Hark-the-Harold

I just came back from Sydney for the World Youth Day 2008. The experience is beyond description, thought I will try to narrate the event and what I feel, words might not be able to describe how I really feel on that day. Our flight to Sydney was a surprised blessing by itself. Rowena, Mark, Jess and I requested that we are seated together. As there could be a case of overbooking we were upgraded to business class, what a bliss! Though our flight was early in the morning and we did not catch enough sleep, we still enjoyed the luxury that comes as a surprise for us. For me it is the first time I visited Sydney and Australia so I am quite eager to see how Sydney looks like. The weather here for winter was a bit funny. It is warm and sunny in the morning but at night it gets as cold as Auckland. I for sure was struggling to adapt to the weather. But I am still looking forward with the experience. As soon as we arrived we head off to have a coffee at the beach of Cronulla. It’s warm and sunny out there. Sipping my cup of tea, oh the glorious summer is coming back again. Great! Though it is still winter back in NZ. After all the ICP Auckland group members arrived we set off to Barangaroo, or Hungry Miles as it was formerly known, for the opening mass. The atmosphere in downtown Sydney was amazing. Pilgrims of every nation donned their team jackets and flags. Some were chanting their country shouts, the most prominent one is of course the Aussie pilgrims, with their ‘OZ, OZ, OZ, oi, oi, oi’ shouts. The Italians and US pilgrims have their chants too, though I can’t remember. Some were offering free hugs and kisses, some have brief conversations and chat with fellow pilgrims whom they don’t know. All were done in downtown Sydney. It was great that everyone is so friendly. People just simply approached each other to talk and share their experience coming here. The spirit of universal catholic Brotherhood and sisterhood was very well alive. Downtown Sydney is really beautiful. Apart from high rises and skyscrapers, there are also old colonial buildings which are nicely preserved and still stand firm on their grounds. Darling harbor looks like a giant playground for kids in daytime and for club goers at night. The night life here must be better compare to Auckland. To compare the two cities will not be fair, but Auckland does feel like a cowboy town compare to Sydney. The next three days we have catechism classes followed by mass, some classes were great and some were just plain boring that they almost put me to sleep. After mass we have lunch, which were sausage sizzles and breads and tuna. Then we take a train downtown to Sydney. We were lucky that we are staying with host family for WYD. The Woods, whom my brother and I stayed with are really a nice couple, though I pity Louise sometimes for having to juggle 4 kids, each with their own tantrums and wants. Most of us (the ICP Auckland) lived in Cronulla and Woolooware, which are 45 minutes train rides south from Sydney CBD, hence the time spend commuting was very long, nevertheless the time was not left idle as we get to know our group members better and also to chat with pilgrims from other countries. We even resort to saying the rosary, Angelus, divine mercy and a morning prayer too. Youth festivals event were held everyday at various venues with a myriad of events ranging from concerts, plays, forums, talks, adoration, exhibition and dance performances. As it is impossible to go for all the events, we chose to go for a few, we did a short pilgrimage to St. Mary’s Cathedral, which is the seat of the Archdiocese of Sydney. The cathedral is huge and majestic, with glorious lights and superb architecture. The WYD organizing committee also brought in Blessed Giorgio Frasetti’s relic to the church too. We spent some time praying, taking photos and also admiring the cathedral. I personally offered some prayers for myself, my family and all my friends. We also went to an interfaith dialogue hosted by a Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald. It was great to see the speakers from various religions trying to reach a common viewpoint together and to talk about values that are shared across all religions. It was also different from the one hosted in Malaysia as there are Jewish community in Sydney as well, so they were also represented in the dialogue. Although some may think that the dialogue was a waste of time, in countries like Australia where multiculturalism, especially interfaith interactions is beginning to emerge, dialogue can be a good way of fostering solidarity and also understanding among people of different faiths. The pilgrim walk was great too. We took a train to north Sydney and from there we walk across the harbor bridge to the CBD. With flags flying, people singing and big crowd marching along the bridge I felt this is the best display of our faith, that young catholics are here to stay and we are big when we are together. I enjoyed chatting with friends and also other pilgrims that we have never met before. Though I carried many things with me and I can feel the pain on my shoulders, the walk was only 10 km to Randwick Racecourse, where we will spend a night and celebrate the mass with Pope Benedict 16th. After arriving at Randwick we almost got into trouble with the French pilgrims when we were fighting for space to place our sleeping place. Then some of us decided to catch some sleep while some of us started playing cards and some also went about exchanging souvenirs and gifts. Then we had the dinner, which is can salmon with vegetables. The sleeping under the star was a pretty uncomfortable experience to me. I was feeling a bit cold. And the place was quite open and exposed with no trees and I have trouble getting to sleep. I spend some time at night going for adoration and confession. As I get into my sleeping bag and try to follow the people at the big stage in front of me doing the international rosary, I fall asleep when they were saying ‘Hail Mary’ in mandarin. The next day we prepared for the big day. I was tired yet I am glad for I am already on the last day. Although the mass was great I was bogged down with not getting enough sleep and also the dusty surrounding of the racecourse caused me to start coughing, which I dreaded so much considering I just recovered from coughing a week ago. So when the mass ended, we left for Cronulla. My bro and I spend a wonderful time with our host family for dinner and we had kangaroo meat pie for dinner! The meat tasted alright albeit a bit less salty, probably because the Phil put less salt with the food. We had a bit of the chat over a cup of tea after dinner before we called it a night. The next day was the last day for me in Sydney. Louise took us on a stroll along the park before we had lunch and then we had a Singstar afternoon, which was great considering I am pretty good at Singstar. I managed to hit 7500 points mark for Risk options singing my old time favourite karaoke tune- George Michael’s ‘Careless Whisper’. After the singing we both said goodbye to the Woods as my brother and I left for the station. I head to the international terminal and my brother going up north to join his friends in Macquarie Uni for another night before returning to Auckland. The flight back was alright with me, Jess, Mark, Jenson , Celest and Jasmin together on the same plane. In all WYD has been a good experience, if only I was a bit healthier I would have enjoyed the event better but I still have a great time being in communion with my brothers and sisters from all over the world. p/s: gosh I have not updated my blogs in months! And it’s July now and it will be the end of the year soon!

