a testimony of His faithfulness to me
3 weeks of trials, tribulations and answered prayers.
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
so many things had happened since my "short trip to singapore", and one event unfolded after another. my journey in life took a sharp turn that i had never expected, and it has been good so far - simply because i know He has been made this path for me and opened many doors guiding me to it.
12-15 jan 06: my short trip to singapore was like an "adjustment" trip to uni life in NUS; paying adult transport fares and bumming around in nus for lectures and also staying in uni halls. get to know more seniors so that your freshman year will go smoothly they say. or maybe not. =) returned home with a mind almost prepared for another 4 years at least in that island down south( of peninsula malaysia), after feeling negative about the scholarships that i've applied thus far.
16 jan 06: 9am wake-up call, "hello, is this.... we're from the...". (silence/shock/surprise) "that's great, i'll think about it, thank you very much", i said.
it was the vice-president of the ANU Alumni Association Malaysia, and he had just broke the news to me that I've been chosen to receive a partial scholarship to study at ANU, 50% tuition fee waived. *gasp/shock* never in my wildest dreams that i'd thought i'll get it as initially there was only one FULL scholarship on offer. i knew right after the interview that i had done well but not enough still to deserve that one and only full scholarship. and this year, the university offered 3 more partial scholarships to be awarded by the alumni. lucky? wasn't really sure then, it was still rather costly to study 4 years for double degree (without honours) in ANU.. i was sms-ing ching, aik n et to get nus and ntu fees... i have ONE day to give my reply whether to accept or decline the scholarship. GAHHH!!! pray pray pray. almost the entire night was spent on MSN.. consulting friends and teacher. all gave me positive responses... headache... sleep first decide tomorrow
17 jan 06: after quite a bit of hesitation, i finally decided to take up the scholarship. wasn't confident of landing any other, anyway. this is probably my golden opportunity to venture overseas. moreover, the university has agreed to allow me to start in february! which means 3 weeks to settle all my accommodation and travel matters. coincidentally, today was the last day for application for accommodation at ANU in order for me to fall under the first-year undergrad accommodation guarantee scheme by the university.. and i have to make payment by today. rushed all the necessary paperwork.. email... and i kept my fingers crossed the whole night.
18 jan 06: hooray! i've a place at Bruce Hall!! my first choice!! now just have to wait for my eCOE (electronic confirmation of enrolment) number so that i can start my visa application.
23 jan 06: singapore, again. for the last time before i go to australia. took a 730am bus, reached singapore at roughly 2pm. met paul for lunch, settled phone and internet bills then headed to hcibs to packup my remaining stuff that's beginning to collect dust in my junior's room. had to take all of them back since i won't be staying there anymore. met my juniors as well as yifeng and irene.w. feels great catching up with my fellow hc.asean batchmates. almost got scolded for making so much noise and me staying past 7pm..phew... bade farewell and NUS was my final stop before going back to kl at midnight. couldn't met hc, lucky i packed all in a bag so i didn't have to trouble mindy. supper with aik... survived on a cup of teh panas for 2 hours.
24 jan 06: returned from singapore. slept...and woke up to a tragedy. this is where the MAJOR complication took place, just as everything seemed to go so smoothly. my passport is accidentally washed together with my clothes!!! ARGH!!! *a moment of panic* as much as i tried to save it, i still have to make a new passport just to play safe. now my visa application have to be delayed, and my flight pushed to a later date.
25 jan 06: went to immigration office in bandar damansara and had a really tough time getting a new passport. encountered a lot of complications, officers who indirectly show the intention to take in bribes, if not they will not speed up your passport renewal application ( they say it takes a month). everything seemed so bleak that i thought i'd never get my passport back on time to apply for my student visa. there seemed to be a conspiracy, a network to earn money out of other people's misery via unethical means.
