wednesday is anzac day...

meaning that over here in Aussie, its a HOLIDAY!

yeah, which means that I have a whole day to rest and relax... and i am doing so right now... which is why I am taking the time to write this entry about my sightseeing stint last weekend. but before that, some reflections on this day that the Aussies celebrate nationwide.

"ANZAC Day - 25 April - marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as Anzacs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day.

One of the traditions of ANZAC Day is the 'gunfire breakfast' (coffee with rum added), which occurs shortly after many dawn ceremonies.

During the 1920s, ANZAC Day became established as a national day of commemoration for the 60,000 Australians and 18,000 New Zealanders who died during the war. The first year in which all the States observed some form of public holiday together on ANZAC Day was 1927. By the mid-1930s all the rituals we today associate with the day - dawn vigils, marches, memorial services, reunions, sly two-up games - were firmly established as part of ANZAC Day culture. With the coming of the Second World War, ANZAC Day became a day on which to commemorate the lives of Australians lost in that war as well, and in subsequent years the meaning of the day has been further broadened to include Australians killed in all the military operations in which Australia has been involved. ANZAC Day was first commemorated at the Australian War Memorial in 1942, but due to government orders preventing large public gatherings in case of Japanese air attack, it was a small affair and was neither a march nor a memorial service. ANZAC Day has been annually commemorated at the Australian War Memorial ever since.

Australians and New Zealanders recognise 25 April as an occasion of national commemoration. Commemorative services are held at dawn, the time of the original landing, across the nation. Later in the day ex-servicemen and women meet and join in marches through the major cities and many smaller centers. Commemorative ceremonies are held at war memorials around the country. It is a day when Australians and New Zealanders reflect on the many different meanings of war." - Wikipedia.

Yeah, so all of that is true. The coverage on TV for this day was immense with all channels running various commentaries on the dawn services and the marches happening all over Aussie. I wanted to pay a visit, but hell, it starts at 4 am in the morning. And given the rainy weather here lately, I was much more inclined to stay in bed and watch the proceedings from the TV. so no pictures there from me on ANZAC Day.

But of course there are pictures of other places I have visited.

Last Sunday was a mad trip down to Chinatown, the Asian or Paddy's Market, The Fish Market, ANZAC Bridge, the Sydney Opera House, and the Rocks Market. It was almost entirely covered on foot, which is a mean feat for me, given how I hate walking. But fortunately, the need to save money pushed me along. Although my feet hurt like hell after the walk, I actually thoroughly enjoyed myself. The two people accompanying me are Xiaowei, a friend from NYP who happened to be in Sydney, and her cousin Diana. So it was, the three musketeers took their day trip out into the Sydney attractions...

diana to the left, and xiaowei to the right.

first stop - Chinatown and the Asian Market, which is quite like Singapore's Chinatown and Geylang. haha.

saw this really cute car along the way, and cannot resist taking a picture.

walked down to the sydney fish market, for the freshest catches of the day.

took this photo to prove to my supervisor that i went there; she made the exact same action as you see in the picture when instructing me to visit this shop.

inside the fish market - a seafood lover's galore. shops upon shops of seafood, seafood and more seafood.

good seafood is not cheap. so we had to settle for the simplest fare - fish and chips. which was just as good and filling.

my first proper meal in a week.

see the birds guarding the parasols? haha. opportunistic, they are. lucky for us, there were babies on patrol... literally babies running all over the place to chase the birds away. so they did not come to steal our food.

a long view of the jetty-side benches... and the ANZAC bridge in the background.

ANZAC bridge close up.

buskers at circular quay, where you get off to visit the famous opera house. these were funky buskers, blowing the aboriginal didgeridoo to hip-hop tunes. it was really cool. pity i did not buy the cd, because i did not think it would have the same effect.

sydney harbour bridge. also one of the attractions there. there were actually people climbing on top of the bridge. but it takes you 3 hours for the complete tour. and sets you back about $100 AUD. so i decided to just admire the view from afar.

walking down the harbour towards the famed destination.

and here i am!!! opera house in the background... and yea, its quite breathtaking. not only because its really an architectural delight, but because the wind was blistering cold.

i don't know what building this is, but the flags are soooo pretty. haha.

getting closer...

some pubs along the harbour. gave me an idea of where the inspiration for the esplanade came from.
souvenir stalls along the way.

decided to rest a while on the steps of the sydney opera house, and just take in the sights.

seagulls were again in abundance. look at how fat and healthy they are.

the memorial in front of the entrance, detailing the design of the SOH.


