Student blog
Do you remember the first day at school? Well, the first day at uni is not that much different. Lining up to go into lecture theatres with a bunch of strangers, walking into a tutorial room full of people you might or might not know, receiving homework at the end of the class that makes you wish you’d paid more attention – anyway, you know what I mean, that whole lot.
For most of new students, you might have already had your first tutorials during the preceding week. It’s important that you do NOT sit in the class with your eyes alternately following the tutor and consulting your notebook. Say hi to your neighbours, introduce yourself to your classmates sitting on either side of you, talk to them, listen to them, ask them where they're from, what degrees they’re doing, how their first week has been – because the chances are, you’d be in there together doing the same program, and the first conversation you strike up may well be the start to a long-term friendship, where you can enjoy each other’s companionship for years down the track and frequently complain together about the complexity of the homework if necessary.
So get to know your classmates, and don’t let their faces lapse into the vaguely familiar-looking ‘someone in your tutorial’.
It’s time to get started!
For everyone who’s new to the campus, it might be a good idea to leave plenty of time before your classes, in order to find the right venue. There’s nothing worse on your first day to be holding two folders and a bunch of stationery, hastily dashing from building to building because you’re running 10 minutes late. If you haven’t had the chance to go on a campus tour during Orientation Week last week, grab a campus map to guide you to the many buildings with strange names.
Preparing for tutorials is pretty essential to successful university studies. During my first ever university seminar some years ago, I made the mistake of turning up without any preparation (not that I had the remotest idea of what judicial history was all about anyway). I had the misfortune of hearing my name called out by the stern-looking lecturer, who was intimidating at the best of times, to share with the rest of the class my thoughts on some constitutional enactment. It requires little imagination to know how I felt as I, tongue-tied and stupid, stared back into the madam’s brown pupils which were dilated with angry disapproval. Anyway, the moral of the story is, don’t let it happen to you!
On a happier note, the start of the Festival of Arts tonight will bring the Northern Lights to North Terrace, where many of the historical buildings (Bonython Hall, Mitchell Building, the Art Gallery etc) will be lit up with fluorescent colour projections at night. On a balmy evening, it’d be good fun to wander down North Terrace with a couple of friends and enjoy the brand-new vibrant facades superimposed onto the old sandstone buildings.
If you have ever paid attention to a South Australian car registration number plate, you might have noticed the line of tiny navy blue print: ‘SA - the festival state’. Indeed, Adelaide plays the proud host of a number of annual festivals, amongst the most popular ones is the Fringe.
The Fringe Festival is an annual event encompassing thousands of shows, performances, and activities; during the four-week period between February and March, hundreds of performing artists fly in from interstate or overseas, bringing to Adelaide a wide variety of theatrical productions, comedian shows, and magic tricks. You might have already noticed the gigantic blown up Astronaut figures on Victoria Square, and a few of their colleagues affixed to the walls and roofs of buildings in the city.
You can look up interesting shows from the ‘Fringe Guide’ or on the Fringe website. For me, stand-up comedies are my favourite type of Fringe events. There’s nothing better than a hearty belly-laugh to drive away the stress of a busy day.
In any case, the Garden of Unearthly Delights is definitely worth a visit. Take your pick from the multiple performances held in the many boosts and tents, sit down on the grass to enjoy the Street Theatre, go on a ride on the glittering fairy’s wheel, have a wander around the many exotic stalls, and finally, when you’re tired from all the walking and talking, have a bite to eat or a cold drink in the Garden, and breathe in the festive air of a warm breezy evening.
Happy Chinese New Year!
When it comes to Chinese New Year, eating well constitutes one of the most prominent aspects to the cultural celebration. Central Market in the city of Adelaide affords such a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables, diary products, seafood, meat products and many other food items you can think of, which makes it a nice place to accomplish your weekly grocery shopping.
If you are looking for particular cultural food in the spirit of the Spring Festival, there is a number of Chinese groceries/supermarkets on Grote Street and in the street of China Town which, depending on where you are from, will offer either strange new novelties, or familiar-looking products from home.
Best of luck for everyone in the Year of Tiger!!
It seems that nearly three and a half months of university holidays are quickly coming to an end! I was asked the other day what I did over the holidays. To be honest, my answers were pretty lame. But the more I thought about it I realised I was so busy doing so many things that it all had turned into one big blur!
One of the most exciting things that I did was go to the Victorian Falls Festival. It is on the coast in Lorne, around 16,000 people go where you camp for 3 or 4 days. It is quite the experience! Its definitely an event that you have to see to believe. (Especially considering there are only 30 showers for all those people!)
It seems in a way that falls is the beginning of many amazing festivals around Australia but definitely inside Adelaide as well. There is Big Day Out in late January and then Womad and Fringe festival in March. (All the events are way to amazing to begin to describe so Google them!)
With the fringe festival comes the Garden of Unearthly Delights which just so happens to be my favourite thing about Adelaide. It’s actually opening tomorrow night and I’m very excited!
………………..I will let you know how it goes!
Continuing on the theme of new arrivals, finding pleasant affordable accommodation may also be marked in red at the top of the to-do-list.
There are two main types of accommodation options favoured by students – university colleges and shared rental housing (although if you are under the age of 18, you might be obliged to consider accommodation options, such as a home-stay, which provide guardianship).
The advantages of living in a university college include the immediate access to a wide range of facilities, such as common lounges, studies, and computer rooms, as well as the vibrant college community, which you can immediately become a part of, by making friends with your neighbours and participating in the social activities. The main disadvantages lie in relatively higher costs, and limited availability.
On the other hand, shared rental accommodation is likely to be cheaper, and it may also prove to be a start to long-term friendships with your housemates. However, when it comes to signing a lease (the written contract between you and your landlord), it is advisable to read every clause very carefully, and make sure you understand the legal rights and obligations you are about to acquire under the lease. The StudyAdelaide website provides useful information under the ‘Accommodation’ tab to assist you in this process.
If you are looking for accommodation, visiting the Accommodation Services Office of your university would be a good place to start. If you have a few friends with whom you want to rent a house together, you might find websites such as www.realestate.com.au useful; or alternatively, if you are looking for people to share a house with, the University of Adelaide has a shared house database at https://accommodation.adelaide.edu.au (it requires log-in IDs of University of Adelaide students).
Again, good luck with settling in!
When considering your personal banking, there is a variety of financial institutions to choose from. You might prefer one of the ‘big 4’ Australian banks (Commonwealth Bank of Australia, ANZ, National Australia Bank, and Westpac); or you may want an account with a local bank (BankSA, Bendigo & Adelaide Bank), or perhaps one with overseas branches (HSBC).
Each bank offer different products; although many of them have ‘student accounts’ with no administrative fee or minimum savings requirements. It’s not a bad idea to Google the banks’ websites, where you can check out exactly what types of accounts they have, and choose the one that suits you best. Personal recommendations from your more senior friends can also be useful.
When it comes down to actually going to the bank to open up your new account, one thing to remember is to bring as many forms of identification as possible, as banks have their own stringent requirements of checking ID. Passport is essential, also desirable is your student card if you already have it, otherwise driver’s license or national ID card from your home country, or any other ID you can think of.
Before you go, don’t forget to check the opening hour of the banks – most banks in Adelaide are not open on the weekends, with a few exceptions – to make sure your trip doesn’t go wasted.
Hope you have all had a nice week.
It is that time of the year again, when numerous students would fly to Adelaide to either commence or continue their studies. If you have just spent a summer/winter holiday back home, welcome back! If on the other hand you have just landed in Adelaide for the first time, I’d like to extend to you the warmest welcome and offer you a few tips to help you enjoy the beginning of your stay in South Australia.
1. If you have been keeping track of the weather forecast, you might have noticed that there’s been some pretty hot days last weeks (33-38 Celsius) and a few more to come in the week ahead. While you might be busy attending induction or looking for accommodation, remember to drink a lot of water and keep yourself hydrated.
