Australia

Well.. Finally I have come to this post. I am here in Australia. Today has been colder than usual. The air is just so cold, and it's been windy the whole day too. So here I am, wearing a pull-over jumper, house-slippers, blanket over my shoulders, blanket over my legs, and blanket over my arms. Hahaha. Mum's dinner smells really good, as always! =D

So anyway. I've been here since Saturday, almost a week now. Started school on Monday. Well, culture shock I guess, but not much. The way school runs here is really different, lenient in alot of other ways, but mind, I am studying in a public school. So anyway. Classes here are not that interesting, really, I could say it is more boring than in TTSS. Mainly because the teachers here cover very little topics in a period compared to TTSS. But this is onlny Year 10, so I guess nothing really matters. Lenient, in ways concerning the attire, the class conduct, attendance and stuff. But it depends on the teachers too. So anyway, I'm taking ENO (which is sort of like English articles, I don't know what it stands for..), Eng, Chi, Maths, General Sci and Consumer Sci. It's all ok I guess, just kind of boring. Currently only looking forward to Maths.... Over here we don't have classes, as in our own classroom like in TTSS. We change classes for every subject. And every subject has different students in it, but you'll share classes with most of them. It is sort of a nightmare for me, because I'm still getting used to the location of each class. Hehe.

Well, over here, the student population is generally divided into two: the overseas students and the locals. The overseas students comprise of loads of China people, a cluster of Vietnamese and a couple of Koreans and Japs. And of course there's the occasional Malaysian. So the Vietnamese stick to themselves, the Koreans and Japs too, and the Chinese all speak Chinese with that China accent or cantonese. So there I am, neither able to speak good Chi or Cantonese, nor good English. So I am stuck in the middle. It's kind of hard to make friends. I have a hard time understanding the Chinese, and they sort of slur their words, which makes it works. And then the locals don't usually mix with the overseas, so yup. I know a few people by now, but not alot I have connected with, nor no more than one I can call a friend. But it's only been a week. So.. cross your fingers and hope it'll get better. =D

So on the first day of school, I just felt totally out of place. Didn't know what to do, where to go, kind of sad I guess. I had cold lunch that day. For the overseas, we get a room where we can eat lunch whereas the locals have to eat outside. And thank goodness for that room, I couldn't stand the cold, eating outside. I'll probably drop all my food because of my unstoppable shaking hands. And so we get 4 microwaves to heat our lunch up. Haha. The second day, I had slightly cold lunch. I didn't heat it up long enough. I went to eat with someone I met. It was FREEZING outside. I wanted to cry. Haha. So Wednesday. Awesomeness! Us Year 10s had ACE, I have no idea what that stands for but it's sort of like an outing for us. They may bring us to factories, or court rooms, or stuff like that. Usually it is in the afternoon after lunch, but that day was a special one so it was the whole day. There were two groups, one was going to Metec (or however you spell it) where they go driving (?) then another group, the one I was in, went to High Ropes in Aquarena. It was really awesome. I was in a group of 4 with Mary-Anne, Yan and Sum Sum. So we went to this first one where you climb up high and walk on two suspended cables (of course with harnesses and a helmet on) with nothing to hold on but the rope connected to your harness. I went first and it took a looooonng time. It was seriously creepy and definitely tiring. So then after me, Sum Sum went. After that we took a break, ate lunch and stuff. Then after that break Yan went onto the one where you walk on a suspended log, with also nothing to hold on but the rope connected to your harness. Scary. Then we went to the flying fox for Mary-Anne who was really scared of heights. We persuaded her to try the flying fox. It looked really fun because it could go right to the end and back. How awesome is that? The one I've been on doesn't even reach half-way. So anyway, yes she did it. And it was awesome for her. She was so relieved! And then I went on. WOAH. Absolutely exhilirating. When you step off from the platform, your heart and guts are still on it but you're falling. That rush and VOOOSSHH feeling Jessie LOVES so much. It was awesome. Then you find yourself flying!!! Wow!

Then after that Sum Sum wanted to try the Leap of Faith! It's where you climb to the top of a pole which is a vertical log, and yous tand on top of it. There is a suspended trapeze about two feet diagonally away from that top of the pole. And you leap, with nothing but your faith (and your harness... haha) and try to grab that trapeze. It is terrifying. The hardest part is actually deciding to jump AND doing so. Some people coun to three and don't jump. Haha. So Sum Sum wanted to do that so she climbed up and stood there for about 5 minutes or so. She wanted me to go after her, but I was terrified and was not sure whether I wanted to do it. She kept bracing herself and finally she leaped! She made it!!!!! =D So totally awesome! I was watching from the ground and was totally in awe seeing her make it. After that I was so pumped up I went for a go too. I climbed up the pole, while the guide who was also the belayer tried to take my mind of reaching such a great height. I'm not generally scared of heights, so climbing the pole was quite easy, as was standing on the Flying Fox platform was too, though many are petrified on the platform. Getting two feet up onto the pole was hard. It was really scary. You had nothing to hold onto except for the rope connected to your harness, but like a ll other cases, the belayer has to be really good to keep the rope to the tautness you want it to be, to make you feel comfortable. So getting the second foot onto the pole was really hard, because you had to let go of the handles connected to the pole. So I stood on the pole, looked down at my group members and saw their nods of encouragement. After a while I mustered up the courage and counted off, 1! 2! 3! And I jumped! I reached the trapeze!!!! WHOA!!!!!! So totally awesome!!! I really felt great after that. As if I could do anything else in the world. But of course, it's really simple, this leap of faith. You only have to get the courage to jump outwards towards the trapeze, and it's actuallyl the belayer who pulls the rope very quickly and strongly so it actually lifts you up higher, keep you suspended for a longer time and so you can reach the trapeze. Hahaha. It was really great!!! REALLY! I would so totally go again, no hesitations at all, if I had a chance! =D

So about 3pm we all went back by bus again. It was tiring but fun. =)

On thursday, had a slightly hot, but not entirely hot lunch. Hahaha. Stupid microwave! But today I had a really hot lunch! So that was nice. Sum Sum had Food Tech before lunch. She cooked Risotto and shared some with me and Anna. Nice!!!! Really good! Went for a walk at the library after lunch. So tempting!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But all in all.. Good first week I GUESS. It had never been me walking into a school where I don't know anyone AT ALL. So I don't know how it's supposed to be. But it's ok I guess. Thanks Sum Sum for making me do the Leap of Faith. Awesomeness!

Well.. I live next to the train track, near the Laburnam train station, so I always hear the 'beep' of the train. Hehe. It's quite interesting to see how many people board the train at what time. Surprisingly alot of people board it at 10+pm. Interesting. Haha. Boring, I know.

Hehe... So that's all I guess. Nothing else. Sometimes I forget that I'm staying here long term. Like when I was changing my watch to Aus time, I was like Sigh, I'm going to have to do this again soon when I come back. Then it hit me, hey, I'm not coming back for a while now. Haha.

I guess the cold is not really fun. During holidays, we think it's so refreshing and nice, but to me, the thought of the cold being around permanently is a dread, really. I think my cells are dying one by one because of the cold. Sometimes I even want to give up and go back home to Malaysia where it is always warm. But, haha, in your dreams, I tell myself. I can't bear to think how winter will be like!

And newsflash to all of you, I'll be back only in Jan!

That's all for now.

BTW, my handwriting is so, so ugly because of the cold. My fingers are always numb. Gah!!!!