but of all things to photograph, i had to take a picture of the high-tech and artsy toilet. there was light for the toilet rolls, and the sinks, well, were not really sinks. hahaha. really cool.
the Sydney Opera House - just magnificent.

walking up to the Rocks, opposite of the SOH.

more buskers -this time a contortionist who could speak her way into getting people to contribute for her act. it was really something that she had pat down, in the box.

then went down to the Rocks, and that was a shopping heaven. saw a lot of things that would make beautiful gifts for people back home. so if any of you looking at this, this is where you'd most probably be getting your gift from.

a glass maker. he and his partner makes the most beautiful glass sculptures. which are expensive. hahaha.

and that was the end of the camera trip.
I took so many pictures that my camera ran out of space and batteries. Haha.

so that's the update for now.

more, you say? yeah, i will get more done, the next few weeks.

cheers!

End of first week

Well, *blink blink*, one week is gone!
Time really flies when you least expect it… or time just moves along and you get consumed by it. However way you look at it, time just moves whether you like it or not.

Anyways, the first week at the hospital was really a non-event. Monday I met up with my supervisor, and got a brief walkabout of the hospital. And immediately attended ward conferences. Then on Tuesday I went for my home visit, and wrote the home assessment report. And attended more ward conferences and inter-departmental meetings. Wednesday, I saw my first patient, and documented for the first time. I also got my pager on Wednesday. Thursday, I went for my second home visit, and wrote the report for that. Met up with another patient later on in the day, and did some documentation. Friday, discussed learning objectives with my supervisor over coffee outside the hospital during hours, and did my first initial interview with a new patient. And Friday we ended early ‘cos my sup had to leave early.

Yeah, that in a nutshell was the first week. The words my sup used to describe the weeks to come were that we would “cruise along”. Which seemed to bode well, if you ask me. We sort of explored our expectations of each other and of the placements. I think it would not get too hard for me to be able to do well and live up to the expectations of the placement. I just need to be more proactive in my ways, I mean, given that this is a western culture that I am living in, I cannot be quiet or submissive or more deferring to authority… we are all equals here, and I need to show that I am capable of standing up for what I believe in, and in fighting for the rights of my patients. Haha. I sound so idealistic. But hey, we are all allowed to dream aren’t we?

I shan’t discuss much about the culture here yet… because I don’t feel that one week is enough to talk about much. But it will come.

It’s Saturday, and I just went out for dinner with my supervisor. That's Cindy to the left, and Lesley to the right. Cindy is my sup, and Lesley is my colleague at work in the OT department at St Vincent's.

Tomorrow is another day out to the tourist attractions with a friend that somehow managed to meet up with me here. So will post peektures as I get them. Looking forward to it.

random sights of sydney

living in sydney is almost like living down bugis street. you see rows of shophouses and yet not far along, you see the tall business buildings. but they are all somehow fit. i dunno how else to say it. just see for yourself.

and i think sydney has such nice air. although the locals say that they have felt better. but just look at the sky. its really, really clear.

more random sights.

and this is where i return to show you all the pictures i took.

food junkie

well, this is for those of you who are worried about me and my diet here. let's just say that proper food is kind of difficult to find, but i somehow make do with what i can. and given my experience in the army, and in sri lanka, i really don't think that i will die. haha. of malnutrition that is. here is a picture of the kind of stores i have in my room, just to sustain myself.



yeah for the undiscerning eye, what i have in the picture is, left to right: breakfast shakes, cream cheese, mineral water, mee goreng instant, canned tuna, hot chocolate mix, salmon, muesli bars, and salad. yeah and that should sustain me like for about 4-5 days?

i try to eat out in the weekends just to get real food in. but i manage somehow during the week on these food. so not too bad really.

hotel then, hotel now

yeah, so you guys saw the pictures of the previous hotel.

well, really, its not so bad if you were here in person. I guess if you were out of the hotel for the most part of the day, which my room mates were, it really would not matter so much... because its really like a bed for the night kinda arrangement. And truthfully the most basic facilities are in place, so i can't really complain.

but with regards to my need to use the computer at night, and to have personal space to work, i guess better accommodations were needed. so i moved to this quaint little location just at the end of oxford street (where the notorious GLBT pride makes their rounds), called Sullivan's Hotel.

and boy am i enjoying the stay here (but of course not the cash drain).

the white building to the left is sullivan's hotel. there is a bookstore to the right, where i get discounts. cool huh?

entrance to sullivan's. its almost like an exclusive apartment. only that it is a hotel. haha.

imagine living like this in singapore.

its a good $99 AUD a night, and that's after the discounted price they decided to give me, since I plan on staying long. so it better be worth it.

well, i am glad to say that it is worth it.

here are some benefits of the room.

