Lucky Find

What you see here is the 13th print, 1985 edition of The Two Towers from LOTR.
Picked this up at the archive book store!

Oh Joy

It has been a while since I have arrived in Brisbane, Australia. (And a while since I've posted as well)

Here I shall talk about things I really enjoy here in Winter.

1. Buildings require heaters instead of air-conditioning
   
   This is certainly something that is far refreshing, coming from Singapore's humid climate. It is always nice to have a problem that can be solved by just putting on an additional layer or bracing instead of having to keep calm and sweat it out.
2. Iced Coffee here comes with Ice Cream and Whipped Cream automatically
   
   It is exactly what it says above. (Yeah, I know it is unhealthy, fattening, but...) It is absolutely delicious! The coffee itself here tastes better to me as well.
3. Everyone thanks the bus driver when they alight the bus
   
   Sure they get paid, but the everyone still goes ahead and shout out a "Thanks mate/Thanks/Thank you et. al"

Among others.

- ARP

Work Work, Yes Milord?

After sitting through 2 lectures and 1 tutorial in UQ, I realised that my knowledge about the world so far is largely limited. The feeling of being a frog looking up and realising the well built around him looms over me. Unlike the frog, I can help myself out.

What caused such a realisation to be true?

The education system I was in for my past 20 years works at achieving great results on paper. This creates a very focused curriculum. One devoted solely to scoring. Such a linear path generates great drive, which allows for Singapore's students to generally achieve good results.

However,
such a linear path makes your peripheral vision really limited. Of course, I may just be an ignoramus maximus but I realised that knowledge that others take for granted completely escapes me. Sure we all heard of Galileo but how much do we actually know about him.

Yeah, you may reply with answers like,

"He invented the telescope and gave the theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun. 

What more do I need to know? Will such a thing be tested?" 

Which is exactly where the problem lies. 

Everything has to be related to the marks or it is neglected. One such case will be the notes provided. As teachers spoon-feed students with notes prepared by them, students effectively do not need to do any research of their own. The amount of content they are exposed to is thus limited to school curriculum. No getting lost in the library or the cyberspace and finding gems of information, of things unrelated but captivates you anyway.

The best way of finding your way around is by getting lost.

-ARP

Queens Street

 Today, I went down to Queens Street Mall to look for a book recommended to me. I will discuss about that book after I take the time to sit down and read it.

While there are shopping centres (I may have missed one or two as I walked around), most of the shops are located on the street level. It covers a large area and includes cafes, supermarkets, electronic stores and bargain shops. The picture above is a public performance by different school bands taking turns playing their chosen pieces.

As I walked around, I found a gem of a shop.

Archives Fine Books

From the outside, it looks real plain, with a green banner and a simple Archives above the doorway. However, once you step inside it is a different world altogether. This is a second-hand bookshop that sells every kind of books. As you can see, they are packed all the way to the roof.

Many people argue that the age of the written texts is over, that the digital forms far outclasses the printed works. In my years as a student, I have argued for such a stand as well, with reasoning including the need to be environmentally friendly, convenience etc.

However, the physical book is, to me, like fine wine. Preserved well, as it ages, it develops character. The creases in its spine are unique to it, the slight comforting musty smell as you ease it out of the book shelf and open it. The comfort of lying back and reading a novel, the joy where you flip page after page and despair as you reach the back cover. 

These are elements that cannot be explained, 

only felt.

The book does not, should not end with you as well. As you finish one, you may pass it on to a friend or even sell it to a secondhand bookstore. Your scribblings inside, the thoughts you have invested as you read and pen down the ideas on the side gets passed along. You become a guide that leads the next reader onwards, deeper into the book. Within these secondhand books are the ideas of people that become as real as the characters in the book, apparitions held in stasis, a hiatus till the book gets opened again.

Alright, emotional, deep thinking session aside, here are the two additions to my room. Two companions that will accompany as I sail the academic waters, brave the currents of tutorials and slay the serpent that is the finals. Meet my two new Wombat Plush Toys or Plushies as I call them.

~Look in to their eyes, You will spread the word about this blog and praise it and its author.

