Manatee

If I were a manatee,
I’d swim around in the deep blue sea,
O what a treat,
Much sashimi I’ll eat,
Joy be that to me.

Bargains!

Bargains always make me happy. I’m only halfway into the day and I’ve found myself enough bargains to last a week of even a month. This morning

Bargain 1: Hair wash and blow dry + massage of head and shoulders with peppermint oil.

Actual price: AUD75

Amount paid: AUD 0

I was walking in Chadstone, a bit bummed that I was a tad lost, when a young girl came up to me and asked if I would be keen to get my hair washed and blow dried for free. My folks always remind me that nothing comes free, so I was suspicious and my expression gave me away. Following that, the girl quickly went on to explain that she is a student who would just like some practice and that there was no catch (except me risking looking like an idiot). I thought about it for maybe 5 secs, and as soon as I realised it didn’t involve any cutting of my hair, I agreed. This resulted in an hour-long pampering; a peppermint oil massage of my neck, shoulders and head, followed by a hair wash and conditioning with all these expensive, fragrant hair stuff and drying into beautiful huge curls. At the end of this royal treatment, I find out that this young apprentice was only looking for 1 customer and boy do I feel lucky to have been there at the right time and right place. Only 1 (imagine that!) of all the other shoppers and I happened to JUST BE there. Perfect! My hair has never been given this sort of treatment before it was awesome also it was at a decadent salon the kind where prices start at AUD65, the kind I could and would NEVER set foot in.

Bargain 2: Yogurt

Actual price: Approx. AUD 2.50

Amount paid: AUD 0

I’ve felt like eating yogurt all of last week. This weekend I told myself I’ll just get one to stop the craving, after all, with ‘cold’ sorts of food, I never need more than 1 helping when I crave cos I generally don’t like cold foods. So after my hair treatment I headed in the direction of Coles. Just about 500m away from Coles, I bumped (literally) a giant foam yogurt mascot and got the shock of my life. The Yoplait company was promoting their Diet yogurt product and the mascots were obviously with that team. As part of the promotion, the company was giving out a cup of yogurt/person. I was given 2 because of the ‘accident’. Wooh! So happy. Low fat yogurt at that, just the type I was going to buy!

Bargain 3: Wallet

Actual price: AUD 40

Amount paid: AUD 14

I’ve been searching for a wallet for ages now. Been wanting to get one to replace my torn wallet since last year. It’s been taking me so long cos the wallets I’ve seen both in Msia and here are either, too expensive, look too cheap or the product is not worth the price. Today I bought a nice green one (the very last green one) at a perfect price.

So happy I decided to go to Chadstone after debating for a bit (just cos I felt lazy). Also happy that I debated for a bit otherwise I would have headed off much earlier and missed 2/3 or all of the bargains above. Made my day.

A haiku on relationship

a three-legged race,

tied down, still unsynchronized,

soon to find rhythm.

Fulfilment

It is 10PM

I’m just in through the door

I was up this morning

At a quarter past four

My head is buzzing

My body feels weak

I’m finding it a chore

Even just to speak

I sit for a moment

To ease my aching feet

and pick at some chocolate-

a well-earned treat!

Then I shuffle of to the shower

Just because,

I know won’t I want to

If I just as much as pause

I spend half an hour

To wind down from the stress

I try to rid myself quickly

of the day’s distress

Off to bed I head

Snuggling in to keep warm

and under the covers I reflect on the day

Something I do as part of my norm

I think about the people I’ve met

and knowledge I have obtained

I start to see how little I know

and how much I need retained

I think about the man

Though, while nearing death

Trusts my superiors completely

to renew that breath

I think about the lady

Who in her silent suffering

Speaks to me so clearly

Of the comfort I should bring

I think of all the people

Whom in my hands, their lives- entrust

and know my reason for diligence

Why I try, and why I must

I’m reminded of my will

My sole intent

To make a difference in this world

No matter the extent

I’m reminded of my passion

Why I do what I do

I must never forget

This fervour so true

My heart then gets excited

To run tomorrows course

For I know I’ll find strength

because I know the source

The purpose is enough

To help me pull through

On days that are rough

and on days I feel blue

I know the world wonders

How contented can I be?

