Appeal successful!

2 months ago, it came to my knowledge that change in school policy will cause some disruptions to work-study plan.

I started new planning to get the attachment requirement work out with minimal damage to work, school and income. I was unwilling but I knew my leave cannot be left unexhausted. Unfortunately, the future seems bleak because there is no way for a good balance. 

After speaking to fellow students, I realized that some of us have the same problem. That got me started on rally support in appealing to the school. Took initiatives to draft the appeal letter all by myself because nobody seems to be willing to do something about it, and I want something to be done for my own sake. 

Before I could send out the appeal, Boss told me that they are willing to grant the "3 months off" to me so that I can complete my attachment. That good news to me. 

Considering that all the effort in the appeal was mine, I could have just dropped the whole movement and let the affected people resolve the issue on their own. Still went ahead to send out the appeal on behalf of the cohort so that the rest will have some kind of chance.  

The Dept get back: 

"We have considered your appeal on behalf of your classmates. 

We are appreciative that as a cohort, you have shown good understanding towards the rationale for practicum arrangement to be done outside the employment agency. To facilitate you and your classmates in your social work education, we have decided to support option 2 as proposed in your email." 

Even though I'm no longer affected by the dept's decision, I'm really happy because my appeal was successful! 

Never really had faith in my writing skills, needless to say convincing skills. But I'm really glad that some fellow students said it was a very well-written appeal and the dept accepted my appeal :) 

Work, School and everything else again

Time really flies. Its already October of 2012.

Work

Even though my boss wanted to suspect a particular aspect of work for me to cope with school, the suspension kinda didnt really happened. It was merely a slow down. I'm wondering whether the idea was not communicated to other bosses. Perhaps I should be thankful that it was at least better than nothing.

Turned out that I'm still doing my own programme after all. Thank goodness!

School
Mid-sem break was over. Less than one month to assignment submissions.

Only thought of the topic of 1 term paper. I still have 2 more to think about. Shet!

Everything else
1. Decided to remove my wisdom teeth.

2. Some colleagues started to comment that I looked more sunshine in recent times. That's something worth being happy about by itself :)

3. Completed learning my first piece on keyboard, though I'm still fumbling occasionally when I play together with youtube. Of course, DC really helped a lot by video-ing himself when I complained about not understanding the score. Totally helps to have somebody who has learnt it before.   

Learning my 2nd piece, and I'm still not understanding the score. But this time, I decided not to ask DC for help. Like not very nice to keep asking and troubling people. Tried looking up youtube but those posted up were kinda different from what I'm learning. I shall just try harder before my next lesson, or at most, ask teacher during the lesson. 

4. Impromptu trip coming up in Nov: Legoland over the weekend! DC suggested going while we were talking about going to Msia and the group was agreeable! 

5. Mt Kinabalu trip is confirmed and things are all booked even though I'm only going in Mar 2012. Unfortunately, I forgot that I was supposed to attend Ollie's wedding on that weekend! I'm praying very hard that he wouldnt be upset with me for missing it. I'm such a lousy friend. 

6. Emo stuff. Shall not talk. In recent times, I've learnt to start keeping things to myself again. 

Keyboard

Started keyboard lesson yesterday. Pretty uptight about it because I dont have music background and my last music lesson was in Sec 2!

DC waited for my lesson to end before accompanying me to the music store to purchase my own keyboard. Thank goodness he didnt sit in my session to witness my stupidity. haha. Spent quite an amount of time trying to choose a good yet not so expensive one. Sales person recommended, DC tested out quite a few. I still bought the same one as him in the end.

Yet another heavy investment interest. But precisely because its a heavy investment, I'm more motivated to not give up halfway. Not as expensive as my previous hobby though.

I hope I can be as zai as DC after the same period of learning. I shall be very diligent in practicing when my keyboard is delivered.

Work, school and everything else

Work
1. Been informed of the direction set for me. I will miss being part of programmes.

2. Major milestone for work in the year is over. Even though we were fret in the process, we had fun too. Felt super good when everybody said they liked the decorations.

School

Big headache because of the change in policy. Trying to iron out some arrangement with work to see if accommodations can be made for me to meet the requirements to complete. 

Big price to pay.

Everything else

1. Due to school, no more holidays for me until 2014. I can only do long weekend trips. Well, at least I know I might be doing Mt Kinabalu in end March over Good Friday long weekend. 

