Out of the circle

Another post, another story by the same writer...

Now is autumn, and it is really cold outside

Well, it has been three weeks I’m here. The memory of my first step, landing in the land of kangaroo is still fresh in my mind.

 It was a sunny Sunday morning when I arrived. “Now is summer, so it’s hot, warm and a bit dry here. But, in winter it will be so much different. Despite it isn’t snowing, it will be very cold. When it comes, you can even not taking shower for three days, because it is a dry winter. You won’t be smelly” Dr Risman told me when we reached Adelaide together that morning. He was a postgraduate in Uni of Adelaide, at the same time, the President of MYPSA. I was excited to hear his explanation and agreed with most of them, except for the showering part.  Frankly, I couldn't survive for not taking any shower, even for a day. Nevertheless, I was really thrilled to be here. The environment, scenery and feeling were so much different from Malaysia.

I believe everyone will encounter something new everyday.

I do really admit that I’m a bit shy and speechless when it comes to meeting strangers. Apparently, I hardly introduced myself in a proper manner. Honestly, I have a very peculiar feeling when making new friend. “Do I want to say Hi to him or not, but how...I can’t just suddenly come and randomly saying hello, that would be absurd” that annoying thought keep on rising in my mind. Badly, it always end up that I regretted for not doing the right thing. “I should do that! Why I’m so stupid!”

Perhaps during foundation, I was just automatically be friend with my classmates. But, the situation is so much different. In lecture hall, it is a norm to have a one-seat gap between students.

Sometimes I did have the courage to know them, the Australian I meant. But, the conversation mostly filled with a moment of silent or awkward moment as I sometimes lost track of what they were saying. Either they were taking too fast, mumbling or the slang was not clear to me. “I’m so sorry. Can you please talk a bit slower please? I can’t really catch it.” I should have said that.

The worst is when I have to talk to them via phone. Few weeks ago, I lost my debit card -retained by the ATM machine, actually, as I confused myself between PIN no and security no. So, I had to order a new card by phone call. It was hard and the word “pardon” filled most of the conversation. Similar situation happened when I recklessly forgotten my password for my online banking, and the account was suspended. Another phone call had to be made, requesting a temporary password. The person had to spell the password slowly, 3 times before I could understand that “M for Micheal, Z for Zoo” were the two alphabets in front.

But, that all happened in week one.

It didn't take long for me to realise that I couldn’t stay silent forever. I was alone here, and the one who could make all the different. I believed they were no more and no less than mus. Need  friends to talk to and sometimes I saw, they were the one who would always be sitting alone. Perhaps, they too were having difficulty as me. 

Until now, I’m still trying and learning. Everything is getting better now. I may not have a bulk of friends, chiefly foreigners, but condition is changing. I gained some confident and communication skills despite sometimes I still can’t really catch what they said. Yet, they do really friendly, exactly as the rumours. I regard it as a success. Perhaps it sound easy and make no sense to you. But, it's really mean a lot to me. A giant leap for me. Inshaallah...everything  gonna be just fine. :)

My friend did quote:

"I consider myself to be among the 'achievers' at school. But belief me, there is soooo much more to life than just academics. Belief me, it is all the other aspect of life that makes academic what it;s worth. Otherwise it's nothing more than just 'a wortless paper chase'. It doesn't bring you the happiness that all of us longed for. It doesn't bring out the potential in you, until and unless you discover who you are in this life and the whole purpose of living. You have to live a little longer to appreciate what I'm trying to say here. So hang on to life, don't give up on life. You'll be thankful to HIM when you'll find out further down the road in this lifelong journey there is soooo much more in store for you as long as you are grateful to HIM."

That's for now.

For those who keep on trying but never succeed

Hang on there

Surely you will

Believe me, you already successful

for not giving up