With 15 hours of work

and no time for me

There are many nights

As I head off to sleep

My body feels so torn apart

So tired, I would weep

There are days when I’m discouraged

And feel like giving in

But I push myself on- forward

With strength from Him, within

For I know I’m not alone

I know I have a guide

I know He holds tomorrow

And is always by my side

I know He works the miracles

And it isn’t by my skill

I only need to surrender

As a medium, to His will

So when the going gets tough

When I fear the most

I remind myself of the promise

That in Him I can boast

Which is why I get by daily

Knowing my strife is not futile

As long as I give my very best

I’ll see it’s all worth my while

So I drift off to sleep

With a sense of purpose inside

The peace from responding to a calling

Leaves me satisfied.

This pretty much explains why I haven’t blogged. Neurosurgery will be over SOON enough

Victoria Market and Su-ey-poo

Had a lovely Saturday. Spent the earlier half of the morning at Vic Mart because sleeping in was WAAAYY difficult. Enjoyed myself tasting all the different type of homemade ‘dips’ and just looking at the variety of food there. Trammed of to meet Su-ey-poo for brunch and enjoyed myself thoroughly chatting over an extremely filling meal, and several cups of coffee, tea and soft drinks with only minor interruptions to the toilet.

Veggies

Rhubarb?

Kangaroo sausages and so much more

Fresh pastas and cheese

Jars of homemade butters, chutneys and mustards for sampling. YUMMY

Variety of fudge-there’s more that I failed to capture in this pic

These are really really tiny cacti (live ones) made into fridge magnets. Thought it fascinating.

Then lunch with Su. No points for guessing what I had.

Frothy goodness! Refillable too!

Su and Sue.

A light within

She is an 80-year-old woman.

She has had an anal verge carcinoma in 2002 and has been using colostomy bags for the last 8 years.

Yet she jokes about how eating prunes resulted in her changing her bag 5 times in one night.

She has crippling rheumatoid arthritis that makes her fingers deformed and flare-ups that make sleep scarce.

Yet she talks about how fortunate she is to have it mainly in her fingers and less in the other joints.

She has got a rare lung condition the has resulted in a huge empyema in her right lung, 3 unsucessful surgeries and currently (awaiting) a lobe removal.

Yet she remarks that she feels special to be the only one in Australia with that condition.

When I told her how brave I think she is, she tells me in her beautiful accent (not Aussie):

” Darling you must count your blessings. I’m not saying be happy in sickness, but I believe in being grateful for life”

Intrigued by this lovely old lady, I probed into the origins of her accent ( I couldn’t tell if it was Italian/ Bulgarian…no clue) only to find out that she is from Vienna.

She is a holocaust survivor, who came to Australia with the help of an uncle at 17-years of age. She had been incarcerated in a concentration camp before that, where she lost her entire family (parents and a brother). Eventually after 2 year in Aus she married and had 3 children only to find herself at her husband’s funeral 8 years later. He died of a cerebral haemorrhage at a tender age of 33.

After listening to her story I told her how sorry I was to hear about all of this. To which she replied:

“Darling, do you believe in God?”. I noded and she proceeded to say

“If you count your blessings you’ll see He never shortchanges you. That’s how you’ll get through life, at least that’s how I got through life”

Tears welled up in my eyes. I was truly touched. I had nothing to say in response to her.

She then held my hand, gave it a squeeze and said,

“I will always remember you, Sue was it? I’m blessed to have met you and you’ll make a wonderful doctor.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks. I smiled and said nothing more- I couldn’t.

And I will never forget her too. I’m blessed to have met her and to be convicted of life’s beauty and God’s sovereignty in such a humble way.

I’ve decided that’s how I want to get through life.

Today is the day

I’ve been so blessed. This past 10 days in Melbourne has been nothing short of amazing. Although I have to be up by 4AM every morning and walk a couple of KM a day, I’m really loving it here. Daniel and Jess are the sweetest people ever and they have been picking me, calling me to make sure everything is ok and been so generous with offering me any kind of help I need. I’m so grateful for that and am extremely touched by their hospitality. Work on the other hand has also been wonderful. I have only been encouraged and not humiliated so far in the hospital in addition to that the Alfred is a beautiful place.

Earlier in the day I was out for a walk at the lake behind the Halls of Residence. The sun was shinning so brightly it was blinding AND scorching but because the wind blew so hard so frequently I barely felt the heat. As I was walking and just reflecting…the song “Today is the day”, which I had just learnt in church the day before came to mind. It suddenly occurred to me that there will never be another identical ‘today’ and I was reminded to learn to appreciate each day. To reflect and dissect and see God’s glory in each day of my life.

