20 Pictures, 2000 Words

17th Feb

Hopped on a train to get to Frankston, the suburb my campus is in. Supposed to change trains at Caulfield. When we got to Caulfield, we realized that none of the doors nearby were opened. We panicked! And tried to run to the nearest open door. But it was too faraway, we didn't make it. The train started to move.

I was told that people in Aust are very nice, you can ask anyone anything. So i asked this guy why didn't the doors open. Guess what i found out?

YOU HAD TO OPEN THE DOORS BY YOURSELF!

Weird! Its not like that in Malaysia and its not like that in Singapore or anywhere else i've taken a train...

We weren't sure how to get to campus so we looked around for the least scary person to ask for directions. I saw this 40something yr old guy carrying a plastic bag with carrots in it and asked for directions...

He offered us a lift! =)

Despite the luck and kindness we had we were too late to view the property. We hung out on the dead campus for a bit and decided to call a cab (cuz the weather is hotter than Malaysia that day). Stupid cab fare came up to $7.00!!! Its just one point something km away! If not for the punishing weather, we would have walked to Frankston town.

In town we went into almost all the real estate agents there were (there were SO MANY of them). But none of them had any suitable property available for viewing that Saturday. I felt so much regret, i should have done more research, it was so hot and i just felt like crying cuz even if we found a place we would have to buy furniture...

It was like a miracle when i received an sms. It's from this landlord i found on the Monash portal. From my corresponded with him, i didn't want his property as it was overpriced (though still cheaper than staying on campus) and also because he only had 2 rooms available and there was three of us.

We decided to view his property anyway since he offered to pick us up. His place seemed like magic and we were more than eager to move in... despite the fact that 5 girls would be sharing one bathroom!

We moved in on Sunday but didn't sign any agreement. Landlord was nice enough to let us see how it goes first. I was so relieved after that i couldn't stop smiling! Finally we started to enjoy being in Melbourne.


Beautiful touristy Frankston

Seeeeee? Peninsula campus ain't as ulu as u think.

Since we purchased an all day Metcard that day, i wanted to go visit E at Footscray. It would have been damned funny that the toilet closed at 6.30pm if i didn't need to shit (food poisoning).


18th February Sunday

Moved in. Unpacked a bit. Met up with E and his friend at Flinders street. HS and i shopped till the shops started closing at freaking 5pm! We took the train back to Frankston and since it was evening we decided to walk from the station to our house.

For 20minutes we walked the wrong way! It started to get dark, the path was pitch black... and it started to rain. What a way to spend the first day of Chinese New Year.


19th February

Got our registration done... got lunch, did some grocery shopping and we took some pictures of our


Okayyyy... our campus does look a bit like a forest reserve...

Me! In front of my faculty- Bachelor of Business and Commerce. Don't ask me why the building says business and economics.


We had our first eat-in dinner that day!

Only $2.50 for the meatloaf! =) “Yummy” to quote HS and it was really filling that we had enough leftover for breakfast!

Did i mention we had two Swedish girls as housemates? They're really nice and they cook and eat in a lot and they ALWAYS wash their dishes... We spent the night watching Borat together!


20th February

I took a train to Clayton just to visit bestfriend who just arrived in Melbourne. It was her birthday that day. So i popped into a shop to get her something.

I couldn't believe my luck. I went into super cheap cheap shop. Its like $5.50 for a top... and on top of that, many items are on half price! $2.75 for a top??? I went crazy and bought $17.75 worth of stuff including bestfriend's present.

I soon found out that i was shopping at Salvation Army! So i donated RM50 to charity! Whoa...


21st February

There was some opening ceremony for orientation and i got what i wanted. By choosing Monash Peninsula, i found myself in a campus where 2700 students or 90% were locals and only 300 were international students.

But somehow HS and i bumped into 4 other Malaysians and the 6 of us stuck in a group for the day. Which wasn't all bad cuz ST told me about this website with off campus student accommodation. HS and i saw a lovely place at a reasonable price. I called up and made an appointment to view the place the very same day.

Camwhore and Photoslut taking pictures cuz we were early for our property viewing appointment.

The place was as beautiful as the add!

Everything was either brand new or retro pieces!

Look at our kitchen! Trendy!