2. Sunscreen (a.k.a sun cream, sun block) is absolutely essential in sunny days. Although it sometimes can be a hassle trying to paste yourself with sunscreen before hurrying out of the front door, please do not underestimate the necessity of protecting your skin from the UV ray of the sun. Spf +30 (referring to the strength of the protection) is recommended and a variety of brands are sold in all pharmacies and supermarkets.
3. It can be a daunting experience to be navigating around a whole new city. You might have to rely on buses, trams, and trains. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to check out the website of www.adelaidemetro.com.au, where you can find the public transport route to get to your destination.
That’s all for now, hope you stay chilled in the warm weather!
Have you watched a movie at the Marion Megaplex Cinema? With dozens of screening theatres and its large top-storey premises raised above the rest of the Marion Shopping Centre, the Greater Union Cinema prides itself for being the largest cinema in the Southern Hemisphere.
There are many buses (e.g. Bus 241) that would take you directly from the city to Marion Shopping Centre. The cinema itself is located at the top of a set of tall escalators, surrounded by gigantic vibrant commercial boards. Marion being a massive comprehensive shopping centre, perhaps it’s not a bad idea to make it a Saturday shopping trip out of it, after seeing the movie.
If Marion feels too far to go, there are also cinemas in the city. The Palace Nova cinemas are located opposite each other in the middle of Rundle Street, which makes it easy to have dinner arrangements before walking into the widescreen theatre.
Being in week 10 of the second semester, it will not be long before the stress of exam revision kicks in. sometimes, there’s nothing better than letting the charms of a good film sweep you away from your usual routine of lectures and seminar, readings and assignments. It wouldn’t hurt to take a break and relax for a while amidst a busy schedule.
Winter seems particularly long this year. Despite the arrival of October, the weather is still cold and damp at times.
It is not uncommon to get a cold in these chilly seasons, but to ensure that the ailments don’t affect your ability to study and enjoy life, it’s important to know what to do when you get sick.
Going to the doctors can be quite different here compared to what you’re used to. Here in Adelaide, patients with simple ailments like a sore throat or a running noise don’t go to the hospital, instead, they book an appointment to see a doctor at the local medical clinic. The cost of a doctor visit is also something to bear in mind. As you would all have Overseas Student Health Cover, some medical clinics engage in a practice called ‘bulk-billing’, which means that as long as your OSHC card to the clinic staff at their front counter, you would not have to incur for out-of-pocket expenses for your visit to the doctor.
You do, however, have to pay for your own medicine. During your doctor’s appointment, your doctor might prescribe you some tablets (e.g. antibiotics) by giving you a green slip. You would then need to go to a pharmacy to purchase your medicine. There are two types of medicine available at the pharmacy: prescription (which can only be bought if you have a prescription from a doctor, e.g. antibiotics) or non-prescription (e.g. common flu & cold tablets). The Health Insurance would usually not cover the cost simple prescriptions.
Being away from parents and families makes it particularly important for us to take care of ourselves. Of course, little things like drinking plenty of water and eating wisely also help to contribute to keeping our bodies well looked after.
Take care, and stay healthy!
When you are looking for part-time work in Adelaide it can either be a very simple process or a long hard and just plain annoying one!
Many students in Adelaide (including myself) get jobs in hospitality- working in cafes, bars, restaurants, pubs and clubs, in order to make a little money to help live! It’s really convenient to get into this industry because most of the work is outside of uni hours and on weekends etc plus it usually pays a lot better than other jobs such as retail and fast food.
I know many people who arrive in Adelaide and start trying to find a job without any experience and find it very hard. As an Adelaidean I can see why this is. Here, just between you and I, I will let you in on Adelaide’s secret. - Because Adelaide is such a small place (compared to other major cities anyway) the saying goes that 'in Adelaide everyone knows everyone.' Because of this many managers and owners only employ people who they know and people who friends know.
SO- the tip to finding a part-time work in Adelaide is to make your self known as soon as you land! Meet as many people as you can and maybe even drop into conversation that you’re keen for some work and ask if they know anyone who is hiring.
It certainly won’t hurt! Good luck!
For a city the size of Adelaide, public transport might be the easiest, cheapest, and sometimes most convenient way of getting around the place. Especially for those of you who attend universities in the city (Adelaide Uni or UniSA City East/West Campus), you might find public transport to be the best way of getting you to and from the university during the week, due to the difficulty in finding a park and the relatively high parking fees.
However, there are a few things to remember about catching public transport in Adelaide.
First, unlike other cities with higher population density (such as Beijing or New York), where you can catch a bus by simply turning up to a bus stop; public transport in Adelaide run to timetables (typically every 15 or 30 minutes during a weekday). Therefore, it is a good idea to consult a bus/train/tram timetable before setting out, to minimize waiting time at a bus stop or train station.
Second, many buses in Adelaide run via common routes; consequently, a bus driver would not stop (not knowing that it is his bus you want to catch), unless you hail the bus when it approaches the bus stop by sticking out your arm.
Finally, again different from public transport systems in other cities such as Beijing, buses here don’t automatically stop at every stop. Instead, when you want to get off the bus, you would need to press the ‘stop’ button or pull the ‘stop’ string on the bus to let the bus driver know, before the bus reaches your bus stop.
These are a few tips about catching public transport in Adelaide. Public transport here is also quite safe, even at night, for the trains are usually staffed with security-guards after sunset.
Hope you enjoy getting around the city.
One of the best things about studying in Adelaide is that there is ample opportunity to spend your weekends doing whatever you would like to do. A typical weekend for me during a uni term involves relaxing, working, studying and partying.
A typical Thursday night sees many uni students going out to one of the 4 busy pubs to enjoy the week nearly been over, cheap food and even cheaper drinks. Its rarely a late night as most of us need to get up early the next day for tutes and lectures.
As friday nears to a close, Adelaide seems to have a feel of excitement about it. i don't know whether its just sheer exhaustion from yet another busy week being over or anticipation of what the weekend will bring. My favourite way to spend a friday night is heading to the central markets for the freshest cheap food, local music and happy faces. there is always new foods to try and people to talk to.
If i am lucky and have Saturday off work i love getting some close friends together putting our surf boards on the car and head down south to check the waves for a fun filled day of surfing. Its the perfect way to spend a sunny day and if its freezing (which in winter is more often than not) hopefully the waves are awesome so you haven't wasted your time!
Saturday nights are best spent making your way around town catching up with friends and enjoying life. whether it be the East End of town or the West End many pubs have live music and great areas to enjoy a dance. As Adelaide is such a small town you are more than likely to catch up with friends that you haven't seen for ages and make new friends at the same time!
Sundays for me is usually work and study and catching up on some much needed sleep.
so there you have it.. a typical weekend in Adelaide summed up in a few sentences. there is so much to see and do.. and do again... if you have a sense of adventure and want to have a good time!
If you're a fan of outing, like a taste of adventure, love cycling, or simply want to dip yourself in the peacefulness of a picnic by River Torrens like me, here is something for you: cycling along the Torrens Trail. For me, I especially love cycling in winter, though you might have to wait for the whole week for some sunny days to come. Yet when the sun is high, the cool breeze of winter time will definitely add a little more enjoyment to your day out.
Have you got a bike? If you don't, just like me, it's not problems at all. To hire a bike from SA Cycle for one day for free is simply a cakewalk. Now, let's go through the checklist before we hit the road: Bike? Helmet? A bottle of water? Some food? A map? And yourself being so pumped up? All good? What else are you waiting for, the adventure is waiting for you.
