What's with the future?!!

Basically, I want a peaceful life. Doesn't matter what I do. I just want to be HAPPY!! Like everyone else....

when strangers meet

When I first step into University, my first thought was to achieve my goal as well as meeting friends and getting to know more people so that my foundation study live would be a little bit more interesting.
I have some friends from High School but they live far far far away from here... in Kaiapoi~!! so it is very hard to meet up and hang out with them because distance was an issue for us~ or.. at least, for me.
So, I made some new friends in university. In particularly, people in the same course as i am doing now---> Foundation Studies.
From meeting people in University to knowing people outside university was quite interesting. Because that way, I widen up my horizons of friendship. and that way too... I know that I have friends everywhere!!!!! =) Which makes me smile~~~
However, I would avoid bad influencing friends. I don't want to be a "naughty gal"!!! I realize that some people/friends likes to spend money.. like, lots of money... I envy them!!! >.< style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">(thanks dad... *sighs*) On my free time with my friends, if we're around campus, we normally hang out in cafes or just sitting, eating most of the time, and talking. But when we're not around campus. We normally go to the mall and enjoy ourselves!! I would just probably window shop and hope it will satisfy my desire of having it. I think that is what most girls do when they hang out ????

Comparing?

Just a piece of cautious, various people have different types of living lifestyle. Especially if one has a different culture or living in different state. In Malaysia, buildings are most of the time; (almost all) are made by concrete and bricks. Living in Malaysia, you must not only must have the skills to tolerate the heat and humid but also, the busy traffic. Think about it. Humid + heat + busy traffic= 100% patient. Anyway, as a shopaholic, I love spending time in the mall, even if I do not buy anything, I would just window shop and fulfil my cravings for shopping! In Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, is believed that we have one of the biggest malls in South East Asia. Therefore, you can imagine the size of it and it takes ages just to walk around it and trust me, you don’t want to get lost in that mall! Malls in Malaysia shut at 10.30 pm or sometimes, nearly midnight. Malaysians have this habits of eating out during the weekend. Therefore, restaurants and malls shut late. It is called the “family weekend”. Malls would be over crowded; restaurants would be packed with dozens of families. In Malaysia, because we have three main different races, we have so many types of food you can choose from. Internationalism is huge in Malaysia. Foods are range from local food to even Thai food or western food and restaurants are hardly close.

Where as in New Zealand, shops shut before 10 pm and lifestyle here is more quiet. Honestly, since I came here, I do not really shop. Because all the shops are almost the same everywhere and products here are sold more expensive. I was surprise. One day I wanted to buy a correction pen, and to my surprise, I found one that I use to use in Malaysia, which only cost MYR 1, but it is sold for over NZD 6! In short, in my opinion, the cost of living here is more expensive. Even the basic things like food are quite dear. On top of that, products such as clothes are not value for money. They are sold expensively but 90% of them are made in China. So sometimes, I wish that they would set the price a little lower. However, scenery here is so much more beautiful than in Malaysia. Scenery here is magnificent and breath taking. It is so photogenic! Once, I took a picture of New Zealand and send it back to my friends in Malaysia, they thought it was a postcard I bought from a souvenir shop! They were too, quite impress with the nature in New Zealand. Adding on to that, I think New Zealand is a good place to study.

As for commenting on the New Zealand government, I think sometimes people in parliament are very childish as they swear at each other as shown on the television news once. Besides that, some kiwi’s are very racist and would swear at us, just because we’re different. But try turning off the lights, we’re all the same. Therefore, sometimes, I think they are conservative. But that are just minority, so it doesn’t bothers me much. Nevertheless, so far, I have made lovely kiwi mates from High School. We are still in contact and I absolutely cannot wait to meet up with them again!

I hope this blog/ post will not offend anyone as this is only my personal view and honestly, I am quite reluctant to do this task because it is base on individual experience and thinking. But because I need to pass this course, therefore I am doing it. I will not get offended if people disagree with what I’ve just wrote.

malls: left; Malaysia , right; New Zealand

The fact!

Currently, I'm doing Foundation Studies. What can I say about Foundation Studies here? Well, I've never actually experience Foundation Studies in other Universities before. I think, from a scale of 1 - 10, 10 being the best, I would rank Foundation Studies in Canterbury University as 7. Currently, I'm taking up subjects as an interest and knowledge. The subjects that I took up are History of the 1960's, of why it is important and how did it influence the world today. I actually found out that most of the things that are limited and restricted in the 1960's are taken for granted today. Things like colored television, or Women's Right and music, are all nearly taken for granted. I'm also taking up English. well, for me, English is just part of the course and in order to pass Foundation Studies successfully, I must take up English as one of the subjects, however, my English teacher is really really absolutely lovely and her class are interesting. She has a very soft voice, so everyone will be very quiet and still as she speaks in class everyday. It's more like peaceful hours when it comes to English classes.Together with English comes Computing class. This computing class is interesting as we can do some research on the internet to get some useful informations. Computing also teaches me how to do a reference list. Basically, its useful.
Another subject that I take is film studies. Megan is a lovely teacher with a very confident voice, and the movie that she screens every Friday afternoon are all interesting as we look into different types of genre and languages. I am impressed that she can actually read French... fast! This class also teaches me what happen within a film, how is it made up and what elements of mis-en-scene are use in every film. This gives me a very positive mind when I watch horror movie in the future!! At least I know they are not true and its all just about imagination.
Besides that, I also take up Individuals and Society as a subject. Individuals and Society talks about a wide range of things that relates to Psychology. Therefore, I find it rather interesting!
For me, to pass this Foundation Studies exam is a priority and it is a must! This is because to get into a degree course, I must pass Foundation Studies. I plan not to just pass, but hope to pass with a good results. But, in any circumstances that I will just pass, it doesn't bothers me because the main thing is... I pass.