26 jan 06: supposed to meet the officer who took my statement to discuss about my passport issue but surprisingly he had an exam, although he was the one who suggested the time of appointment. Had to meet his superior instead, who unreasonably scolded me and mum for being ‘disrespectful’ of her, and also for putting pressure on her. What nonsense? We weren’t even shouting yet, just explaining the situation. She also initially refused to let us know which higher authority we could speak to so that we can make an appeal. Alas, I went her superior, explained the situation and he agreed to help! I’ll be able to pay for my receipt today, meaning that my passport will be out tomorrow. My prayers are answered! And also I need not pay anything ‘extra’, which I prayed hoping I don’t need to do so.
27 jan 06: received new passport at 840am, rushed to IDP KL to start my visa application (9.10am) then had a short walk around KLCC. Finally can sit down and rest a while. Enjoyed nasi lemak and kuih at a specialized kuih stall in klcc, took some photos of the place, then went to collect my medical check-up form at 1030am. Rushed again to clinic only to bum into another problem. The situation was that I couldn’t complete the medical report at that particular clinic, and if I want to get it done by today, I’ve to rush to tung shin hospital in jalan pudu just to get the radiologist’s report and back by 2pm. *wow* had a hell of a rush hour again.. but I was lucky to get an experienced taxi driver who got me to tung shin on time. When I got back to the clinic at a later hour (1.45pm), I was suddenly told that my report would not sent to the Australian high commission on today itself! I was furious but I kept that feeling concealed. Got my helpful IDP counselor angeline to help me and finally got it sent. Visa approved at night when I checked its status online. Mission accomplished. now i can celebrate chinese new year at ease.
8th feb 06: day of my flight to australia, and one more problem just have to crop up.. luggage weight issues. my agent didn't do a good job and failed to get me extra luggage allowance which is usually given to first year students upon request by their travel agents. sigh. repacked on the airport, had a light meal with parents and karmun and uncle...then i was ready to fly. all's well during check-in, all the way till canberra
9th feb 06: hello canberra!
in the beginning, the chain of events sort of led me to this conclusion :
" like yin and yang, blessings and misfortunes come in pairs"
but after going through it all, i know for sure that God answers prayers, and is faithful to those who remain faithful to him. amen!
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
so many things had happened since my "short trip to singapore", and one event unfolded after another. my journey in life took a sharp turn that i had never expected, and it has been good so far - simply because i know He has been made this path for me and opened many doors guiding me to it.
12-15 jan 06: my short trip to singapore was like an "adjustment" trip to uni life in NUS; paying adult transport fares and bumming around in nus for lectures and also staying in uni halls. get to know more seniors so that your freshman year will go smoothly they say. or maybe not. =) returned home with a mind almost prepared for another 4 years at least in that island down south( of peninsula malaysia), after feeling negative about the scholarships that i've applied thus far.
16 jan 06: 9am wake-up call, "hello, is this.... we're from the...". (silence/shock/surprise) "that's great, i'll think about it, thank you very much", i said.
it was the vice-president of the ANU Alumni Association Malaysia, and he had just broke the news to me that I've been chosen to receive a partial scholarship to study at ANU, 50% tuition fee waived. *gasp/shock* never in my wildest dreams that i'd thought i'll get it as initially there was only one FULL scholarship on offer. i knew right after the interview that i had done well but not enough still to deserve that one and only full scholarship. and this year, the university offered 3 more partial scholarships to be awarded by the alumni. lucky? wasn't really sure then, it was still rather costly to study 4 years for double degree (without honours) in ANU.. i was sms-ing ching, aik n et to get nus and ntu fees... i have ONE day to give my reply whether to accept or decline the scholarship. GAHHH!!! pray pray pray. almost the entire night was spent on MSN.. consulting friends and teacher. all gave me positive responses... headache... sleep first decide tomorrow
17 jan 06: after quite a bit of hesitation, i finally decided to take up the scholarship. wasn't confident of landing any other, anyway. this is probably my golden opportunity to venture overseas. moreover, the university has agreed to allow me to start in february! which means 3 weeks to settle all my accommodation and travel matters. coincidentally, today was the last day for application for accommodation at ANU in order for me to fall under the first-year undergrad accommodation guarantee scheme by the university.. and i have to make payment by today. rushed all the necessary paperwork.. email... and i kept my fingers crossed the whole night.