The very last time I cycled with a friend of mine, we decided to change our circle-line route (which is basically similar to the Free Line bus 99c route) to a much more exciting yet a bit challenging cycling experience to West Beach. The trail along the Torrens River is about 15km one way. The trail is very easy to follow, much thanks to all the signs along the way. Yet if you're having a free day, it would be just a brilliant idea to stop by in the middle of the way and have a picnic with friends by the river bank with your friends. Adelaide is simple, yet for me, it is never boring if you find the way to live here. Sitting by the river bank, seeing a duckie family swimming enjoyfully in the water together, no car honking in rush hours like I've seen in many other big crowded cities I have been to, enjoying my clumsily made cold rolls with friends, talking about everything but anything with closed friends whom you know you would be in contact with for life, smiling with other cyclists going towards your direction because you know they would surely greet you cheerfully " G'day", life in Adelaide just drifts me through happiness simply like that.
The feeling of being on the wheels, cycling until your knees are tired, letting the bike freely run in sloping down parts is the best experience. You feel like the wind is racing with you, yet it is also gently drying all your sweats. And the lovely sun in winter time is shyly touching your face. How peaceful!
And of course, the best part of it all is when you can see your rewards, the deep blue sea awaiting for you right at the end of the main road.
It was a hell of an experience camping outdoors in a forest that was 1.5 hours away from Adelaide city. You know I have used the phrase 'pitched a tent' in my primary school essays without even knowing what it really entails. Well, on Saturday I actually got a chance to do exactly that. It was so cool to take out all the equipment, set it out on the ground. At first I could not make out all the rods and stuff but after the demo, it was pretty damn simple. I shared the tent with my partner. We laid out mats and our sleeping bags in the tent which was going to house us for the next two days. Then we cooked our dinner outdoors. It was super exciting to cook our meal and occasionally glance up to see the moon. I must say that was my favourite part of the whole trip! Each pair got one portable stove. Some cooked noodles and there were people who cooked meat. There were even a talented few who cooked gourmet pasta and stuff. And there was us, who cooked instant macaroni and cheese which was easy and we were done cooking within no time and cleaning up was a breeze. Did I tell you, how freaking cold it was even under those layers but sitting around the fire warmed us all up. I was trying to get as close as I could to the fire without getting myself burnt...haha. We were all playing games and told jokes while we ate roasted marshmallows. In between all of that, we went looking for wood to keep our fire alive. It was all good fun!
Eventually, everyone turned in. Was so cold, I almost died getting into my sleeping bag. Anyway, that night I had the most restless and broken sleep ever. I was shivering continuously throughout the night and it was horrible to wake up to footsteps(could have been some kangaroos visiting us). I told myself the next time round I would be more prepared and bring thermals which a fellow mate had told me would keep me warm even in the coldest of nights.
The next day it was more bushwalking. We had to locate several checkpoints and do some challenges as a team. That was tiring but also good fun. Before I knew it was time to pack and deflate all the tents and we were heading back to the city.
Camping is seriously a great way to have family reunions and team bonding and I see myself camping in the forest sometime soon! The best part is that all the required gear for camp can be hired so you could go on a camping trip even tomorrow if you wanted to!
How to live cheaply in Adelaide
Living cheaply in Adelaide is a very achievable thing. If you have a tight budget throughout the uni or schooling year there are many things that you can do to make the money go a very long way. Here are a few ideas on how to scrape through cheaply:
1) Make use of specials in supermarkets
2) Go shopping on a Sunday afternoon when much of the food is getting replaced and sold at very cheap prices. Also in the central markets on a Saturday afternoon.
3) Make the most of ‘cheap-ass Tuesday’ when many entertainment complex’s sell tickets at children’s prices
4) Plan to meet up with friends during ‘Happy Hour’ where many pubs and bars have specials on beer, wine and spirits. Can make your night a very cheap one!
Finding accommodation in Adelaide can be very expensive or very cheap depending on what you are looking for. If you live within the 4 corners of Adelaide it can be very expensive per week however you don’t need to pay for buses or taxis etc.
Shared accommodation is probably the best option economically speaking as you can share all the bills, food shopping etc and it is probably one of the best opportunities to make friends.
I can confidently say that Adelaide is the kind of city that all sorts of budgets can survive in.
Ps: an excellent way to make money in Adelaide is to save all your beer bottles after parties- you get 10 cents for every bottle that you return. (It also explains why you will find people going through bins on every street corner!)
All who know me pretty well all admit that they always see me over-exicted on Friday nights, just a little bit. I can share with you, the feeling at the moment you walk out of your last Maths lecture at 4pm on Friday night, after one busy and highly committed week, is beyond words.
I recall those days back then when I was doing secondary school in Vietnam, weekend was a vague notion. We still had schools on Saturday, meaning your weekend is basically chopped half. And just an add on to that, on Sunday, my schedule would be filled with all sorts of extra. out-of-school-hours classes. The only thing that remarked my enjoyful weekend back then was: the chance to watch another movie on Saturday night and to sleep in for 1 more hour on Sunday morning. And that was about it. Every week is the same until summer holidays come.
Things are a little bit different here in Australia. Oh well, to me, ever since I came here. I start to plan for weekends as well since every weekend, there will be something new on my agenda. It's not the same-old-same weekend routine anymore. Plus, no more sleep-in-till-the-sun-is-high. You might wonder, why on earth would you wake up early during weekend? Isn't weekend supposed to be relaxing - being lazy ? Okay I'm going to share with you one of my weekend. Let's pick randomly: the one last week.
I got out of bed at around 7.30, prepared breakfast for myself and my housemates: special today - pancake for the weekend. It would be a grave grave mistake if you underestimate the level of complexity and challenging in making pancake. Pancake making job is nothing similar to Pho (it is Vietnamese noodles), one that I used to help my mom to make during weekend back at home. Trust me, I have burnt a couple of pans before succeeding in making well-done brownie pancakes. Making pancake is an art. And pancake with chocolate topping and a scoop of vanila ice-cream can absolutely make you feel high for the rest of the day. Ever since I came over my best Aussie friend - Jax's house and learnt the pancake recipe from her mom, I unconditionally felt in love with this special dish. Anyways, keep it short, so that was how I started my weekend.
One thing about studying abroad is that, one day you would realize that your mom is not at your door complaining about your teenage-typical messy, or "creative" as I used to defence myself, room anymore. And that's when you grow a little bit and realize that you can't possibly find everything so easily after 2 seconds thinking if you don't clean your room. Sometimes cleaning your room can be fun. That's when you can stick some lovely messages from your friends on the board, just to motivate yourself to keep being energized in doing whatever you're doing. It's about taking care of your guitar. It's about re-arranging your bookshelf. It's about having so much laughs with your housemates while doing the laundry. It's about shifting your bed, your shelf, your desk so you have some changes in the room - sometimes changes are good.
10 o'clock sharp.
I caught the bus to the city for my ball-room dancing class. Even though I'm a horrible dancer who always steps on the foot of my partner, dancing definitely colors my life with the brightest and most vivid crayon. It's when you feel like the music is flowing in you. I once never thought that dancing would be something I do, yet saying yes to something new is all that it takes (my motivation is pumped up after I realized my addiction to So you think you can dance - Australia). Last week we did a bit of revision on valse and practiced more on rumba.
After class, I caught up with some friends in the city and we did grocery shopping. Have you ever thrown yourself to a full-of-energy Saturday Market? That's defintely something you should do if you want to shop for fresh food at good price. You see happy faces everywhere in the market. Happy sellers. Happy buyers. Families. Elders. Students. Kids. Last Saturday we had a girl ministry - basically a girl gathering - so shopping was essential. Since I am a big fan of food - going to the market is something I love always. Filling your nose with the irresistable smell of coffee beans. Tasting some creamy cheese. Buying some hot-fresh nuts. Getting an ice-cream cone.
Last Saturday was a big night. Girls from OCF, an organization at uni that I join, gathered at an uni apartment and cooked. IT was truly a blast, being able to try so many dishes from different countries. And above all, it was precious time to get to know your friends better, getting closer. As we talked, time just passed by unknowingly.
