I was in school for the computing workshop and orientation today. Mostly learnt the basics on how to navigate the unix environment, and a bit on intro to the binary system. Didn’t have much time for lunch, so I grabbed a chicken pie.
I went to buy some groceries after the class today, and got bread eggs butter cheese and instant noodles; just the basics. I was given change in coins, which are VERY heavy! Just AUD$4 in coins weighs about a kilogram!
1. Be mine > Forever
2. Ecstatic > Joy
3. Orderly > Line
4. Sebastian > Koh
5. Sore > Throat
6. Don’t need > Help
7. Rockstar > Jock
8. Tinfoil > Wing
9. Addiction > Drugs
10. Where? > To
This evening my co-tenant invited me to cell group. It was quite big for a cell group at about 50 people. Dinner was pot-luck, which turned out to be a huge spread. When the meeting started, I got my first culture shock – when somebody is speaking, after every phrase everyone said ‘amen’, like it was punctuation, during singspiration/prayer. They even repeated the song/hymn excessively like about 8 times, both fast and slow, then read out line by line a few times, and in the end only sang a total of one song which took 15-20 minutes. Oh yea, they also are still singing hymns from a hymn book; I scanned through and didn’t see many that I know. Then during prayer, people took turns to pray, and everyone helps ‘punctuate’ the phrases with ‘amen’, even though some of the phrases doesn’t need it. It’s not that I’m against saying ‘amen’ to confirm with another person’s prayer, but it is so unnecessary and super excessive the way they use that word.
However, they broke up into several smaller groups, and that was when things turned out better. Everyone took turns to read the lesson from the handouts. It was about group dynamics and why prayer meetings are important. Not everyone was fluent in English. I learned that prayer is necessary as an individual, but prayer meetings are meant to be a more powerful platform in which the church can gather to pray for things that are too big for one person to be responsible for, so that the church can move forward together in unity and in God’s will.
The past few days has been hectic and stressful but thank God they are now sorted out.
Firstly, I had cancelled my on-campus housing and now I am sharing a house with a few others. This is because the on-campus housing had to pay additional for use of facilities and services like washing clothes, internet connection, etc. Now I’m paying the same rent for the off-campus rental, and getting a much better deal. It is better furnished, has internet connection, nearer to the grocery shop, and the people that I’m sharing the house with are also friendly, and are Chinese/asians. Luckily was able to get back the deposit I paid for the on-campus housing without any trouble too. This place is about 10 mins walk to the school, which is slightly further than the on-campus housing.
Secondly, as I have credits from my poly diploma, my schedule is not as straightforward. I found that out when I tried to enrol for my course. I had to spend lots of time discussing with the course coordinator about the units that I am exempted from doing, and plan what I need to take, and only managed to enrol for my course on the second day as there were several changes made. After that, when I have to go online and choose slots for the classes (can pick when I want the lessons if there are more than one available timing), there was a clash in a lecture and a lab lesson. The lecture only had one slot, so it is compulsory, and other slots for the lab lesson were completely full. This was because I was taking modules from the first, second and third year of the course. If I didn’t get exempted and did the full three years course, this wouldn’t have happened. I talked with the class coordinator for the lab lessons, and she made arrangements for me to attend an another already full class.
Thirdly, while doing the above two, I went to do other misc. stuff for my studies. I had to arrange with another person to take a lift to the shopping centre and get supplies. This took up quite some time too. I couldn’t do any shopping after 5pm here as all the shops close around 5pm. I also opened a bank account, attend some of the orientation events and explored the campus.
Links to keep updated on what I am doing:
My Google Calendar (I have put my school timetable on it)
My Google Map (of my uni, house location, places of interests)
My Blog
Photo of where I’m staying at now (courtesy of Google Maps)
I didn’t have much time to take photos, but will post them on facebook when I take any.
Some tips for playing (singing) on karaokeparty.com
Have fun!
Time flies sooo fast! I have so many things to do, so many people to catch up with, and so little time left… I’m already missing all my friends.
Been planning the farewell dinner at my house and packing most of my stuff the whole of last week.
Wednesady, lunch with some friends.
Thursday, had dinner with Azaac.
Friday, a farewell dinner for friends at my house.
Saturday, church prayed for me (Rachel & Sasha also) during service.
Today, U Connect group farewell lunch at Bugis.
Tomorrow will be the last day to complete the packing.