Our toilet looks like a hotel's! There is a bathtub! (Which currently remains unused till today)

All three rooms had double beds! And they gave us a discount! $94 per week instead of $99 for the small rooms, $115 instead of $125 for the big room cuz the floor was dusty and half the lights in the kitchen is not working and the wife's pregnant and due in 3 weeks...

They were nice enough to let me take pictures of the house cuz our 3rd housemate would only be arriving the next day and i wanted to show her pictures before we make a decision

The Next Day
3rd housemate, CT loves the pictures! Called landlady Holly and told her we'd take the place!
I asked if they could help us move. At first the said NO, they would not help us!!
That's cuz they thought we had huge items such as COUCHES!
Did i speak like i've lived here long? Do i seem like a pro at viewing property?
Cool! Wahahaha. We paid the bond and landlord Dean helped us move in!

And we've moved in! =) The three of us then had steamboat dinner with CT's friends, Malaysian B and Singaporean D. Good food, gtreat people!

23rd February
Whole day of grocery/necessity shopping! From buying heaters to lamps, throw rugs, food, milo and detergent... we walked to town twice and took a cab back twice. That many stuff!

24th February
I walked to town to pick up E, who came to visit for the weekend! It was pretty much a day in for me, just lazing around...

...and being in each other's arms. Look at how he sits, as if he owns MY place! He helped me with the laundry too (cleaned the washing machine for me as well, hehe).

Man, can u believe i've never used the washing machine before in my life? When it started making noises i started to panic for the live of my very few clothes but E said that the machine at his home is louder so i calmed down.

Dinner was spaghetti (cooked by CT) and a whole chicken purchased for 6 bucks. S came over at night to help finish the spaghetti and we played Uno cards while watching Ali G in the House on tv.

Pretty nice day. Its the day when i finally relaxed (period came after being 2 weeks late and its the second time i shitted since arriving in Aust, aside diarrhea. Sorry my blog is too personal).
I finally unpacked and i found a little something my sister sneaked into my huge luggage. She put her hand print with paint on a piece of art block and wrote a little goodbye note. I cried reading it.

When i get back to Malaysia next year her hand wouldn't be the same size.

25th February

Trip to the city thanks for Sunday Savers. $12.60 tickets become $2.50 on Sundays. Walk around Victoria Market and... i have no idea where else. We camwhored too

Housemates. I dun care if i spoiled the picture by being in it, i still love this pic.

I bought 30 packets of Maggi noodles from this Asian grocery store. It taste much better than the Australian Maggie Chicken flavour.

26th February

Nothing earth shattering happened on this Monday except that ST, S, T, CT, HS and i went to the beach for the first time! Don't have the group picture with me but i have another one of me and my beloved housemates.

Lots of laughter together.

And here's a scenery shot

27th February
We ordered Malaysian food!!! There was rendang! And we cooked rice. No pictures cuz we wolfed down everything the minute the veggie's cooked.

28th February
1st class. Oh my god i could hardly relate to anything! So scary, employment law is so not what i was expecting! It's... more of history and sooo much about the past Australian governments...

2nd March

Did laundry on my own. Made me late for class! I didn't know how 2 turn on the thing! Had to call E! Wahahaha... but at least i don't burn pizzas with the microwave like HS does! Hahaha.
6th March - Instant noodle day.

Beautiful! Cost me less than $2.00! =) So proud of myself, able to make such a good looking meal, ahahaha. But my telor mata kerbau tutup mata sikit. Whoops

8th March
First time eating at the cafeteria.

Just CT and i, HS was too lazy to go to university since she has no classes that day and although we live 5 minutes away from campus...

11th March

Sunday Savers are my savior. Went to the city again. E and i just walked along the river bank near Flinders Street. There was this Mumba festival going on, a carnival too but rides and games were really expensive, we just strolled and comment on the odds of winning each games and such. I took pictures

I kinda love the way the sun shines through the clouds. And there's a waterskiing contest going on.

There was supposed to be fireworks at 9.30 but due to “high unpredictable winds, the fireworks has been canceled.” Sheeshhh. CT, E and I just sat there and freezed our buts off watching people walk past us for a bit before we hopped on a tram to Melbourne Central for Max Brenner.

I was fascinated with the mug. No handles. I asked CT how are u supposed to drink it?
Wanted to take a pic of her but she insisted on taking a pic of us.

Thats how you drink from Max Brenner। Keeps your hands warm. But not for long though.

I hate this post, it was really hard putting it up! Glad i'm done, i just dunno why technology hates me