Sigh...

Spending 23bucks getting my flu jab in Singapore doesn't seem to be worth it.

Apparently, I have been sick for the second time in Melbourne within a time span of 6 weeks! This time, it's a lot worse than the previous one. The previous one last for a couple of days only and the process din feel as bad as this one.

This time, the phlegm is green for so many days and it is still green! And, the sore throat is getting from bad to worse, which is partly my fault cos I cldnt withstand the temptation of FREE chips last night at the formal night dinner. And my cough is even worse than the other time! Now, my abdominal muscles are aching cos I cough so much. Needless to say, my chest is painful as well due to the constant coughing. And I get breathless so easily! I have already increased my asthma medications!

So today, I went to see the doctor cos I had to see her due to the blood test results, which is a routein for all medical students. Anyway, I din get any medications lor! But I had my nebuliser done here free! Wow! Finally, something FOC in Australia! For those who doesnt know what is nebulliser, it's for asthmatic patients. A mask with ventolin fumes for them to breathe in.

I felt better after that but now, the cough is bad after a couple of hours and the ventolin is already wearing off. Sigh... And the cough is aggravating the sore throat! And I am having running nose!!! Argghhhhh!!!

Shitty place, shitty people, shitty system!

Argghhh....

I miss home. I miss the food there. I miss the plain porridge I use to get whenever I am sick or having sore throat! Arghhh!!!

And on top of the suffering, my best fren, piggy, said she is starting to forget how I look! Apparently, she tried to recall how I look yesterday, and the image was blurring and she is starting to forget the details! HMPH!!!

Ulter insult! I can still rem her pig-like face-cum-features and she can't even remember a DECENT looking face?! OMG! ARGGHHH!!!

Sometimes, we have to be more sensible when it comes to jokes. Some jokes are funny, some are lame.

Some may seem to be jokes but are personal attacks in fact.

Personal attacks are different from teasings.

And personal attacks are on a much severe scale.

We should learn to be sensible when it comes to personal attacks and gauge the severity of some words which come out of my mouth.

Perhaps, I should learn to do so.

Since I can't stop people from hurting me, I shall learn to protect myself.

刺猥并非恶毒，它只想保护自己...

Wow, a very crude title indeed.

Anyway, din I mention earlier that I lodged a complain to the school regarding the airconditioning system at my lecture theatre?

Apparently, it seems that some smart asses are making a fun out of it.

They find it funny, but I don't.

In life, it's pretty common that there will be ppl who complains but do nothing, thinking that the things will turn for the better. And when things don't, they continue to complain and it's a mere cycle.

There are also ppl who complains and do something. However, unfortunately, when things turn for the better, pther ppl won't come and thank them for their effort. Instead, everyone then view these ppl who complains as fussy, difficult ppl or simply, nothing better to do. And, they go around making fun or joke abt it.

Yeah. I'm not trying to act 'godly' who 'saved' everyone frm the sufferings of the malfunctioning aircondition. I complained cos I couldn't stand the heat and the stuffiness. I am not expecting ppl to come and thank me but definitely not making fun of the whole issue and bring it up with some tinge of sarcasm every now and then.

I don't lodge complains for every small issues and some invited guests who missed and did not turn up in my lectures doesn't warrant me to lodge a complain for some stupid refund. Perhaps, I'm just seen as some fussy complain king in other ppls' eyes. Fine then.

Someone told me this:
"I'm not like you who got balls to complain..."

It wasn't a praise, seriously. The tone was simply not right...

People can go ahead making fun of it. Cos ppl tend to be forgetful and short term memory. Once the sufferings of the heat and stuffiness is over, ppl tend to take things for granted once again. I rest my case.

It's been a bad week. With bad encounters, bad site visits, lots of misunderstandings, and lots of insults thrown at me. Some very personal insults are way off the limit but well, such things happen in life. I just have to learn to protect myself from those ppl then.

Take care...

Sigh...

Sometimes, the place and culture that one is brought up in really influences the way one person think and behave isn't it?

I was talking about money with the locals recently. I said smth 12k, meaning 12,000 bucks. Apparently, they dun understand the term 'k'. And when I asked around, even ppl from other countries din understand. Different cultures.

Anyway, it seems that our knowledge and understanding of several things are so different.

