My living place

I just moved into uni residence exactly a week ago, I was sorted into the Walter Gage residence. It's quite a big surprise because usually Walter Gage residence offers place to second-year students onwards, so there's a possibility that they sorted me wrongly.

Anyway, I just got myself here. Moving into campus also indicates the end of my off-campus life.

I took some photos before leaving the room I was renting for the whole September.

Let's start the picture talk then!

Here's the park nearby the house I was living.


The walking path.



The House



It's a 3-floor townhouse. First floor is the door with a staircase going up to the second floor.There's a bedroom on the right just before the staircase.Second floor contains a living room and kitchen, then there goes a staircase up to third floor which has 3 bedrooms and a bathroom.

My room






My private bathroom



I was so indulged in the environment that I walked back to my house leisurely everyday at that time. Supermarkets and restaurants are easily accesible till it's not a problem to be a choosy consumer at all.However, that's just one thing I've been grumbling since the first day I live in Richmond, it's the distance from my house to the bus stop.

Let's measure it this way.

3 streets+ 2 traffic lights+ Passing by a Petrol Station and an Old Folks Home

It was so painful to reduce my 1.5 hour of sleeping time to prepare myself and catch a bus on time, for an 8 a.m lecture !That's the main reason for my shift.

So I decided to move into Walter Gage on last Sunday,where we had a long weekend (Monday was a holiday). I'm just excited with the thought that I'm gazillion steps closer to the uni from now onwards.

Walter Gage residence

I live in one of the 3 towers of Walter Gage, where I own a room with shared kitchen and bathroom. Apartments and studios are also available in here with very limited space.








I know, I like to stock food because I usually do grocery shopping once a week.
So " buy all you can" becomes my motto (lol,joking of course)! Food storage is important if I don't want to stuff myself with fast food everyday.

I'm proud to claim myself as a "loyal" Malaysian food products' consumer that all of my Milo,instand noodles and Tom Yum paste were brought from there.

Let's see...



Most of them are available here actually, if I don't mind buying a 400g of Milo pack at the price of RM 18. Considering the fact that I'm a "Milo Queen" , I think that doesn't work on me at all. I'll still carry packs and packs of Milo from M'sia yearly.

All the above pictures just make good explanation about my previous and current living place. =) I met all my housemates finally, there's really a diversed culture among all of us, having Canadians, Asians and Asean.

I feel, it would be a good start of my first year.

The leaves are turning red

Hey everyone, I just got a new laptop because my previous one couldn't work properly anymore. I suppose this laptop should be sufficient throughout my 4 years of studies.=) I'm satisfied with what I got--> Toshiba U400-061.

Mid-term has started a couple of weeks ago, and I'll be having tests continuosly till the end of Term 1, I'm just a little numb to tests. It has come to one point where I don't grumble for any tests coming in anymore, but just grab the textbook and lecture notes and start revising. That's most probably because I'm used to my schedule and my submission date for every assignment. It's repetitive though,so I'm doing it robotically once the due date is up.

To those who've sent me birthday wish in advance , I sincerely thank all of you for the time and money you all are willing to spend on me.=) I know, I'm still alive here and I'm not alone. I don't think I'll have anything big this year, since I'll be sitting for Biology mid-term on Wednesday night.=) Wish me luck please!

Winter is near, Autumn is here. The leaves begin to turn red now, I shall include a picture of it in the next post.

McDonald’s in Canada

I just discovered that there's a maple leaf in the middle of the big 'M'.

This is my first time seeing a M logo being personalized by a country.

Hmm, I had a brainstorm at one point, maybe we should put a "bulan sabit+bintang"(moon+star) for M logo in Malaysia.

Anyway, Mcdonald's meals in Canada are fine, in terms of taste and portion. The portion is regular and similarly to the ones in Malaysia. Speaking about the taste, it's less saltier than Mcd meals in Malaysia and less likely heavy in taste, but it's still acceptable so far.





Everything is about maple leaves in Canada.

Pui Mun in Ubyssey

Time flies like an express train.I'm officially a uni student just a couple of weeks ago.I can't believe that this is fifth week of my Term 1 already.What makes it more unbelievable is when I look back at the assignments,tests and lectures I've had in this short period of time, indicating how crazy university life serves me. Then I remind myself again, Oh...Ok,perhaps this is the typical life of a university student.So I need to be crazily dedicated to my work to adapt into the situation.

