Just because...
...one is incompetent, should he still be allowed to keep his job? In my opinion, NO. Today is the 28th November 2008. My deadline to decide on going to Wollongong is in 2 days. Less because half the day is gone and Australian time is ahead of ours.
This incompetent fool from the International Office was supposed to have settled my scholarship last week. He is 2 weeks late. He told me that I would know the results 2 days ago. But guess what? He was on leave on Wed and Thurs, and when I called today I was told that he's on emergency leave. WOW. He promised that I would know the result before the deadline. It is his job to get things done according to urgency but he decided to procrastinate AND THEN DISAPPEAR. Best part? No one knows what the hell he does and no one can help me with it.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Just because...
...this is my last holiday ever, I'm supposed to be enjoying it kau-kau. Why is that not the case? Sigh... Actually I shouldn't be complaining. Life is hectic because of good things (I hope) =)
I've been offered to study in the University of Wollongong for my last semester! Yay! Right now I'm just waiting for the result of my scholarship application, which I should know tomorrow *fingers crossed* I'm really excited about this. FINALLY I can actually make it after the failed attempts to Universiteit van Amsterdam and ESADE in Spain because now I actually have a shot at a scholarship. This is a much cheaper alternative with the exchange rate at 2.19 to the Ringgit when I checked it 2 days back. My family is being really supportive this time around despite dad's contract in Singapore ending. I'm busy looking for other scholarships right now but most of the deadlines have passed. Sigh... Working on an essay for Golden Key's Asia-Pacific Student Exchange Scholarship. Deadline's in 3 days! Oh boy...
Courses I intend to take at UoW to complete my degree:
I'm in the midst of deciding on where I'll live, if I do go. I need to decide by 30 November! That's 5 days from now! Omg. My top 2 choices are:
Next thing I was busy with: Preparing for my interview with Brunsfield. It's for my compulsory industrial training course. It seems like a really nice place to work, it won the Best Employer's Award in 2005 and they are very eco-friendly! I went for the interview yesterday and got the part already, it's for next year when I finish my final semester. I just need to confirm the exact date I can commence and they'll send me my offer letter. Woohoo! Only downside is, I'll have to be 'uniformed'. Trainees are required to wear only white shirts (short or long-sleeved) with black skirts and black court shoes everyday except on Friday when we have the option of wearing black slacks. Hm... And makeup is compulsory. Another point is that it's in Tmn Tun, which takes me 25 minutes to get there when there's no traffic jam. Sis argues that it's better than working in the city. True also... Although there's hardly any parking there also. Oh well... We'll wait and see. I'm still waiting for Standard Chartered to open up their internship applications.
I'm supposed to start work with Mastermind Training International tomorrow. There goes my holidays. It's a good learning experience though, and I get to save extra money to go to Australia, if I do go. I'm trying to postpone it till next week though, because there's gonna be a little family trip to Genting this Thursday and Friday cos I have a free room. Jackson's not replying though, gotta call him again later.
Wow, I have officially been back for only 4 days and this is what I've been swamped with. Not bad, I'm taking it all in stride =)
On a much happier note, Joel will be back in 6 days! And Russell in about 2 weeks! I can't wait! Time for a little reunion. Gonna try to reunite with Suria, Chen Hoong and Amy this Friday at Bangkok Jazz for ThingOne if everything works out. Yippee!
...this is my last holiday ever, I'm supposed to be enjoying it kau-kau. Why is that not the case? Sigh... Actually I shouldn't be complaining. Life is hectic because of good things (I hope) =)
I've been offered to study in the University of Wollongong for my last semester! Yay! Right now I'm just waiting for the result of my scholarship application, which I should know tomorrow *fingers crossed* I'm really excited about this. FINALLY I can actually make it after the failed attempts to Universiteit van Amsterdam and ESADE in Spain because now I actually have a shot at a scholarship. This is a much cheaper alternative with the exchange rate at 2.19 to the Ringgit when I checked it 2 days back. My family is being really supportive this time around despite dad's contract in Singapore ending. I'm busy looking for other scholarships right now but most of the deadlines have passed. Sigh... Working on an essay for Golden Key's Asia-Pacific Student Exchange Scholarship. Deadline's in 3 days! Oh boy...
