best concert in town which I have missed, I guess you all should know who is she (tips: she’s an Alejandro who dances in the dark, then she telephones you to give you a bad romance, lastly she uses her teeth to eat your heart like a monster; I hope after you found out the answer, you don’t get too happy until you could die because it would just leave me speechless)

Okay, now the part for those who have the intention to come over to study:

Studying over here, specifically in Adelaide or even University of South Australia, gives you the greatest opportunity to be exposed to the widest variety of cultures. It is not only the Aussies you would be expecting to mix with, but with all other nationals. You will have to learn not only the Australian accent, but also learn how to understand every single person’s unique accent. For me, I have a Pakistani lecturer and a Nigerian tutor for Management Accountant, a Spanish lecturer for Communications and Information Systems in Business (known as BIS back in Taylor’s), and a Korean tutor for Financial Accountant 2. These were only the lecturers. How about my course mates? They do come from all places. Depending on how outgoing you are, you will be interacting with all kinds of people. It really feels like this is an international city. In my case so far, I have friends from Venezuela and Vietnam known through Aikido classes, from Turkey through random conversation in the library, from China in tutorial classes, etc. It is really a blessing to have this kind of exposure as you would not get it easily if you stay back in Malaysia. This exposure would give you an edge in your future like employment, for instance.

I think what I said in the first post would scare some of you off when I mentioned the vast difference between study life here and Malaysia. Actually, if one sticks to that mindset, that person is described as having ethnocentrism. This means that we tend to believe that our culture is always right and others are always wrong when they differ from ours. I’m sure you have learnt that from Communications, just like me. We should always be open to new cultures and adapt to their teaching style. So what if they expect us to be more of an independent undergraduate? No spoon-feeding is something we should not hesitate to learn, because it really becomes helpful when we come out to work in the near future.

Another major difference is that local students here tend to speak up often in tutorials. They don’t just sit down and let the tutor talk throughout the class, and this is what the tutors expect from their students. International students who are new here would normally freak out when they listen to how properly put the grammar and elaboration of the locals here when they voice their opinions. This is another chance for us to improve ourselves. If you can learn and follow their attitude of being daring to speak up, it will definitely boost your communication and interpersonal skills which sets you above your other competitors in workplace next time.

I’m sure most of you who are reading this are studying in an institution very near to your home, and you hadn’t get the chance to live outside your home. So coming here would seriously provide you with much learning experience about life and independence. Living independently also tests your Emotional Intelligence, being street-wise, discipline and determination in whatever you are doing. You will learn a lot about life like handling relationship problems and study problems more independently, making new friends, spending and financial controlling, time management, taking care of yourself such as cooking and buying groceries, etc. This is because living without your parents means you are out of their control and you have the freedom to do whatever you like. And then, self-control and mind consciousness play a very important role so that you don’t do anything ignorant or harmful to yourself. This would really then test whether you are easily being influenced by the friends or people or environment around you or not. It will also make you aware of the importance of time management like how much time you need to spend in studying, controlling your entertainment time, using time efficiently in doing housework, etc.

All in all, I guess studying here is a two-edged sword. You will need to be wise in what to follow and what not to follow. You need to be aware to always step out of your comfort zone if it means improving your self-development. If you can do it, life over here would obviously change you into a better person. But the opposite does happen if you fail to realise what is good and bad; fail to resist the temptation of harmful doings; or fail to step out of your comfort zone like constantly hanging out with your Malaysian friends only or just sitting down quietly in tutorials without voicing out your opinions unlike the Aussies.

I apologise for having too formal English when typing the post, now that I realised it’s no different than a Communications textbook. I hope it did not bore you or drowse you to sleep. That’s all for now. Oh, if you still do not know who is that performer in the concert, it is Lady GaGa. For those who love her, please feel free to visit http://www.safm.com.au/radio-gaga which is an online radio channel that plays only her songs 24-7.