I promised to myself that I would finish my Jurisprudence reading for this week over the weekend. So Sunday was dedicated for catching up and preparing school work for a new week. Yet it was always fun, because Sunday was often my study group time. Sometimes we do the same subject, sometimes each can study their own subjects but we all sit together. Having friends in different departments is one of the best experience in uni: you can learn more things outside of your area of study. Everyone has something to bring to the table: a bit of history, a bit of International relation, a bit of Economics, a bit of Music. In between, we went out for lovely lunch in a Malaysian restaurant.
My weekend always concludes with my two favorite things in the to-do list: number 1, to have a guitar lesson at my friend's. Number 2, to watch Rove in channel 10 at 9.30. Rove is undeniably one of the most popular TV shows in Australia: many witty comments about current affairs. And it's just truly relaxing to refill yourself with energy for a new Monday.
Everyweek there would be something new. Sometimes I take a long bus to Harbour Town to shop with my friends. Sometimes, it's a picnic by Torrens River. Sometimes, it's a day-out to make more sketches of the GPO. Sometimes, it's a sporty day playing captain ball with my friends. Sometimes, it's a long ride down to Victor Harbour. Sometimes, it's just simply a chat at my friend's house and playing with her dogs.
And that's how I always get excited on Friday night: because my weekend is coming again, time to love the sun, love the music and love your friends.
Is Adelaide fun or boring??
An interesting question this one depending on your expectations. I have lived in Adelaide my entire life so I can assure you its nothing like New York, Tokyo or Sydney and can definitely look boring from the surface!
BUT, when you are studying in Adelaide, there is definitely an abundance of things that can make your life here a fun and interesting place to be. Open most days there is movie theatres in convenient places, sports clubs everywhere that are very welcoming to new people, many different, cheap and unusual places to eat, the zoo, shopping complexes, beautiful walks and even better beaches, ice skating complex and night clubs just to name a few things to keep you entertained while in Adelaide. (The worst thing about Adelaide is that most shops close at 5.30 during the week and even earlier on weekends!)
Of course, Adelaide can get boring especially after you have done these things a million times. But, at the end of the day if you have awesome friends and an imagination you can make anything fun any day!
When Adelaide does get boring, especially in the summer holidays take a trip to other cities in Australia, these days plane tickets are very cheap so there is no excuse!
Join as many clubs as possible and go out of your way to meet new people and then Adelaide will be one of the best places you visit!
After a hectic week at uni, some might wonder what is there to do on a Friday night. You could probably watch a movie and unwind at home but if you are thinking of being in the midst of a buzzing crowd and a wide array of food, Central Market is the place to go! There is countless number of cafes, restaurants, Asian grocery stores and not to mention bubble tea. You could wine and dine at the restaurants lined up at gouger st or if you are looking for something more affordable head further down to the food court-even the most fastidious of you are bound to find something that will satisfy your taste buds. So grab a friend cause you just made plans for Friday night.
When you think about it what is boring about living in a city far from home? I love the freedom to explore a new way of life and culture. The other day I went to watch a game of AFL between Port Power and Richmond. If you want to experience real Australian culture go to one of these games. The game is like nothing I’ve ever seen and the people who support it are also a little crazy but it is anything but boring. All you have to do is get outside and explore what Adelaide has to offer and I think you will find it has plenty.
When it has been a super long day, filled with lectures after lectures, one cannot help but feel mentally exhausted with all the incredible amount of processing to do. To unwind and catch a breather, you might wonder where to go. Here is the thing-I know the perfect place! It is none other than the Torrens River which somehow manages to be only a stone's throw away from the city uni campus. Sitting down on the green fields, looking straight into the huge, woody trees allows you to get lost in your own world. During your breaks, instead of being crammed indoors, come out and experience the serenity that the river and the creatures there has to offer.
Botanic Garden is the place to take off these winter blows. It is a place to see the distinctive, historic garden of Adelaide boasting of many scientific and educational shows about exotic and native plants, to top it off there are free guided tours to show you around. Garden with lakes and exceptional conservatory makes it unique attraction.
For me it is the lunch time to come back and again in the garden. Passing the gate makes you feel away from the fast paced city and the University, a time to relax and enjoy the sheer calmness with breath of fresh air and Sun in this winter. A landmark not to miss out, if you are looking to get away from your busy study life and can’t afford to go far away.
What is your getaway in the busy schedule?
Have you ever been in the Borders bookshop in Rundle Mall? Well, even if you haven't, you've certainly walked past it at least a dozen times by now, as it is located right in front of the iconic 'Silver Balls' in the middle of the Mall.
Tucked at the very back of the long, thin store is a small Gloria Jeans cafe, which serves various types of coffee and tea in gigantic foaming cups. But that's not why it's different.
Furnished with petite wooden tables and chairs, surrounded by shelves of books, with the aroma of freshly grounded coffee permeating the air, it providesa nice secluded quarter to spend that gap of a couple of hours between classes, especially in this cold and chilly weather.
For the next few days, I eagerly awaited for a reply from Eric. However, as the weekend drew nearer, slowly past, and finally to its end, no matter how many times I logged onto my email – my fingers becoming increasingly frantic over the keyboard – no message from the Education & Welfare Officer popped up miraculously onto my computer screen.
On Monday morning, unable to stand the suspension any longer, I jumped in front of a computer and wrote an email to Eric. To my surprise, he replied within minutes, explaining that the person he wanted to speak to was away last Friday, and assured me he would let me know right after his meeting with them the next day.
Checking emails had become a bit of an obsession over the two days that followed, for every time I log onto my account, I couldn’t help feeling stressed as to what news the printed letters might bring – whether I would be able to graduate in December with enough units, or – I didn’t want to think of that particular outcome – not.
It wasn’t until Wednesday afternoon did anything new appear in my inbox, apart from the usual hundreds of group emails and junkmails. Glancing down the column of email senders, I was somewhat surprised to see the law school course adviser’s name amongst the list. I clicked open the mail and read quickly through it:
‘…following a meeting with the dean, which… etc etc,’ my eyes jumped automatically over the preliminaries, ‘it has been decided that, if you completed Income Tax Law III as a 4 unit course, then this can count as a 4 unit law electives.’
My head was spinning slightly as I took in the meaning of these words – 4 units, that means I would have enough units to graduate at the end of the year! I read through the words impatiently for several times, just to make sure I didn’t misunderstand them. Yes, it definitely said 4 units!
I sat back into the chair as a wave of relief washed over me. Even the sky outside the window seemed a more pleasant shade of blue over the gigantic mounts of grey clouds. I quickly typed a ‘thank you’ message to Eric, feeling more grateful towards the tall, silver-headed man than I could possibly express in words.
‘You’re welcome, Chelsea,’ was Eric's simply reply, ‘it is my job.’
I smiled weakly to myself, as an old communist saying popped up in my head:
‘Trust the system, trust the organization.’
[The end]
At 3:30pm, I left the shelter of my air-conditioned room, and embraced myself as I stepped into the blazing heat. I quickly put up my umbrella to shield the deadly ray of the sun, but the air itself seemed to be baking; within a few seconds, the skin on my arms was moist with sweat.
As I walked through the University campus, the noisy chattering of passing students sounded distantly annoying. Absent-mindedly, I reached into my handbag for the printouts of the emails from the course advisors, bearing contradicting course advices which had caused much grievance. My fingers closed around the thin stack of paper, which felt slightly reassuring. At least, I had some evidence to back me up during the 4 o’clock appointment with the Education & Welfare Officers.
The Education & Welfare Office was a body that represents students who have suffered grievance during their encounters with the University’s academic or administrative processes. When I reached the small office at the edge of the Cloisters Lawns, I was to find a tall, silver-headed, bespectacled man waiting for me behind the front counter.
‘Nice to meet you, Chelsea,’ he said, stretching out his massive hand, ‘my name is Eric,’ he introduced himself as he led me into his office. ‘Now tell me,’ he said in a deep steady voice, taking his seat opposite me, ‘how can we help you?’
Eric listened intently and patiently as I recounted my story, while the air-conditioner blew cool air against my back. I kept my voice calm and smooth, taking him through the facts and trying not to let me frustration get out of hand.
