Step Up Program Orientation (20.02.2013 - 22.02.2013)

This post is going to be about my three days orientation program. Let's start!

Step Up Program Orientation is a compulsory event for all international students to attend. Although there are still a lot of students ditching this but still it was crowded. At first, I was really confused, I was alone, not knowing anyone, but then when I entered the lecture hall to find a place to sit, I sat next beside a Filipino girl named Peejay. She's really kind and friendly. Then after a while I introduced to a bunch of other people sitting around me. I couldn't find my Uniprep friends but at least I was able to mingle :) There were speeches and presentations from people from the aboriginal part of Australia. There was also someone playing the didgeridoo in front of us which was really cool. Google didgeridoo if you don't know what it looks like. But basically it's a long piece of hollow wood and it creates sound; it's a traditional instrument.

During lunch, I once more was alone, all of the people I have introduced myself too had gone so quickly out of sight. When I was going out, I met a girl from Maldives and I thought we could get lunch together. But after a few quick lines of introduction she disappeared with her friend. :( It was really hard mingling! aaa. So I took my lunch for the day which was provided my the school! Subway sandwich! Never tried that before. Fortunately, as soon as I stepped out of the building, I met my Uniprep friends! I was overjoyed! Obviously, Ardella and Bunga have made some new friends during their campus tour which I did not attend. I mingled with their friends and we got along pretty well. Our nationalities varies from Malaysia to South Africa! How cool is that! I was so psyched of making new international friends!

me, Carol (from Sg), Ardella, Amy (from HK) 

top (left to right)->  Nicole, Glen, Yang, Kwan Leng, Clifford, Shruti, Adam, Josephine
Bottom (left to right) -> Amy, Bunga, Grace, Ardella, Me, Carol

with Ann and Lauren, the culture mentor. 

 It was really fun for the first day of the program. At about 4, the program ended and I went home to my studio/dorm/room in UniTerrace. I waited for Cim to arrive home, she went to go to McDonalds for her part time job schedule and she went shopping.

veggies

japanese curry which Cim bought

our dinner that day

subway napkin 

finally there is something in my fridge 

and the cabinet

fliers I got that day

this almond milk tastes so good and so guilt-free. only 63 calories per serving!

Second day of Orientation...

More speeches that day. I didn't listen to it though. I was daydreaming the whole time pretending to concentrate. But my mind was all over the place. Then there was a quiz game. And we needed to form groups. So my group members were Amy, Grace, Bunga, Ardella, Me and we were short for 2 more. There were a couple of Chinese students and we told them to join us. Their names were Kimberly and Daniel. The goal of the game was to score as high as possible from the questions projected on the screen. We actually won with the help of the neighbor group consisting of Taiwanese students. We were very lucky.In fact they were so kind to check the wrong answers of ours. LOL. The first prize winner got a $20 voucher that is redeemable in UNSW bookshop.

the gift

chinese food for lunch! Chicken soy sauce and chicken curry with noodle! $7.80! aaaa.. so expensive!

After lunch, went to the IT service center again to complain about the wifi. And we continued our orientation program up till 3 o'clock which was faster than the day before. As soon as the program finished, I went back to my room to check whether my internet can work once more. It couldn't though. Then Cim came and I brought dinner.

pork roll!

other type of pork roll

Later that night, Cim and I went to the nearest library for internet! 

law library

saw this warm bodies poster on our way out from the library ! 

Day 3..

Last day of the orientation program!!!!

attempt to take a photo of the schedule, epic fail! 

 There was a session in which students were given a chance to ask the student advisers, facilitator, the person in charge of the central office and others. These people would sit in front and would gladly answer our queries.

By this day, my internet hadn't worked yet. I was actually discussing with my friends who would go for it and ask this problem in the middle of a huge lecture theater. Then suddenly, the person in the podium said it was the time for the last question to be asked before they closed the event. I quickly raised up my hand, and with the loudest voice I asked the people sitting in front with my internet problem. I choked a little bit but it was alright. After on, as soon as the session was finished, the facilitator and the IT guy quickly called me to follow them to the IT service center to deal with my internet problem. From then on, I didn't join the orientation again and dealed with my internet in my studio.

It was really tiring that day as I was going back and forth to the IT service center a lot of times. The sun was scorching and I could feel my head was going to explode any minute. I was hoping I would drain a lot of fats that day. HAHA.

Cim's salmon sandwich for lunch.

However, hard work was still in vain, still no luck in connecting to the internet. I was actually going to ask Yang to help me with the internet as his one was actually working. Shruti's was working as well. They both actually gave me steps on how to connect to the internet.

I tried emailing the IT guys again, and this time I took a picture of the port as they told me too. The email was useless too. --"

Later on, I gave up with the internet, I even skipped my orientation day. I followed my sis to her homestay in Maroubra to pick up the rest of my things there. We used the bus! Then we stopped by at the Pacific Mall. Honestly, this mall was super small. Jakarta's malls are way bigger. Not to judge but can't resist the fact.

cheese cake shop.

 

bought these heavenly treats! 

I want this! 

pumpkins

retrieved sugar plums! 

 Then we walked and walked to reach Cim's place.

Hannan st

SNAIL gravity

super awkward pose. I look slanted. 

 Arrived at Cim's place and she offered me these cans  of sparkling apple and pear ! Tastes good. Refreshing !

my eyes look blank

 We packed a lot of stuffs. And it was really heavy. aaa.. Finally we arrived home! Cim made dinner! Fruit salad.

lay out grapes, peaches on a cute bowl

put some greek yoghurt on top

spread some granola on top for crunchiness! and voila! 

Oh yeah, later that evening, I tried the internet again, this time, I followed Yang and Shruti's tips. And it actually worked! Man, I should have just asked them at the first place before struggling a pointless effort.