For example, we refer 'locals' as people from that country. When I say 'locals' in Australia, I mean the aussies obviously isn't it. But to the aussies, when u call them the locals, they refer to ppl from this particular place, example Melbourne. So I started having an argument with this person here.

She said she isn't a 'local' since she isn't from Melbourne. But to me, 'locals' mean aussies! And this is the case for many countries isn't it? Like you can go and tell someone from JB at KL that they are 'locals' and they wont rebut and argue saying that they aren't cos they are from JB isn't it? So why the aussies have such weird interesting way of classifying?

Sigh...

It's been 4 weeks here since the school term has started and things are gathering pace! I seem to be having difficulty trying to catch up cos there seems to be endless readings to do and I dun ve e time to revise on anything! Argghhh!!!

And I seem to be constantly stressed up and probably that's the reason why I have fallen ill again. Haiz...

Anyway, daylight savings is over in Australia! So I'm now 2 hours apart from Singapore! That will make things easier liaoz...haha...

Tmr is Monday and I seriously dun wish to go back to school! Argghhh...

Tata!

I've just lodged another complain to the school. Well, it's my first complain letter to the school but my second complain letter in Australia within a time span of 1month! Wow! Another record set!

Anyway, we have been having our lectures in this Lecture Theatre call R1. And, the aircon seems to be malfunctioning and it always shuts down in the middle of the damn lecture! This really piss me off!

Cos, it gets damn hot and stuffy and I always felt nauseous when it's so damn hot and stuffy! The smell aggravates my symptoms (wow, so medical sia! :) ) and the heat makes me damn irritable.

If it's one day, I can accept thou it still pisses me off. But it had last for a couple of days and no one is doing anything at all! The locals are so wonderful. They felt it was hot but they din have any 'special feelings' like I do. They just take it as it is. Hmm... no wonder the service levels here sucks isn't it? Cos they don't complain as much as Singaporeans do. Haha!

So, I wrote in an email and as usual, the email is ding donging among the departments and hopefully, it will get fixed by today! Otherwise, I suggest someone juz faint in the LT and we can start pointing fingers at them! WooHoo!!!

Anyway, I had my first site visit to a GP clinic yesterday. Mixed feelings but generally bad...

I can't disclose the patients' information and stuff due to provacy law and stuff. But I can tell you some general stuff though.

I boarded the bus to the clinic and asked the bus uncle to let me alight at this place and he said RUDELY with a Fucker expression:

"I don't know where is this place (continues mumbling...) You can ask the pssengers then... (mumbling again...)"

In the end, I misses by one stop and had to walk for 5min which wasn't too bad.

Then, the doctor brought me to a retirement village where many elders lived at and he is supposed to have consultation sessions there. It took damn long! Argghhh!!!

Anyway, I was pretty surprised that the retirement village in Australia looks like hotels!!! Wow!!! It's well equipped and with pretty much facilities around! Wow!

But it's kinda depressing seeing all the elderlies living here. And their skin are really wrinkled. Sigh... I'm more inclined towards the side where I believe elderlies should live with their family, taking care of grandchildren, leading a blissful life...

Anyway, we went to nursing home next. Wow, this place is even better! LCD television to each patient! OMG! And all fully air-conditioned! This place looks great man!

The main story is the doctor did not send me back to Mannix, which I was really hoping he would since I was supposed to end at 5 but he ended at 7PLUS instead.

He did not send me back to the clinic area as well where I alighted the bus at.

He told me he is pretty sure there is a bus stop at North Road (Heck where is it, just note it's some ulu high way) where I can take a bus. H dropped me at Norht Road. Well, there is a bus stop BUT THE BUS DOESNT GO TO MANNIX!!!

So I crossed the road and asked the guy in the petrol station and walked along the quiet highway at the dark evening, against the cold winds! WTH!!!

And when I got there, the bus I took wasnt found at the opposite busstop where I alighted initially. So I had to roam around, asking for help but no one knew. Eventually, I took a train which went back by the long way feeling hungry, tired and cold.

I missed my dinner and stuff. Ate some junk food along the way.

It's really a bad day.

Sigh...

It was a terrible period abt a month ago...It was probably one of the most difficult moments in my entire life. Leving Singapore, leaving my home, leaving my family, leaving my best friends and leaving all my friends and familiarities.

