A day in brisbane (written on 19 Feb 2010)

The air is warm and humid, the typical tropical weather after heavy rain.. water particles suspended in the air, making it heavy and sticky.. it feel bizarre to adjust to this weather again, after three consecutive month of hot dry air of Canberra and icy cold rain, when it rains.

Breathing in.

Hmm.. Brisbane.. my first Australian city..

It doesnt feel the same anymore, the people seems less friendly than how it used to be..I noticed the smokers, they're eveywhere. In every street corner, nearly in every bench and coffee table.. there's someone blowing their smoke..

For some bizarre reason, walking doesnt feel great either.. as I feel this sudden urge of sadness as if I am surrounded by lugubrious mood and I am absorbing the ambience into my chest..Maybe its just me, maybe its just this little chaos I am in, maybe I was reluctant to leave Canberra as I start to find my niche in that concrete jungle..

Why am I not too excited about Tasmania? I've been waiting for this to happen all this while, yet when it finally arrives on my doorstep, I am panic more than anything. I feel I wasnt prepared enough, I feel there's too many outside influence that could screw things up. I hope I am wrong.

Too many accident happen today, the day started off with a minor bicycle accident. As I ride along the street and approaching a traffic light, a woman inside a car suddenly opening her car door without checking her mirror first. I slammed into the car door, but wasnt injured. that woman was too shock to apologize, I just shook my head when I ride away. The next thing that happen is being shouted "idiots" by a bus driver and missed a stairs on my way out of a camera shop, resulting in minor ankle twist. It hurts. I am worried, will it recover sufficiently before the walk??

Shopping for things that I need is not that easy either, I've run around like stupid for more than five hours now, trying to find the raincoat for my camera. Feel like being passed around like a ping-pong ball from one shop to another. The camera shop either have no-bloody-idea of what i I am talking about or told me to look at the outdoor shops. The outdoor shop insist that the camera shop should know better, or simply said we dont have such things. Until there's a slight, dim light at the end of the tunnel. Finally someone who doesnt think I am some sort of an idiot. A guy in outdoor shop is an avid landscape photographer and he understand my confusion. He direct me to a camera shop in Newfarm, and he was certain they got one. aha!

However, as my knowledge about brisbane street start to deteriorate after all this month in Canberra, its only predictable that I got lost trying to find this place. Having a less than accurate GPS on my mobile phone is not making things easier either. When I finally get there after an hour of meandering around the area (supposedly its 10 minutes away from the last shop), I was exhausted to find out that they just sold the last piece yesterday and the new stock will only come in three weeks time. ah, bugger. I am leaving tomorrow!!

My last hope lie on the shop at Mt. Gravatt, and the shop will close at 5.. it 4.13 now, I am so gonna miss my chance. panic panic panic. I run around to figure out which bus going to Mt. Gravatt and how can I get there ASAP.

persistence pays though, I did find the thing at that shop, but after paying at the cashier, I looked at my watch, its 5.30, why are they still wide open? and I look at the clock on the wall.. ah, bugger. I havent adjust my watch back to brisbane time!!

lost in.. orientation

this is one of the most stupid entry, i must say. it will describe how stupid i've been. sigh.

My university orientation start last monday, on the 23rd of february, and from the driver who picked me up in the airport *in the end i did find him and he get me to josh place safely* i got a little red book about the things i need to know once i arrived. So i read, there's a getting started session that was held every weekdays at 11am from January something to march something *i dont remember the dates* so i thought, alright, i'll go and see that on monday! nicely planned. So i got my accommodation sorted on the weekend and i am all good for uni on monday. I woke as early as i could (7 am, noted that) and figured which bus i should take and et cetera. at 10.45 am, i am in the Uni! super, i am sooooo on time! hahaha.. i am follow the sign that say INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION and arrived in a building, called UQ Centre, then i saw soooooo many people crowding the entrance.. i looked around and see a paper that say something like this:

Getting Started Session (compulsory)