Well once again it has been a long while since my last post. But before I begin allow me to thank everybody who has sent me messages or have celebrated my birthday with me. You guys are so sweet and thanks heaps. Well let’s begin the story.

I worked as usual until I got myself some days off to travel up north to Cape Reinga with Justin, Eva and Jess. It was great fun. At first I was a bit disappointed as I thought that the picture in the travel brochure made the lighthouse at the cape look gorgeous. However, when I get there I stood frozen, staring at the small lighthouse and said ‘is that it?’. Well then like the rest of the other New Zealand’s breathtaking scenery, I was always captivated by the desolateness of the place. The light house is situated on a high cliff, looking down you see a small cape with the sharp v-shape shoreline. It is just the fact that nobody lives at the actual site that gives me the feeling of loneliness and sadness. I came to feel more of these feelings, something which further show the more pessimistic side of me. Strange. The afternoon we went dune boarding, the adrenalin rush was amazing but the climb up the sand dunes was excruciating. Nevertheless I had great fun, while partly is because I was going with my nest friends so it spiced up things a little.

The next week, I was busy moving, seriously, Wellesley Student Apartments have its pros and Cons. It’s a more comfortable place to live in, imagine having your own kitchen and living lounge with a TV! But the sad part is that it quite far from Foodtown and also Taiping, which are my food bank. Though I have decided to give a try to Lim Chor (iu hope I got it right) which is just along K’rd, I have no idea where it is just yet. Well I will have to get used to new place now.