1) my very own space (no sharing with 3 other strangers!).
2) en suite bathroom (no sharing with the rest of the people on the level!!!).
3) a tv, which i must say plays good programmes to watch, and in-house movies to boot (seen shrek, lord of the rings, borat again!)
4) my personal cupboard and shelves and hangers (no more wrinkled clothes!)
5) an iron and ironing board (for those i manage to wrinkle up anyways!)
6) a personal desk (i can set up the lappie and do work there)
7) a queen sized bed, 4 pillows (ah... sleep is good)
8) air-conditioning (i can freeze my bum off, and its my choice!)
9) a radio (i listen to arab stations... i am serious)
10) a fridge (i cram it with food. lots of food.)
11) room service (can't do without it)
12) laundry service (self-service as it is, i can do without wearing the same clothes for a week).

two views of the room.

yeah... at least i can be independent and safe here.

yups... although i am still considering moving out if i find a cheaper place, i think that the amenities here are too good to give up. and mom and dad already gave permission to stay here. and they dun mind. so what say you? haha...

as i arrived at sydney

well. before that.

let me just share with you some woes that i had during the departure.

firstly, the engine of the plane i was due to take failed, and the flight got delayed for a while.

then when i reached sydney, there was a problem with the aerobridge connection. and we remained on the plane for a while again.

talk about jia lat right?

its like things were not meant to be.

but i persevered. managed to find my way in the airport and clear customs.

aussie has this big thing about quarantine items. and they are super particular about organic stuff. i just saw this episode on aussie tv about people who flout the quarantine laws, and then they got into serious hell for not declaring. i remembered feeling fearful also, because i did not know if i had inadvertently filled out the quarantine form wrongly or if i had not declared anything. but thankfully i cleared customs quickly.

then came the next part, about going to my hotel.

i actually sat down for a full hour at the airport, because i was lost.

lost as in i did not know where to go, what to do, who to approach.

because everyone seemed so... on the go. and there was no one to fetch me or anything like that.

for the first time, i truly felt alone. ALONE.

so to cheer myself up, i took some photos as i sat down moping at the airport.

my bags lined up.

the waiting lounge. where i just looked at people go by.

me trying to smile despite feeling oh-so-alone. i smiled ok?

then i decided to lug my butt around to the information counter, and i finally got directions to go to my hotel. take the airport shuttle, they say. and then when i took the shuttle, i realised i took the wrong shuttle... hahaha. but it got me to the same place. FORTUNATELY. and i think the charge of $10 AUD was kinda alright for an airport shuttle (although i would not know how much it would cost if i took the proper shuttle... haha.)

i realised that the airport was not that far away from where i would be working and staying, so it was kind of something which lifted my spirits up. in my head, i was thinking, if anything, i would be able to run to the airport to get myself some comfort. and it would just cost me $10. hur hur. but of course things are not so bad.

along the way to the hotel from the airport.

as i reached the hotel, the bus driver said that the hotel i was due to stay in was a good one, and that i would be pleased with it. i was heartened.

Y on the Park Sydney Hotel

as i checked in, i made my first payment on my mastercard. and luckily it worked.

so i went up, and found myself in this room with 4 beds, and a sleeping japanese man on the third bed. and my bed was the last one, furthest in the room. which meant that i had to walk past him. lucky he woke up and let me through. hahaha. well. the room was not fabulous. and frankly i was disappointed as the pictures on the net really did not do justice to the room. or is it the other way round? anyways see for yourselves.

how room looked like online.

reality is painful.

but then i sucked it up. hey its all part of the experience right? i made acquaintances with the japanese man, the italian man who slept beside the door, and the london guy who slept in the 2nd bed. least i allayed my own fears. but i never opened up my laptop, nor left it in the room when i left the room for my walks. haha. talk about security. well yeah, i did not trust the security there. so there.

so that was how i spent the morning of me coming into sydney. its really something i tell you. something i wont forget. haha. more to come in the next entry... of me trying to get communications, accommodations, and nutrition.

this is the story of a boy

who went to sydney.

hahaha.

i promised to update on the happenings of sydney, and how i am coping.

and so i shall. but the delay was due to me waiting to transfer the photos onto the computer.

but today, now that i have, i will update my blog as promised.

with photos!!

so so, on 12th april, i departed from singapore, with the few of my family and friends who decided to send me off. it was quite unexpected the number who turned up to send me off, because i was actually only expecting like a group of less than 10. but look below to see who came.

to all who did, my thanks and love.

super sweet of you all. and i appreciate it.

