York, The City of History

"Trip to York". To everyone, it sounds nice from the start and almost all the students signed in for the trip. It cost 9 pounds for the whole day trip. However, high percentage of the students felt like being cheated. I, myself was so satisfied with service of the travel agent. It was really disappointing. Basically, as a travel agent you should know whether each destination requires entrance fees and the prices. You should have done enough homework regarding to these fundamental matters before organising any trips. I can see how unprofessional the travel agent is.

Once we disembarked, we thought the travel agent would bring us to attractive places in York. It was so upset that we have to walk ourselves to search for fun and joy. These kind of services were rather not convincing to me. We walked to the market and visited the famous attraction like Clifford's Tower, York Castle Musuem, York St. Mary as well as Merchant Adventurers' Hall. There are a lot of beautiful parks for family activities. During weekend, there are numbers of families and couples sun-tanning in the parks. When i was young, I was told that English people worship the sun.

We went to National Railway Museum to pay a visit as well. However, I never like museums and the visit was uninteresting to me. After a long walk to so many places, I started to feel exhausted and sleepy. Worse still, my camera ran out of battery. With my friend's camera, what I did in the musem was basically making the photo-taking session fun to escape myself from boredom.

In the trip, I was delighted to see my friends who are studying in John Moore University. The buildings in York are incredibly fantastic in architecture. It impressed me so much especially Merchant Adventurers' Hall. To enter further to the hall, we were required to pay 7 pounds. 7 pounds is not a small amount and I chose not to enter. After hearing the feedbacks, I knew that my decision was correct. lol. Surpringly, my friends and I were invited to have a look to a resident's mansion. The retired man told us his history and showed us his badges. Surpringly, he was a project manager. Not missing the chance, I managed to take a photo with him. It is hilarious that in Malaysia, foreginers will never be invited to enter the house like our case. It is really a big contrast.

To join the coming trip to Cambridge, I do not look so bright as my friends are not joining. I guess almost all students from my course are not joining as well as visit to Cambridge is claimed to be boring. So basically, I shall this visit off then, except there are students like me intend to join the trip. Someone, come and join this trip... PLEASE!!!

What Life Is About?!

It has been a week living in Sheffield. Sheffield is basically a not a very developed city as compared with city. On the first day I reached Sheffield, i am deeply in love with the green fields here. In Malysia, you will never find a very beautiful green field. Basically, all the fields in Malaysia is nothing much different with the bushes and are an eye-sore. In Sheffield or even in the whole United Kingdom, you can see green fields anywhere. No doubt, I have taken pictures with funky faces or grimaces, making myself shiny and sunny. Of course this is silly and stupid. However, let's face the reality. Life is about making ourselves contented and this is the way I make myself enjoying.

Last few days, I took the tram to nearest shopping mall called Meadowhall with my friends. From outlook, it does not give me a sense of bigness. To my surprise, it is quite large in space. As i do not have the mood for shopping, I found myself bored with the visit to the shopping mall. Without the intention of shopping, I would be disinterested and inactive. What I found interesting in a gadget shop is a bikini wear for men. I don't really recall what it calls. It is a piece of cloth covering the private part and asshole. During the visit to York, we saw a man wearing this outfit and it was incredibly funny. My friend challeged me to wear! What the heck!! I am not that shameless. Come on, i do not want to be controversial later!!

However, visiting to Meadowhall was so boring to me whole day. The buildings nearby are basically is modern-designed. As i always prefer old-fashioned and unique architecture, taking photos of the buildings was not my interest anymore on that day. However, it is more than worth to take a look to surrounding area and take a quite snap of what is going on in other country.

Ever since i reach the United Kingdom, i am deep fall for this country. What I am thinking to do is find job to work here. I am so much interested to work in the United Kingdom. Last week, my friend mentioned that the immigration law is so strictly enforced that no people are allowed to work unless you find a job here successful and the firm will apply visa for you. Another condition is to study Master Degree while work for part-time job. Applying visa is so hard and expensive now. Sighhhh... everything consumes money...

Before coming to the UK, i am firm to study Master Degree in Malaysia famous local university, University Tenage Malaysia. I thought I can resist the temptation and 4 months taking degree here would be sufficient to fulfill my desire to study overseas. However, the temptation is so strong and I lose my balance in my mind. I don't know what to do now - study in local U or overseas. However, I have another plan which is study Master Degree in Australia. Whether it works or not, it really needs proper planning. However, what I am always worried is my mom. I always want to take care of her. What to do??

Life is so Lively

Ooh gosh... Now I fully understand the hassle to cook yourself. U have to know the price offered by every mini market, shop and super market. Only once you walk to every of these corners, you can compare the cheapest price. Eventually, u can start saving money which can be spent on Europe trip, buying sourvenirs and joining potential trips. I am pretty messed up of the price of vegetables here. It is superb expensive. I recall i bought two pieces of corn and cucumber and they cost me 4 pounds. To convert to ringgit, u will be surprised! Nothing much i can do but accept the fact.