Prologue

It takes me ages to think of what I want to major in a Degree course. So, this year, I think I am quite fortunate to enter Foundation Studies. Because that way, I have at least a year time to think through what i really want to do in the future. I've chosen to major Law. this is not only because of my interest but it is also because my father thinks that it will bring a very promising future for me. Law, why is it interesting for me? Since a few years back, i feel strongly about people who are treated badly, as in, people judge them not by what they have, but how they look. i would like to help people who face difficulties and to help them get justice in a right way. actually, i don't know how to further express my feelings towards unfairness. i think it is a very bad habit and that people should stop.
Besides law, there are also other subjects i wish to take up. one of them is Psychology. i think in a way, law, has a link and a strong connection to psychology. don't you think? for instance, think about question like, what makes people discriminate the less fortunate? why does most people judge people by they're skin colors? or, what makes marriage break up these days? this are the main question lingering in my head and i really want to know how does a human brain function and why they do the things they do.
another subject i would like to take up is languages, i am still thinking of what languages to take up. but i hope i will make up my mind by the end of the year, because enrollment is very close! languages i have in my head are Japanese, Korean, Chinese or French.

The last goodbye

As I have mentioned in my previous blog, my father made the decision for me to come to New Zealand. when I told them to my friends, they were shocked and you can see the disbeliefs in their eyes. At first, they thought I was lying. but, I couldn't be bothered convincing them because time will tell. Many of my friends would ring my parents or my siblings just to make sure I wasn't joking. It was hilarious because they wouldn't believe me. I think the main reason why they wouldn't believe me is because in Malaysia, students wouldn't study abroad until they have completed high school. Finally, after my friends did some "research", they believed me.
They would bring me out for a drink or for a meal, and hang out with me in the mall! There was a surprise party held in my house and we had fun. I felt a little sad because I know I will miss all my friends here.
The next day, I boarded a flight to Singapore to Auckland and from Auckland to Christchurch. After touch down, my host family picked me up from the airport with a big board with my name on it. However, after a week in their house, I changed my homestay because I was not comfortable there.
Well, that was about 2 years ago. About Canterbury University, when I came here the first day, I remembered I was lonely and I have got no friends yet. But as the days go by, I made more friends and staff and teachers here are really helpful with my academic progression. I am now, happy to study here not only because of great friends that listen to me when I'm sad, but also great teachers who supported me along the way. Honestly, when I first started, it wasn't like what I've expected but as I go along this course, I find it that it is more than what I've expected and I never regret enrolling into this university and course!

Rewind!

Well, continuing from where I dropped off. It seem interesting how did I decide to come to New Zealand to further my education. I think, for most of the students, they have the choice of choosing their own desired place to study, but in my case, my father actually decide for me. My father gave me a surprise- by pulling me out of secondary school in Malaysia without no good reasons. Back then I was terrified as in where I will be in the society in 10 years time if I were to stop studying. Fortunately, after 2 weeks, my father told me that I was to go to New Zealand and finish up my high school here. I was in great shock. I felt a great pressure on me, I had mix feelings of why my father did that.
When I first arrived in New Zealand, I was living in a homestay and honestly, I must say that I was feeling a little homesick. I remember I would ring up my parents almost everyday!! Slowly, the feeling of being homesick wore off and I felt that I belong here. Throughout my stay in a 'kiwi' homestay, they gave me moral support in every way, it didn't matter if it was social or academic, they were there for me. Besides that, they helped me research about which University suits me best.
When I was still in high school in Kaiapoi, my student adviser helped me a lot too. She often gave me advice of which course is suitable for me and my ability to study. So, here i am- Canterbury University. Unfortunately, I didn't pass one of my papers in high school which is photography. So I had to do Foundation Course seeing that I'm still an International Student. Nevertheless, I'm glad I'm still around Christchurch. that way, I still can keep in touch with the 'kiwi' families that hosted me when I was still in high school, and also getting to know Christchurch better. Honestly, this is a good advantage for me to learn more about New Zealand culture and also the roads in Christchurch!!! Last but not least, I loved every moment!!

what is like to be me

Hey!! I'm Adeline Lee. I will be turning 19 this July and I'm excited about it!! Obviously, I'm a girl and I come from Malaysia. My family consist of 6 members including me. I like to pass my free time by reading, SHOPPING, listening to music and spending time with my close ones. My father, is a charted accountant and he's working for a company which own a hotel, a few cruises, oil palms and land. He has worked in that company for almost ten years now. My mom, however, is a homemaker. She enjoys doing the housework, needless to say, she absolutely love cooking and gardening. You wouldn't miss her every Saturday and Sundays evenings caring for her garden. My older sister is currently studying in Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology(CPIT). She has a boyfriend who is an engineer. My younger sister, is still currently in Malaysia studying in middle school. She loves reading and she spend almost 90% studying and 10% of other activities! My younger brother however, is the "baby" of the family. Not only he is the youngest in the family, he is also the only boy in the family. My parents, especially my father, adores him and pamper him. He will be turning 10 this year in November.

I have been studying in New Zealand for 3 years now. I did high school in Kaiapoi, which is in the country side of Christchurch. My future plan is to be a lawyer and if it is possible, I will start my law degree next year!!