Courses I intend to take at UoW to complete my degree:
- FIN226: Financial Markets and Institutions (6 credit points) to replace AFP368: Options & Futures - Quite redundant since I've done this paper but my school's paper is redundant anyway. We've learned about options and futures twice already in other papers, dunno why they need one more paper specifically for it. Oh well... I hope my Deputy Dean will sign off my credit transfer form for this.
- MGMT314: Strategic Management (6 credit points) to replace ATW393E: Strategic Management - I hope they will have the simulation thing my school uses too =)
- FIN241: International Financial Management (6 credit points) to replace AFP365E: International Finance - Really hope this passes off because their International Finance paper is only offered in the Spring semester. Anyway I think this paper is more relevant. Hehe...
- PSYC350: Social Behaviour and Individual Differences (8 credit points) to replace STU242: Social Psychology - I actually wanted to take Developmental Psychology but since it's also only offered in Spring I decided to take this paper. I think it's rather interesting too, probably more than the one offered by my school. Blessing in disguise? Maybe :)
I'm in the midst of deciding on where I'll live, if I do go. I need to decide by 30 November! That's 5 days from now! Omg. My top 2 choices are:
- International House. This is a catered residence, situated closer to my campus, 15 minutes from the beach and minutes away from the train station (dunno if this is a good thing, might be noisy). They have an award-winning iLive program which sounds amazing with all the activities they organize. Just afraid it's a bit too pricey though. It'll cost me AUD5,460.
- Keiraview. This is a self-catered residence, right smack in the CBD which should be fun but unfortunately it is a 40-minute walk from campus. Seems a bit troublesome to me and I might be too stingy to take the shuttle. Haha! It also operates as a motel and youth backpackers' inn. It's a beautiful place though, each room has its own balcony, TV and each resident has his/her own fridge! It looks cleaner and nicer too. I'll have to prepare my own meals, which could be cheaper. Living here would set me back by AUD3,950. It's about AUD1,500 cheaper than International House. I dunno which to choose!
Next thing I was busy with: Preparing for my interview with Brunsfield. It's for my compulsory industrial training course. It seems like a really nice place to work, it won the Best Employer's Award in 2005 and they are very eco-friendly! I went for the interview yesterday and got the part already, it's for next year when I finish my final semester. I just need to confirm the exact date I can commence and they'll send me my offer letter. Woohoo! Only downside is, I'll have to be 'uniformed'. Trainees are required to wear only white shirts (short or long-sleeved) with black skirts and black court shoes everyday except on Friday when we have the option of wearing black slacks. Hm... And makeup is compulsory. Another point is that it's in Tmn Tun, which takes me 25 minutes to get there when there's no traffic jam. Sis argues that it's better than working in the city. True also... Although there's hardly any parking there also. Oh well... We'll wait and see. I'm still waiting for Standard Chartered to open up their internship applications.
I'm supposed to start work with Mastermind Training International tomorrow. There goes my holidays. It's a good learning experience though, and I get to save extra money to go to Australia, if I do go. I'm trying to postpone it till next week though, because there's gonna be a little family trip to Genting this Thursday and Friday cos I have a free room. Jackson's not replying though, gotta call him again later.
Wow, I have officially been back for only 4 days and this is what I've been swamped with. Not bad, I'm taking it all in stride =)
On a much happier note, Joel will be back in 6 days! And Russell in about 2 weeks! I can't wait! Time for a little reunion. Gonna try to reunite with Suria, Chen Hoong and Amy this Friday at Bangkok Jazz for ThingOne if everything works out. Yippee!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Just because...