“Today is the day You have made, I will rejoice and be glad in it…,

I won’t worry about tomorrow…I’m trusting in what You say..Today is the day”

Me by the lake

Some nice spot for a sandwich and a good read.

Weekends!

Today I had the opportunity to wake up at 8am- 4 hours later than my daily waking time. Boy, does that feel good! My weekdays start at 4am and I get home at around 7pm and I thought 5th year would be a breeze. 1 week of cardiothoracic surgery and I have concluded:

1. Not all surgeons have poor relational skills (the registrars are really really nice)

2. I do not have the patience to stand through surgery

3. 4 am is an unearthly hour to be awake

4. The weather is not as hot as it supposed to be in fact today is the first hot day for me since arriving here in Melbourne.

Other interesting things I did this week:

1. Checked out the night market (vic mart) on Wednesday night with Dan, Jess and Jess’s cousin Joy

2. Visited the library twice

3. Went back to Citylife today

Am looking forward to a nice quiet Sunday to myself and another busy week ahead.

Like a pasar malam that sells international food at an exorbitant price (not really only for ppl like me who convert everything). I had croc, kangaroo and emu meat.

The moon just outside my room. B-E-A-utiful!

Sunday and the first day

Sunday

Jason picked me up in the morning for church. It’s been a long time since my last visit to the Planetshakers church. It was amazing to see how much effort was put into the service (including the visitor’s corner and stuff) still it was a bit radical for me. SIgh maybe I’m just old at heart? Still, the energy, effort and zeal in worshiping God in all ministries was nothing short of powerful. After church I met up with good ol Maddy for lunch and a good chat over a cuppa at Melbourne central. Also bought my AUD 109.60 monthly ticket. *OUCH*

We ate here. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Maddy looking prettier than ever.

This burger cost me RM 12. Everything in Aus is expensive except the chocolates. Man.

Maddy putting some burger sauce in her hair for luck :)

The both of us near flinders station

This is part of the 2 km walk that I take everyday. While it may look hot, the weather here has been quite cold since I arrived.

Me in front of Oakleigh station on the way back from the hospital. With my library books in my hand and my new nametag :)

A member of the city library and proud to be one. Membership is free okay and the selection of books is AWESOME

Tis the season for peaches, nectarines and apricots. How YUMMY! 4 nectarines and 6 apricots = AUD 1.50

Monday

Today is my first day of the semester. Was told to be at the Alfred hospital by 8am. The Alfred is a good 20 ought km away. Struggled to get up at 5 AM and to take a shower with the weather at 10 degrees. Had to leave Halls by 6.15 AM to get to the Alfred by 7.45 AM. The journey includes a 2X2km walk, 2 bus rides and a train. VERY TIRING. I don’t know how I’m going to keep this up with the coming days starting at 7.30 AM as opposed to 8. The Alfred however is a beautiful hospital and that makes me excited about learning there. Also somewhat on the way to the hospital is the city library. The convenience of the stop and the excuse of the need for entertainment on the long daily journeys gives me more reason to pop by and borrow books. I borrowed “Poor Mercy” by Jonathan Falls and the movie “Warm Springs”. Then did some shopping at Oakleigh on the way home.

Welcome 2010! Welcome Melbourne

It has certainly been a long time since I last updated this blog.  For some reason I suddenly felt the urge to write again also to update people back home on Melbourne life.

I must say I’m glad to be back in Melbourne. While there are some things about leaving Malaysia that leave me a tad sadder than I should be, coming to Melbourne is a much preferred option compared to JB.

Arrived here on Friday morning 12 AM and stayed at Uncle Charles’s for the remainder of the morning before checking into my room here at Deakin Halls, Monash Residential Halls.

My room from outside. People look in through the glass at me like some zoo animal. Especially since I’m on the ground floor

My desk at the right corner of the room. The yummy bread on the table is soy and linseed bread. MMMM

A couch for anyone of you who is coming to visit.

Narrow walkway to the bed

My bed and the door to the communal bathroom

The little shack built to fit 4 machines. I think it’s very cute!

Wonderful Dan and Jess took the trouble to meet up and take me to do groceries on the first night. So touched!