For all new international student

UQ Center

14.00 - 15.00

*Jaw dropping expression* Started at two??!!! i should have sleep longer!! why the hell am i woken up at 7 this bloody morning? oh my goodness! but are these people doing here, if its start at 2pm? and why do everyone seems to know each other and they all carrying a blue bag with UQ logo on it? hmmmm... i should figure out.. but before i get to ask someone, i saw everyone walking into the exhibition hall, so i follow the crowd, get myself seated and say hi to a chinese-looking girl who sat next to me. hi, hello and everything, i figured out they're from malaysia and i figured out that the orientation for international student started at 8.30 this morning! what the hell.. why i didnt know this? apparently i need to always check my UQ email. ah, alright. Apparently there's a welcome session for International student where they explain whatever we need to know about the university. Afterwards, i follow the sign that say STUDENT CENTRE to pick up my student card, so i can get concession for the bus. I get in queue, wait for about an hour *its a looooong queue, believe me* until someone with a tag *I can help, ASK ME* come to me and ask, do you enrolled? i give her the bizarre look and ask her, didnt i need to talk with my academic adviser about the course that i need to take? and she told me: thats a very wise idea, but you need to enrolled in at least 1 course in my SI-net, whatever it is, and wait 24h for your student card to be ready, then you can meet your academic adviser, you can always change the course anytime during this week. So i was like.. hmmm.. alright.. so there's no point i wait in this line today. huh! wasting my 1h queuing in the bloody hot sun for nothing! FINEEEEE.. i get back tomorrow..

So i went around, looking for a place to sit so i can do the enrollment. i tried to log in to the internet, but i couldnt! it wont let me in! what is it now? so i went to the AskIT help desk, and the guy told me, no you cant use the internet unless you've enrolled. WTF?! how the hell am i gonna enrolled if i cant use the internet? while all the enrollment is done online? apparently i can open the UQ website to do the enrollment but cant open anything else, ok, so i complete my enrollment and and find my way back to the UQ Center, for the "Getting Started Session"

The getting started session was fun and all, the lady was very informative and throw jokes all around so it was ok.

checking the orientation guide from UQ, i figured out i have a welcoming session from faculty of NRAVS the next day. So the next day i went, and after the orientation we have morning coffee on which everyone was divided in a group, according to their program, i dont hear anyone calling out for Environmental Management, so i ask, apparently, staring from January THIS YEAR, environmental management is no longer with the faculty of NRAVS, its with the faculty of SCIENCE. hmm.. fine.. so i'll have my orientation tomorrow, but i stayed anyway and join the group for Integrated System and Natural Resources Management. Afterwards, we have the FREE BBQ *which i joined anyway* and there, i meet someone who asked me on what i am gonna do in uni, when i told him its Sustainable Development, he asked me if i have any engineering background, that question make me panic. not at all!! oh my goodness! i should really meet my academic advisor to get him explained this to me.

Third Day! its market day in UQ, so i attend another orientation *yey! should really understand my way around uni by this time* and after a long speeches and specific orientation session for environmental management student, i figured out i was at the wrong session, again. i was like.. nooooooooo!!! not anymore!!! aaarrgghh.. apparently it was for UNDERGRADUATE student of environmental management!! the one for postgraduate student will be held at 5pm!! at the school of geography.. ahhh.. fine fine FINE! at least i learn where i supposed to belong to, damn it. But well, in the end, the orientation for postgraduate student is where the most fun are! we mingled, chat, laugh, accompanied with free flow of wine and good finger food, it was nice.. good end for me.. although i kinda forget my way back a bit, and trying google map from campus.. and i figured out somehow.. and i am safely home! dozed off before 9pm.

done with

Australia: a hell of a trip

My first ever trip to Australia, this is how it start..

I check in, get my 25 kg in and proceed to free fiscal section, figured out that i have to pay the fiscal because i just about start my "overseas student activity" - or so the officer said, and i am not a tax payer, so i got to pay the fiscal (around 250USD). geez, after looooong argument with the officer, finally the let me go and give me the free fiscal stamp.