-ARP

Scenic UQ

The University of Queensland [UQ]'s Student Services provide a wide range of soft skills courses that are meant to help students cope with the curriculum and life in UQ. In the past 2 days, I have attended multiple seminars regarding essay writing and since I am a firm believer of learning by doing, I shall try my hand at a little essay here. 

While Universities exist to provide higher educations to students, that does not mean that the aesthetic view is left out. The University of Queensland [UQ] is a beautiful University that is functional. From the architecture on the outside to the facilities on the inside, these makes UQ an appealing place of learning for students seeking a wholesome education.

For a start, UQ contains multiple multi-purpose fields that can used for various ball games such as Football, Soccer or just plain running. There are 6 main fields that are located around the campus that are suitable for ball games such as football or soccer. Footpaths and roads around the campus allow for exercises such as running or cycling. For sports that require more specialised equipment, they can be found in the sports hall and even around campus, such as the Table-Tennis and Pool table above at UniLodge, St Lucia. All these contribute to the functionality of UQ that is in line with the sporting culture of Australia in general.

 Besides the Fields use for Sports and Exercises, the great courtyard and smaller grass patches around campus provide greenery that contribute to the aesthetic aspect of the school. They are not just display features, one will find students sitting on the grass in groups conducting discussions or just taking a break. Such greenery thus provide both sights pleasing to the eyes and a functionality much akin to benches or chairs in allowing students to have a space where they can meet up and discuss work or just chill.

The use of sandstone blocks give the buildings in UQ a formal historical look befitting a university of its status. The appearance has even garnered such interest that films such as Inspector Gadget 2 has been filmed on UQ.

While some people may argue that a modern look of steel and glass should be seen as real beauty in the twenty-first century, The large amount of buildings and the newer construction projects do incorporate such construction details and techniques allowing for a wide range of aesthetic values to be presented.

Not compromising on its functionality, UQ facilities are situated in a logical pattern, such as having the Museums being located next to each other, and having various parts of the campus being allocated to various fields of study. There are even cafe and general stores located around campus to allow students to grab stationaries of other resources such as a quick meal within easy reach instead of having to travel to the great courtyard.

While one has to take a roundabout routes between various locations. That is a problem plagued by numerous universities and is not a isolated incident here in UQ. As a university reaches a certain size, it is inevitable that one has to travel for a certain time to reach various locations.

Alright, as you may have noted, my only evidence are the (quite random) photographs and no citations have been done. However, I feel that it is an example of what my essays should be like as I go on and start my first semester here, where a claim is presented with evidence and further reasoning brought forth. Not neglecting counter-arguments that are presented with solutions and rebuttals that instead further my argument, thus showing that I have made a well-rounded reasoned claim instead of a bias one-sided argument.

Yeah it is a rough and simple essay.

Practice makes perfect!

-ARP

Necessity is the mother of Invention

As I mentioned in the earlier post, I bought 2 kg of Sausages in an effort to save money on food.

Well... it worked.

I did save a large deal of money on meals, but I have gotten real creative in my meals. Here was last night's dinner leftover with one difference. I added Mozzarella Cheese and microwaved it. (Yeah I know it is not a very good shot)

The problem with buying items in bulk, especially for things like meat is that you have to know how to cook them in a thousand and one ways or you get sick of them real fast. I have not had any problems in the starch/carbo side, where I had Mashed Potatoes, Baked Potatoes and whatnot. I believe that the body is geared towards eating carbohydrates, therefore one will not get sick of it fast!

Today was the first day of Orientation Week. It is really different from the activities packed, adventure racing, camp filled days of a Singapore Orientation but more of informative lectures. (I think that the fun camps will come later who knows?) The lectures get repetitive fast and do fill up the day from 0900 to 1600 but to know more about the variety of courses offered and to do well in school, they are a good thing to attend. At least a few times at least, and especially on issues that are real different from High school or Singapore society.

Onwards to the Next Lecture
-ARP

SausageFest

After a few days here in Australia, I realised that the culture here is really different from that of Singapore. For one, the pace of life here is really relaxed. When you have finished reading that sentence, I believe that all of you will have different opinions about it. Stereotyping a little here, but Asians will probably think that there will be a great deal of waste here. Where the 24 hours of time in a day should be utilised up to the millisecond. 