A month has gone and I am starting to adapt to the current life. Still trying very hard to adapt. Family and friends aren't by my side when I need them. But I am perservering. It's my dream. A dream with a hefty price I've paid for - literally and metaphorically.

I've went to read the earlier entries I wrote when I arrived and I was really sad. It seems as though I had relived the terrible moments when I just arrived. The terrible and scary moments which I would not want to be reminded of.

Now, enters a life which has lots of challenges. Stress is my current obstacle which I am coping, very hard. Reduced my socialising stuff though there are ppl who don't seem to understand and may wish to term me as anti-social. These ppl are simply naive and selfish. But, who cares then?

If I center my life around these ppl, I would be in deep shit.

Exciting news is that my site visit to a local GP clinic is on this coming Wednesday!!! I would be required to conduct an interview with patients and then write an essay abt it! Seems really challenging and I am seriously freaking out cos there are so many things to take note of!!! OMG!!!

I really praying hard that everything will go through smoothly!!! Seriously!!!

Now, back to studies!

Woohoo!!!

All the seniors kept telling us that year 1 would be a honeymoon period and we must cherish this year. But it seems as though we were taught under different era or something!!!

Seriously. The pace is picking up and there are like tons of readings to do everyday! And I am not even dreaming of venturing out of what is taught. I am having difficulty reading the stuff I am supposed to read, finish the researches I was tasked and reading the previous notes taught but yet to read through.

If this is gonna carry on like this, I will be in deep shit. I have cut all socialising stuff in Mannix which seems to be a little 'over' when it comes to socialising. There are things which need to be prioritised and socialising is definitely not the top of the priority. Calling me a nerd?! Oh pls... I came all the way from Singapore NOT to socialise but to study for my passion! Isn't it damn obvious?! I ain't pumping in 80k a year for socialising ok? Hopefully, I won't be pressured into socialising which they are so forceful yet. They kept asking me to attend but so far, I have been successful in turning them down.

More and more ppl are getting cars. Is it call the 'red eye' syndrome or is it a necessity? I get envious as well and I do wanna get a car too. But, on a practicality note, I won't be getting it since there isn't much justification for me to get it. But I WANT and most probably will get a car in year 3!!! Muaahaaaa! That's when I have to do my clinical stuff which will be based in different hospitals and stuff.

Anyway, I seem to come into contact with weird/irritating/rude ppl in my life. Sometimes, all I want is some basic courtesy. Like if you need me to help you in smth, ask politely and I may be happy to help. But if you command me rudely, I won't be willing to do it. Isn't that kinda obvious? I tot only thick ppl or unreasonable ppl wld ve difficulty understanding that. Sigh. But apparently, such ppl do exist. Sigh... (-.-")

Also, Mannix will be having the 'International' Night tmr!!! Wednesday is the day when formal dinners are held where we have to wear the academic gown and stuff. The gown which made me feels so Harry Potter! Anyway, it's international week and as one of the few INTERNATIONAL student in Mannix, I get to sit at the 'High Table'. It seriously reminds me of Harry Potter where the teachers wld sit at the high table on the stage! Muaahhaaaaa!!! It's my second week sitting there! Haahaaaa!!! Priority Treatment! I like that! :)

Ok. I shall go and study now. Having a tutorial at 8pm at Mannix later on. That is not socialising thou. That is academic stuff.

Haiz. If I have to continue like this for the next few years, I will be so damn drained. Sigh...

Ok, seriously this is like the second time of the day that someone made this comment.

Anyway, Ben was asking if I was gay cos I mentioned that I missed korkor.

Think some clarification needed.

I admit it openly that I miss korkor a lot. However, think I mentioned that I miss piggy a lot as well. In fact, I missed the happy times we spent together and I actually dreamt of the three of us a few days ago! I really miss them a lot. They are the ppl whom I am most comfortable with. But, as said earlier, I have to adapt now that they are not with me cos I chose this path to take.

Not sure if it was cos I mentioned korkor more or simply cos it's kinda weird for a guy to miss another guy. But when a guy miss a gal, it's 'normal' and the gal 'must' be the girlfriend. Not platonic friend. MUST be galfren. When a guy miss a guy, this guy muz be a gay... Seriously, we are too sterotyping liaoz. But think we all fall under that at one point of time.

