I haven't done this in a very long time: Sitting down and writing a blog post. I just wanted to properly look back and reflect on the past academic year. It's summer now and the gift it brings is TIME, so there's no better opportunity to do this!
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June-Aug 2014
I just finished A-Level and went back to Kuching. JPA told me that I couldn't get the scholarship because in their list of recognized universities was UMIST (Bachelor of Ophthalmic Optics) and not University of Manchester (Bachelor of Optometry). JPA insisted that the course wasn't recognized. It was frustrating because the latter was just the new name of the course. At some point, we accepted the fact that UK..wasn't happening anymore. But we prayed and committed all these things to God. I knew that it didn't really matter whether I got to go to the UK on scholarship or stay in Malaysia and study at a local private university on FAMA scholarship (Father and Mother scholarship), because God would put me where I'm supposed to be. There was peace in my heart. Nevertheless, mummy insisted that we get to Putrajaya and look for a Datuk and try to talk our way through things. So we flew the very next day. While waiting in the Datuk's office, a lady called Agnes chatted with us and asked us why we were there. She was from Talentcorp and was there to meet the Datuk as well. Ms Agnes listened to our case and she..cared about it. She told the Datuk's personal advisor about our case and asked him if he could help us with it. To be honest, if Ms Agnes wasn't there, I don't know how long we would've waited and whether we would even get to talk to him! To make the story short (actually...I forgot the details), the Optical Council was pestered to have an ad hoc meeting to get University of Manchester's optometry course recognized in Malaysia. And then, JPA could approve the scholarship! Other people like the Association of Optometrists' President Mr Murphy Chan, a JPA officer whom I forgot her name, etc..were of great help. I thank God for their help in this process.
Lanko, Vinko and Ajia helped research the best laptop to buy hahaha. Vinko bought me a new phone and a laptop. During all the suspense, Momo (sis-in-law yay) also Whatsapped me about wanting God's plan instead. That if I don't get the scholarship, God has a plan for me anyway. I wrote this prayer in my journal:
Thank you, Jesus, for this opportunity to go to the UK for my studies. Help me learn more, gain exposure, experience, and most importantly, know You more, serve you more in the UK. I want to be able to bring back skills to Malaysia to better serve people here, as a way to serve You.
21 Sep 2014
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| Arrived in Manchester! |
I was on the same flight with 2 girls called Pei Xuan and Kai Ling, whom I got to know after we arrived in Manchester. A Malaysian senior from MSSM went to the airport and took a taxi with us back to our accommodation. I didn't know anyone yet so Pei Xuan, Kai Ling and I automatically stuck to each other first!
This is Whitworth Park Student Residences, where I stayed for my first year. I was really grateful for great flatmates too. People always complained about dirty flats/kitchens but our kitchen was (comparatively) clean hahaha. Flatmates were Lili, Lucy, Katy, Daisy, Molly and Lu Fang, all of them were lovely people.
Missing: Lucy
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| We have clinical practice at the optometry clinic. Masooma and Piriyanga! |
I'm also really blessed to be in a church where God's word is preached truthfully and not to please our wants, but our needs. Here I've Christian friends who encourage one another and truly reflect the love of Christ. "We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19
I arrived in Manchester on a Saturday and didn't know of a church to go to the next day (Sunday). But I bumped into Amber (whom I met at BTN camp [for students about to go overseas]) and asked her where she was going. She said she was going for a church fellowship. So I tagged along to church the next day, continued visiting churches the following Sundays before settling down in one. And then..Amber found out that I was her long-lost ping pong buddy back in Kuching!
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| Amber and Bex. (Sonia, Ally, Raluca, Nancy and many others not in pic but very much worth mentioning) |
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I also got baptised in Nov 2014, having the opportunity to: 1) follow Christ's command to be baptised and 2) publicly declare my faith in Jesus Christ, whom I believe is the only hope to mankind.
Also experienced my first snow in life! Though there is only little snow in Manchester.
And then veryyyyyyy slooooooowly,....spring cameeeeeeee...
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In the UK, you get 4 seasons a day. A thought came to me that if anyone doesn't like change and prefers consistency, he should live in Malaysia. I can wear shorts out and not worry about the temperature dropping 10 degrees (exaggerating).
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| With Pei Xuan and Kai Ling (who will be my future housemates this year!) at our Malaysian Pasar Malam stall! |
Not forgetting the other fellow Methodist College friends who are in Manchester! Charin, Eu Min and Samuel came to Manchester for a visit, before we headed to Durham and Newcastle for a short Easter break trip.
Also had the opportunity to be in the props team for the Malaysian Night 2015 and be one of the photographers!
UK election was in May 2015 and I found myself voting for the first time in my life in a country not my own.
Some places I visited from Sep 2014- June 2015
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| Buxton, Peak District |
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| Ullswater, Lake District |
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| Ullswater
Random: One of my favourite things about the UK is the fact there are no mosquitoes around!
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| York. Met up with Su Jane, a great friend from MCKL |
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| Liverpool. Met up with neighbour back from Kuching hahaha |
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| Durham. Thanks for Ben and Clarissa for hosting us! |
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| Newcastle |
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| Visited Belfast and Dublin with Serena! |
Pa said "I never dreamed that I would be meeting up with my daughter in London." :)
I also joined the International Outreach team where we helped to set up a free international cafe for 2 weeks, to welcome international students and make friends with them. We also had optional bible discussions in the end where people who were interested could come and listen to Jesus' story and who He claimed He was.
"but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14
Jesus claims to be the only one who can truly satisfy our desires, to fill that hollowness in our soul that nothing in this world can fill.
I feel that I have learnt and had new experiences in the UK that I might not have the opportunity to back in Msia and I thank God because He's ultimately the source of all good things. And I have also grown to love Malaysia even more. Only after coming here do I realize what a food heaven Malaysia is, and what a unique country Malaysia is. Humans are precious people, including Malaysians, no matter how evil and corrupted a nation can be. Jesus loves Malaysia!
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| sunrise from my room in student hall |
I think many, if not all, Malaysians become more patriotic after coming here (or not..?). People are amazed at our multilingual abilities.
"So you can speak..English..Malay...AND Mandarin?"
And I've had to explain to a lot of people how I'm Malaysian and Chinese at the same time. But I'm happy to. :)
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