Let's flashback to the first day of my uni life, which was on the 2nd Sept. That was my orientation day (Imagine UBC) , which was also my second time entering the university. I went to the UBC a few days before Imagine UBC day for an English test.Speaking about Imagine UBC, it was like a half-day uni trip which provided us brief introduction on the surroundings and gathering the first-year students under the same faculty together for games, lunch and speech sessions.It was freaking cold on that day, I remember vividly because it was raining and they still insisted to have ice-breaking session under the rain. That ice-breaking game didn't break up the ice bond between us, but freeze me out terribly instead.

My group leader, Cindy then introduced us with the different buildings and administration offices which were definitely useful to new students like us. The campus is rather big but fortunately all the lectures that I'm attending are located not far from each other and they are reachable within 10 minutes of walking.That's really important to me because I have classes scheduled one after another, and that 10 minutes is the only time I have to walk to another building.

To wrap up the orientation day, we were welcomed by the deans of different faculties with their decent speeches. There were about 6000+ first-year students commencing classes in Winter session 08.I felt like I was placed in a rock concert instead of a welcoming event, whereby the band leader will take off his shirt and yell to the audience, which was exactly the same scenario here, the President of Student Society took off his shirt half way giving speech and started flinging it around.Okay, that was just their style of presentation. Something really caught my attention took place when they informed a former UBC student,Ben Rutledge, who was the Gold Medalist of the Canadian rowing team in Beijing Olympic 2008. He was sharing his experience and fun joining societies and clubs in university because that's where he got an opportunity to join the national team for Olympic. Whoa, it was my first time seeing the Olympic Gold Medal in real, courtesy of Ben Rutledge.





That was basically the highlights of my orientation day. Let me share with you a little bit about Ubyssey.

You may be curious of me using Ubyssey instead of the usual UBC. Ubyssey is actually the UBC student-run paper,which is free of charge and being published twice weekly. I do read it sometimes and I personally like the survey part whereby they survey students on different issues. I once read about " 25 unfavourable things of UBC students", and there were several funny responds to it, like

"30. Plant Ops vans that drive right down the fucking sidewalk."
"18. That weird box under your facebook photo."
"6. A certain news editor asking people to write the joke edit."
"2. Old people"
"31. Happy people."
"32. Not being in love."
"33. Being in love."

"90 things to do before you graduate UBC"
7) Take a nap at the swimming pool between classes
19) Skateboard/longboard down all 5 levels at the Rosegarden Parking lots
21) Get arrested while protesting to save a pile of dirt
24) Get lost on campus
32) Drink a beer in class
61) Ride a bike to school
81) When someone is running to class call out “Run Forest! Run!”

These people are creatively funny despite some of the ideas might turn out to be silly.

There's a beach, farm ,botanical garden and a rose garden on campus. I've not been to the beach yet, otherwise I'd visited all these places, but from what I heard, it's beautiful. I hope it is, then I'll have more reasons to duple, or even triple my visits there monthly.

The Rose Garden


Irving.K.Barber Learning Center (Behind view)



Clock Tower


Walter.C.Koerner Library



I'm still accumulating more pictures on the campus, I think there are still a lot of places in uni which I've not been to, so I'll leave it for the next time.

I have an I-clicker which acts as a Personal Response System (PRS) that I'm required to bring to some of the lectures. What I'm doing with the clicker is that I answer the question posted by the professor and then click my answer and check on my vote status. Then the professor will end the poll and display the result in a graph form, while discussing to us the possible answers of the question. My participation will be graded and include in my results.I personally dislike the idea of using I-clicker though, mainly because it's pricey and useless.Seriously, I've no idea what to do with it after Term 1? I rather have paper quiz in class and hand in my answers for participation marks than spending RM 100+++ to buy a clicker to tit-tit-tit, click around for not more than 1 hour weekly, for the sake of that pathetic 5% of participation mark.


I-clicker

Lastly, I shall expose my student ID and bus pass before ending my post.

Mamee = Sunburst

The Malaysian snack that I used to eat is called "Sunburst" here. Why must it be sunburst out of so many names?That's really odd to me, but come to think of it, that's just a slight change , there's still a lot of changes I need to adapt in this environment.

Dear friends, do have no worries on Pui Mun, she's doing well in Vancouver. There are tonnes of assignments,tests and lectures to keep her hanging and fully occupied.I just don't get the reason why schooling days will result in lack of sleep sometimes, by time I reach home, get everything done and complete my assignment, it's already late-night, why??

Mom and Dad just left 4 days ago, I celebrated dad's birthday with mom this year at a Chinese restaurant in Richmond. To make things better, I celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival with them one day earlier, we bought a mooncake and ate together. I sincerely thank them for this short reunion, I always feel good and natural when I'm with my parents.

I shall come back with a longer post about my university, UBC during this weekend. =)

Stay tuned!