‘So 5 months after their first email, where it said me that I could count Income Tax Law as 4 units,’ I said, pointed from the email dated 17 August 2008 to the one that I had received yesterday, ‘they sent me another email saying that I could only count it as 3 units now.’ I concluded, looking up into the silvery grey eyes of the man in front of me.
Eric looked thoughtful for a moment, glancing down at the notes that he had been taking while I talked. ‘This is an interesting case, contradictory course advice – and even documented in writing,’ he said slowly, peering over at the email printouts in my lap, ‘I will definitely be able to follow it up, I will get back to you before the end of tomorrow.’
When I walked out of the office 15 minutes later, I was still unsure of what was going to happen. Yet, somehow, the noises from the students seemed friendlier, even cheerful, as I walked back through the crowded university campus.
‘What do you mean I am one unit short of graduating?!’ I demanded out loud at the computer screen, as I read the email from the Law School course advisor.
‘Dear Chelsea,’ my eyes travelled through the words displayed on the LCD screen, ‘Income Tax Law can no longer count as a 4 unit course after the curriculum changes, it now only counts as 3 units…’
‘But when I did the course it was worth 4 units!’ I said angrily at the computer, which remained as unresponsive as ever, ‘I paid 4 units worth of fees and put in 4 units worth of work!’
‘…therefore,’ the letter went on, ‘the total number of units you have completed is 69 rather than 70, which means you MUST complete an additional elective subject in order to graduate.’
Frustration flared in my chest as I searched through my mailbox frantically, until I found the email which I had received from another course advisor some 5 months ago. ‘Dear Chelsea,’ it read clearly, ‘I hereby confirm that Income Tax Law III can be counted as a 4 unit elective under the newly changed curriculum.’
I stared from the old email to the new email in total disbelief, completely lost for words.
All this confusion had started last August, when an email came to all students to inform them about the curriculum changes in the law degree. My mind drifted back to those panicking days, when I had hastily sought a consultation with a course advisor, to make sure I understood these changes and could choose the right number of subjects.
However, months later – at the start of what I thought was the final year of my law degree – after taking the course advice word for word, and arranging my studying and working plans accordingly, I was suddenly to be told, that they had reduced the unit value of one course that I had completed, with the result that I was now 1 unit short for graduating.
‘Go to the Education and Welfare Office,’ Lisa suggested, looking up the office phone number on the University website.
‘Yeah, maybe I will,’ I said, picking up the phone to plug in the 8 digits.
[To be continued]
It was that time of the year again.
Crowds of students flooded the stretch of lawns at the front of the University, from excited looking first-years to postgraduate researchers with a bored look on their faces. Most of them were dressed in vibrant colored shirts and dresses. As groups of young people stepped across the plazas and along the pavements, the ancient campus – which had been silent and still for so many weeks during the summer – had suddenly sprung into life.
The Hughes Plaza was occupied by long rows of white marquees, under which older looking students sat behind trestle table after trestle table, with the banner or signs fixed onto the plastics walls behind them, proclaiming things like ‘Adelaide Rock Climbing Club’ or ‘Evangelical Group’. My eyes travelled across many banners until I found what I was looking for.
There, behind a wooden table laden with white forms, scattered pens, and piles of pamphlets, sat two boys both in their early twenties, leaning back in their metal chairs.
I smiled at them as I drew nearer, one of the guys immediately leaned forward and said, ‘interested in playing basketball?’
‘Yeah,’ I nodded, ‘I’m not very good though.’
‘That’s cool,’ he said as he flicked open a pamphlet lying on the table, ‘we’ve got a women’s social team, they play social games every week.’
By the end of the 10 minutes, I had filled out a signup form with my name and email address, been given a list of club rules and fees, and was promised that they’d be in contact with me about a tryout session in two weeks time. When I turned around to find Lisa, who had disappeared to a neighbouring stall, I was to see her walking back clutching a small paper bag and lots of information sheets.
‘What’s this?’ I looked down at the strange symbol on her paper bag, which looked suspiciously like it had something to do with ‘God’.
‘Oh,’ she panted, stuffing all the info sheets into her bag, ‘it’s the Baha'i society.’
‘The what?’ I said, peering at the distant stall behind her.
‘It’s a religious group,’ Lisa said, ‘they believe there’s only one ‘God’, and the many religions are just people’s different views of the same ‘God’ from different cultures.’
‘Wow, deep,’ I said nodding, ‘but I thought you were gonna stay clear of religious people.’
‘Well, they run a free Salsa lesson every Friday!’ Lisa said excitedly.
'That's a good enough reason to join up,' I said, shrugging.
When we descended the steps in front of the Library, we were to see the Barr Smith Lawns fenced off and packed with rows of tents around the edge, between which crowds of students moved with difficulty due to the lack of room.
‘Woo, they’re giving away free ice tea!’ Lisa pointed cheerfully at a large yellow Lipton stall, under which packs of students were crowding the table, to receive a bottle of their ‘new mango flavoured’ product.
As we stood under the gigantic canopies of a couple of towering gum trees, sipping the ice tea and watching the many students walking around the lawns, some wandering aimlessly, others dashing from stall to stall to collect all the freebies, my vision was suddenly obscured by a figure who stopped right in front of us.
It was a black-headed girl clutching a pile of pamphlets, who introduced herself pompously before Lisa and I could even let out a collective groan.
‘I’m from ‘Oxygen’,’ she pronounced, trying to hand me a pamphlet which I didn’t take. Both Lisa and I stared at her blankly.
She, obviously thinking that we were linguistically impaired, slowed down her voice to a patronizing tone and said, ‘we… are… a church… group… for new…. international… students.’
So my worst suspicion was confirmed.
‘We are neither new, nor wanting anything to do with churches,’ Lisa said in a quick succession of words before stopping to watch the smug expression drain from the girl’s face.
‘So you are not interested...?’ she said sounding both startled and disappointed.
I smiled politely at her and shook my head slowly.
‘Maybe we should go sit down,’ I suggested, pointing at a couple of straw-made stools at the other side of the lawns.
Our way across the lawns was barred by a pack of queuing students, when we tried to get around them, we were to find that the line was so long that it didn’t seem to have an end.
‘What is this?’ I asked, intrigued. But before Lisa could come up with a guess, the grizzly smoke that drifted to us through the air was answer enough.
I peered around the line of queuing figures to see a pair of barbeques standing on the grass, behind which a girl was turning sausages frantically with a pair of short tongs. The sausages were almost the same colour and texture of coal.
‘Who’s holding the BBQ?’ I asked, my mouth fell slightly open as I watched the girl with the thongs flipping a sausage, its oily grease trickled onto the grass.
‘Commerce!’ Lisa exclaimed as she appeared at my shoulder. Sure enough, I looked over the cook’s head at the blue banner stretched behind her. ‘Adelaide Business Student Association’ was printed clearly on the shiny plastic.
So we took our seats on the straw-made stools on the remote side of the lawns, pulling out sandwiches from our bags. The only drawback of this lunch location was its closeness to the stage, on which a youth pop group was playing some rock ’n roll music, thundering beats crashed brutally against our eardrums.
Thus was the beginning of another academic year. In the mean time, what have you been up to?
Bonython Hall – where the graduation ceremony was about to take place – is a magnificent building with an impressive sandstone façade flanked by two carved lions. On taking my seat in the second row from the stage, I couldn’t help looking up to admire the massive stained glass windows, their wooden frames delicately crafted into complicated patterns. Under the five-storey high ceilings, hundreds of rows of wooden chairs were occupied by family and friends, who have turned up to share this special moment of recognition.
Suddenly, the organ orchestra situated on an upstairs side-gallery struck up its first majestic note. I looked around to see a single queue of graduates, dressed in draping black robes and sky blue hoods, was entering the hall through a side entrance, their square graduation hats perched precariously on top of their heads. Some of them waved and smiled at their guests as they filed into their seats. A few cameras flashed.