Anyway, I wasn't offended by Ben. In fact, I was glad he asked or I wont notice it and no clarification would ve been done.

Whatever it is, I really miss korkor and piggy a lot a lot...

Customer service in Australia varies. There are pros and cons but more cons, definitely!!!

Basically, the pros is that Australians are really friendly. They smile to you and tchat with you even if you aren't buying their goods. They will greet you enthusiatically once you enter the store. But that's all.

Their customer service can be really bad in many other ways which is of greater concern to the consumers.

I've got several cases:

First Case
I am a member of Worldcare's Overseas Student Healthcare Cover thing. It's mandatory for overseas student to have a valid OSHC in Australia. I've got no choice but to get it from Worldcare since they are fixed for year 1.

Medical service in Australia is expensive as everyone knows. Well, OSHC basically covers everything done in the clinic, that is if the clinic does bulk billing, but not medication. Bulk billing simply means that this particular clinic will not make you pay a single cents while other clinics which don't, your OSHC only covers part of your medical fees, depending what was done in the clinic. They can charge you very high and you end up paying a substantial amount of cash.

Medication cannot be bought at the clinics. The doctors will prescribe you medications which you have to get from the pharmacy here.

Now, Worldcare's OSHC sucks. They make you pay bulk of your medications but when they present to you what is covered by their OSHC, they mention prescribed medications. In fact, you will have to pay AT LEAST $30.70. They will only pay any amount above the $30.70. The maximum of the medication is $50!!! Which means, the max amount is only $19.30 claimable?!?!

I was sick earlier and the doctor prescribed me with Ventolin. He told me to check with OSHC to see what is the min amount I will have to pay before I can make a claim. I called and the lady told me it's $3.70. I reconfirmed with her 3 times. Then, thinking $3.70 is reasonable, I went on to gt my Ventolin, which cost $26.25. However, when I wanted to make a claim, they told me the min I will have to pay is $30.70!!!

FUCK!!!

They said I may have heard wrongly. Fuck them lah! Do I have stupid written on my face?! I reconfirmed with the lady a few times ok?!?!

Fuckers!

Now, I feel damn cheated and I sent a complain letter to them which I doubt will work. Cos the service standards here is bad.

Case 2
A few weeks ago, korkor came and visit me. He went on to extend his stay for another few days and called Qantas to extend his stay here. He had to pay A$50 in order to extend which he agreed.

Recently, he discovered his debit card was charged over 700bucks!!! And when he called the bank, apparently, Qantas fuckers here made a mistake! Instead of charging A$50, they charged A$500!!!!!!!!!

Are they blind?!

Aren't they some MNC or something?! Aren't they supposed to maintain certain level of customer service standards?!

How can they make a grave error like this?!

Case 3
Korkor is flying to Melbourne pretty soon again. This time, Qantas apparently made a mistake with his name. Instead of calling him Irwan (First Name), Bin Abdullah (Last Name), they messed up his name as Bin Irwan Abdullah!!!

And he called them and they asked him to rectify the problem or he wont be able to board the flight if there is some confusion. And they did not help him much but simply forward the calls here and there!

What kind of lousy service is that?!

Fuckers!

I NEVER had this problem with SIA. Seriously, australia companies should really wake up and start having some DECENT service. I am not expecting a lot!

Case 4
I had a friend who placed some fixed deposits at Commonwealth Bank here. He got an 'Official' letter stating he placed the deposit, with the manager signature and branch stamp.

However, when the term matures, he wasn;t able to withdraw. They said they don;t have any records of it. Even though they said the signature and stamp were correct, they din have e records. And poor friend had to sent so many emails before finally getting the money back. And he said, such incidents happened at other banks too.

As a consumer, I feel as though I am in constant fear if something like this happens to me as well. They should really wake up their idea. Sucks!

As part of the government's effort to increase the cohesiveness of overseas Singaporeans, contact Singapore has organised a Singapore Students gathering yesterday. It was organised by the respective schools' Singapore Student Association and in my case, Singapore Association of Monash (SAM).

4 universities were invited : Monash Clayton, Monash Caulfied, RMIT and University of Melbourne.