...you are not purely Malaysian, you can be an instant hit in this country. Has anybody noticed that almost all models that we see in magazines are caucasian? If you really pay attention, note that almost all of them come from Andrews Models too. Is this Malaysia? I tend to forget, browsing through our magazines sometimes. Maybe globalization has reached our shores in a different form and now we have to be represented by angmoh-looking models, wearing local designs... And by now I actually mean starting many years back.
Can anybody tell me why? I'm not just talking about models here... I include the whole range of angmoh-looking celebrities as well. Some of them barely have the talent to go by but are catapulted by their looks. I'm sorry I have to bring this up and I know that the person I'm about to talk about is a good friend of a friend so I'm prepared to get lashed at.
I recently attended a Dunhill event (unknowingly) where Joey G was due to perform. I was excited because he was Iqram's half of the Cosmic Space Munkeys and I have heard so much about him. When he got up on stage to prep, I almost melted because of his good looks (although I know he's married) but the moment he started spinning, it was a disappointment. I guess I was not the only one who felt that way because the huge crowd that had gathered before started to disperse, and pretty quickly. What had happened to the raves about him? Seriously. I think it was all because he's angmoh, not that I have anything against that.
One other reason I brought this up was because I actually miss Peter a lot (a Swedish guy I dated). I was dreaming of having him come over to Malaysia and it hit me that it would be pretty easy for him to get a job here despite the global economic slowdown simply because he's good looking. People get jobs based on looks sometimes, it's not a secret. That's why some companies do not allow you to send in your photo along with your resume. It hit me that if he were to be a model here, he'd be an instant hit too... With his long blonde hair, blue-green eyes and great complexion with a hot bod to boot. It was at this point that it dawned on me that ALMOST ANYONE with some foreign blood can be a model here.
...you are not purely Malaysian, you can be an instant hit in this country. Has anybody noticed that almost all models that we see in magazines are caucasian? If you really pay attention, note that almost all of them come from Andrews Models too. Is this Malaysia? I tend to forget, browsing through our magazines sometimes. Maybe globalization has reached our shores in a different form and now we have to be represented by angmoh-looking models, wearing local designs... And by now I actually mean starting many years back.
Can anybody tell me why? I'm not just talking about models here... I include the whole range of angmoh-looking celebrities as well. Some of them barely have the talent to go by but are catapulted by their looks. I'm sorry I have to bring this up and I know that the person I'm about to talk about is a good friend of a friend so I'm prepared to get lashed at.
I recently attended a Dunhill event (unknowingly) where Joey G was due to perform. I was excited because he was Iqram's half of the Cosmic Space Munkeys and I have heard so much about him. When he got up on stage to prep, I almost melted because of his good looks (although I know he's married) but the moment he started spinning, it was a disappointment. I guess I was not the only one who felt that way because the huge crowd that had gathered before started to disperse, and pretty quickly. What had happened to the raves about him? Seriously. I think it was all because he's angmoh, not that I have anything against that.
One other reason I brought this up was because I actually miss Peter a lot (a Swedish guy I dated). I was dreaming of having him come over to Malaysia and it hit me that it would be pretty easy for him to get a job here despite the global economic slowdown simply because he's good looking. People get jobs based on looks sometimes, it's not a secret. That's why some companies do not allow you to send in your photo along with your resume. It hit me that if he were to be a model here, he'd be an instant hit too... With his long blonde hair, blue-green eyes and great complexion with a hot bod to boot. It was at this point that it dawned on me that ALMOST ANYONE with some foreign blood can be a model here.
Welcome to Malaysia
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Just because...
...I study in a local public university, should I be made to feel less worthy? Sadly, this is how the employment sector has chosen to treat local graduates.
I'm not living in my own little world. I know that I can't be compared to a Cambridge or Harvard graduate but shouldn't I deserve a chance too? **I actually got accepted into a few reputable universities in the UK but declined the offer due to financial constraints** It pains me to no end that my applications are dismissed without second thought. A certain internship application I submitted 4 months ago still has not been viewed at all. It's true. If I was deemed unfit after my application was viewed, it's fine... But they won't even look at it. I heard this from the mouth of a Human Resource Manager myself. Unless I'm from a world-class university, most companies would not even bother. By most companies, I mean companies that would provide me with a good learning curve, not one where my full potential will not be realized.