The night itself I flew to Christchurch to meet Mr.Richard or Rick. It was almost like a dream come true to me. I can still remember the last day that he was in KT. I told him that if I ever get a chance to go and study in New Zealand one day I will go and visit him. Strangely enough I have never dismissed the possibility though it may sound remote to me at that time. Well before I knew it I am in Auckland and I contacted him. The visit down there was great, we did not travel much but I did experience one thing, the Kiwi lifestyle and the uniquely ‘Whanau’ lifestyle, which to me, is combining family values with the outdoors. Look that how they spend their holidays, they will go out camping, or go to a regional park nearby for picnic, a barbeque or even a walk, something which I felt was very different from Malaysia (understandable, as we have a way HOTTER climate). We went mountain biking and a few walks around Christchurch. As Rick was a Geography teacher, it was fantastic as he drove me around Christchurch and gave descriptions of the places we went, and of course we drove up to the Banks peninsular, where many high cliffs and great hills for walking. Gosh if I live in Christchurch I will go on these walks every weekend. It’s just sad that Auckland is too urbanized and the nearest regional parks are not even accessible by bus. Nevertheless I have enjoyed a few walks and hopefully my plan of doing the Tongariro’s Crossing will be a success.

I was welling up tears when I was to leave Christchurch, the whole stay over there was so nice and I felt so warm being with them. In many ways I felt like I was an exchange student staying with a family who are so nice towards me. The short three days have given me warmth that was so far away from home. And Rick’s children Rebecca and Nick, both around my age, were very kind towards me as well. I felt so happy through the stay. I do hope of going back there again, fingers-crossed.

Well that’s pretty much what happened. Oh the birthday was great too, went to an Eva’s friend house who happens to share the same birthday as I am. We danced and ate. I was also able for the first time to exhibit my talent of doing the ‘bangra’ dance. I have always liked the music and also I find the dance pretty energetic and groovy. So when the music came along I lost it and start pointing my fingers up the air, shaking my limbs and I was moving to the music, much to the amusement of my friends. It was a blast and I thank everybody for that. After the party I did wonder whether I will ever throw a birthday party of my own one day.

So my life was quite cool and I am looking forward to start uni again. Suddenly I remembered that I have not chosen my last paper yet, drape!

went out with Eva, Lindsay and Alvin to new year count down at Sky City. it was fun to go on countdown like this because i have not gone to one just yet. as people were having fun and shouting happy new year. i was left to myself, thinking of what i have done the whole year.

one is that i have spent the most of this year abroad, something that i have never thought will be even possible. it was great to live in NZ, be free and do whatever that i want. i really love the sense of freedom and independence. guess as a aquarian freedom is always the best thing that can happen. And i know that i still have almost another year to live in NZ before i go back to Malaysia at year’s end. will gonna miss what i have had in NZ, the ‘first’’s experiences (see snow, accident, stopped by police, buy own plane ticket). but hey, life is like a book with many chapters, every chapters, though exciting,must come to an end and give way for the next chapter. i know it is still early to talk about all these now but it will happen anyway so i might as well brace for it.

seeing the fireworks in the sky, i whispered to myself. ‘hope you had a great year, have fun this year k!’

Bonne Annee 2008!

As mentioned in the previous post, i am now working in a carwash shop(sounds weird) as a car groomer (learnt it from a friend the other day, sounds so dignified than car washer). so here’s some thought about it.

i got the job through SJS, a uni -based student job recruiting agency. i saw the ad hiring a guy to wash cars for the summer. though the location is at Green Lane, which is a bit far from downtown, i took it anyway as i  want to secure a job ahead of the holiday. I went there and guess what, i was hired. i worked a few days first before i went full time after i finish my exam. The pay was not really good ( minimum wage pay) but still by working long hours, which i usually get to, i can still earn money enough for my now confirmed Christchurch trip and also the WYD 2008 trip to Sydney.