2. Registered to for keyboard lessons, starting next Sat.

3. Hike from Macritchie Reservoir to Bukit Timah Hill with DC yesterday. Plan was to go alone but poh said it was too dangerous. Figured out that it is best to get somebody with me too in case I get lost around poor reception areas. Initially I had it cancelled because its been raining every afternoon. Decided to go ahead with it regardless of weather because I was too frustrated with school and wanted to seek peace in nature. It didnt rain at all. So glad that I insisted on going. 

4. Coincidentally went for a run with childhood friend some days back. Ventured a different route from my usual. Ran for quite long, only to realise after the run that actually it was too strenuous for childhood friend. I forgot he had knee problem. Felt so apologetic after that. I should always remember that I cannot assume all my guy friends would be able to take the same just because I can. 

Australia adventure Day 7: The Rocks architectural walk

Last morning in Sydney so I woke up early to do the final packing. 

Left the venture around the neighborhood to the last. Experienced the morning sun and breeze, and took a final look at Circular Quay. 

Museum of Contemporary Art

Cadman's cottage is Sydney's oldest house. It is also the only remaining element of the city's original dockyard precinct.

The Rocks Square

The Rocks Square is home to protests held when the NSW State Government wanted to tear down the structures for development. Battle for The Rocks played a crucial role in the development of national heritage consciousness in NSW.

Argyle Terrace

Argyle Cut

Suez Canal

The Suez canal played an important role in trade for the Malay Archipelago in the developing years of Southeast Asia. The Suez canal in The Rocks was one of the most infamous locations known for criminal activities in the 19th century! It appears to me as a normal alley now.

Susannah Place Museum

Jobbins Terrace

The Sydney Habour YHA, which I was staying, has an archaeological dig site preserving the remains of its historical past on the ground floor. It is definitely not the cheapest hostel around, 20 bucks more than its YHA counterpart at Central. I still chose this because of the good review and the harbour view.

Sydney Harbour YHA ground floor

I was so early that there was hardly anybody on the streets. Or probably also because it was a weekday morning. 

Wanted to take the train to the airport actually. But decided to take the airporter shuttle service instead to save the hassle. 

Spent some time at the airport looking around, buying sweets and trying very hard to spend so that I will be left with as little AUD as possible. But efforts were futile. I still have 500+ AUD left. 

Sadly board the plane and returned home. 

Australia adventure Day 6: Sydney Urban venture

Absolute day of solitude. No new friends nor already-made friends. Just me, myself and I walking on the streets of Sydney City center.

First stop: Customs house.

Customs House

Build in 1885, it is now a branch of the Sydney city libraries. There is also a 1:500 model of Sydney displayed under the glass floor.

The Justice and Police Museum was said to be constantly changing series of exhibitions. It was commemorating their 150 years of service while I visited so I had a good education on their historic past. Convict-turned-police.. and the start of the NSW police force. 

The 3-buildings museum had rooms for crime and punishment, police court, crime museum, charge room, cells, police history, archive gallery, forensic history and bushrangers.

Police Court

Police used to be armed with only a baton. It was until 1894 when constables were violently attacked and threatened by a loaded revolver that they were allowed to permanently carry firearms while on duty.

Criminals sentenced to hanging did not have to wear hood prior to 1887. One boy bit off his tongue and sprayed blood on the spectators then. Public attitudes towards hanging also changed since.

JPM quoted:  "As one reads history, ... , one is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted" – Oscar Wilde

Build on the site of Sydney's first Government House, Museum of Sydney was up next. 

 

The conservatorium of music reminds me of the far far away place in USS.

Sydney Conservatorium of Music

Royal Botanical Gardens

State library of NSW

The library is so big that it have another modern wing.

NSW library Modern wing

Parliament House

The Royal Mint

The Mint became the Head office of the Historic Houses Trust of NSW after serving duties of producing over 150 million coins.

Royal Mint Model

Sydney Hospital has a boar. It is encouraged for visitors to make a wish and touch the nose of the boar

This time, I entered the Hyde Park Barracks Museum because it is still open!!!

The Hyde Park Barrack was build in 1819. The pendulum-driven clock, which is still working till date, is the oldest clock in Sydney. Barracks staff still continue to wind the clock by hand weekly.

The bloody code

Extremely stringent Penal Code for many various offences saw much public executions that became mass entertainment. The youngest convict was sent to HPB for stealing a watch. He was only 9-years old.

Punishments were harsh in the convict era until the beginning of 20th century. Juvenile offenders were flogged with leather whips, adult offenders were whipped with "Cat of nine tails".

