Melb update - Monash, City, Home
This is going to be a majorly long post. So have fun reading/looking at the pictures if you last all the way. Like I said, I bother to go to much detail is more for my family. Well, school starts next week - don't think I'll have time to post like that anymore! Oh yea - hi family. I dreamt that I was back in Singapore with Siew, Mei, Wei :D < 3
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Like I've mentioned, I'm seriously really blessed here. Aunty Lucia and Uncle Oliver bought me a shelf! After laying out my things, I wondered how I fit all the stuff in my room into my 32kg check-in luggage and 10kg hand-carry.
This is part of Aunty Lucia's garden.
When you look closely, you'll notice the little funny creatures - a gnome, a turtle, a few angels here and there etc. Quite amusing.
Aunt Lucia also grows some vegetables, which I have been nourished by. Tomatoes, a few corn, chillis, lemons, zucchini, and a few others. Her zucchini is good stuff man. She gave Ida one and she and Ivy were so amazed by it.
There are also pretty roses in the garden! I'm not one to admire flowers very much, but I do think her roses look good - I didn't edit the photo colour! Besides these, there are yellow and light pink ones too.
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I haven't really taken many pictures of my school. Actually, most of the pictures you see in this post were taken today. So okay this is part of my school, Monash University (Clayton Campus). Apparently the Menzies building which is the Arts building which is 14 storeys high used to be a landmark cos... it was so high. Which is kinda sad. I mean, 14 storeys and it was a landmark till not too long ago? :/ haha. But well, this is Australia and not Singapore, the land of high-rise buildings. Unlike us, Australia does not quite lack land.
Here, I'm sitting at the bus loop (where most buses go through so it's convenient) which has nice green benches. It takes me about 10 mins to walk here from home.
The numberings of places here are queer. For example, the lecture theatres - I walk down the building and the theatre numbers I see are 6.. then 9.. then 4.. then 7. That sort of thing. We've got a great Campus Centre - banks, post office, phone services, cooked food, mini asian grocer, bookshops - so that's convenient. There's even a Monash shop which sells merchandise - makes you feel a bit like a tourist! The cheapest umbrella there is an icky A$24. I might need to buy another umbrella cos the one I brought from home is only good for Singapore weather which is not as windy as here when it rains - my umbrella overturned the other day. haha. There are Monash coasters, jackets (somehow it's pink, when the school colour is blue), shirts, cups, pens, postcards. Gee.
Monash Uni's Student Association has a newspaper thing called Lot's Wife. When I first heard of it I thought to join because it'd be quite interesting to help with design and writing. But when I picked one up, I didn't bother to read through it much in the end cos it was really quite crappy. Basically, it dissed many things - was a totally negative paper, so it was very tiring to read. My friend said not many people bother to read it. I'm not surprised. Quite sad, actually, for something that could be better used.
I've been having orientation. They call orientation O-week. And it is nothing like orientation in Singapore. Here, it's more informative. For international students, we had talks which were quite essential I guess, if you've been quite blur and haven't had a good agency to tell you stuff about your visa and health cover and all. But for me, I had a good agent - Glenn at IDP! haha. So the talks were boring. So I was drawing. But yes I paid attention too - I can multitask :P
Do click on the image to enlarge it so you can read the text and find out more about the talk by the Victoria Police. Uncle Peng Leong (I hope I spelt your name correctly!), this is for you, cos you said I should post more drawings. haha. I don't draw very often, though I try to so that I get some practice.
I thought the Faculty of Arts orientation was actually going to be fun. But again, it was informative. We had a mock lecture and a mock tutorial. Like, huh. haha. So in the mock lecture, I listened to talk about pandemics.. flu.. SARS.. don't really know what the guy was talking about cos I was only half paying attention. I think we were supposed to learn how.. lectures work. er. yarrs. okay nvm. :/ So it was quite sad.
About speaking, here, firstly, they have an Australian accent. I can comprehend it, just that.. I was telling some people I need to listen to non-Australians every once in a while so my ears don't get tired. Secondly, the lecturers I've heard so far talk really softly into the microphone so I have to strain my ears to listen and it gets tiring. When I first came, Aunty Lucia kept saying, "Yea.. yea.. yea" in response to me talking. And two days I go, I caught myself saying "yea" to someone in that way and I thought, "Crap". haha.
I've made friends. You really need to take the initiative to make friends. It's amazing how so few people take the initiative, even if they're by themselves. When you go to a new setting, just sit beside someone, instead of leaving the seat in between empty, though sometimes it's tempting to be anti-social and just be by yourself. But the result of making friends is so much better, though taking the first step may be awkward. Yea. And just say hi and introduce yourself. I guess it's a bit harder within Arts Fac cos from what I saw, 90% of the students are locals - it's easier to make friends with another lone Asian you see. Most Asians here are doing Business, Commerce, Medicine sorts.