However, I feel that such a view should not be taken. 

Relax =/= Waste

While shops close at 5pm in the weekends, it does not mean that everyone has nothing to do, on the other hand, it is a sign that everyone is willing to spend time with their friends and families instead of just working.

One other thing I noticed is the politeness of everyone here in Brisbane. While alighting from the public bus, you will be able to hear a chorus of "Thank you!" in various forms as people bother thanking the driver for the service. Not only that, the cashiers at shops bother asking about your day and do not seemed hassled when you engage them in conversation.

Lets talk about the geography or landscape of Brisbane.

Singapore is Flat.

Why do I say that? There, everything is nicely arranged and neat. On the other hand, you have

It may be hard for you to judge form the pictures, but walking from the school campus to my lodging is a good workout, with all the steep roads.

Meals are tricky over here, as compared to Singapore. There, street and hawker food provide a cheap and decent service. Eating out is easy and convenient, here, you are likely to go bankrupt on such a lifestyle, especially if you are a student.

But all hope is not lost,it appears that cooking for yourself is the way to go here. You can look for discounts and when you buy in bulk the food can be pretty cheap.

2k of BBQ Sausages = $14

Guess I will be eating sausages for the rest of the month!

-ARP

When ill luck begins, it does not come in sprinkles, but in showers

Man, I lost my Camera Lens Cover. What a bummer!

Australia has a great deal of birds that I have never seen before, and some familiar ones. That said, I notice that there are a great deal of turkeys running around!

Yeah they are kind of hard to see, I took the shot across the road and used the wrong lens.

And... Bad News Galore

For all those people using banks with the One-Time Password (OTP) system, make sure to bring your token with you. Otherwise you will not be able to access your home country bank account online!

I am just going to go ahead and use my roommate's cookery (it is easier to apologise than to ask for permission).  The pots and pans are in a bad condition though, and to my horror, no cooking knives. After going out to grab one, I realise that I will need a whetstone. Blunt Knives are just a pain.

Well, the potatoes are cooking and I am off!

-ARP

Are like Shooting stars

The temperature drops rather quickly as the sun sets. From what I heard, the temperature fluctuates from day to day (or night to night in this case). As the sun started to sink below the horizon at around 5.00pm, it got real cold, and real dark.

Here are some shots from my room's balcony.

I was invited over to my friend's house for dinner yesterday. (Woohoo, I won't be starving tonight) We had Baked Breaded Dory, Pan-seared Beef Hamburger Patties with Butter and Baked MeatBall served over a generous portion of rice and the first glass of clean water in Australia.

Having lived here for years, I realised that that group of friends have picked up a great deal of things that I can learn from. For example, get meat from Woolsworth, Processed food from Cole's and Vegetables from FruityKapers, and how to save on money by going for deals. (Seafood Marina is the only Seafood worth getting if on sale apparently)

It was real nice of them to have invited me over for dinner especially since I was unsure how I was going to settle dinner if they had not invited me over.

I think my roommate is out of state/country, probably visiting his/her/their relatives back home. Also, my student user/password to initiate my orientation will only arrive next monday. This is quite frustrating as an Adult GoCard for Public Transportation is really taxing on my wallet. I realised that I have walked around quite a bit as well, with all the open land and spaces over here. It is quite a change to the packed bustle of the Singapore streets. The up and down rolling streets proved to be fun as well, and rather taxing on the knees.

-ARP

Airplanes in the Night Sky

And... I am off to Australia!

Changi Airport Terminal 1

Boeing 747 that is taking me to Brisbane

After a 8 hours flight, the plane touched down at the Brisbane International Airport.

The moment I stepped out of the plane, I could feel the cooling chill in the air.

 The stirring of a breeze, the cracking of the lips that felt imminent.

