News on meh

Uweh, sorry for the late updates, just settling into my new place and after two weeks, finally got the internet up and running. Will post a major update this weekend. Cyaa!

O-week 2008

* Hey you guys, currently, I'm in charge of the Bruneians Around Sydney Society Website (BASSBOX)- Http://bass-box.blogspot.com, so it's kinda hard for me to personally update my blog everytime. This post is copy-pasted from the BASSBOX website. Heheh, kes malas udah tu. Anyways, cheers


ORIENTATION WEEK 2008 Diary,
MONDAY day 1.

Set my alarm at 7, got up at 9, thanks to excellent timing of an inprompt to text message. I was planning to head to UNI by 9 or 10 so that I can get some of the FREE PANCAKES they were serving in the morning. Rushed a shower, put on some light clothing (it was hot~ 21 degrees, weathers been a tad inconsistant these past few days, so dont expect to see the sunny skies when you are here), and grabbed my bag before leaving Hafiz's place and heading towards UNI. I planned to drag the guys, but as usual, Hafiz was being his usual lazy self, didn't want to disturb his 'precious' beauty sleep (he needs all the sleep he can get) and Asqa was already eating a 'OMG' delicious breakfast of Instant Noodles *gasps*.

OMG, people! There like freakin everywhere!!!

Walking through 'the walk' (izzat what its called, I forget) with the big crowds, booths, yellow shirts, bewildered first years is just awesome. The UNI was virtually empty before this and there is so many things to do and see here. It was around ten when I reached there, so I rushed up to Matthews to meet up my Malaysian friend Tiya who was helping her juniours get their student IDs (As Waznah mentioned, Espot is no longer at red center, its at Matthews) . A few minutes of walking, and a handful of club brochures later, I reached Matthews Theatre in UPPER campus. Remember the renovation they were doing there before summer holidays, well they finished it, WE HAVE A NEW FOOD COURT, WOOHOOO! Indian food, Sushi and more, all at Matthews with proper sitting areas with tables. I didn't take pictures, I forgot, so I'll post it up tomorrow for you to see.

Queue for the student id cards

Yup, those are the queues for the student id. SO freaaaakin looong. I planned to do it since Tiya and her juniours were there, but after seeing that line, ugh, decided to do it later in the week. Chatted with Tiya for a bit, asked her about the Malaysian Juniours....no gurlss for PE. ARGHHH, in pure dissappointment, I left her there to suffer with the BOY JUNIOURS and met up my Bangladeshian Australian Friend Niloy, who was trying to find out if there were any Civil Engineering specific lectures, labs or activities that were compulsory to attend during Oweek. Btw, still no word from Jennifer, I'll scower the net again to update you guys with more info on the PetENg Oweek lecs or labs.

Dragged him to get pancakes with me near the roundhouse. Otw there, we passed the beer lawn (between Scientia and red center). Seems like some half-naked buff guys were dancing there.

Why were there half Naked Buff Guys dancing near the Beer Lawn located between the Scientia Building and Red Center while Niloy and I were otw to get pancakes near the roundhouse? I didn't have a clue. This is orientation week, expect the unexpected. hahahah. Btw, these guys were buff, i mean REALLY BUFF huge muscles and all that crap. Its not those freaky monstor freak of nature muscles, it like those male models who advertise for underwear. To the gurls who are back home in Brunei with your weedy skinny unmuscluraly boyfriends.... sucks to be you. hahahah, I need to join a gym this year.

Passing by more stalls and booths, more people stuffing brochures and pamphlets into my hands, reached the pancake queue. It was not that long, but we had to wait a bit. A few minutes of idle talking and enjoying the sights of the cooks accidentally overcooking and burning the pancakes and trying to amusingly convince some of the people in queue to get this burnt pancakes by asking 'who likes their pancakes extra black?', Niloy and I were approached by some blue/yellow shirts (I had temporary colour memory loss at that moment) who were promoting ARC memberships.

It was an asian guy and girl. The guy spoke first, well...he tried to. He was okay the first few sentences and suddenly lost track and forgot what he wanted to say. Reasons for this, as I thought at that moment, could either be that, I was very intimidating or this guy was new at this job, and as it turned out, it was the latter of the two. He smiled timidly and apologized, and let the girl speak. Showing off her experience, she went through almost everything about ARC membership at UNSW, its privelages and so forth. Heres a sum of it:

• You get a welcome pack (Arc Backpack, 2GB USB stick, Wall Planner, Other Campus Essentials)
• Club VIP membership (Discounts for off camping clothing, clubs and Sydney Events
• Discounts at Arc Stores (up to 40% off selected merchanise and 'Green Splat' Specials
• ARC Club MemberShip (Join clubs free of administration costs from Arc)
• ARC Room Hire (Free Discounted rates for music, meeting and general purpose rooms)
• UniBar Discounts (Member Specials and Happy Hours Throughout the year)
• Free Roundhouse session parties all year (Free/discounted admission to ARC activities and Events
• Work and Lifeskills Courses (Discounted rates + training program & certificate of participation for each course)
• Graduation Dress Hire Discounts (Discounts on Academic dress hire and purchase)
• ARC Board and Representive Council Elections (Eligible to run for Board and Rep Council positions and vote in elections)
• Volunteer Programs (Join student development and volunteer programs and gain valuable experience)
• Computer Labs (Free Computer Use in any ARC Computer Labs)
• KUDOs Gallery @ COFA (Significant Hire discounts and free support)
• Free Legal Advice and Advocacy (ARC Lawyer and Student Support)
• UNSW Bookshop Discounts (Special Member only deals)
• Cheap Movie Tickets (Buy cheap tickets for range of cinemas)
• Member Diary with Vouchers (You can only get the vouchers if you're an ARC member)

Arent you amazed with my memory skills? Hehe, the fact that she handed me a brochure after our conversation helped alittle I guess. Anyways, memberships is $149 for 1year, $280 for 2years, $380 for 3years & $450 for 4years. I'm joining this year btw, anybody else? *wink*

After our conversation with the ARC promoters, and wishing the new guy goodluck, I finally got my pancakes. They were out of plates so I had to use napkins. O-week pancakes are a tad different from your typical pancakes. They're square and burnt and made with love by the ARC Yellow Shirts. The tall blond yellow shirt pretty causcasian girl (this....I remember) was handling the condiments. I asked for Maple Syrup, she recommended to opt for something else, as her syrup was too runny *snort*, so I had this sort of jam on my pancakes, which flavour seems to escape my memory yet again, it was a pink-red goo. Don't have pictures again, sorry, was too hungry at the time.

After gulping down the pancakes, Niloy and I hung out near the Sports and Recreation section of the Oweek booths. Its located in front of the ISS building/centre. There was an ANZ booth nearby along with a Dance Hip-hop club booth.

ANZ BOOTH -What is the heck is that guy doing? ANZ have this sort of box where the willing participants enter and try to grab as much little strips of paper which are blown up into the air by a wind machine in a period of 10-20 seconds. Whats the point? Well, each strip of paper is worth AUD$1. An earlier participant walked of with $65. Free money for climbing into a box and goofilly trying to grab strips of paper as quick as possible in front of hordes of onlookers....excellent.

POKLEN, I mean, HIP HOP DANCE BOOTH - Put your hands up in the aiiir, shake em like you just don't careeee! Freee demonstration for would-be hip hop dancers. Asians are 'too cool'. Sorry for the pic doesnt show much, you'd juuust loove to see them dancing wouldja!? Cause...they're 'cooool'

After watching some people almost break their necks for attempting a headstand, I called Hafiz and Asqa to join me since it was around 12. Niloy had to go to work at 1 and I didnt want to be abandoned here. Thanks to my excellent negotiating skills, I got them to come (this sounds really weird right Yamin? *wink*).

Hung out in front of the Newton Building lawn and waited for them there, and where we discovered the ISSOC booth and the Saudi Booth.

Random Malaysian(?) Girl and Princess Padme of Star Wars Fame in charge of ISSOC membership registration.

Saad Alaasi with his 'cool' hairstyle, helping out with the Saudi society booth

Hafiz joined soon after, and as we were waiting for Asqa, we were approached by a yellow shirt asking us if she could paint our faces. After some coaxing from Hafiz, and since the others seemed soooo reluctant, I volunteered my precious face for painting. What did i choose? Well, I opted for the first thing that came out of my head ~ spiderman!!!

SPIDERMAN ROCKSS!!!!

Facepainting, all in good fun. The girl was a bit worried at first, cause she never did spiderman before (*snort*), but it came out alright in the end. Hahah, I wanted the other guys to have their face painted, but guess they couldnt bare people staring at them. It was a bit weird having everybody turn and stare at you but you get used to it. Being called spiderman everytime you walk by is kinda cool *swells with pride*.

Asqa joined up eventually and toured the walk and tried to visit as much booths as we can. Asqa and Hafiz signed up for soccer tryouts while I scoped the diving and outdoors club booth. Many many clubs to look at, couldn't cover all of them properly in one day. Along the UNI walk, there are many activities to do and free stuff to get.

queueing up for....

...FREE COTTON CANDYYYYYY

Its that delicious! Don't believe me, notice Asqa's face? looks like he's gonna 'burst' with excitement *wink* 'it is very tasting of gooooodnesss'

I'm going to cut this post short for now, it looks like I sorta overdid it. It's a day overdue already. hahah, expect a post of Juniours First Day Experience sometime tomorrow and further Oweek coverages later in the week. Will leave you guys with pics I took on Monday. Goodbye for now, cheeers.