After the speech had concluded, the award presentation began. As their names were called, each graduate walked forward onto the stage, stopping at the centre to shake the proffered hand of the Chancellor, before collecting their certificates and exiting from the side of the stage.
The ceremony drew to its end as the last graduate collected his piece of parchment. The guests and newly-graduated students then filed out onto the lawn next to Bonython Hall. It was a scene of jubilation amongst the sea of black robes: many were holding bouquets of vibrant flowers, some were smiling at the cameras, others tossed their black hats into the sky, which flew towards the stretch of blue overhead, forming a graceful arch in midair, as if drawing a conclusion to this stage of their lives as university students.
As the burgundy velvet curtains drew to either side of the stage in thunderous applause, the orchestra seated under the orange stage lights struck up its first tune.
Famous melodies of The Nutcracker, Conquest of Paradise and many Christmas carols flowed out of the instruments in the hands of the musicians: Flutes were held elegantly to their lips; violins were leaned against their shoulders, the many hands holding the strings moved back and forth in precise unison; cellos stood between their knees bathing in a deep red glow; trumpets gleamed bright gold under the stage light. In front of a dark grand piano, the pianist sat under a wrath of mistletoe, his fingers moving along and black and white keys, the notes running rapidly as if water tricking downstream.
A few songs later, the conducted turned to around to greet the audience, revealing a BBQ apron tied around his waist, a pair of tongs held in his hands in lieu of the usual conductor’s baton. ‘I’ve never conducted with a pair of tones,’ he said to a laughing crowd. It turned out that the theme for this year’s Christmas Proms was Australian BBQ. This explained why the two rows of vocalists were all dressed in floral summer shirts in different colours.
The conductor then invited the crowd to join in the singing during the next song Santa Claus is Coming to Town. As the audience bellowed enthusiastically along the vocalists’ tender voices, words and melodies that carried the cheer and joy of Christmas filled the theatre, and also filled my heart. I suddenly felt, stronger then ever before, that Christmas was upon us. And despite being on a land where the sun shone blazingly during December, the Christmas spirit here was just as real, and as passionate and delightful, as anywhere in the snow.
Ever since the end of the exams, I have been working at a law firm as a summer clerk. The busy nine-to-five schedule of full-time work, coupled with the sheer volume of things that I had to learnt, swept me off my feet for the first couple of weeks. And that’s why it came as such a surprise when I glanced at the calendar one day, and realized Christmas was only 20 days away.
As I walked through Rundle Mall this morning amidst the morning flow of office workers, I stared up fondly at the gigantic statute of Santa Claus outside David Jones shopping centre. It was quite something to hear the melody of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer drifting out of the loudspeaker onto the sun-strewn pavements.
On my occasional trips to and from Court, I saw that an enormous Christmas tree erected in the middle of Victoria Square. At least thirty-feet tall, it looked like a humungous up-side-down ice-cream cone, its fluffy green surface decorated with pink ribbons and gleaming metal snowflakes. An orange arm of a crane was holding up two workers high in the air, enabling them to attach fairy lights to the supersized Christmas tree for the city to enjoy.
The stores in the Mall started to display on huge notice boards their specially extended shopping hours during weeks leading up to Christmas. One evening after staying late at work, I walked past the Government House to see colourful light-bulbs shining vibrantly from within its walls, twinkling against the dark sky. But it wasn’t until yesterday, when the secretary came around to decorate our desks with gold and silver tinsels, that I realized:
The feeling of Christmas was really in the air.
To most people, today is just another ordinary day. But to the students of the Law School, it has inspired a certain degree of anticipation and nerves. Today is the day when our exam results are due to come out.
At 8 o’clock in the morning, I sat in front of the computer, taking continuous deep breaths, my mind racing at an abnormally high speed. I thought of the moments when I exited the exam venue feeling light-hearted, of the tight grip on my pen as I glanced down at the exam papers, of the hours spent stuck in front of my desk, poring over stacks revision notes, and of the bearded face of my lecturer, how his eyes used to twinkle when we correctly answered his questions in class.
Oh dear. What would he say if I had failed the exam?!
These thoughts of terror and paranoia engulfed me as I typed my student number and password into the university website. I took a final deep steadying breath before I clicking on the tab ‘Academic Results’ and watched in dire anticipation as the webpage loaded up.
I shut my eyes firmly, then opened them once more.
In a blur of black prints, my eyes fell on a series of numbers. In the time it took for the meanings of these simple digits to sink in, my heart had swollen to twice its normal size, every particle of me screaming with relief. The loud chattering of birds outside the window, which a moment ago seemed so noisy and distracting, was now suddenly as pleasant and delightful as the melodies from the most beautiful song.
As I held fondly to Liv and Steph's arms, pulled our heads together and said "Eynesbury Rocks", hundreds of camera, continously flashing, were directed towards us. The photographer asked us all to wave our hands in the air for the last shoot. For our dear teachers. For our "hip to hip" classmates. For two years of unbelievably meaningful, exciting and meaningful years. Goodbye to you all, the class of 2008.
To be honest, I'm feeling so ambivalent at the moment about having graduated from Eynesbury. THere is a side of me being so excited about having finally reached the end of a long, and perhaps, demanding journey. We worked our best, we had fun, we grew up, we learnt what is even beyond the edge of textbooks, we studied and challenged ourself. Should there be some degree of pride, it would also be reasonable. Meanwhile, another side of me tells me all about the eagerness of a long-due holiday and even further away, about stepping through a new door to go to tertiary education. But along all these positive feeling, it's undeniably true that I'm overwhelmed in an unexplainable sadness. Perhaps, it would not be entirely correct to not name "sadness" a positive feeling though.
THe better time we had together, the more we're gonna miss that time when summer comes. And when the feeling of missing, regretting mounts up, it brings "sadness" into the picture. Many memories flash back and forth in my mind. My Politics class and the very first time I stood up in front of people to do debate. My firstoral presentation and completely ruined my time-frame for the speech. My last oral presentation in Economics about Economic Development in Vietnam which I spent so much time to prepare for it. Exams and all the frustration. Library and our hard-to-deal-with-Maths Projects. Rehearsal of our graduation performance. Lunches that we had together in the lush green grass in Victoria Square. Times when I, Jax and Anita ran to China Town after our Legal class for lunch. Conversation about music, about our love and our passion to instrumental music. Talks about food. Joint-plan for the pyjama party at Steph's for the long weekend. Quick runs to Coles for chocolate bars. A drop-in chat with teachers about the subjects, about your homesick issues, about George Orwell, about newspapers, about movies
The end of one story is the beginning of another. Yet, the ended story of mine in Eynesbury shall be mentioned in the next chapter of my story, as it has helped shaped characters in my story.
It was 29 degrees today. The sky was a cloudless stretch of forget-me-not blue. To celebrate our new found freedom brought by the end of the exams, we took a 15-minute drive up to the end of Kensington Road, where situated a small lookout overlooking the square city of Adelaide.
As the car wounded its way uphill, I watched as the gum trees on either side of the roads shooting backwards, along with the many beautiful residences which resembled real-life versions of delicate doll houses. It was strange to suddenly have this much free time at hand: now that exams were over, I could do whatever I wanted without the nagging doubts that whispered ‘why aren’t you studying?’ constantly at the back of my mind.
As the car drew into a small park and came to an abrupt halt, I leapt out of the vehicle, and was momentarily dazed by the views that lay in front of my eyes:
Adelaide’s entire metropolitan, with its many leafy street that formed perfect little squares, stretched into the distance under a sapphire blue sky. At the edge of the horizon, a shiny strip of the ocean could be seen, reflecting the dazzling afternoon sun. Countless red-roofed houses stood neatly one next to another, like tiny little match-boxes amongst bushes of greeneries. Amidst the peaceful suburbs, a small cluster of high-rise buildings – Adelaide’s CBD – stood like a toy model of a city, surrounded by lush green stripes which represented the parklands.