The job was a bit tired at first, as i was practically stuck in the wash bay washing cars after cars, my shoes and socks were always wet and i am afraid that my feet will grow fungus, then it will be disastrous. However, thank God for an Indian man called Ayyapan, who despite his heavily-accented English, managed to taught me a lot of other skills, i learnt how to apply polish, take them off, oil cut the car and also the machine buffer, where i actually know how to polish a car using a spinning machine and i tell you the results is fantastic, the car practically glows and looks brand new. As i have learnt more stuff i am now more needed at the dry bay, helping out with polishing apart from other stuff that i did not have to learn like vacuuming and also drying the car. New guys who came in after me help as well, as they were new and that the first thing they learnt is always how to wash the car, there is always people around to man the wash bay, unless there are no cars at the dry bay and you need to go help wash cars.

The company, Car-fe, is owned by a guy named Matthew Ridge, who is a TV celebrity and also and Ex- Rubgy star. working as a new team leader is Tony/Toddy a.k.a Brent Todd, another ex-OZ rugby star who pleaded guilty in a fraud case. I was shocked to learned that i worked with people who constantly get the pages in newspaper, guess my work place is not so boring after all. My supervisor is a small man called Greg, nice guy who is always on his feet working. He actually works everyday with no off day, wonder why he does not feel tired? We all wear a worker’s outfit, which looks quite nice and i feel macho. My colleagues are quite diverse in ethnicity, we have a few Pakehas(Johnny, Dion, Andrew, Adam, Hamish, Daniel, Reece, Matthew, Michael). some are old guards and some came in for the summer like me. then we have a few Maori and PI-ers (Throne, Morgan, Junior, Paora, Curtis). Ayyapan, a Korean guy Leo and I made up the Asian folks. recently a Chilean called Luciano joined in the crew. we also have a few PI girls (Mina, Angelina) in the crew too, if you think the job is only for guys, you can be quite wrong, these girls are quite good at what they are doing. We have great fun working together. Not sure about them but i have always enjoyed working in a group. I also start to pick up the PI boys talking slang, sounds like Afro-american way of speaking with a twist of Kiwi accent. quite cool.

Another perks of doing the job is the chance to drive cars, i mean good cars. even when i have a Malaysian licence, i always find myself being asked to move the cars into the washbay, to the drybay and also out of the garage for final checking and nappy down. the coolest car i have ever drove were convertible BMWs and Mercedes-Benz. i personally like Holden Commodore, cool cars and very nice interiors, Volkswagen Golf too looks good to me, small, compact and very easy to drive. European cars are quite advanced, most stuff are automatic and computerised. i sometimes get confused when i look at the console. There was once when i had a chance to drive a Porsche but i did not know how to start the engine!

in all the job experience is good, yes i do get tired after work but it helps kill the time during summer, plus with the money i make i channel into some travel plans that i have in mind. I also hope to save some to bring back to malaysia, promise my mum we will go shop in December 2008. good fun, earning money, kills time, what more can i ask for?

It has been a while since my last post, as i have been busy completign assignments and also revising for exam, which are very important. Would say that this semester almost fall short from being a total disaster. My Langtchg was horrible, Educ blame myself for forgetting to bring my papers and other two? ESOL should be alright and History well i pray for a miracle for that one.

As the summer as arrived, there are many plans. however i think i will put all my plans towards february cause i need to work. Working as a carwasher. A bit physically demanding but at least i get to keep fit. am thinking of going to Chch to meet Mr Stone and other places as well. i am also looking forward to do some tramping, which i have shelved it for months now. should really get down and have some fun.

To all who are travelling may you travelling be safe and you will have fun wherever you are.

the title is the name of a Malay film from Suhaimi Baba, the same director who brought the Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam 1 and 2. Read about the review in Berita Harian (online obviously, am at NZ) but never got myself to watch it, even when a freind of mine told me the whole show is available in Youtube. Watched the story in YouTube today. Great show, who says Malay films are all about trashy KL romance?

