Friday, February 26, 2010
26th Feb 2010
Today is a good day. The only bad thing is that the weather is too hot.
Woke up and decided to skip on the 2nd host group meeting and went to do grocery shopping instead. FYI, in Melbourne, as mentioned by Jessica, she says to try to do whatever shopping during the weekdays as the prices of goods are twice as expensive on the weekends. So, I went to Aldi, apparently some things are cheaper here than at Woolsworth—their NTUC, and bought spiral pasta ($0.99), 3L fresh milk ($3.05), Traditional whole meal bread [750g] ($2.49), 1kg vanilla yoghurt ($3.79), whole meal crackers ($1.99), box of 32 pantyliners ($2.39), 14 pads ($2.49) and an eco-bag for $0.89.
Came back around 1pm and put everything down and finished up the remaining milk in the fridge with cereal as lunch. Set my timer for 2pm as I need to make a trip to the bank to enquire about my debit card. Reached the bank and liaise with the customer service officer and he could not locate my card. When I applied, I requested to collect the card from the branch and somehow, the message was not properly relayed and it ended up being sent to my hostel. Luckily, my mail was in the hostel’s mailer corner.
After I went to the bank, I went to the MDHS—Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences Centre to meet my student advisor on my credit standings. As I arrived there much earlier than the appointed time, I used the open access computers and view my time-table. Apparently, I have been given credit for the Chemistry and Calculus. So, I don’t have to study these two subjects. The newly enrolled Japanese is in and there is PRACTICAL for it. Huh?!
Met up with the student advisor and she told me of the credits and I had to fill up a form to indicate that I have reduced load of study for this semester and as I have credits, in the 2nd semester, I have to take two breadth subjects. But, all in all, I have to study here for three years as I have not studied biology before. Is it possible for me to start direct in year 2?
After meeting the student advisor, I dropped by the school bookshop and bought the necessary items for the biology practical package ($28) and the Unwired modem for internet ($39).
Came back to the hostel and put everything down. It was almost 5pm and I had to make dinner. So, I took out the chicken bones and let it thaw. I then started cooking at 530pm. Planned to cook chicken rice for dinner, but I did not have any ginger or pandan leaves or sesame oil. So, I added garlic and added some lemon juice to the rice as substitutes. The chicken rice was tasteless. There was no hint of chicken rice at all. Failed project.
Next, I made cream of broccoli. I boiled some water and added salt, pepper and oil. Added in the broccoli and let it simmer until the broccoli turns soft. Finally, I added some milk to give it a creamy colour and dashed Italian herbs into the soup and set it to high heat to boil and voila, it’s done. The broccoli soup was not bad. I still can taste the broccoli and the herbs.
After dinner, I came back to my room and start to setup all my stuffs. Looked through my mail that I picked up from the mailer room which includes my debit card and the receipt of the rental bond I paid which can be claimed after my stay here. I then activated both my debit card and the internet. The internet plan I chose cost $19.95 per month that allow 5GB of data usage (1GB for peak hours and 4GB for off-peak hours). Why does Australia have this sort of policy to their internet?
FYI, peak hours are from 4pm to 12am and off-peak hours are from 12am to 4pm. Times are all stated in Melbourne’s time. Also note, there will be daylight saving from April due to the coming winter and the time difference will be shorten by 1hr.
Glanced through biology practical notes and saw…. I have to do a dissection of a RAT! Procedures: Collect a rat from the cage. Pin the rat and cut through the centre of it. Faint~ Not only rats. Apparently, there are frogs, rabbits, etc…
Although I have seen live demonstrations of frog, rabbit and rat dissection in my secondary school, I have not done it by myself. My bro was saying that he too had to do dissection in JC. Pray hard that I don’t feel nauseated and better still; do not faint!
Forgot to mention; yesterday by chance when I was watching TV, I saw an episode of the new season of Ghost Whisperer. Wow. The main actress now has got a son in the show. A five year old boy.
So, end of today’s entry. Do see you online!
Be Enlighten | 9:26:00 pm
25th Feb 2010
Today, I went to the campus with my laptop as planned. First, I went to sit for the Japanese exam. The very first thing when I walked into the theatre, they shoved me with test papers—a questionnaire form and a blank paper for essay writing. OMG. Essay writing. I have not written a single one before. The title of the essay was my most memorable experience in 2009. I wrote about my 21st birthday but I had forgotten how to write many of the kanji and ended up writing it in hiragana. The second part of the exam was full of sentences and it was to test our understanding of Japanese sentences. I can understand almost all of them. But, I can’t write and speak. My JLPT exams didn’t require that. In the end, the lecturer graded both my essay and the understanding and had to refer me to another lecturer for consideration—Problem: Very good understanding but messy essay writing. Also, told the lecturer that this was my first time writing. In the end, the lecturer placed me in class 4A. The most advanced level and I am to attend the class and should the class be too tough for me. I will then request for a transfer to a lower level class.