We simply stood there at the hilltop, drinking in the scene. I felt slightly intoxicated as I gazed into Adelaide’s beautiful serene form, as the wind ruffled the corner of my light jacket, as if celebrating the joy of the beginning of the summer holiday.
The weather was perfect, as if celebrating with us the joy of the summer holiday. As the evening drew nearer, the sun sank into the west sky, its golden beams of light dazzled my eyes as we drove into the city, heading for the Festival Theatre for a play called The Cripple of Inishmaan.
By the time I finally manoeuvred the car into a 90 degree parking lot, taking three clumsy attempts to get all the wheels into the white lines, we were running very late. We ran along the Torrens River towards the Festival Theatre, the skirts of our would-be-elegant dresses billowing in our wake as we rushed up the set of steps leading into the dark-glassed front entrance.
We arrived just in time, puffing and panting, to hand over our tickets to the ticket-collector, who was already pulling shut the heavy door leading into the theatre. We squeezed through the half-closed door, walked down the sloping aisle until we found our seats, and sat down in the navy squashy chairs, just as the lights overhead were extinguished.
Watching a play was very different from watching a movie. Devoid of the special visual and sound effects that I had become so accustomed to in the modern age of entertainment, the pure talents of the actors and actresses on stage seemed to shine even more brightly, each of their lines, postures, movements, or even expressions won the audience’s laughter or applause. When the curtains finally drew close, I was left marvelling at the talents of the South Australian State Theatre.
4pm. Adelaide CBD.
The warm sunshine and the cool wind brushed comfortably against my face as I walked down the crowded Rundle Mall. Both sides of the Mall were covered in shopfronts, exuberant signs overhead proclaimed brands ranging from Esprit to Sportgirls, from Borders Bookshop to Shields Jewellery, while the shopwindows displayed such a wide variety of new fashionable garments, they hit the eyes like a colour explosion.
The street was full of people: middle-age women laden with shopping bags and groceries; fashionably dressed young lasses tossing their hair, their stiletto heels clicking feverously on the pavement; businessmen dressed in suits and ties sitting outside the coffee shops; groups of girls and boys, still in their school uniforms, moving in large packs, chattering loudly. The city seemed to have awoken with liveliness, the excitement and delight on people’s face suggested that it was Friday afternoon.
In the middle of the street, prominent amongst the many shoppers and passers-by, stood a few large red umbrellas labelled with the name Cibo – Adelaide’s iconic coffee-shop, which could be found at almost every street corner in the city. I stepped into the little outlet, breathing in the familiar fragrance of coffee beans, and ordered myself a large cappuccino. As I carried the steaming red paper-cup out of the shop, I looked around to locate the nearest shoe store, and set out for my search of a new pair of summer shoes.
Waiting to enter the exam venue was its usual noisy affair. People around me were still talking loudly – the many voices forming a loud buzzing that resembled a million fluttering bees – when the gates into the pavilion were opened.
Three hours later, I exited the pavilion through the very same white gates, my heart as light as the clouds floating overhead. The exam wasn’t bad at all, the merciful Intellectual Property lecturer even had the good humour to base the last question on Harry Potter, which kept my energy pumping during the last hour of the three-hour exam.
On the way back into the City, relieved of the iron weight of exam revision, I suddenly noticed just how beautiful the fluffy white clouds were as they drifted idly across the crystal clear sky, like gigantic fairy-flosses.
We had lunch at a little dumpling shop near Chinatown. I munched through the plateful of steaming fat white dumplings with much gusto, savouring the thoughts that it was finally the end of the exams.
University exams took place at the Wayville Showground, where I duly arrived just before 9 o’clock. The massive pavilions were no longer occupied by exuberant show-bag stalls, but instead were surrounded by thousands of anxious university students, some chatting loudly in groups, some sitting in the corner with their fingers in their ears, trying to scramble in some last-minute revision.
At 9am, when the gates to the pavilion opened, I was amongst the first who flooded into the exam venue where, under the extremely high grey ceilings, countless individual metal desks and chairs were lined up in row after perfectly straight row, rather like a yet-to-be-opened battleground.
I quickly located the signs indicating my subject – Administrative Law – and sat down on a vacant seat. My heart started pounding furiously as I contemplated the exam paper – a thin booklet lying smugly at the centre of the desk. I looked over two occupied seats to smile at a friend nearby, just as the chief invigilator piped into the microphone: ‘You are now under examination conditions. Any electronic devices must be switched off and placed in your bag, NOT in your pocket…’
As the clock hit 9:20, I turned the first page of the exam paper, my head bent low over the desk, trying to digest the words as fast as I could. Ten minutes later, the hall was filled with a deep hissing sound, as thousands of pens scratched against paper, pouring out their owners’ best hopes for a Pass, a Credit, a Distinction or a High Distinction. Minutes ticked by quietly, I held tightly onto my biro and frantically scribbled down everything that I knew, and guessed, about the Administrative Law (Judicial Review) Act.
Three hours later, three dazed, intense, heart-racing hours later, I walked out of the pavilion with the crowd. ‘How was it?’ I said to a friend, who shrugged. ‘What did you get for Q3?’ she asked. ‘Huh? There was a Q3?’ I jumped. ‘No, no, I meant Q1(3)…’ ‘Phew…’ Many exchanges of answers took place as we walked towards the car park. ‘Good luck with your next exam!’ we piped at each other in unison, our parting voices drown in the billowing wind, as the distant rumbling of thunders announced that rain was fast approaching.
Another day was drawing to a close. I looked up from a thick pile of revision notes out of the window, to see the garden fence painted bright orange by the setting sun. Another day closer to the exam.
Exam time was always stressful, but also exciting in a strange way. One thing different about studying at university is the absence of high-school teachers chasing after you, demanding for homework with threats of detention. To the contrary, everything is left to your own accord. As if to emphasize the importance of self discipline, we get Swap Vacs – a whole week free of lessons before the exams – to prepare for ourselves before facing the final challenge.
I picked up my revisions notes and walked out onto the driveway. The suburban street was quiet and peaceful in the evening, each red-roofed house stood cosily behind a patch of green lawns, some decorated with rose bushes, some shaded by leafy trees. My feet carried me forward automatically, while my brain wandered from judicial review to procedural fairness, until, a few roundabouts later, I came to stop in front of the entrance to a large park.
Green lawns were rolling gently up and down the hills, a stone bridge stood arching across a dry creek. In the distant playground, a few swings were visible through the tree branches, their red plastic seats flying back and forth, the ringing laughter of young kids permeating the air.
I waited patiently while trying to read up on more Administrative Law notes, until the last swing was cleared off as a small boy left reluctantly with his parents. I then rushed forward, sat on the plastic seat, clutched onto the chains, and kicked hard off the ground. As the swing soured joyfully into the air and the wind ruffled my hair, I saw the dusky inky sky above me, patched with white fluffy clouds, rocking gently back and forward. Ah… I took a deep breath, the exam tomorrow suddenly didn’t seem too bad anymore.
After what seemed like a hectic week, a stroll down the glenelg beach was what I needed. Licking my favourite choc fudge vannila drumstick, I took a lesiurely stroll for about an hour, stopping occasional to gaze at the marvellous sunset. I explored the parts of the beach I had not before and wondered why I had not given this stroll a go before. We would have kept going down the path we had taken if not for the fact that we were drifting furthur away from the tram stop.
NEvertheless, it was an amazing way to get some fresh air and really just to relax. Beautiful weather and company--It was absolutely perfect!
Each October, the Governor of SA hosts a special farewell party for departing international students who would be completing their degrees. And this year is no exception.
On Friday afternoon, as the sun shone brightly overhead, I crossed North Terrace to reach the corner with King William St, where a pair of massive white gates proclaimed the entrance to the Government House – a property which was normally off-bound to everyone but authorized personnel.
