tutoring

For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future
- Jeremiah 29:11

Today is my first day back to uni. A very eventful day.

I started my day at 9.00am.. attending the lecture of my toughest subject this semester: Credibility Theory. My lecturer is under 30 and is a qualified actuary. Genius. Although the course is tough, I feel that I am in good hands, so I'm not too worried.

Next up is a lecture at 10.00am: Applied Macro & Financial Econometrics. This course introduces a technique called panel data modelling. Something that I've been looking forward to learn since last year. The class composition is pretty much similar to the forecasting course I did last year - it is mostly filled with postgrads.

Gym session after that was disappointing. I think I may be falling sick and hence feeling weak. Sigh. Rested for a while before heading to uni to run some errands. Finally, meeting with Dr Akihito Asano, the lecturer for EMET1001 Foundations of Economic and Financial Models. It was a meeting to discuss the possibility of me becoming a tutor for that subject. He said there's a 50-50 chance of me getting it this semester.

When I returned my room after a long day, I found a note on my toilet-door: "OUT OF ORDER". I was stunned. The plumber had not finished what he had to do so my toilet looked as though a bomb has detonated inside there. So much for having a personal toilet but you can't use it.

Soon it was dinner, and then the usual pool game, then I checked my email when I retreated to my room.
"Dear Veng Hoong,

We would like to invite you to take three (3) tutorials in EMET1001 FEFM this semester. Please let me know if this is suitable for you as soon as you can."

YESSS!!!! I didn' t believe it when I first saw the email. I achieved my university student career goal, and it is not even my 4th year yet! So happy, but now it means that I will have to quit my bakery job. So, I proceeded to register for the Tutors' Induction Program - when I checked it, there was a maximum of 67 places, and 66 had been filled. Wow! Felt like all this is too coincidental.

Your grace is enough
More than I need

the airport

You arrive at the Canberra International Airport, finally, after a long long journey from home. You're in a new timezone, the weather is different, the language may be different... but most significantly, you are meeting all seem different. Then, as you proceed to collect your luggage, you see a person holding a sign bearing the ANU logo with the words "Meet & Greet". He seems to be looking for someone, probably someone that is new to Canberra and Australia. Maybe I should try to make contact, I might get lucky. Our eyes met. "Welcome to Canberra!". And the rest is history.


Working at the airport is so interesting. On a busy day with many new arrivals, time flies really quickly and you are occupied with work almost all the time. On a quiet day, you can read a book, drink coffee, and get paid for doing that. Then there is the occasional random person turning up at the airport desk and claiming that they are new to ANU and need a lift to their new accommodation place.

The most interesting part of the airport is when you are waiting for the new student to arrive, then you just observe the people around you. There is SO much emotion there - people crying because they don't want to leave their loved ones, lovers kissing each other as they meet, children jumping in excitement at the sight of their parents.

And then there is the expression of the new student as he/she arrives at a new environment. Initially, all I saw was tired, some excited faces. Then once they saw us Meet & Greet staff, you can immediately feel that sense of relief from their change in facial expression. New friendships begin! I've made new friends from the USA, Netherlands, Denmark, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, German, Colombian, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam...all over the world!

If meeting a new person at the airport is so comforting, it's even better to be received by those close to your heart. If I'm on the receiving end, I want to make sure that I am standing out and be the first person to greet my loved ones. I always wonder, "Am I the first to reach you?"

New semester began today. Another chapter unfolds. During church yesterday, Ps Mark made a very important statement:

There are times when God conceals His face from you, but it doesn't mean that His heart is hidden from you.

Sem2 '08 here I come!