Live Bands at Beer Garden

Juggling training from circusoc. Run away from home, to go to Uni and join the circus!

Old Friends - Malaysian 2nd years. The three people on the right are sooo 'coool', especially the guy in the center. Like OMG.

Get your free Arab Guy, comes with his own Turban, headscarf thingy. heheh, kidding, dress up in traditional Arab clothing at the Saudi Society Booth.

Would love to see this guy walk up the stairs near the Quad.

BOUNCY BOUNCY BOUNCY, FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN

Our new free student diary. Does not come with gay model

free drinks - Lipton tea (a new flavour which I cannot seem to remember)

Draw to win a free ipod classic

Being Spiderman ~ priceless

Sydney Status

Been in Sydney for almost a week and man, I stil don't have a place to live in yet. Rent is soaring through the roof and so are the prices of everyday stuff. Average rent for a place around Kingsford is around 380-420+ and there are loads of people applying so the chances of getting the apartment are slim. I was thinking of moving to the city, cause they had this place, well 200 a week, but it comes with furniture, electricity, phone and internet. Its near central station so the only thing I would have to worry about is 200 + 40 for transportation costs per week. I relayed this thought to my parents, which I now regret btw, and they got all concerned and lecture-ey and said I should live with other Bruneians and its dangerous living in the city and blabla and so forth. My mom even thought I was fighting with the Bruneians, I mean, what the hell? What got me a bit bummed is now they think I'm desperately struggling with cash so they want to send me money every month. I turned them down, the whole point of me getting this scholarship and going through with it is so that I dont have to live and mooch of my parents and learn to take care of myself. Over protective much? huhuuu, hopefully this week we'll get a place, if not, we'll have to opt to move to Marouba or Coogee which is a tad far from the UNI.

Thats enough of apartment worries for now. Let's talk about Sydney, Sydney's great, it just how I remember it - surprising weather and lots of walking. Owh, forgot to mention the flight to Sydney and the airport. Me, Hafiz and Asqa were on one of those old planes, the one with those projector screens. Yeah, we didnt have any of the screen and the remotes which is dissappointing. The movie that played made up for it a little though. mr maggoos emporium (i think thats what it was called) and Nanny diaries. I was sleepy at the time, 12 midnight, who wouldnt be, so I didnt watch emporium up till the end nor even see a glimpse of nanny diaries (my friends told me bout it when I got up). Well emporium look liked a great movie, (Natalie Portman *SQUUEEL*) and I'm definately gonna rent the DVD. Overall the flight was okay, slept through half of it, a little bit annoyed with the noisy people in front, one guy had a sorta afro doo and kept blocking the screen.

Check in at the airport was quite surprising though. Since Brunei- Sydney flights are a bit later, we arrived at a less hectic time. Meaning, not many flights coming through at once, thus less people and less queing. We just breezed on through towards customs. I didnt even have a problem with my freakishly long name on my passport this time round. haha, customs didnt even go through my stuff. maybe it was cuz I didnt bring much food stuff this time. But it felt weird getting out through check-in at such a short time. ah well, no complaints, hope its this hectic free from this point on.

Past week at Sydney other than house hunting has been quite slow. Went to Macquire on our Second day to meet up with Hafiz's other half and my friend Lyla. Hung out there for a bit and visited Macquire shopping mall/centre place. few minutes walk from the macquire university. must be awesome to be student there. After a lecture they cud just walk to the shopping place and hang out there. The good shopping centers are a bit far from my Uni and usually require a trip on the Bus. And Macquire nearly has everything there, all the shops- krispy creme, gloria jeans, rebel, ali baba, ice rink, almost everything in one building. the Macquire people are a lucky bunch of people. Watched a movie there as well - 27 dresses, and it was quite fun. Lyla is a definately must bring for a movie date. hahahah

Lyla and Asqa

The Lovebirds - Hafiz and Miza

Macquire Shopping Centre

Model Krispy Kreme

Game we played while waiting for the movie

Lyla having a go

Hafiz losing

After the movie

Taking the train home

Vanity is still a sin

Since UNI hasnt started, stuck at home most of the time. Occasional shopping trip now and then but you cant go shopping and eat out everyday. Was looking forward to Mardi Gras, but we spent the morning hanging out with Lyla and Miza in the city who dropped by for the weekend. Went around seeing the usual sights and sounds of Sydney, the shopping spots. Ended up getting tuckered out. So was to tired to head back to the city for the Mardi Gras, maybe next year. There much stuff to say, especially the start of my orientation week. I leave you guys with these pics, enjoy.