Sorry if I've made Monash sound bad. But I don't mean it's bad! It's just.. I don't know.. it's quite amusing in a way, how orientation was run. I appreciate their efforts, but I know it could have been better. Maybe I should go make a change! ha. ha. haaa. I've joined the Singapore Association of Monash (SAM - yes the acronym on purpose) and one christian campus group for one session. Will check out others like OCF and Campus Crusade (known as Student Union here) too. Mei tell Ma I met Mark and Susan from Wesley!
I had a free two hours so I visited the library and read a bit about sociology (which is what I'm studying). At first the book seemed quite chim. But once you start to understand the stuff, it's not so bad. And it's actually interesting, thank God. I ask from God wisdom and understanding for when I study! Anyways, I looked under the shelf of the library table I was at and found these thingies under...
Chewing gum. Multi-coloured, too!
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Since school is starting this coming Monday, I should play as much as I can these few days right? haha. The Wesleyans met at Joel's for a BBQ. They wanted to have a Nintendo DS (and Wii) Party but some had to go home early so it's been postponed to Saturday night. No, I will not get a DS (haha).
Went to the the city today and DD, Val and I had lunch in Chinatown at Shanghai Dumplings - my third meal out, in my 11 days here. Interestingly enough, though the place is called Shanghai Dumplings, the noodles were the ones that tasted nice - the dumplings were mediocre.
Spent the rest of the afternoon with Dawn. We hung out together so much in Singapore, of course we can't stop, now that we're in Melbourne. But we'll be less free since there's school. Was just thinking how it'd be so cool if the rest of the awesomes like Ken and Roy and all were here so we could explore Melbourne like how we did China about two and a half years back.
Visited a cool art shop, book store, and a shop with odds and ends. You know, each time I walk into a bookstore/stationery/kids store that's really cool, I just grin. Gosh. It's terrible if I'm alone cos people might think I am mad. haha. But I can't help it.
When I grow up (upper than now), I'm going to buy lovely toys and books for my kids. (But they will really be for me.) (muahahaha).
Readings is like Borders in that it has Books, Music, Film. But it sort of feels like it's more "indie" in a way.. not so big and business-like like Borders and Kino. But cosy. And very cool. And with a lovely collection, including books with pretty covers. Mei, you will like.
Okay last stop was ice-cream at Freddo's at Lygon Street which was pretty good. Mango and some fruity thing for Dawn, mango and nutella for me. Too bad no vanilla. But anyway. We sat in the quite cold outside with the occasional gust of wind blowing plant-type thingies like leaves at us so we had to shield our ice-creams from getting things stuck on it. It was fun :)
I have never taken so many pictures at one go in my life.
Okay maybe yes. But maybe not. Eh hokay.
If I do not stop eating sweets, I am so going to get a sugar overload.
-
Like I've mentioned, I'm seriously really blessed here. Aunty Lucia and Uncle Oliver bought me a shelf! After laying out my things, I wondered how I fit all the stuff in my room into my 32kg check-in luggage and 10kg hand-carry.
This is part of Aunty Lucia's garden.
When you look closely, you'll notice the little funny creatures - a gnome, a turtle, a few angels here and there etc. Quite amusing.
Aunt Lucia also grows some vegetables, which I have been nourished by. Tomatoes, a few corn, chillis, lemons, zucchini, and a few others. Her zucchini is good stuff man. She gave Ida one and she and Ivy were so amazed by it.
There are also pretty roses in the garden! I'm not one to admire flowers very much, but I do think her roses look good - I didn't edit the photo colour! Besides these, there are yellow and light pink ones too.
-
I haven't really taken many pictures of my school. Actually, most of the pictures you see in this post were taken today. So okay this is part of my school, Monash University (Clayton Campus). Apparently the Menzies building which is the Arts building which is 14 storeys high used to be a landmark cos... it was so high. Which is kinda sad. I mean, 14 storeys and it was a landmark till not too long ago? :/ haha. But well, this is Australia and not Singapore, the land of high-rise buildings. Unlike us, Australia does not quite lack land.
Here, I'm sitting at the bus loop (where most buses go through so it's convenient) which has nice green benches. It takes me about 10 mins to walk here from home.
The numberings of places here are queer. For example, the lecture theatres - I walk down the building and the theatre numbers I see are 6.. then 9.. then 4.. then 7. That sort of thing. We've got a great Campus Centre - banks, post office, phone services, cooked food, mini asian grocer, bookshops - so that's convenient. There's even a Monash shop which sells merchandise - makes you feel a bit like a tourist! The cheapest umbrella there is an icky A$24. I might need to buy another umbrella cos the one I brought from home is only good for Singapore weather which is not as windy as here when it rains - my umbrella overturned the other day. haha. There are Monash coasters, jackets (somehow it's pink, when the school colour is blue), shirts, cups, pens, postcards. Gee.
Monash Uni's Student Association has a newspaper thing called Lot's Wife. When I first heard of it I thought to join because it'd be quite interesting to help with design and writing. But when I picked one up, I didn't bother to read through it much in the end cos it was really quite crappy. Basically, it dissed many things - was a totally negative paper, so it was very tiring to read. My friend said not many people bother to read it. I'm not surprised. Quite sad, actually, for something that could be better used.
