Friday, May 30, 2008

A Kind of Missing

I long for the day we see each other again.

To feel your every breathe, every heartbeat, as you lay near.
To feel your every touch.
Every smile.

I long for that day, everyday.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Graduation Pics

(Started post Tuesday, posted Thursday)
.
Just finished the 1st assessment of very many more throughout this 15 weeks of intensive training. It was called a settlement viva, basically requiring you to settle a property transaction in front of an examiner, and then get asked questions.

Anyway, got these graduation pics from my brother. Yes, I know I graduated back in March, but I only ordered these pics 6 weeks after that (the deadline for ordering! - yea procrastination is the way to go). Then I am sure it took the studio people in Perth another couple of weeks to arrange for shipping. Here are some of 'em.

For more pictures, proceed (click!) to http://www.friendster.com/viewphotos.php?a=461771124&uid=4359136


Qi

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Qi in Sydney

Alright guys, pardon me for the lack of updates. Very busy! A lot of people have been messaging me via MSN, facebook, friendster and what not, asking a lot of questions regarding what I am doing in Sydney. So I guess I will clear everything here. Oh, and about my status as well. Hmm.

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Questions & Answers:

Q - Where are you, dude?
A - Sydney, er, dude.

Q - Oh, working already. Nice. Where? (The most assumed-and-asked question)
A - I am under training.

Q - Oh, sweet. Which firm?
A - Er, no. I am training at the College of Law.

Q - College? From University to College? Downgrade ar?
A - No. Everyone needs to go through it you nincompoop.

Q - No way. Why do other law graduates can qualify in their home states of WA, SA, Queensland, Vic, and not you? (Alright syntax error, as per Nicole! Let's re-ask, ahem: Why can other law graduates qualify in their home states of WA, SA, Queensland, Vic, and not you?)
A - You see, I am an international student. The rule is such that if you need a student visa to study this course, you must do the course on-campus. For others, they can do the course online back home! There is only one campus for the College of Law, and that is at Sydney's St Leonards.

Q - Poor thing. So how do they train you at the College of Law?
A - Well, we are learning basically how things are done in the various areas of Law.

Q - Stressed ma?
A - Stressed daoooo...

Q - I see. Sorry for my ignorance. So, for how long?
A - Well, the Coursework Component is 15 weeks. Law graduates will also need to do another 15 weeks of legal work in a Law Firm to satisfy the Work Experience Component. I have already done the Work Experience Component - so it's just 15 weeks for me at the College of Law.

Q - Oh, swee lah. After that can sue people liao la...
A - Well, no. Since I did not do the topic "Legal Ethics", I need to do an online course for another 7 weeks. Yuck, I know.

Q - Then? Come back to Malaysia to practice, right?
A - As of now, I am not sure. I am looking at the prospect of becoming a Permanent Resident in Australia. But then that means I need to live in Australia for at least the next 2 to 3 years.

Q - That is a dilemma dude. Good luck deciding! Oh, I heard about this girl from Penang...
A - Er, yes. What about her?

Q - Well, is she your girlfriend?
A - Yes. No more questions.

Q - Wait lah. Is she going to Sydney?
A - For holiday, very likely. For work, very likely not. No more questions.

Q - Aiyah. Wait lah. What does your girlfriend think about you going to Sydney, not knowing when you would be coming back?
A - She is fine with it. She is extremely understanding. Love should do the rest. No more questions - honestly.

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I wish I could just go home and do this everyday...

(Above) At my fave Laksa place at Sekama. Photo snapped by Ing Ling 3 weeks ago...

But as it stands now, the best Laksa I have tasted in Sydney thus far is at Chatswood. Apart from that, I have been eating the extremely delicious food cooked by my Homestay Family. They are Shanghai people who have been living here for 6 years. Shanghai food tastes fantastic!

Qi

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Leaving Kuching

Time in Kuching was fun.
I am currently in Singapore.
It's 3:12am now on the 4th of May. Been here since the 1st.
... Will fly off to Sydney on the 5th.

Had a blast in Kuching throughout my 5-month stay.

(Above) Jerry, Kenny and Lionel @ Starbucks, Kuching "International" (insert jokes here) Airport before departure to Singapore, 1st May.

(Above) Shu Wei looking to pot into the middle pocket at Snooker 2000 - a day before departure after dinner at Hartz, 30th April.

(Above) Buddies slugging it out for one last onion ring - yes, it was staged, at Oregano, 27th April.

Within the final 2 weeks in Kuching, I managed to catch drinks/food with Khai Ching (sorry wey - I name you 1st... so I must be forgiven!), Cassie, Chween Wee, the long lost Chew Hock Yong, the busy-at-work Harry Ting, Perth buddy Mark Wong, close friend Ing Ling, primary school dude Tan Chun Liang... and my band of brothers - Lionel, Jerry, Kenny, Shu Wei and Mei San (sister?).

Unfortunate case Shyang is in Sibu (or "was", rather, since he is now back for good in Kuching), Dougie is in Nottingham (time to get out of the library mate!), Dodo is in Moscow (eh dude I went to Lucky Plaza and no I did not see the futsal shoes you asked for), Chow Yee is in London (it's an addiction - shh I didn't say a thing hehe!), Hsiao Siang is in Oklahoma (to Liverpool's CL exit I offer you my heartfelt condolences), Laura and Lawrence are in KL... caught up with Siang back in December though, and that was awesome. Good times, mate.

Of course in my 5 months in Kuching, I have met almost every friend imagineable. Caught a trip to the Mulu Caves with Perth buddy in crime Ricky (and returned with a friend named Theng - more on that in the future), visited Lawrence in KL with Lionel for a full 7 days, caught up with Melanie, Matty, Stevie, Jeremy, Nicole, Joe and Nut in Perth, and worked alongside awesome people at my attached law firm - June, Ang, Mag, Alli, Imr, Maia and Val. Asrul was back in Kuching from Perth as well so a few football sessions took place at Sports Planet. Oh, saw Charlyn a few times, Kaeshih on a couple of occasions, Zhang Han often at yum-cha sessions or under my workplace running his photography business, Adrian, Kion Ming, Vera, Ying Ning and Ai Shih (last was unplanned) during Chinese New Year... I should really not forget Ying Ying, Yi Ping (yes I remember that awkward-for-you Laksa session), Diana & Joanne (Diana's a gem - met in Kuching, then was the warmest person in Perth) and the rest of the Perth people who Mark introduced a year or so ago - Bryan, Wui Hao, Xin Chen and Gerry... cheers for the Futsal session while I was in Perth for grad and the dinner at Sparrow!

(Above) Perth amigos @ Lil Sparrow, Northbridge, 14th March.

Can't name everyone but heck you all will be gayly, brokebackly missed.

A new chapter is unfolding in Sydney.
Could take 8 months, could take 3 years, or 4, or 5...
... uncertainties up ahead!

23 years old. I feel if changes are not taking place...
... then I am not progressing.
So on that note, I think I am on the right track.
Cheers for the future, and I see all of you in it.

Qi