The A-frame is still very much used in countries that has corporal punishments. Its not longer made from wood though. The metallic ones look so much tougher.

Flogged

Good performing convicts were appointed to hold supervisory positions. The most precious reward would definitely be the Certificate of Freedom.

From the barracks, you can see St James church (oldest church in Sydney) opposite and the supreme court behind the church. There was supposed to be a school next to the court too. Reform, religion, law and education all in lined.

Hyde Park pool of reflection and Anzac memorial

In Sg, St James is a place for drinks and entertainment. In Aussie, St James is a place for religion and transport.

Queen Victoria building

This ancient looking Queen Victoria building is now the city's most sumptuous shopping complex.

Continued to venture to Darling Harbour again to visit the Aquarium for the richness of Australia's marine life.  I'm beginning to feel that the Underwater World in Sentosa is nothing.

When I gain some kind of time consciousness, it was already 4+pm and I hadn't ate anything except for the muesli bar that Jus gave me before I left. Had a humongous plate of noodles at Chinatown before heading back to the hostel.

Did some packing and spend the whole night on my ipad. Bringing the ipad along really helped in facilitating the blogging process. I dread waking up to the last day of the trip.

*I did some research on the historical background of the buildings.

Australia adventure Day 5: Eat and Travel in Sydney

Mac breakfast with yet another budz (usually i only have Mac breakfast with best budz) in Aussie.

The reminiscence and talking over breakfast suddenly made me feel that amongst all my friends, Jus is the one that I am most proud to befriend with. Let's strive to do ourselves proud budz! To the 14 years of friendship, to friends forever!

Headed back to Sydney on the 3.5 hours bus ride. Finally got to see the scenery along the way.

Walked all the way from central station back to The Rocks. Had an unfriendly encounter with somebody who decided to scare me. Ran straight into me and shouted right into my ear before running off. Other than that, the walk was quite fine.

Checked in and went to patronize the weekend flea market nearby for some souvenirs. Supposed to meet Ryz at 5 for dinner, but he was late as usual. Had to sit in the cold and wait for like a good 1 hour before he finally came.

Drove to a Malayan restaurant at Anzac and had a good catching up. Talked about life and work between both countries, and definitely about me. Made a mental note to carve his words in my skull.

And he insist that I should take a picture with the hostel.

Didn't do much for the whole day because of the traveling between cities. Its good to have at least met Ryz for dinner even though I have a lot of mixed feelings and thoughts about the process and aftermath. 

Australia adventure Day 4: Nature and historical venture: Canberra Black Mountain & War Memorial

The small but amazingly comfortable room where I spent 3 free nights. 

The plan was to go for a hike up the Black Mountains in the morning. But we woke up too early.

They said sometimes you get to see wild kangaroos around the area. We saw none of the hike up :(

Went up the tower at the summit to have an overview of Canberra. Went out to the open viewing gallery as well. The wind was so strong that I almost couldn't feel my fingers anymore. The whole concept is very much like Taipei 101.

Highest post box in Canberra.

View of Canberra from Black Mountain Tower

Had Vietnamese lunch and went on a tour around the parliament house and various embassies. All thanks to Jus's indo friend who drove us around. He really makes a good tour guide man.

View from top of Aussie's Redhill

Australia's parliament house

Spent the whole afternoon visiting the Australia war memorial. The most awesome museum ever visited. Beat all the museums that I had been to hands down. Enriching, engaging, and experiential.

Parliament house from the war memorial

The interior of the memorial had names of the various countries involved in the 2 international wars.

History begins...

 With air...

Land

Anti-aircraft gun used in WWII

And sea

Apparently, the items in the ford factory in SG during the war belongs to Australia. They brought back everything after the war, including the tables.

The British-Japanese surrender table at ford factory

At current time, solders' main role is peacekeeping.

One man's peace is another man's hell.

Regardless of victory or defeat, unsung heroes always have the toughest job.

As a nurse you don't discriminate, they're all casualties.

At the end of the day, those who died on duty will be commemorated. The survivors will be rewards. 

The efforts that the government spent to showcase the historical war events and to commemorate those that had been sacrificed in the wars is really remarkable. And the best part of all, it is free! I definitely wouldn't mind paying to go in there.

Jus wanted to bring me to some ASEAN bazaar to take a look and to support his friend who was performing. Made a short visit before leaving for dinner and headed home instead because his friends were too busy.

Turned in early that night because we were both dead beat.