So I break my self-set spending rules for 2 days

Hey hey!

I know, it is like ages since I last blogged. Pretty lazy these days to actually start writing despite being in the much-needed mid-sem break of my first semester. Uni was hectic for the first half so I think it's good timing to pause and rest for two weeks before the much crazier second half comes by(I have utmost confidence it will be a lot crazier--> statisticians would say there is no 100% confidence in this world but I'm very very sure about it).

Harvin came down to Sydney all the way from her "kampung place of working" for her graduation. Bravo I would say coz she actually planned out her trip so nicely despite the hurdles in the public sector, oh you know how those people can sometimes be extremely annoying in granting approvals for what is seen as 'reasonable causes' for a leave. It was really nice spending time being a 'shopping advicer' for two days, catching up on the recent events in M'sia, gossips among the Cohort 2 TESL people (LOL), see how she is now being an official cikgu, and also practise my skill in converting everything in dollars into ringgit hahaha. I guess that pretty much makes up for it as I won't be able to attend the graduation ceremony due to my up-coming Hunter Valley trip.

I wonder how am I gonna cope with working in M'sian public sector one day when I need to go back to serve out my contract? Sometimes I just wish I were a self-sponsored with everything in my hand, choices of career path, companies I want to work in, the task that I am passionate with etc etc. But the reality is my family can never ever afford an overseas education (not even if they take out a loan, honestly) without any subsidy, thus I really should count myself lucky for making it to Australia for my tertiary education.

If it weren't for the likes of Ng Yi Liang etc who scored well in SPM 2004 and appealed very hard to JPA on their rejected JPA scholarship application, and Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting who fought hard to obtain additional places for us (I don't care if he did it out of political considerations or not, the fact is he DID it), I would probably end up completing my A-levels under ASEAN scholarship and be stuck in S'pore for uni and career. I do like S'pore very much, but I was more keen at that time to take up an opportunity in Australia coz it's a western country.

For now I honestly don't feel like leaving university yet! Life being a uni student is just oh so good --> most important realisation from my 2-month internship at CIMB last year. There are many out there who can't wait to leave uni and start earning $$$. Different people I guess, but not me.

In a strange way, I love Macquarie University despite the crazy workload every semester. Stressing over an up-coming test, struggling to catch up with the pace of lecture & tutes, 'admiring in awe' the different styles and personalities in the Department of Actuarial Studies and insane students who are so not like human (e.g. W.h.Choo, L. Nichols, J. Poon etc). On a lighter note, the GLP program has so much fun, sadly I don't always have the time and $$$ to join their exciting program and meet more people. I wish I could have gone on a volunteer program, or join their overseas symposium or go on a short-term exchange, but only manage to go for a Canberra one which is much less expensive than the others :( Ultimately, $$$ still matters. Sigh.