Life in New Zealand - Part I

Have been wanting to blog about my life in NZ for a long time. And I still kinda lazy and hesitated to start. Anyway, since I have done hald way and left the write-up. Thought, I should just finished it.

It's about 12 years now since I decided to pursue my degree in NZ. A lot of people asked me why did I choose to study in NZ. And during then, a lot of ppl also tried to tell me to go Oz instead. With the twinning programe I did with Inti College, 1 year(9-10 months to be exact) intensive Pre-U. I can only remembered, I hardly have holidays and I have class on Saturday which makes me home sick so much. Anyway.... After which, I enrolled into NZ Programe. I didn't want the UK programe partly because it's 2+1 but, I wanted 1+2. And UK was way too expensive. And it is still now. Furthermore, I always imagine UK to be gloomy (aiks.. that will spoil my mood). So, no way. NZ is good. Then, after 1 year (or 9 months again). I have a choice again to change to RMIT (which my sister was doing), or continue with NZ. If I wanted to go NZ, then, I have to choose which U. Otago was then the only contract signed. Victoria.. would be the official 1st batch doing twinning with (the contract was not finalised then and we have to apply ourselves.

After much talking, praying, consultation. I've decided to go to Wellington. Victoria University of Wellington. Why? Not exactly know. Wanna go NZ cos everyone is going to Oz. I wanted something different. Wellington. Maybe the same. Most of them going to Otago, Dunedin. I wanna be different. oh.. Maybe because su-gong (grand uncle) is there also.. And only 5 of us going to Wellington. And I didn't know the others 4.

So, after the long procedures and worrying and waiting. Off I went to Wellington. My 1st time travelling overseas on flight and alone (the other 4 went separately). It's a super long journey. Basically, I vomitted all the way there. The entire 10 - 12 hours flight. First, the flight from KL - S'pore was delayed and no air-cond though they tried. Still.. It's so stuffy. Then, I was late to check-in at Changi Airport. I was rushing from 1 terminal to another. So, I didn't get a good seat... Very behind and near the toilet. Then, I started to throw out, due to the rushed and the heat earlier. So, I couldn't and didn't eat anything and only managed to sleep a little. Then, they start serving breakfast. Cos, NZ is 5 hours ahead (in summer) of Malaysia. When I reached Auckland airport. I think i looked so pale and I just sat there waiting for my connecting flight to Wellington. So tired and I dare not sleep as I need to take care of my own luggages. Then, the flight to Wellington was bumpy and in a small flight. It's Wellington.

Finally, landed. Kawai picked me up from the airport. Well, my room was not really ready. And where's Su-gong and Su-poh? Well, they were holidaying in Surfers Paradise. And I fall asleep on the sofa until Kawai woke me up for dinner. What?? Dinner?? It's fast and I was not hungry. Gee.....

And so, the next few days was to open bank account, get some $$, going to Uni. Get familiar with the place.

Oh.. I was staying at Seatoun, super near to the airport, like 5 - 10 minutes. And about 20 - 25 minutes to Varsity by car.

So, my uni life began after enrolling myself. Oh... What about the other 4 person. Well, since we didn't have cell phone those days, I gave them my contact at Su-gong's place and thanked God they called me.

So, I joined the Orientation for International Students which was quite cool. That's where I knew about OCF (Overseas Christian Fellowship) and WMSO (Wellington Malaysian Society Organisation). We went up to Mt. Victoria. And later I was told local students have different type of orientation. And we had our Orientation dinner which was cool... Well, of course, no free food. Each country will have to perform something.

Then, throughout the 1 - 2 weeks of the beginning of the Semester, there were so many booths/ tables set-up right in front of the courtyard in front of library so the newbies can join the clubs/ societies. Oh.. there's free hotdog with bread given away.. They just gave and it's really yummy especially when the weather was cold.. haha...

My very 1st activity - shooting organised by WMSO. It's fun. Later, I am not so comfortable with WMSO as some of the language used. Sorry.. But, that's the truth...

Next, I went to camp. Yeah!!! My 1st time camping. Someone told me there's an Esther camp with the OCF from Massey University, Palmerston North (Pammy - nick name) and I went. Well, I was a 1 day late, I think. So, I went to horse riding and kayaking in a pond (without knowing how to swim). I couldn't see the bottom of the pond as the water was really black. I figured it must be quite deep.

I think there's where I started to join OCF.

Then, it's the yearly OCFers camp. It's a big thing. There's where all the OCFers from all over NZ will gather for 1 week or so during the winter break to worship God. It's really a cool experience. That year (1997), WOCF was the organiser and I was helping out the committee. I was quite blessed that I managed to get Kawai to let me use his car. So, I managed to fetch a few ppl to the camp site. And the tough part was I was assigned to be a cell leader for the young believers (this is really testing).

I met Ruth (my classmate from Inti, she went to Otago) as I was doing the registration. We screamed and were so excited. haha... oh.. WOCFers painted our face blue on the blue night. Fun!! Fun!!! Fun!!! Also, I think I slept the least during this whole week as normally, the program ended quite late at about 10pm - 11pm. Then, we will have fellowship session and catching up with each other. And since I was the cell leader, I needed to prepare materials. So, sometimes, I will only do that after the entire thing or I will wake up at 3am to prepare. Also, to seek God as I needed Him to guide and teach me to teach others. It's really a big and scary task.

Well, it also taught me to have total reliance on God and everything will be alright. :) Amen!!

After the camp. Somehow someone in OCF said that we needed to have a 1 night WOCFers thingy. We need to be united. 1 night? That's like 24 hours thingy. We only slept very little. Like 1 - 2 hours. And it's winter. I went. It was awesome. The activities were awesome. We worked in small teams and have to run away from the soldier while doing treasure hunt in the dark and not cought by the soldiers. We had to go underground (which was scary initially), go into the woods (not very deep). And it's raining and in winter.

Gee.. It's tired and yet it was totally worth it. And I really enjoyed it and learnt a lot from it.

In between all these, of course, it's the normal student life of attending lectures, going between lecture halls, going between buildings, waiting for next lectures, tutorials, assignment, etc... You named it... I took 4 subjects on the 1st semester and 2nd semester which was quite heavy as the education system was not as what I used to.

Then, at the last OCF meeting, we decided to combined with CU (Christian Union - basically attended by mostly Kiwis). And it was a surprised that a birthday party was thrown for all the October babies.. haha.. Actually, it's the exam period. We had the party at the basement of one of the local church.

It's a cultural night. My Kimono was a real Kimono lend by a very nice Japanese friend. :)

Normally, after the year end exam. It's a long awaited summer holiday. Well, normally, we will go to botanical garden which was behind our university. Sometimes, Kawai parked his car till there. No other place lor.. It's not that very far. Either walk or by cable car.

So, what did I do for my 1st summer? Negotiated so long with family that I really felt like going home (back to Malaysia) as I really missed them so much and the food though Su-poh cooked especially majority of my gang got the return ticket and went home. Still.. Then, I decided not to. So, what did I do? I worked. Worked in U-Save Autoparts (Su-kong's business), part time waitressing. I hardly conversed in Mandarin the entire summer till I nearly lost it. When I rang home, it's kinda weird to speak Mandarin with them and they were guessing on what I wanted to say. haha...

So, aside working and working. What else did I do? I went for holiday with my own $$$... haha... Whereabout? Wait till the next blog.... ;)