Then i went outside to say goodbye, not long after i heard the calls for passenger departing to sydney, please board the aircraft immediately. My godness! run to the immigration, and got the guy asked me for my immigration card, i forget to get one, so i need to run back to the check in counter and fill up the form and run to the immigration again, from there run to gate D3, panting my breath, finally managed to get onboard. (btw, i have about 10 kg stick to my back).

Sat on the flight for 6 long hour and arrived in Sydney. Going through the customs, declare all my cigarette, wait for the custom guy to check my bag and let me go. walk outside, change some cash and get myself an australian sim card. ok, one thing at the time. i really feel like a cigarette, but i got to cleared my baggage for the next flight, so i went to domestic terminal to check in. It was a bit far out so there's a shuttle bus to take the passenger, and all this time, each time i need to pass the x-ray, i need to take out my laptop, put it in a tray, take off my jacket and belt and empty my pocket. then i sat there, waiting for the bus. I was trying to figured out how to register my new sim card so i can call my mother back home, suddenly the bus arrived and everyone rushing in and i felt a bit panic, i grab all my things and stuffed it in the bag, hop on the bus. was a bit distracted and thinking that i should take some pictures, so i dig on my back to get my camera out. suddenly the bus arrived and i quickly get my things and stuffed them in the bag and in the pocket of my jacket. get off and suddenly realized, where's my phone? couldnt find it in the bag, so i ran back to the bus and i could find it either! what am i supposed to do now? i have i another flight calling for boarding. AAArrrggggghhhh!!! so i logged the lost properties and run for my flight.. Once i arrived in brisbane, i figured out that one of my bag is still in Sydney. FUCK! what is it now? trying to find the driver who supposed to pick me up at the airport but didnt see him anywhere in sight, take out my cigarette and light one, and suddenly an airport official come over to me and point to the NON SMOKING sign. oh gosh, BUSTED. My godness, never once i traveled alone that i come across this much of a trouble..

but it wasnt all gloomy, when i am in desperation, i walk to the taxi ticket counter and turn out telling the security guy there about what happen to me, bla bla bla bla bla bla.. he decided to help me out, take out his phone and ring up someone at UQ pick up services, finally the lady on the other side of the phone told me, just wait at the baggage claim area, the driver will be there in a minute. Huff. one relief. then i meet the driver and apparently he's a really nice old man, very very funny. throwing jokes and laugh all the way to Herston Rd. then i meet Josh, my couchsurfing host and he also turn out to be a very nice guy, very resourceful, patiently answer all my question about the city and uni and stuff. From his place i walk down the road to the bus stop trying to hail one, NONE OF THEM STOP FOR ME.. and i am thinking, again? but suddenly a random guy asked me, "did u see a tall, blond, old, australian guy here a little while ago?" I was like: no, no at all, nobody here since 20 mins ago, i was even trying to hail a bus and none of them stop. he then leave to call someone, and back to me he asked, are you going to the city? i answered yes immediately, and he offer me a ride!!

Too much things happen to me today, the bad, and the good, but brisbane people, are almost definitely friendly. I am glad.

me stranded in the airport after 8 sticks of cigarette, lost my phone, lost my luggage, cant find the university driver who supposed to picked me up, hungry and still waiting..

Vietnam part Dalat

By the time i write this, i am sitting in an Internet cafe in Hoi An, trying to put the trip into words... And here are some bites from my modest camera. I arrived in Vietnam 3 weeks ago, with a boat from Pnom Penh. Spend one night in Mekong Delta, and then move on to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). i will skip the story of Mekong Delta and Saigon Later, when i get the pictures ready.