The early ones... me making some phone calls to say goodbye.

mommy, nifail and me, sister came late.

cik betty, ratna's mommy.

the rest of those who came: hafiz, shasha, azfar, mahmud, taufiq, me, abu, adri, rezuan, nas, zul.

MUACKS!

about to go

yes i am about ready to go.

its 3.45pm here in Singapore, and i am going to asar then leave my home in about 45 minutes' time.

yeaps.

all the work that i have been prepping for the past 2 months or so, finally coming to fruition.

but before i end my last entry in Singapore, just wanted to thank one special soul.

when he said lets go around singapore, i did not think he meant it quite literally.
so for three and a half hours in the wee hours of the morning, i was driven around singapore.
we visited pierce reservoir, nyp, ntu, nus, mt faber, changi, makam habib noh, pusara aman, pasir panjang, pioneer, marina, orchard, esplanade, seletar west camp... in the appropriate orders la...

in my head i was thinking, apa lah si gila ni nak buat...
but in my heart, i couldnt be more thankful that it happened.

he may not have intended it, but what he did really took my mind of the worries that i was facing la. and it was such a long time since we spoke that long to each other.

at 3.45 last night, when we came home, i was peaceful inside.
and i was ready to go.

abang, i know the efforts you would expend for me. and i am thankful.
and i only hope that i can repay you in a similar fashion one day.

pray for me all.

one night only

"You've got one night only, one night only
That's all you have to spare
One night only, let's not pretend to care
One night only, one night only
Come on big baby come on
One night only, we only have 'til dawn

In the morning this feeling will be gone
It has no chance going on
Something so right has got no chance to live
So let's forget about chances, this one night I will give..."

So its one night only i have left before my flight.
feeling very overwhelmed by everything... the culmination of my sweat and tears in planning for this trip that almost did not happen... and the residual uncertainties... things which really have yet to fall in place.

i keep getting reminded of the gift i received yesterday, and it keeps getting me into tears.
and i keep breaking down when thinking of my departure, and i just had a good cry looking at the confirmed flight.

i know its just one month. but its a whole month of being without.
it will truly be a struggle for me.
and i keep asking why i decided to go.

the answer was easy. and so i asked the Reason to cast away my pain and doubts.
and i rested the outcomes in Him.

i most probably won't write tomorrow night, given that i would be on the flight by then.

i will try to post regularly when i am there.

and i promise to make the entries happy.

one night each time.

band of brothers... and one sister!

haha.

peeps from ntu organised a small gathering to chill.
ad was main planner. people who came were uan, mud, fath, nas, abu, alfi, abang din.
and hajar, juni and ansari sent their regards.

for me, sending of the regards would have sufficed.
and hence the gathering was something that moved me deeply.

i am truly blessed to have these people as one of the closest to me, given a true spiritual bond between us. and my heart is filled with love for them. and i am most happy to say that it is requited.

there will be no other like this group.

thank you guys. i really love you all.

this night

To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do

Have heart my dear
We're bound to be afraid
Even if it's just for a few days
Making up for all this mess


These two paragraphs from Snow Patrol's "Run" sums up my emotions for the time.

last few singaporean updates

hahaha.

wow. almost 3 weeks without updating, although these weeks have the most hectic ever, and the culmination of my time in NYP. and almost the culmination of my time as a student.

well, in the space of about 3 weeks, this is what has happened.

i completed 4 exams, and completed my final year project.
we had our annual occupational therapy students' conference, where we presented our final year papers. my team shared the best paper prize, although we did not physically hold the award. we hugged and cried and teased and abused our lecturers on that day. never seen us that wild before.

my australian placement got postponed by two weeks due to some unforseen changes in the australian healthcare policy. so i am currently on a two week placement with an early childhood education centre somewhere along holland road. and there is a affinity between me and them. so got a locum offer there. then got another offer at a previous placement centre as well. then considering this opportunity at a clinic close to home. and then the plans of MOH to open up adolescent services. so many opportunities. so little of me to go around.

haha.

but again, let me get through my aussie placement first.
while most things are kind of settled, i still feel the butterflies.
given that i am going alone, and given that my finances would be kind of tight, i cannot help but feel the jitters more than i would like.

i have prayed, and i have prayed again, for the burdens of this travel to be eased, both physically and emotionally. i hope to be uplifted after this placement. and i hope it happens in a way that i never expected to. grant your servant this, Master.

well, all those things aside, i am quite the way i was. many things have revealed themselves to me, whether i wanted to know or not. but i will learn to take it all in my stride. i am trying my best. guidance i seek from Thee.

will try to blog the next few days, with my final thoughts before i fly off.