Guess it’s Suhaimi’s style to explore all these mystical aspects of the Malay society. If i am not wrong this Harimau Saka (i dun know, weretiger perhaps?) thing should be considered syirik. but its good that the show did not get axed or anything. Its what makes the show intersting anyway.

apart from seeing the tiger, another theme in the show is about transexualism. These ‘pondan’s are a visible minority in the Malaysian society. Rusdi Ramli did a great job in portraying one. being ridiculed by people, having the courage to do a sexual reassignment surgery (like felicity huffman in Transamerica) and face his family. Guess its hard to be a women trapped in a man’s body. the confusion and self-hatred and denial can be overwhelming.

I guess my favourite character is Azean’s Tok Wan, who i think if i am right a kind of witch doctor, who of course is half tiger half human, or can change form from human to tiger (hence the term i coined weretiger). pretty much the departure of her usual Datin role on other TV drama. Heard about her breast cancer surgery from mum the other day (thanks mum for keeping my updated with the celebrity gossips). hope she is doing fine.

anyway, good show, going to continue with six feet under next (last season, yippie!). working later.

Oh happy mid autumn festival folks, eat mooncakes but remember the calories count! haha

i must say that my two weeks of holidays have been wasted. i promised myself that i will be productive in this two weeks. reading the assignments stuff ( i have 8 journals to read for my history paper) and also starting on my ESOL, Educ and also lang thcg assignments. However, i have used up the first week watching tv shows.

i am proud to be one of the founder of the Kumpulan Gema Tari Malaysia or the Malaysia Echo of Dance troupe. Adha and I are fortunate to know girls who are into and know tradional malay dances and with other enthusiasts, we formed a , well i would say, amateur dance club. we teach each other the steps and also teach those who are interested the steps and routine in the three main malay traditional dances (Joget, Zapin and Inang). we also performed for a few functions (Malaysian week, AMS merdeka night and the upcoming PETUNIA farewell dinner). we do not get paid or anything. mostly we get free treats. well we dance because of interest anyway. its funny how as a chinese i am dancing malay dance, and know quite a bit of these dances to actally help choreographing some of our dance routines.  Well i hope the grop will stay strong even when we left Auckland, GeTaMa should be able to self-sustain, provided there are people who will continue to bear the torch.

Well at least when it comes to assignments, i have finished reading the journals required to write an essay for the History 106. i am doing French Revolution. throughout the reading i have learnt more french word that i could ever imagine. cahier means note, noble de race means royal kinsman, roi means king and the list go on. i have also prefected the spelling of the word bourgeoisie, which i failed to spell correctly but now i can spell it with ease. guess i have seen the word too many times that the spelling is actually drilled into my head. its pretty interesting to read and explore a historical event from multiple perspectives. My sejarah peradaban dunia gave a touch-and-go account to the Revolusi Peranchis, saying it as the victory of bourgeoisie but studying the journal helps me to see what is behind the actual winning of the bourgeoisie and who else are involved in the story. It was such a fascinating discovery and i cant wait to start writing the essay, though i doubt if i can come up with a good one.need the good grade.

Recently i am watching six feet under. i will say this is a very different show from the ones that i am used to. i usually watch a show as entertanment. but for this show i am learning facts of life. I view death differently now. As Catholic there is a purgatory, hell and heaven but from the show i learn to see how people cope with death, what is the meaning of life. and seeing each character of the show struggling with life makes me realised that each ad everyone of us is not so different after all. all of us are living this life as a pilgrim and seriously, who knows what happened when we left this world? who are we to condemn who goes to hell or heaven? having a faith is good but making others feel bad about themselves because you force your faith unto them is not something christian like to do. i hope all Christians around the world will love everybody just as Jesus loves people around Him. If he didn’t despise sinners and gentiles, who are we to despises those around us?