Yesterday, I was cooking for my dinner. To my surprise, the heat detector suddenly was alarmed. At first, I though the heatness in my room alarmed it because it was too hot in my room and I was there to cook. I was nervous and scared like hell. Guess what? I was told that if smoke detector is alarmed for nothing or caught smoking, the person will be fined for one thousad per fire brigade. If 4 fire brigade come on spot, I guess I will lose all the money i brought to here and even need to make a call to my Mom to send money to here. In the moment of heat detector alarmed, I lost my action and do not know what to do at all. I was stunnd completely. While I was cutting the potatoes, my hands were so shaky. While cooking, I was praying that nothing bad happen to me. Soon, I was told that the heat detect system was under testing by hostel authority. Damn!! I thought it was my fault!!! I really got speechless. I was scared for nothing...

In these few nights, I always dare myself to ask the local especially beautiful white chicks to take photos with me. Yesterday was completely my unlucky day, really. I was invited to join my friends for a walk to another place of Sheffield. I saw two girls around 16 years old. I requested to them to take photo with me but they turned me down. It was completely shameful arhhh.... My friends could not help themselves laughing. I was completely discouraged and disappointed. My friend said " You are chinese, forever is chinese". In the whole night, I was completely moody and felt so bad. Nevermind Brad, U will still have bunch of opportunities coming for you. Cheer up!!

First Week in Sheffield

Staying in the UK has been 5 days. I am still getting used the weather here. Everyday the weather is so cold until i feel unbearable. I am very weak in body and catch ill easily. First day staying in England i am sick now until. Sore throat!!! It is so terrible... Although the weather is unbearable, i still think it is lovely. All along, my plan would be going back to work after the graduation here. But I guess i am deeply fall for this lovely and nice country. Now I am thinking to work or study Master Degree. Damn... I really can't help myself. Somebody please rescue me... England is really a perfect place for me to live.

In Malaysia, whenever I see white people, i can't take my eyes off them. I love seeing white people. For me, they are beautiful in nature. Now studying in the UK provides me the opportunity to enjoy seeing them and mingle with white people here. It is really a rare yet good opportunity for me to know them, understand their culture and thoughts. I always love to befriend with white people. So when i was playing ICQ, i were used to sending a 'hi' message to people in the online list and hoping to receive their replies. I know it sounds too desperate and silly. I admit that. Now, staying in England almost makes me feel like staying in heaven.

Before coming to the UK, i have promised myself to go for walk everyday after class and grab the opportunity to take photos. I guess i am the one that is troublesome and disturbing to my friends as I keep asking them to go out. Whether they feel fed up with me, I don't know. To me,i don't want to lose any chance to explore myself. Just like yesterday, i went to casino to talk a look. Before I went back, i put my cap on. I was scolded by the person in charge (Sorry that I have no common sense for this). Although it felt so shameful, I am glad that I have learnt something. So in everyday plan, I am looking forward for activities and no doubt I will enjoy myself. To my friends, sometimes they may think I act silly, childish and stupid. More importantly, I do enjoy myself here and I do not want to bring a regretful heart to Malaysia.

Talking about the University, it is far better than Tar College. Tar College, shame on you!! The services here are so professional and I am so satisfied with them. I am gonna give an A+ to this U. I totally agree with my friend's saying "Professors here can speak non stop for 2 hrs w/o looking at the slides". The U is basically not so large in area but everything is so arranged and organised. The staff are no doubt polite and professional in their works. Before coming from Malaysia, I am worried that discrimination or racism may happen to us. But so far everything is fine. A lecturer named Norman Watts gave me a surprise for his enthusiasm and good treat. On today class, I tried to joke and he may not undrstand the humour as we are from different backgrounds. But I hope the coming lessons of his will be exciting and warm-welcoming.

Under the expectation before coming to Sheffield, I did not fond of the environment in Sheffield. I always prefer Liverpool but saving money is far more important to me as standard of living in Liverpool is higher. So there is nothing else I can do. Ya, i do admit the environment here is nice but it does not really my type. What I can describe myself is I am totally a freaking city boy. :)

Fun and graduation are what I looking for here. Brad, you can make... Keep it up!!

Flight to The UK

Waiting for 5 months, the month of June had finally arrived. Waiting for these 5 months was so painful and suffering to me. Luckily, i was able to work for part-time job and gain related field experience which is beneficial to me in my CV. After having lunch, my family headed to air-port to send me flight. I was so sad that my friends were not be able to send me flight. The worst thing was i mistook my flight time and arrived 6 hours earlier. Here came the bubling of my mom... That moment, i couldn't help but keep blaming myself for being careless. However, they waited with me in the airport until arrival of a friend of mine. Feeling reluctant to see them leave, i was almost crying myself out.

First time taking flight, i did not know there is so much hassle in the whole process starting from flight check-in to entrance to airplane. I was almost fainted and couldn't breathe easily as I had to take my things on and off for the 'kastam' inspection.

All along, i thought that taking flight is simply fun and exciting. Not until i experience myself, taking flight is actually suffering to our body. You cannot sleep well and feel so controlled as space is so terribly limited. However, i did enjoy the provision of entertainment. There are games, music, movie, tv series, map and so on which i found interesting.

Once we reached Abu Dabi air-port, we waited for 2 hours for our next flight to Manchester airport. Seriously, i felt so awkward to people surrounding as they looked at us with weird expressions. I felt myself like a freak and it was not alright to me. Maybe it was rare to see a bunch of students waiting for their flights.

I was so glad that my food could make to the UK as I was worried whether my food was allowed to be brought to here. Thanks God that i do not have to suffer so much at least for my food problem.