Due to the Japanese exam, I missed the other academic skills lectures and went on ahead with my plan to use the wireless network in my campus. I had problem with the connection and had to consult with the student IT centre in the school library. Just a note, the campus has got many libraries and each subject books are located in the respective subject buildings. Meaning, should you need to borrow biomedical reference books, you will have to head over to the Brownless Biomedical library to borrow and etc. So, should I need to borrow a particular subject book, I will have to head over to the respective school to borrow.
Finally, I have configured my laptop to use the wireless in the campus. Pros—I can go online, watch shows, play facebook. Cons—I cannot access to msn or skype messenger. So, I surf the net and see my student email. This school people like to relay messages via the student email and thus flooding it. I really do have to check it every day. There are pre-lab and lecture hand-outs which I have to go through before lectures and I have to know how to use a compound and dissecting microscope at this stage! Please someone help me! I never studied biology before and I am advancing at such a fast pace.
Checked my email and facebook and logged off to return back to hostel at 2pm since my laptop battery is dying too. Tidied up my place a little as my friend, Jessica was coming to visit my place. Came back and saw that no one was at home. Poked into the fridge to grab some strawberries to eat. Then, my housemate came back with the management. Apparently, she also locked herself out of her bedroom. Lol. Refer to my past incident.
Also, the other tenant came back to the hostel with her mum and I overheard from the Jap housemate that the other tenant was moving out and the mum came to help move the furniture and stuffs. So, that means the entire apartment belongs to just the two of us. Cool. Lots of room to myself. Pray that no one else moves in. Praying hard.
Jessica came by at 330pm and the management called me to pick her up at the office. Apparently, she approached the management and the management disagreed to help her with the security to the block where my room is located. Also, she had a problem with her bond.
She walked around my room and understood why I was so complaining about it. She also agreed. In fact, she also thinks that since I am paying more than her for rent, I should have more facilities and a better environment opened up to me.
We then set-off to the Melbourne city basically QV Square where she show me all the places to buy my stationeries, toiletries and etc. for a cheap and better price. Saw a ‘The Body Shop’ and went in. The prices of the items there are the same in SG but here the prices are in AUD. I will lose out on the conversion rates. She then bought me to shops like Priceline—our Watson’s, Target—our Giordano and the Reject Shop—our Econ minimart. She also told me that I can take the red-coloured tram to travel around the city and it’s free.
After that, I stopped by her place, which is slightly away from the Melbourne city and closer to the quiet areas. I went to her residence in which she is staying and it is a place like a communal kampong. Like those in traditional times where they have low level houses and big central courtyard. She resides in one of the unit’s room. Her unit is shared with five other people and it’s a full house. There are two rooms on the ground floor with the kitchen and up the stairs on the second floor, there are three rooms and the bathroom and toilet. In which, five people have to share one bathroom and toilet. Isn’t it troublesome to climb up and down the stairs to use the washroom or the kitchen?
Stayed at her place for a while and she lent me her goggles and dvds to watch. Hopefully, she remembers to pass to me the equipments and furniture in which she doesn’t need after she completes her studies this year.
Lucky for her; she has got an aunt who is living in Sydney for more than twenty years. So, there will be no problem for her should she have any cash flow problems as her aunt can pay on her behalf first. Also, her aunt taught her many things and in turn she told me about. Like for an example, the tax file number which I am suppose to register. As apparently, she says, the interest of the money earned from the bank will be halved if I did not get a tax file number. So, I guess this number thing must be useful. Although, I don’t think they will tax me when I don’t have that much fund like Jess.
Tomorrow, I have a 2nd host group meeting at 1030am and I have scheduled to meet my student advisor at 330pm for the credit standing results; also, I have to make a purchase for the unwired (internet) modem and my subsequent lab manuals and kits which I have to purchase.
Also, if I have the time tomorrow, maybe I will go to Aldi (Supermarket) to replenish my milk and bread. If possible, buy some pantyliners.
P.S. To my mum: I have not found any face mask that I can buy. I can’t seem to find any local brand and the brands that I see are all the brands that are sold in Singapore for the same price but in AUD instead of SGD.
I can buy the propolis before I come back. I found a shop that sells it cheaply. Do you also need lanolin cream? ~1010pm entry.