One of my favorite city in vietnam is Dalat, the combination of the cool climate, the tea plantation, the golf course, the flowers, the waterfall, the market, and ultimately the building. They're just OLD, and beautiful. the first road in Dalat was built on 1905 -1915, and around 1920 the area became popular. The French started to build villas, and homes. The Golf course in Dalat was the most beautiful in the country. The market was so alive, and this is where the famous Dalat wine is produced (you have to try for yourself to judge its taste :p)

Le Cafe De La Paste - Dalat

The building was build in 1922 by the french colonialist and now it was used as a cafe and restaurant. This place served an excellent Vietnamese coffe. The best in Vietnam.

I spotted this house on the way up to the cable car hill. It look like an abandoned house, but i dont know for sure. This house for build around 1920s and this is a modern, comtemporary style architecture AT THAT TIME.

This one is the view of Dalat town from the hill. I like how the building was squeezed together in one photo,to me it sounds like they were saying "me, me, me, me!"

This one is the view from the end of the cable car. Its so pretty, but i was there when the light condition is not at its best. or maybe i wasnt such a good photographer afterall.

the waterfall, one of the thing Dalat is all about. To reach this waterfall, you need to do a bit of hiking through the jungle OR you can ride a self-drive roller-coaster! because i dont feel like break a sweat for a hike... i took the roller coaster for 2US$, and it was so much fun! driving a roller coaster through the jungle!

Penang oh Penang

Sunset view from Harapan Lake, USM

Penang bridge from my window

Pantai Kerachut, Jan 2007

Botanical Garden, sept 2006

komtar, June 2003

sunrise from my apartment, January 2007

This post is quite personal. Its my story of 4 years living in Penang. I am currently extended student in USM main campus. And after long struggle i am finally reach my final semester. sigh. The first time i set foot in Penang was June 12, 2003. Just few days after my prom nite, just few days after saying goodbye to my high school mate. I was with my mother and her friend, i was soooo excited to start a new life as uni student, away from home, away from family, everything is brand new. I meet my first Indonesian friend at Canselori building, and from him i meet another, and to my suprise, there's a lot of Indonesian here! make me feel like home. haha. later i realized this was a mistake.

But there's few thing about Penang that i found odd, the food and the beach. I thought penang is one of the main tourist destination in Malaysia (as i wish i can have holiday while studying) with white sandy beach and blue water where you can dive, but its actually not true! My first dissapointment, the dream of going to the beach after class start to fade away, but i believe i can have other type of fun here.

On my first year, i did a lot of round trip in Penang with my Indonesian mate, and spend a little in class. And yes, you can expect what happen, my semester result drop below 2.00, and i start carry the Percubaan 1 status. I worked harder on the second semester, but the languange was a big obstacle. i did very badly in the exam, and one more time, my pointer dropped below 2.00, i almost drop out. I start to dislike study, giving up hope, but promise to my parents to give it one more shoot, they say; if you've work hard, work harder. And i was relief to see the result for that semester, at least i am on OK stage. I have to repeat few class that i failed to pass on my first year, i changed completely. I rarely missed class, i sit on the front row, i asked question, i pay extra attention, but the result wasnt so satisfiying, some lecturer start to see me as 'trouble maker', sigh.

Time goes on, before i realize its already 2007. June this year would be my forth year in USM. And i hope i wont be here by that time. I really do. Different changes happen in different aspect on my live in Penang, i am no longer hang out around other Indonesian student, i am no longer went for a movie every weekend, no more days spend sitting at pool centre or football field watching the boys play, no more hunting for indonesian food. I am done with all those, i dont even went back home that often. My perception about things has changed, i used to always missed home.. but now i think i am ready to go further.. I used to be afraid of other people judgement, but now i dont give any shit any longer. Being alone in a Malaysia has taught me lots of things, i learn to live on my own, do my own dishes, wash my own bed shit, managed my monthly allowance, learn different culture, and deal with different culture. I am happy i choosed the hard way, i am happy i've gone through lots of shit, and i am glad i have bigger capacity to restraint, to keep standing when things gone from bad to worse. I've moarn a lot about life in Penang, but at this point of my life, I love penang. Although i refuse to stay any longer.