My Incredible 8 hours in Japan.

Before reaching Vancouver, I had a transit in Japan for 10 hours, which meant to be walking around the city for 8 hours, leaving the remaining 2 hours for the on board preparation.

When I reached the Kansai Airport, I put my hand carry at a storage rental, it was priced 700 yen per day for 2 small luggages.

After that,I went to the Tourist Information center to sign up for a short trip in Sakai,Osaka before I'm off to the next flight. I bought package A,which was a map-based walking tour at the price of 1600 yen ( about RM 50+). It's altogether 9 destinations on the map, and there are all within walking distance and not too far from each other, finish visiting the 9 points will lead me the way back to the Sakai station, in which I'll take a 37 minutes train ride back to the airport.

The receptionist briefed me on the walking tour before I proceeded to the ticket collection.

There I started my incredible cultural tour on foot, without knowing the way and using my limited Japanese proficiency to ask about it.Just with a map and train timetables.

Map of the day.






It was my first time having this kind of experience, to have no one to guide me throughout the trip, and my schedule was very flexible and manipulative.



It was a Friday morning, and the street seemed to be rather quiet, a huge contrast to the lifestyle in Tokyo. Everyone was walking so fast in Tokyo that I never walked slow when I was in Tokyo, I know this was the speed I had to follow.

Sugawara Shrine,菅原神社







Japanese have a habit of writing down their wish or prayer on a wooden tablet (Ema,絵馬 in Japanese), and hang it at the shrine.

Just like the Chinese, they have Omikuji where some random fortunes are written on the paper. The Omikuji predicts a person's future and whether his hope will come true in any matter. The bearer keeps the Omikuji if it turns out to be a good fortune, or else he/she will tie it onto a string ( or a pine tree) in the temple ground when the prediction is bad.


I left the Shrine after 15 minutes and headed to another temple, the Honganji temple.

Honganji temple,本願寺堺别院







Continue walking for about 10 minutes, I reached another temple, Myokokuji temple.

Myokokuji Temple,妙国寺







There was no one collecting the entrance ticket. I just went in and had a brief look at it, I felt awkward, as though I was an intruder, but with an entrance ticket.

Walk, walk, walk and walk, and I found the Sakai Knife Museum.









I'm quite attracted to the wide variety of knives showed in the Museum, those that I barely see in life- Those knives used for cutting Japanese food like,sushi,soba,kashi,beef and even whale.=O
(The knife used to fillet the whale is the longest and biggest one in the first picture.)


Yaki Soba Teshoku

On my way to these tourist spots, I did some shopping whenever I see a supermarket ,pharmacy (the Kusuri store), or shopping malls as I did not have adequate time to do them separately on a shopping tour. This was why my walking tour was dragged to 7 hours instead of the required time of 4 hours for the trip alone.



Besides that, I had some hard time finding the way to some of the hot spots and it took me round and round before I could reach. To worsen the problem, I lost my way back to the Sakai station that it procrastinated my train time, it took me 90 minutes to go back ,far more than the estimated time. By time I reached the airport, checked in and picked up my hand luggages, it was already 5p.m( My flight was at 5.25p.m).
So...so.... I ran all the way madly for a few hours.

This was why I called it an incredible and shocking journey, also my first time traveling alone, really alone.

The Time Of My Life

So, there's one more week left before my new journey starts. All this while, I never think that it is a sad thing to leave what I possess here, to a new land where I've no idea how is it going to be, because the goodbye is not forever. I know sometime, someday, somewhere, I'll be meeting and recollect them again.

Val sent me a meaningful sms before she left to New Zealand. I still remember, that it was on Valentine's day, also, the day I had such excruciated diarrhea until I missed her flight , my pain!

" I'm not sad now going to NZ, I realize why, behind the goodbye I say to you, I know there's always a see you tomorrow. "

" When I go to NZ, I'm not leaving you. I can't. You guys are everything I am"

Yes, there's always a see you tomorrow.

Thank you for letting me to understand a point, that there's no need to exaggerate the pain of leaving, because you and I, are going through a new phase of life after all.

This, is what I called the time of my life, the one chance that I'm manipulating my future, inside out.

I'm glad to have the opportunity to choose for what I want, to have family and friends to support my decision, to leave aside the doubts by others. Maturity has taught me how to filter the hesitation and unfaithful by others, to make myself feel better. Because I know, end of the day, I'm still me. I won't choose to not do it because less people are choosing it, if it was meant to be a good choice. Few years later, it'll be the time where I can share my thoughts and different experiences to people proudly, meanwhile listening to theirs. It all starts from my willingness to move forward.