Surprisingly, the passage through customs went off without a hitch. (Nice doggy) My Lozenges and computer just needed a verbal confirmation of their purpose and I was waved through by the officer out into the arrival hall. Winter initially felt like a daunting prospect, with images of pushing against the winds in the midst of a snowstorm.  However, despite the initial chill at the start of the day, it has been pretty decent so far, a single shirt and shorts has served me well. My friend warned me that the nights and early mornings can get preeettty chilly and I can consider buying myself a heater. I shall brave this night without the use of the heater and see how it goes. I mean, How Bad Can It Be?

The suite at Unilodge was not as large as expected but pretty spacious. Up till now, i have not caught a glimpse of my elusive apartment-mate/s.

The linen pack makes it look a whole lot better I have to admit.

You may have noticed the jumble of stuff on the right. I just visited the K-Mart (A furniture mega-mart) and bought myself certain items to personalise the room. (Which reminds me, note, get a Giant Wombat Plushie ASAP)

I shall leave it here for now!

-ARP

Au Revoir

Alright, it has been a while since I last posted. I am glad to announce that I have reached the end stage for my pre-flight.

• Lodgings – Check
• Plane Tickets – Check
• Financial Matters – Check
• VISA – Check
• Australian Number/Phone – Check
• Packing – Check (I Hope I didn’t miss out anything)

Okay, here is something I learnt this week (Yay I learn something new everyday!), you have to inform UQ regarding your flight details for them to organize a Airport Reception 3 ~ 4 days before your actual flight. Well, due to my laziness hehhehheh erm… I did not manage to make the 3 days dateline and I guess I have to settle the trip from the airport to UQ by myself.

UQ gives people like me 2 different options, take a cab ($50) or take public transport ($25).

On a more personal note, I am feeling real nervous about leaving Singapore. Like I mentioned in the first post, this will be my first time doing a solo trip overseas. Additionally this will not be a short trip like a holiday. One year will have passed before I return home to Singapore. I mean, Singapore is not a perfect country, the humidity is a killer, and the insects are a pain not to mention the lousy Internet connection in a HDB flat.

But,

We have our own unique culture. Many people attribute things such as language, attitude to determine their own culture. In Singapore, as a glutton, I believe Food is one or even the most important aspect that determines or even create Singapore’s identity and culture. It reflects our immigration nation aspects with its diverse range of food all coexisting side by side from the streets to high-end restaurants in classy malls.

My friends and family, from my crazy fellows whom I lived, sweat, fought, cried with for the last two years to my Family (Who seems to be more nervous than me, repeat after me, slow is smooth, smooth is fast, slow is smooth, smooth is fast).

GoodBye

-ARP

Without A Struggle, There Can Be No Progress - Federick Douglass

4^th of July! Happy Independence Day to the USA!

Anyway, after a number of days, I finally gotten my student VISA approved by the Australian High Commission.

Here are a few things I realized after going through all these processes to go to Australia. Firstly, Plane Ticket Prices vary where there is no one airline that will be the cheapest. So, you have to do your research online and find out which airline is cheapest and grab those! (Or use a travel agency like I did, where they compare prices for you)

Also, take note of check-in timings of the lodgings you are staying in. UniLodge only allows check-ins from 12noon to 3pm while others such as Urbanest have more flexible timings. I heard from my friend that he checked into Urbanest at 3am the first time he entered Brisbane. Do plan your flight timings to coincide with your check-in timings or you may have to crash a night at the airport.

One issue that I am unclear of is the condition of Brisbane’s tap water. Is it potable or not? Well, there is one way to find out!

Things you can do prior to leaving for Australia also include; setting up a bank account so that you only need to confirm it over there. Purchasing and recharging a phone number so you can seamlessly switch over to an Australian number. This has the added benefit of allowing you to chance to notify your friends in your home country your number before you leave.

While many things are cheaper in Singapore, I realize that I have no choice but to purchase certain things over in Australia. This is especially so with bulky objects. (Pillows, Cookery etc.) On the bright side, I found out that there is a Daiso (Japanese $2 shop) located in the city where toiletries and other basic items can be picked up! On that note, I realize I should find out where all the bargain shops can be found! Compared to Singapore and her NTUC-dominated market, I believe small shops overseas may contain hidden gems, usually at discounted prices.

Well, with my VISA and plane tickets confirmed, my schedule just became a whole lot tighter.

-ARP