Many people actually see students who manage to get into a local public university as highly qualified. It's no wonder. STPM is only about the third most difficult exam in the world! I guess that's why I've always wanted to do Form Six, I wanted to be challenged. Here I am now, with such treatment. Sigh... Maybe the matriculation students kinda 'dumb us down a little' but nevertheless we're still of quality. I know a lot of brilliant matriculation students too. Or could it be the lack of soft skills? We've heard this many times over in the media. Maybe it's true that most local grads do not have good language or communication skills but not everyone's like that. My circle of friends is made up of eloquent speakers with a strong sense of leadership.
Did that many rotten eggs actually spoil the basket we're in?
I say we deserve a chance. At least take a look at our credentials before dismissing us. You might be missing out on a lot.
**I just got offered a job after meeting somebody for the first time at the PSMB conference in Genting. See what I mean?
...I study in a local public university, should I be made to feel less worthy? Sadly, this is how the employment sector has chosen to treat local graduates.
I'm not living in my own little world. I know that I can't be compared to a Cambridge or Harvard graduate but shouldn't I deserve a chance too? **I actually got accepted into a few reputable universities in the UK but declined the offer due to financial constraints** It pains me to no end that my applications are dismissed without second thought. A certain internship application I submitted 4 months ago still has not been viewed at all. It's true. If I was deemed unfit after my application was viewed, it's fine... But they won't even look at it. I heard this from the mouth of a Human Resource Manager myself. Unless I'm from a world-class university, most companies would not even bother. By most companies, I mean companies that would provide me with a good learning curve, not one where my full potential will not be realized.
Many people actually see students who manage to get into a local public university as highly qualified. It's no wonder. STPM is only about the third most difficult exam in the world! I guess that's why I've always wanted to do Form Six, I wanted to be challenged. Here I am now, with such treatment. Sigh... Maybe the matriculation students kinda 'dumb us down a little' but nevertheless we're still of quality. I know a lot of brilliant matriculation students too. Or could it be the lack of soft skills? We've heard this many times over in the media. Maybe it's true that most local grads do not have good language or communication skills but not everyone's like that. My circle of friends is made up of eloquent speakers with a strong sense of leadership.
Did that many rotten eggs actually spoil the basket we're in?
I say we deserve a chance. At least take a look at our credentials before dismissing us. You might be missing out on a lot.
**I just got offered a job after meeting somebody for the first time at the PSMB conference in Genting. See what I mean?
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Just because...
...I was not wearing long pants, I got kicked out of my university's health centre yesterday. I was there to visit a friend and after an hour, the staff returned from their long Friday break and decided to come into the women's ward to kick us out. It's fine if they were polite about it but it was almost as though they were out to embarrass you and give you shit. I mean, so what if I'm not wearing long pants? Why does there have to be a rule about it? How does it affect their medical procedures? If the doctors get a hard on and can't concentrate then that's their fault for not being professional. C'mon man... What if I was in pyjamas in my room (and without a bra) and I suddenly faint? Will they ask my room mate to dress me up before they would give me any medical attention? It's absurd.
Aren't there more serious issues to battle in university? What about nabbing those clothes theives or mat rempits that create annoyances? Wouldn't that be more effective than going into women's wards and kicking those who are not 'ethically dressed' out?
It's such contradiction. During my first year, I experienced my first fire drill at 1.30am. I had just fallen asleep from a long day and had an early start the next day. When the alarm went off, I jumped out of bed thinking it was a real emergency and was about to run out immediately. Luckily I decided to put on my bra first in case all my clothes would be burnt. I didn't wanna spend the next few days in my jammies and bra-less. To my horror, I discovered that it was a drill when I saw cameramen filming us!!! Most of us were in pyjamas except for the few who were still awake or already knew about the drill.
THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE.
Since there are rules that disallow students from wearing anything 'unethical', their only chance to see us dressed 'unethically' are during fire drills thus they have to film it. Nonsense, I tell you. N-O-N-S-E-A.
...I was not wearing long pants, I got kicked out of my university's health centre yesterday. I was there to visit a friend and after an hour, the staff returned from their long Friday break and decided to come into the women's ward to kick us out. It's fine if they were polite about it but it was almost as though they were out to embarrass you and give you shit. I mean, so what if I'm not wearing long pants? Why does there have to be a rule about it? How does it affect their medical procedures? If the doctors get a hard on and can't concentrate then that's their fault for not being professional. C'mon man... What if I was in pyjamas in my room (and without a bra) and I suddenly faint? Will they ask my room mate to dress me up before they would give me any medical attention? It's absurd.
Aren't there more serious issues to battle in university? What about nabbing those clothes theives or mat rempits that create annoyances? Wouldn't that be more effective than going into women's wards and kicking those who are not 'ethically dressed' out?
It's such contradiction. During my first year, I experienced my first fire drill at 1.30am. I had just fallen asleep from a long day and had an early start the next day. When the alarm went off, I jumped out of bed thinking it was a real emergency and was about to run out immediately. Luckily I decided to put on my bra first in case all my clothes would be burnt. I didn't wanna spend the next few days in my jammies and bra-less. To my horror, I discovered that it was a drill when I saw cameramen filming us!!! Most of us were in pyjamas except for the few who were still awake or already knew about the drill.
THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE.
Since there are rules that disallow students from wearing anything 'unethical', their only chance to see us dressed 'unethically' are during fire drills thus they have to film it. Nonsense, I tell you. N-O-N-S-E-A.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Just because...
...it goes against my principles, I will probably forgo applying to BAT to do PR. As much as I really wanna try dabbling in it, especially since I heard that BAT is a good company to work in, I can't be two-faced. Here I am on one hand stealing and hiding my friends ciggies so they won't smoke so much and on the other hand, I'm considering promoting ciggies as a career. Sigh. What contradiction.
It's scary how I'm about to hit 23 soon and enter the working world, becoming a REAL adult, not merely reaching (and surpassing) age 21. I've got all these fears about my future, about how I might not be as successful as I always imagine myself to be. The US (and global) financial meltdown isn't helping either. What am I to do when my chosen career field is facing such crises? I'm thinking of continuing my studies, perhaps doing my Master's or CFA if I get a scholarship while waiting for times to get better... But I also wanna help out with my family's financial position and we all know that the economy is cyclical, now that the market is tumbling, it's bound to rebound and it might be a great opportunity for me. I am not God though, and I've learned that market timing is vital but how does one know that? I'm keeping my fingers crossed for better times ahead and more luck with my applications...
...it goes against my principles, I will probably forgo applying to BAT to do PR. As much as I really wanna try dabbling in it, especially since I heard that BAT is a good company to work in, I can't be two-faced. Here I am on one hand stealing and hiding my friends ciggies so they won't smoke so much and on the other hand, I'm considering promoting ciggies as a career. Sigh. What contradiction.
It's scary how I'm about to hit 23 soon and enter the working world, becoming a REAL adult, not merely reaching (and surpassing) age 21. I've got all these fears about my future, about how I might not be as successful as I always imagine myself to be. The US (and global) financial meltdown isn't helping either. What am I to do when my chosen career field is facing such crises? I'm thinking of continuing my studies, perhaps doing my Master's or CFA if I get a scholarship while waiting for times to get better... But I also wanna help out with my family's financial position and we all know that the economy is cyclical, now that the market is tumbling, it's bound to rebound and it might be a great opportunity for me. I am not God though, and I've learned that market timing is vital but how does one know that? I'm keeping my fingers crossed for better times ahead and more luck with my applications...
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