Be Enlighten | 9:23:00 pm
Thursday, February 25, 2010
With the dreaded internet connection here, I am using the campus wireless to upload.
Please don't flood my chatbox. Do use the comment function.
Cheerios.
Be Enlighten | 10:17:00 am
24th Feb 2010
Woke up earlier than usual today as I had course orientation and subject briefings to attend. Luckily for me, my lectures hall are all just two streets down from my accommodation, so basically, I need just ten minutes to walk there.
Listened through the entire briefing and realized that I have a lot of online things to do before the lectures, tutorials and practicals go off at full steam. Worse, my internet is not set-up yet. I guess tomorrow, I will have to bring my laptop to use in the school compound after I attend the Japanese proficiency exams. I have got to bring some food along too.
Also, I have got to get lab manuals and microscope kits for the practicals. Just a question, why is the calculator not used in Calculus? Unless, all the questions they have for the exams are not to be solved with an absolute answer.
Asked a girl who sat beside me during the briefings. She came from Hong Kong and that she studied in a high school here before attending the university. That’s a common answer. Even the girl that I know from China, studied in the Australia high school before attending the university. I am so unique. So, I can’t relate to them well. Why is there no one like me who just flew into Melbourne last week to study? The number of Singaporeans is so few too. I can’t seem to find or know any of them.
After the briefings, I went with the China girl—Nancy (let’s drop the offending term), to the computer labs and took down my time-table. Apparently, most of my lectures are overfull and I can’t change them. Took the chance to checked and clear my yahoo mail. Browse through the unwired broadband option.
Later, I had to drop by Wilson Hall to get my student diary and my student card. My face is horrible; and why can’t the photographer let me know that my glasses are tinted and have them taken off? So, you can basically imagine how my card looks like. The student diary? It’s like my primary or secondary school diary. The difference is that, instead of having printed quotes or proverbs on every page, there are all sorts of advertisements in place of it and I really do mean all sorts of advertisements.
Then, I was given a slip of outstanding school fees for the semester. Damn. Isn’t 10k enough? Now, I have to feed them with another 1.5k to top up by the first of March. Now, my funds in Aust. Dollars will not be able to last me for five months. It would be shorten to three months, I estimate.
I had to attend a course briefing at 1.30PM for the Calculus 1 module that I enroll for. Reached the theatre ahead of time and had to wait outside the theatre. Then, I heard Aussies discussing and the sudden mention of biomedicine bachelors being not useful. I was pretty shocked and actually I was swayed by it. Truthfully, though I have a keen interest in the medical sciences, I didn’t really like the idea of coming here to study. First, it’s expensive. Next, it is a complete different place, culture and lifestyle. Finally, I have to look over everything by myself. But, there was no other place to get a Bachelor as I was not able to enter any of SG’s Universities and the Bachelors are like the benchmark in occupations nowadays.
I like travelling to places and countries to learn their culture and lifestyle from time to time though. But, one will get first-hand experience if they lived here for a period of time and I have ruled out Melbourne.
So, I will have to grit my teeth and face through it. The days here are pretty boring. I don’t understand how the people live here and what they do. I don’t mean to offend but if you are in SG, you will understand. Though they have the mixed cultures and vibrancy, the vibe and feel of it is different in SG. There is a missing element which I can’t seem to pinpoint out.
The Calculus module in which I have enrolled is still in doubt and the student advisor has not gotten back to me yet about my credit standings. What am I going to do? Lectures are starting soon and I’ve got to get lecture notes and etc. and the modules I am to take are not confirmed.
Now, I am back in my room and I am having a headache caused by the outstanding school fees. I can’t pay them yet either as my debit card is not ready. Argh, I hate money issues. Money really messes up everything. Worse, the inflow is cut and the outflow has got leaks.
I hope my three year can be shortened and I can go back soon with a Certification. ~8pm entry.
Be Enlighten | 10:17:00 am
23rd Feb 2010
Today is the orientation host group day. Thanks to mobile phones and my mum, I managed to locate my host or I will be wondering here and there.
Apparently, in my group there are majority Aussies, I suppose. Since most of them are not of my skin-tone. We started off with a tour around the school campus and she showed us the building and libraries of each specific type of reference books. And in the midst of the tour, I got lost with the directions of certain locations like the tennis courts and areas like the professors walk.
Made an observation of the people in the group and realized that the Aussies have very typical Asian characteristics---Kiasu-ism and fanatic about freebies. During the orientation, there are many booths set-up and students gathered about in flocks queuing for the freebies of pens and candies. It’s not a bad thing that they know how to save their money on stationeries.
Another note of observation; why does joining clubs and society costs money? In SG, I believe I didn’t pay that much or any at all to be a member.