However, the turn out was bad, IMHP - In my HONEST Opinion.

There are a lot more Singapore students here but most of them din come.

The weather was bad. It was freezing and I was wearing T-shirt and bermudas!!! OMG! I was shivering and basically, the most comical thing was at one point of time, the guys were all 'hiding' behind the gals. Cos the wind was gushing!

The food was bad. There were char kway teow, fried carrot cake, some other dishes. You can tell they are Singapore food but cooked in a WRONG WRONG WRONG method cos the taste turn out to be kinda weird. But anyway, I ate them all cos I missed Singapore's food and I was just telling Xinfang I really miss carrot cake. Too bad it tasted quite bad.

The desserts were the worse thing I tasted but who cares?

I took my friend's car back to Mannix. It's cool to drive here cos the transport here is expensive and it takes a lot shorter time to get to places. But, I wont be driving until perhaps year 3 cos I would have no choice by then. Cos we would be attached to different locations and they can be as far as 2 hours drive from Clayton. And in some places, it's almost impossible to get there by public transport. So probably I would ve to get a car by then or smth. So in the mean time, it's saving up time!

Wouldn't it be cool to tell other ppl back in Singapore, "Oh, I've got a car!" Haha...

That would make korkor so damn jealous since he is HAVING DIFFICULTY PASSING HIS DRIVING TEST!!! Opps, it's DRIVING TESTS!

Heehee...

Anyway, I bought a quilt yesterday. I brought my blanket over from Singapore but my blanket did not ve the quilt inside since it's pretty hot in Singapore and that was more than enough. But here, there was one night when even with the blanket, I was shivering!!! So I went to get yesterday.

And to make it worth it, I opened my windows last night though I know it might be cold. But I open the windows every night in fact, just that I knew last night would be cold. Haha! I was right. It was DAMN cold!!!

And even with the blanket, I still feel cold! Regrets... (-.-")

Anyway, weather is definitely turning cold these 2 days. Today, it's simply freezing! Not sure if autumn is coming. But weather in Melbourne is like a freak which turns hot and cold as it wishes.

Shall head back to Singapore in June to get winter clothings cos it's damn ex here. Sigh...

It has been a hectic week! Really miss everyone back home and the food! But NOT the weather. No doubt Melbourne weather is like a freak thing, but it is not as humid here and I don't have to be sweaty and sticky here!

I've moved into Mannix last week. It was kinda shitty cos I 'smuggled' korkor in here and everyone thought he is also a medical student from Singapore. So now and then, there are ppl coming to me and ask:

So where is the OTHER Singapore student? Did he run back to Singapore? I've not seen him since the first day!

I have to act blur and say "I'm not sure..."

Anyway, that's the funny side of it. I'm definitely trying very hard to adapt. But I'm not really used to be one of the only asian, true asian (cos there are some locals with asian origins but speak like locals), around here.

On the day of moving, it was really shitty cos I had SO MUCH stuff to bring here! Luckily korkor was with me. It seems like a long time since I last met korkor when it was only last Tuesday that I sent him off. Miss you guys!

So, over the last weekend, I had to attend this Med Camp, which is compulsory for Medical Students. They mainly focus on what we will be going through during our Med study etc. Some parts are really boring... But overall, it wasn't too bad. Cos I got to know other medical students which would be pretty handy in the future, I reckon.

And I must say the education system here is not as stiffling as Singapore's. I'm glad I was fortunate enough to come here. I've heard how stressful it is over in Singapore's Med Fac. And we get lots of hands-on opportunity in Monash's programme. Will be going for site-visits, one to a GP and another one to a hospital, in a few week's time. Mainly we will get to practise interviewing skills. Think it's quite fun. I like how the programe is structured to give us plenty ofopportunity to interact with the patients etc...

Anyway, back to the Med Camp. We went to Philip Island for the camp (which is smth Singapore MEd Fac cant do cos Singaporeis too small, we wont get to go to some ulu island for the camp isnt it?). The island is quite boring as in not much sight seeing activities available. But the main thing over there is the Penguin Parade! We got to see really nice and cute Penguin. How I wish korkor and piggy were with me to see them...

The scenery there is also quite nice. Ok, enough saying, enjoy the photos taken then...




Shall go read my notes now...

Take care...