Wednesday, July 30
It has been awhile since I last posted on this blog and it seems like eternity since I last saw you guys physically. The most obvious reason is that I am so far away from you guys in terms of distance. By the time I come back for the Summer, some of you would already be in the United Kingdom furthering your studies. This is not what we want or choose but it is how life's journey of development takes us unto.
As I post this, my holidays are nearly coming to an end and I would begin the new semester in four days time. This last 7 weeks of holidays has been eventful albeit being a little boring at times. It all started with the stressful procedures of applying for a casual job. Unlike Malaysia, Australia has a standard procedure on how you apply for a job. No arguments, no bending of the rules, everything is written down in black and white. First you either apply online/hand in your written resume, then for some, you have to take an IQ equivalent test and then only you would get your interview if you are successful. After all this, I am now currently working at Maccas ( McDonalds' Australia) on a casual basis. Before you are able to become a full time staff, you have to undergo orientation and some training sessions.
Working in this multinational company has taught me a lot on efficiency. Because McDonalds is fast food company, everything happens very quickly. As like any other companies, we depend on mostly turnover. That is how we maintain profitability. This job can be stressful at times but also enjoyable. I have worked in the kitchen at McDonalds' and now would be moving in to a cashier role. For the mean time, I would be balancing work and studies. The best thing about working with McDonalds is that because I am a full-time student, they are quite flexible with me. I would work once a week in the university semester because I have only 3 days of university in the next semester.
My worklife aside, life has been generally good. I have been kept busy by having church meetings, cell retreats and lunches with friends and family. In fact, just this weekend ( 25th-27th July), I went down to Mandurah, which is approximately 68.3 kms south of Perth. I went on the retreat with 14 of my cell group mates. We had a good time of fellowship, and praising God and learning His Word. However, I felt sick on the 2nd day of the retreat causing me to be to feel under the weather. We went to the town to eat lunch on the 2nd day, eating fish and chips and other stuff. Then we had another time of sharing with Pastor Jason and dinner. The thing is with Mandurah, the sky is as clear as the night, therefore, you are able to see the stars and the planets very clearly. After dinner, we went outside to marvel at the Lord's creation. He who created the stars and the moon and all the planets did a terrific job. I saw what most people only see in textbooks or at planetariums. I saw Saturn with its rings, Jupiter with its three moons and equators. Random facts: Jupiter's equator is so large that you can fit 11 Earths side by side. There is also a sea in Jupiter, which is called Uropa.
That has been practically my entire holidays. Oh, besides university and work, I am also involved in the church production, Imagining Christmas, which would be held on September 13th at 7.30 pm. It is at the Octagon Theatre at the University of Western Australia (UWA). Till then..=)
Labels: :: Update from Perth::
Thursday, March 20
The title above pretty much sums it all up. After 5 weeks of toiling, stressing and being on overload due to university studies, my university is giving us a "break", which is supposedly a time where we catch up with our studies and all. It is known as a non- teaching break. My start to this holiday would be tomorrow,21st of March 2008. For your information, I would be traveling around country Western Australia, which coincidentally is tomorrow. To be precise, I would be going up north to Bindoon, which is approximately 90 kms, north of Perth. This is for a church youth camp. Oh yeah, the double demerit points and triple fines for driving offences have been taken in to effect since today (20th March). My older brother would be driving. I would post up some pictures and give you guys an update when I come back on the 24th of March.
Five weeks on, I have finally settled down in Perth and actually find it conducive to study and relax at the same time. I really enjoy university despite the heavy workload. My experience so far here has been good because of the very many relatives that have taken good care of me even when my parents went back to Kuala Lumpur for awhile. My mom's aunty (who is single) is my primary guardian at the moment. I feel also very pampered and in my aunty's words "spoilt rotten" because I hardly do anything except for my frequent afternoon walks, study, take buses and trains to and from university, bathe, eat, do assignments and projects. This makes me feel lazy in the sense that I hardly help around the house compared when I was back in Malaysia. Thanks to my beloved brother who has made the transition all the more easier for my sister and I in adjusting to life in Australia. Which brother actually pays for your lunches without asking for money from you, doesn't complain when you want to go somewhere and to lunch on Sundays without fail after church and ferries you back home although it is in the different direction? My brother lives alone as his university is too far away from our house in Perth. By the description above, undeniably we three (my sister, brother and I) are a close-knit bunch. This is very much so, but we do have our fair share of sibling squabbles.
Our church family here has made me very glad that I made the decision to come to Perth. They have embraced me as one of their kin and really have been a blessing to us newbies, being my sister and I in settling down in Perth. They help in every way possible and unimaginable. Their hospitality and fellowship has been an eye-opener as well as unforgettable. For example, the mother of one of my friends in church actually sends us to church every morning, they even take us to school and university and shopping. My new university mates have been amazingly wonderful, which is meaningful and eventful to me.
As you can see, I look like I am having a blast in Perth. Of course so, but then again I miss my parents back in Kuala Lumpur and I can't wait to see them in a month's time when they come back to Perth. Also, I miss you guys a tonne back home. Nothing can ever replace you guys, you guys are one of a kind despite of the new friends I have made during my short time in Perth. Since I'll be only back in December, I guess I consider Australia as my new home because I spend more time here then I would back in Malaysia. As Thomas in his previous post aptly puts it, please do try and come over to Australia for a visit. A plus about living in Australia, the internet broadband is so so fast like 100 Mbps thus making downloading music files and movies so fast ( that is why they probably have limited bandwidth each month):).
Labels: :: Update from Perth::