There will be another host group meet-up on Friday at 10.30AM. I will be attending to see if the others have queries since I have none that I can think about at the moment.
Last note of observation; there are many Hannahs and Sarahs in Aust. Finally, my name is unique here. For better or for worse, they can’t pronounce my name and it’s not even a Chinese name in the first place. In SG, every year, there are like three or more Charmaines in the level. ~ 1.35pm entry
There was leftover rice from dinner yesterday. So, I decided to make fried rice to eat. My fried rice was full of garlic so it was not that good.
My co-tenant then lent me her dvd of Japanese anime—Baccano! The characters were many characters in this anime and a lot of gruesome scenes too. Basically, it’s a movie that involves mafia, murder and the immortal elixir.
Then, it’s sleep time. ~10.45PM entry
Be Enlighten | 10:16:00 am
22nd Feb 2010
Today, I had to make a trip to the campus as I have made an appointment at 2pm with the student advisor for the modules I am to enroll. Also, I need to ask if I can be awarded with credit standings. Hopefully, I can get it so that my term here will be shortened.
Breakfast is bread as usual. My co-tenant will be making dinner tonight. She says she will be making hamburgers. Not the western style but the Japanese style, meaning just pork patties with vegetable salad and miso soup. ~1pm entry
Met with the student advisor and is back. She told me to fill up some forms for credit standing and told me to come find her in a few days later as she need to review the forms and with the syllabuses which I had previously submitted when I enrolled. Hope for good news.
Still haven’t decided on any internet providers yet. Called my mum and asked her to help me google search for some providers and their plans available.
Oh. My co-tenant just called me out for dinner. It’s 6.15pm and I didn’t realize it. Bon Appétit. – 6.17pm entry
Just showered and packed my stuffs for the orientation host program tomorrow. The hamburger patties were okay. Like meat balls that my mum usually make sometimes. Questioned her about the miso soup she made as the Japanese make the soup not only with just the miso paste only (I just found out some time back while watching some food program in SG). She didn’t add bonito flakes but another fish known at katsuo (direct pronunciation). Apparently, you can add whatever you like into the miso on top of just the miso paste; but never the miso alone.
Oops. She made a big pot of miso. Most likely I will be eating it tomorrow again; refer to the curry story.
Saw the news on TV. The weather will be slightly cooler tomorrow; lowest at 15 degrees and highest at 25 degrees. Also, on another note, the Aussie dollar seemed to have rise. Made a calculation on budgeting and calculated that my funds in the bank can last me for another five months; be it rental or telephone bills. Now, it’s the internet that matters the most. What plan am I going to get?!
Just a random thought for the day; how do others, like me, feel when they are studying abroad? ~11pm entry
Be Enlighten | 10:15:00 am
21st Feb 2010
Today, as planned, I made a trip to Chinatown. Purposely made a detour and finally found Chinatown. Went to a Chinese grocer and stocked up on geiji, nanxin beixin, a packet of soup mix and dried mushrooms. I can finally whip up soups with the condiments bought.
As usual, ate toast with cheese and tuna with a bottle of milk for breakfast before going out.
Now it’s 1.50PM here and I’ve marinated chicken to braise with the mushrooms for dinner. It’s my turn to cook dinner tonight. Hopefully, I can make something decent. I tend to be an over-imaginative cook and once I am in a trance, the food can come out disastrous.
It’s much cooler today. Maybe someone heard my complaint and made the weather better. Thank you whoever up there. ~2pm entry.
Just set my chicken and mushrooms to braise. Hopefully, it turns out well. Changed a step though as I didn’t have any ginger and added in Italian herbs instead. Next, I will be boiling the broccoli and toast the diced capsicums. I have never tried this way of cooking before either. Shh…don’t tell it to my housemates.~6.20pm entry.
Finally, it’s food tasting time. My food is bland. The only heavy tasting food is the mushrooms in the chicken and the toasted capsicums. Also, my co-tenant didn’t like the taste of geiji. I became an expert with the broccoli as I boiled it in a wok of water and some oil. After the broccoli is cooked, I took it out and soaked it in iced water; like the pro chef on the variety cooking show shown in SG. A note of observation, the Western chef should infuse some Asian cooking methods and ingredients to their cooking.
Whoever heard my complaint has finally showered me with a cool evening. I can feel the breeze and my mum messaged me to tell me that it’s 4.50PM over in SG and she is heading to my grandmother’s place when I have finished taken my dinner at 7.50PM and preparing to bathe in two hours time. ~ 8.21pm entry.
Be Enlighten | 10:15:00 am
