Registration Day (2nd of July 2008)
Room 3 IPS
Task : Updating Student Profile. A lady staff updating the database and student can view the whole process on another screen.
Q : May i know your permanent address, please?
A : It's here. (Pass my IC to the lady)
IPS lady returned my IC, by now she realized i am a sarawakian.
Q : Do you want to edit your race (field)? We do have options such as kadazan ....
A : Thanks but i'll stick to Malay. May not really look like one but i am
Room 5 IPS
Task : Creating Smart Card
Staff : Have a sit miss. Please wait for your turn.
Yours truly : Melayu bang, tak perlu cakap omputih.
Puzzled faces all over the room.
23 July 2008
05 July 2008
The adventure so far
Dear all,
I landed at Penang International Airport on Sunday afternoon feeling sleepy. Became awake within minutes thanks to loud airport carpet colour. Baru sampai dah kutuk negeri orang hehe. Next was this (almost treasure hunt) taxi ride to USM Guest House. I assume the Chinese taxi driver complimented me when he said as a new student I have very few, in fact the least barang he has ever seen. All went downhill after that. Dah la Pak Guard bagi salah direction, my taxi driver pulak short tempered. The guy made me navigate (tukang baca sign board) while he watch out for bumps and potholes.
Monday morning I went to Postgraduate Studies Institute (IPS), trying to register myself while my new taxi driver waited outside with my stuff. Next thing I knew the lady said selagi belum attend school briefing tak boleh register. Nice! Then I ask if there is anyone to assist me with my logistics. Again negative feedback. To cut the story short I manage to get temporary stay in the hostel which is now my permanent room.
Until today I know very little about my roommate, Miss X. Her part of the room was ready when I moved in. I suppose Miss X balik kampung since lecture will only begin next week. Or she could be doing by research. Really hope we can bear each other, will keep you posted on this hidup bermasyarakat thing. As for the plan to request for international house single room, I will have to put that on hold. By Monday afternoon there were already 26 people in the waiting list and the process takes months. In the news two days ago they announced that USM receive the biggest number of international students this year….
Tuesday I went to George Clooney town with my new friend, a melanau dude whom I met at guest house. He was here to send his son who is pursuing degree in geophysics. Such a small worls, someone he is related too is a former student of mine. So we went to Prangin Mall and within 48 hours of stay on the island I already bought myself a few pirated software hehehe….
Wednesday – school briefing and registration. Security guy was kind enough to draw me a map to the school. On my way, I bump into this convoy of undergrads who were on their way to the hall. Tumpang sekaki. Orientation Facilitators too help me with direction. Get to learn shortcut path to the school, not bad huh? Welcoming speech by the dean was a wake up call. My dean is a professor in history, and unlike the other old man with history background he is did not talk bunga-bunga and I like it. His concern was over the alarming failure rate among postgraduate students.
First meeting with lecturers and classmates was equally interesting. There are suppose to be nine students but only five turn up that day. One Indonesian guy, two Saudi Arabian ladies and us, two Sarawakian girls. Our programme chairperson too is a Sarawakian (JMS!!!). And yes Fat Camp Babe, I do believe Sarawakians are obsessed with GIS. The other girl happened to be a former KCJ matriculation student in Pending and is now a UNIMAS tutor. Pegi jauh-jauh agik juak betemu sama dirik.
For those who is yet to set foot in USM I must tell you that within campus, there is a makan place for every few hundred meters you pass by. I kid you not! Just look at our former students who pursued their degree here. The good news is sports centre in just a few hundred meters away from my hostel. So Fat Camp Babe, will you still be my friend if I start exercising again?
I will share with you some of the mistaken identity incidents soon.
p/s
Mrs Keanu - this is last warning, stay away from my boboi neighbours. I heard rumah sidak dah ada CCTV
Hobbit - if 3 X 6 = 18, what is 3 X 6 / 7 – 4 ?
Fat Camp Babe - If I take up your thesis offer, will you help me with data collection? Very easy one, you just take aerial photographs, a bit of land surveying etc…
I landed at Penang International Airport on Sunday afternoon feeling sleepy. Became awake within minutes thanks to loud airport carpet colour. Baru sampai dah kutuk negeri orang hehe. Next was this (almost treasure hunt) taxi ride to USM Guest House. I assume the Chinese taxi driver complimented me when he said as a new student I have very few, in fact the least barang he has ever seen. All went downhill after that. Dah la Pak Guard bagi salah direction, my taxi driver pulak short tempered. The guy made me navigate (tukang baca sign board) while he watch out for bumps and potholes.
Monday morning I went to Postgraduate Studies Institute (IPS), trying to register myself while my new taxi driver waited outside with my stuff. Next thing I knew the lady said selagi belum attend school briefing tak boleh register. Nice! Then I ask if there is anyone to assist me with my logistics. Again negative feedback. To cut the story short I manage to get temporary stay in the hostel which is now my permanent room.
Until today I know very little about my roommate, Miss X. Her part of the room was ready when I moved in. I suppose Miss X balik kampung since lecture will only begin next week. Or she could be doing by research. Really hope we can bear each other, will keep you posted on this hidup bermasyarakat thing. As for the plan to request for international house single room, I will have to put that on hold. By Monday afternoon there were already 26 people in the waiting list and the process takes months. In the news two days ago they announced that USM receive the biggest number of international students this year….
Tuesday I went to George Clooney town with my new friend, a melanau dude whom I met at guest house. He was here to send his son who is pursuing degree in geophysics. Such a small worls, someone he is related too is a former student of mine. So we went to Prangin Mall and within 48 hours of stay on the island I already bought myself a few pirated software hehehe….
Wednesday – school briefing and registration. Security guy was kind enough to draw me a map to the school. On my way, I bump into this convoy of undergrads who were on their way to the hall. Tumpang sekaki. Orientation Facilitators too help me with direction. Get to learn shortcut path to the school, not bad huh? Welcoming speech by the dean was a wake up call. My dean is a professor in history, and unlike the other old man with history background he is did not talk bunga-bunga and I like it. His concern was over the alarming failure rate among postgraduate students.
First meeting with lecturers and classmates was equally interesting. There are suppose to be nine students but only five turn up that day. One Indonesian guy, two Saudi Arabian ladies and us, two Sarawakian girls. Our programme chairperson too is a Sarawakian (JMS!!!). And yes Fat Camp Babe, I do believe Sarawakians are obsessed with GIS. The other girl happened to be a former KCJ matriculation student in Pending and is now a UNIMAS tutor. Pegi jauh-jauh agik juak betemu sama dirik.
For those who is yet to set foot in USM I must tell you that within campus, there is a makan place for every few hundred meters you pass by. I kid you not! Just look at our former students who pursued their degree here. The good news is sports centre in just a few hundred meters away from my hostel. So Fat Camp Babe, will you still be my friend if I start exercising again?
I will share with you some of the mistaken identity incidents soon.
p/s
Mrs Keanu - this is last warning, stay away from my boboi neighbours. I heard rumah sidak dah ada CCTV
Hobbit - if 3 X 6 = 18, what is 3 X 6 / 7 – 4 ?
Fat Camp Babe - If I take up your thesis offer, will you help me with data collection? Very easy one, you just take aerial photographs, a bit of land surveying etc…
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