18 jan 06: hooray! i've a place at Bruce Hall!! my first choice!! now just have to wait for my eCOE (electronic confirmation of enrolment) number so that i can start my visa application.
23 jan 06: singapore, again. for the last time before i go to australia. took a 730am bus, reached singapore at roughly 2pm. met paul for lunch, settled phone and internet bills then headed to hcibs to packup my remaining stuff that's beginning to collect dust in my junior's room. had to take all of them back since i won't be staying there anymore. met my juniors as well as yifeng and irene.w. feels great catching up with my fellow hc.asean batchmates. almost got scolded for making so much noise and me staying past 7pm..phew... bade farewell and NUS was my final stop before going back to kl at midnight. couldn't met hc, lucky i packed all in a bag so i didn't have to trouble mindy. supper with aik... survived on a cup of teh panas for 2 hours.
24 jan 06: returned from singapore. slept...and woke up to a tragedy. this is where the MAJOR complication took place, just as everything seemed to go so smoothly. my passport is accidentally washed together with my clothes!!! ARGH!!! *a moment of panic* as much as i tried to save it, i still have to make a new passport just to play safe. now my visa application have to be delayed, and my flight pushed to a later date.
25 jan 06: went to immigration office in bandar damansara and had a really tough time getting a new passport. encountered a lot of complications, officers who indirectly show the intention to take in bribes, if not they will not speed up your passport renewal application ( they say it takes a month). everything seemed so bleak that i thought i'd never get my passport back on time to apply for my student visa. there seemed to be a conspiracy, a network to earn money out of other people's misery via unethical means.
26 jan 06: supposed to meet the officer who took my statement to discuss about my passport issue but surprisingly he had an exam, although he was the one who suggested the time of appointment. Had to meet his superior instead, who unreasonably scolded me and mum for being ‘disrespectful’ of her, and also for putting pressure on her. What nonsense? We weren’t even shouting yet, just explaining the situation. She also initially refused to let us know which higher authority we could speak to so that we can make an appeal. Alas, I went her superior, explained the situation and he agreed to help! I’ll be able to pay for my receipt today, meaning that my passport will be out tomorrow. My prayers are answered! And also I need not pay anything ‘extra’, which I prayed hoping I don’t need to do so.
27 jan 06: received new passport at 840am, rushed to IDP KL to start my visa application (9.10am) then had a short walk around KLCC. Finally can sit down and rest a while. Enjoyed nasi lemak and kuih at a specialized kuih stall in klcc, took some photos of the place, then went to collect my medical check-up form at 1030am. Rushed again to clinic only to bum into another problem. The situation was that I couldn’t complete the medical report at that particular clinic, and if I want to get it done by today, I’ve to rush to tung shin hospital in jalan pudu just to get the radiologist’s report and back by 2pm. *wow* had a hell of a rush hour again.. but I was lucky to get an experienced taxi driver who got me to tung shin on time. When I got back to the clinic at a later hour (1.45pm), I was suddenly told that my report would not sent to the Australian high commission on today itself! I was furious but I kept that feeling concealed. Got my helpful IDP counselor angeline to help me and finally got it sent. Visa approved at night when I checked its status online. Mission accomplished. now i can celebrate chinese new year at ease.
8th feb 06: day of my flight to australia, and one more problem just have to crop up.. luggage weight issues. my agent didn't do a good job and failed to get me extra luggage allowance which is usually given to first year students upon request by their travel agents. sigh. repacked on the airport, had a light meal with parents and karmun and uncle...then i was ready to fly. all's well during check-in, all the way till canberra
9th feb 06: hello canberra!
in the beginning, the chain of events sort of led me to this conclusion :
" like yin and yang, blessings and misfortunes come in pairs"
but after going through it all, i know for sure that God answers prayers, and is faithful to those who remain faithful to him. amen!
thoughts of tanoshi at 9:00 PM
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