I know, I leave for good.

Come to think of it, it's good enough to have friends being warm enough to organize a farewell gathering for you.I didn't realise my value from others' perceptions until I'm told so, until they do something touching to make me feel good,what more for that?

You guys make the most of myself.

There are so many other ways that I can put an effort on to keep in touch with all of you. It makes me feel so close that I'm just switching to a new place, but not any further than that. I'll still be able to chit-chat with you on all the crappy stuffs through Skype, up-to-date details about myself through photos and blogging, I'm mentally and spiritually with you, you and you.

Some ask if I would be afraid of what is going to come. Whenever that I'm afraid, I have to conquer it, this is how I make my life indifferent. If I were to fear on everything that's coming, I think, I'll be an insomniac sometime soon.Failure, pain, and then gain.That's where I learn everytime I fall, just like whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you stranger, stronger.

My siblings have been telling me that life in university is among one of the best.

I know, this is the time, this is the time of my life. I know.

Meanwhile,I sincerely hope you will grab the time of your life.




Bin Anh Village, Vung Tau, Vietnam

In a crave for Beijing Olympic

I took ferry to my sister's house in Vung Tao yesterday. Vung Tao is 125km from Ho Chi Minh city(HCMC), about 90 minutes of ferry ride from HCMC.It is unsymmetric to Saigon's lifestyle, what makes it attractive is its vibrant culture, with a number of temples, churches and statues footed on the island. There is a Giant Jesus on top of the small mountain, offering a panaromic view to the surrounding landscape.


One of my daily must-do activities is to switch on the television and start searching for live telecast for any Beijing Olympic games, it's sad to note that there aren't much choices to choose from, let alone the live telecast ones, it's difficult enough to find a nice game to watch.

I mean, they have 50 over channels but just not more than 2 channels which show olympic games.


I can't help but to yell to myself, WHERE IS THE CHANNEL FOR BEIJING OLYMPIC BADMINTON????




So I decided to countdown for the days I'm going home for ASTRO Super Sports which set up 10 channels exclusively for Beijing Olympic games.It's for sure that I'll look up for the programme list for Badminton matches repeats.

One thing that will never stop is my never-ending search these few days for the Olympic medal countboard to look for the latest result.I hope our national team will end the gold drought this time, especially for the Badminton and Archery teams, though it's not the first time they claim that our team is at the peak point of getting one. Let's just have a glimpse of hope on them, who lift up high morale in participating.Speaking about the result, I'm very impressed with US's superb swimmer, Michael Phelps who made his fifth gold in the Beijing Olympic and breaking a few world records.The record-breaking 23-year-old is now 3 golds away from his quest of 8 gold medals.Out of the 10 golds US achieved, half of them were from Phelps.This result shocked me a lot, and raised my salutation towards this talented athlete.



Otherwise, my Vietnam trip will be a perfectly ideal trip. It would mean touring in the afternoon and late evenings ,and catching a few matches at home.

Of course, perfection doesn't come often.

I will say, my trip is as good as my past ones. The important element to make up a good trip is present, as I'm enjoying my good times here, be it going to the supermarket, sipping the coffee Sua Da, trying out the local fast-food are just plain pleasure for a relaxing vacation.Perhaps,I'm observing the culture through the usual daily practises apart from snapping a few photos on the splendid view of the island.

Greeting from Saigon, Vietnam

Hi everyone, I've just reached Saigon yesterday and will spend a week in Vietnam for a breeze of air, a good break time for me before I leave. Motorbikes is the mainly used vehicle in Vietnam, I see A LOT, I mean, really a lot of motorbikes scattering on the road, as if the traffic rules are of least use to them.



This trip will basically be a shopping spree besides enjoying the scrumptious local delicacies.In addition, I'll be squeezing into mouse's tunnel this Saturday in Cu Chi tunnel (pronounced as Ku Chi), quite an anticipating place to visit.

This is Coffee Sua Da ( Cold Coffee), it is a locally made coffee with a very unique mixing way.

The coffee set is very special too.



I had 2 grocery shopping during these 2 days,and to my surprise, most of the available goods are of the same brand as Malaysia, the same happens to the selling price.

I've tried Bing Bing Coconut Rice Crackers and Lemon Green Tea of a local brand.
Of course, a can of Coke is always on one grab of hand whenever I'm in a foreign supermarket, it costs me RM 1.20 for one can.





I will end this post short as the internet connection isn't smooth here, I only managed to have a quick check on e-mails and my blog. Detailed updates are to be waited.

Whoo Hoo, here comes my Vietnam Trip.