I've been having orientation. They call orientation O-week. And it is nothing like orientation in Singapore. Here, it's more informative. For international students, we had talks which were quite essential I guess, if you've been quite blur and haven't had a good agency to tell you stuff about your visa and health cover and all. But for me, I had a good agent - Glenn at IDP! haha. So the talks were boring. So I was drawing. But yes I paid attention too - I can multitask :P
Do click on the image to enlarge it so you can read the text and find out more about the talk by the Victoria Police. Uncle Peng Leong (I hope I spelt your name correctly!), this is for you, cos you said I should post more drawings. haha. I don't draw very often, though I try to so that I get some practice.
I thought the Faculty of Arts orientation was actually going to be fun. But again, it was informative. We had a mock lecture and a mock tutorial. Like, huh. haha. So in the mock lecture, I listened to talk about pandemics.. flu.. SARS.. don't really know what the guy was talking about cos I was only half paying attention. I think we were supposed to learn how.. lectures work. er. yarrs. okay nvm. :/ So it was quite sad.
About speaking, here, firstly, they have an Australian accent. I can comprehend it, just that.. I was telling some people I need to listen to non-Australians every once in a while so my ears don't get tired. Secondly, the lecturers I've heard so far talk really softly into the microphone so I have to strain my ears to listen and it gets tiring. When I first came, Aunty Lucia kept saying, "Yea.. yea.. yea" in response to me talking. And two days I go, I caught myself saying "yea" to someone in that way and I thought, "Crap". haha.
I've made friends. You really need to take the initiative to make friends. It's amazing how so few people take the initiative, even if they're by themselves. When you go to a new setting, just sit beside someone, instead of leaving the seat in between empty, though sometimes it's tempting to be anti-social and just be by yourself. But the result of making friends is so much better, though taking the first step may be awkward. Yea. And just say hi and introduce yourself. I guess it's a bit harder within Arts Fac cos from what I saw, 90% of the students are locals - it's easier to make friends with another lone Asian you see. Most Asians here are doing Business, Commerce, Medicine sorts.
Sorry if I've made Monash sound bad. But I don't mean it's bad! It's just.. I don't know.. it's quite amusing in a way, how orientation was run. I appreciate their efforts, but I know it could have been better. Maybe I should go make a change! ha. ha. haaa. I've joined the Singapore Association of Monash (SAM - yes the acronym on purpose) and one christian campus group for one session. Will check out others like OCF and Campus Crusade (known as Student Union here) too. Mei tell Ma I met Mark and Susan from Wesley!
I had a free two hours so I visited the library and read a bit about sociology (which is what I'm studying). At first the book seemed quite chim. But once you start to understand the stuff, it's not so bad. And it's actually interesting, thank God. I ask from God wisdom and understanding for when I study! Anyways, I looked under the shelf of the library table I was at and found these thingies under...
Chewing gum. Multi-coloured, too!
-
Since school is starting this coming Monday, I should play as much as I can these few days right? haha. The Wesleyans met at Joel's for a BBQ. They wanted to have a Nintendo DS (and Wii) Party but some had to go home early so it's been postponed to Saturday night. No, I will not get a DS (haha).
Went to the the city today and DD, Val and I had lunch in Chinatown at Shanghai Dumplings - my third meal out, in my 11 days here. Interestingly enough, though the place is called Shanghai Dumplings, the noodles were the ones that tasted nice - the dumplings were mediocre.
Spent the rest of the afternoon with Dawn. We hung out together so much in Singapore, of course we can't stop, now that we're in Melbourne. But we'll be less free since there's school. Was just thinking how it'd be so cool if the rest of the awesomes like Ken and Roy and all were here so we could explore Melbourne like how we did China about two and a half years back.
Visited a cool art shop, book store, and a shop with odds and ends. You know, each time I walk into a bookstore/stationery/kids store that's really cool, I just grin. Gosh. It's terrible if I'm alone cos people might think I am mad. haha. But I can't help it.
When I grow up (upper than now), I'm going to buy lovely toys and books for my kids. (But they will really be for me.) (muahahaha).
Readings is like Borders in that it has Books, Music, Film. But it sort of feels like it's more "indie" in a way.. not so big and business-like like Borders and Kino. But cosy. And very cool. And with a lovely collection, including books with pretty covers. Mei, you will like.
Okay last stop was ice-cream at Freddo's at Lygon Street which was pretty good. Mango and some fruity thing for Dawn, mango and nutella for me. Too bad no vanilla. But anyway. We sat in the quite cold outside with the occasional gust of wind blowing plant-type thingies like leaves at us so we had to shield our ice-creams from getting things stuck on it. It was fun :)
I have never taken so many pictures at one go in my life.
Okay maybe yes. But maybe not. Eh hokay.
If I do not stop eating sweets, I am so going to get a sugar overload.
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