Its 3 in the morning and here i am , still stuck in front of the laptop, not doing assignment,but watching episodes after episodes of ‘Will and Grace’. I have a CECIl test to do by thursday, two assignments to be passed up on tuesday. Yet i am still ignoring my work and decide to watch tv shows.

guess i am being struck with complacency. maybe i did too well in semester 1 to begin with. maybe i am just plain lazy, maybe this semester’s subjects are not interesting. i have absolutely no idea. maybe i am still struggling with the fact that i am back for my studies and i am not as enthusiastic about starting semester 2.

God help me, make me hardworking again

It was a crazy roadtrip. it was never a bed of roses, we experienced ups and downs. and i am just glad when we reached the main entrance of the Railway Campus. such a relief after all that Eva, Trish, Mark and I have been thru, thank God for the strength.

for me it has been many ‘firsts’. first time touching real snow (not the artificial one in Mount Ruapehu), first time see the snow falls (at Queenstown), first time met with an accident (nothing serious, i did not get even a scratch), first time got electrocuted (when coming out fromthe car) and also first time got pulled over by the police (i must have been too excited driving while singing ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’ that i did not stick to my lane).

the police part was a part my friends thought was really funny. i was asked to pull over because i drove without sticking to the lane and i drove too slow (what? too slow pun salah ke?).The officer first though i was drunk, so i took the talk-to-a-machine-and-it-tells-you if-there-is-any-trace-of-alcohol test. not knowing what to say, i ended up singing ‘invisible’ by clay aiken instead. the results, of course, turns out negative. ( i wondered what if the device displayed BAD BREATH instead, it will be really funny). then i was given a gentle reprimand and was free to go. my friends laughed after i told them what happened. i did not think it was funny. i dun drive well and i make a fool out of myself without knowing i was funny?

The trip was a fun albeit a costly one. after settling all accounts i know that i will be financially ruined and i am feeling devastated (like Philip II after his Spanish Armada lost the Elizabeth I’s british merchant ship). i try to look to the other side of the coin, the fun of traveling with friends, new experiences, great scenery along the road trip, but when i look at the account balance i get upset all over again. This trip almost become a trip that i could not afford. I will still have enough money to live till the next allowance comes in(terima kasih KPM), just that i should be thrifty for the next few months. with works coming in i should be able to meet ends meet. and i may not go on travel trips until Christmas, when i might think of visiting Mr Richard in Christchurch.

Oh well, got to let things go and move on. For this sem i am taking European history as electives, kinda crazy but i am up for the challenge. Phillip II, Louis IV, Queen Victoria, Bismarck and Hitler here i come!

Haih, things are getting a bit out of fathom i think. The ever existing cash flow problem, loneliness (errr, this one a bit debatable,as i enjoy being single, can dash here or there without strings attached, just that my frens have all hitched up, i am left as the last lone ranger). Have not found a better paid work yet ( love my current se-cu job, just i dun get to work often). the south island trip worries me too (money, safety). even though my winter break has just started, i could not wait to for the semester 2 to start. at least i can worry about assignments first than these trivial yet troubling things. hopefully i did well this sem. its def better then what i got in IPBA i think.

My last two tramping trips were very nice though, what a consolation to my grieving soul. the last one where we went to Waitakere Ranges was an advanturous one. We hiked the mt don mclean track then down the Pararaha valley. it was so cool as we were trailing the river before we tramped into a gorge and have to pull some cool stunts like rock climbing and ducked low to keep still when the super strong wind blew at the speed than even me being 69kg felt like i can be blown away any minute. was a good fun. no regret going to the tramp even on my own without any of my 18+ frens. the other one was to Shakespear regional park. mostly hills with bushes, beaches and sheeps. baaaaa!!

as for the worrying, its comforting to read from the Bible that i should not worry too much, things will turn to the bright side as God will provide with what i need. just have trust and be optimistic. Sigh* if only it is that easy.