After presenting my invitation to a smiling guard, I walked along the smooth driveway into a world quite separate from the hustle-bustle outside on North Terrace. Every surface was covered in lush greeneries. In the centre of a large stretch of neatly-trimmed lawns, stood a white rectangular building with impressive stone pillars. Across from the Government House, a big white marquee has been erected, into which guests were being ushered to be seated.
The presentation commenced soon after I received a drink from a passing waiter. At the end of the speeches, I was rather touched by the sincerity with which the Governor had thanked all the international students for choosing Adelaide as a study destination.
Outside the marquee, the students were now chattering merrily in little groups. A dozen of round tables were dispersed on the lawn, each holding a bottle of wine, their pure white tablecloths fluttering in the light wind. Waiters in white shirts were negotiating their ways through the crowd, carrying plates of drinks and cocktail food with dazzling variety: spring rolls, satay chicken, cheese tarts, biscuits with tuna and cream.... A few feet away, a girl in high school uniforms was daring her friend to take an oyster shooter.
‘Excuse me,’ I felt someone tapping my shoulder, ‘Could you please take a photo for us?’ I turned around to see a girl holding a camera, standing next her was none other than the Governor himself, with a kind smile spreading across his face.
A short queue soon formed next to us. I took the cameras, one after another, from excited and expectant students. The cameras clicked away madly, capturing the special moment of receiving farewell personally from the Governor, witnessing what was clearly to be treasured piece of memory for many future years to come.
Fed up with the constant and never-ending revision war that I was raging against the course notes and exam papers, on Saturday afternoon, I hastily accepted the first invitation to the beach that came my way this weekend, glad to have a good excuse to be out of the house, rather than being stuck in front o the desk for another evening.
By the time we finished dinner, the sun was already hanging low over the oceanic horizon, painting a gentle hue of pure gold over the sand, the waves, and the towering pine trees which stretched into the distance. The beach was filled with strolling, sitting, running and dog-walking people, each with a long, thin, dusky shadow moving alongside their figures.
I took off my sandals and ‘waded’ through the sand-hills to reach the wave-washed smooth end of the beach. The sand was cool and damp under my feet. Thousands of sea-shells, all of difference shapes and sizes and colours, littered the beach – all glittering slightly under the setting sun, also with long thin shadows. I suddenly remembered how obsessed I used to be with seashells, having always rushing through my homework during lunch time so as to make time for beach visits after school. Occasionally the foaming edge of the waves would creep up near my ankle, only then to draw away again, leaving graceful watermarks on either side of the tiny pieces of shells engraved into the sand.
There was a loud ‘whoosh’, I caught a brief glance of something golden brown zooming towards me, before what felt like a furry ball collided with my legs. I looked down to see a gorgeous Golden Retriever bouncing happily around me, his front pals on my knees, his tail wagging excitedly. I bent over to pad him and felt his smooth soft fur sliding through my fingertips, when – ‘Mark!’ a man in beach shorts and sun glasses rushed forward, smiling apologetically, ‘Mark, don’t you attack young ladies!’
We walked away roaring with laughter. The sun was beneath the sea now, leaving a shimmering scarlet upon the lower sky, as if a brilliant light bulb was hidden out of view. Everything else suddenly seemed so insubstantial. A whole week of stress seemed to have melted into this dusky pink glow.
South Australia, with its warm and dry climate, is ideal for wine-production, and indeed SA not only is the host of the National Wine Centre, but also produces 80% of Australia’s annual export of wine to overseas – so I was told by the tour guide on the bus ride to the Barossa Valley: a town famous for its wine-production, located an hour outside of Adelaide City.
As the bus entered Barossa Valley, I was greeted by the first scene of vineyards. Under the blazing sun and the crystal-clear sky, the vast area of ground was covered by dry, brown grape vines standing in neat and endless rows, their ancient branches (some as old as a hundred years) twisting horizontally, as if little wooden people with their arms outstretched on either side of them.
The brown colour of the earth and the vines was contrasted by the rich and vivid green from the grass and the hills in the distance. On either side of the road were many tall, thick, and flourishing palm trees, planted – again taking credit for information from the tour guide – during the Great Depression decades ago.
We also visited a number of wineries, where everyone else in the group (with me watching interestedly) enjoyed the wine tasting – a process of finding out what type of wine best agreed with your taste buds.
The trip was concluded by a visit to a toy factory on our way back, where stood the biggest rocking horse in the world. The gigantic wooden thing smiled cutely down at us, its vivid red paint glowing in the bright afternoon sunlight.
Australian Beaches, with their white strips of sand and pure blue water, form a charming and rather irresistible part of the country.
It was warm and sunny on Saturday afternoon. The time of the year has come, when the breezes in the air are no longer damp and cold, but carries with them a trace of warmth to announce the pending arrival of spring.
Catching the tram – one of the iconic forms of transportation in Adelaide – from the city down to Glenelg Beach, the thirty-minute journey passed quickly as we chatted in the crowded carriage full of beach-goers. As we stepped off the tram, the dazzling sunlight hit my eyes, and there it was, the beachfront stretching in front of me with such breathtaking beauty.
The jade blue ocean was separated from the sapphire sky neatly by the single line of horizon. Waves of blue and green were beating gently against the beach, leaving white foams upon the silver sand, washing away the shallow footprints left behind by laughing and splashing children. A line of Norfolk Pines towered on the edge of the beach, underneath their shade we sat, licking Wendy’s large ice-cream cones, leaning on the tree trunks contently, watching the exuberant collection of colour stretching into the distance.
Our walk on the jetty turned out to be very windswept. It was sunny yet the wind was blowing energetically, messing up our hair and making our coats billow. Laughing at one another’s now explosive hair-style, we leant on the side of the jetty, gazing into the distant stretch of deep blue sea, wishing that summer could be here sooner.
School today was pretty easy. We finished the syllabus for most of the subjects, so we ended up doing a zillion questions for maths while english was more interesting. We played double jeopardy which was good fun! So yeah, these two weeks of hols are critical according to my teachers and I can see where they are coming from but being the last day of term I took a break from schoolwork.
Today has been quite eventful. I had two stuff on. One was this study adelaide event where they were presenting awards to winners of the letters home competition. The other was my club presentation where all the netball teams playing under the club name came together and presented awards and basically gave all the teams an opportunity to catch up with their mates... It was a potluck thing so we all brought a dish, making the event all the more exciting-You know how I love food! I received a check for umpiring throughout the season. It felt good holding onto the fruits of my labor in more ways than one. I was also nominated for the senior club girl award. So yeah, it was simple gathering of its kind and it went better than I thought it would.
I have a few things to look forward to during the hols. There is a 18th birthday party on the first saturday and um....a deepavali function which I am the Mc for on the second saturday. In between, I have all the revision classes. As my school is having the abestos removed, we have to have the hols revision in a boat shed...That would be interesting, learning by the Torrens River. I have like 4 tests on the first week back to school including the tamil written, oral and listening components...so yup this hols is a good chance to buckle down and consolidate the year's work. Good luck to me and anyone else who find themselves in a similar situation!
The final exams are starting in about 1.5 months time, so yeah, pretty much busy preparing for it. Although I have to admit I spent a great deal of time reading the whole sequel of twilight...yes all 4 of them in the past week. I pretty much had countable hours of sleep that week just so I am not totally neglecting my school work. I do feel a tiny bit sad about having finished the sequel...but since it was a happy ending i was okay with it. I have to say New moon was not what i expected it to be but eclipse was better and breaking dawn was great(except for the whole build up of the war which never happens). Have to say twilight is the best of all four!
Went for friend's 18th birthday party last saturday and had a great time. She had all sorts of games...Karoke, the dance mat thingy, table tennis, soccer. Oh yeah !Iforgot to add that it was a costume party. I went as a jypsy...so I wore this cool orange top and yoga pants....put on heaps of bangles and bam I was all set to go!! It was interesting to see my friends all dressed up as different things and people. It was super colourful and we had so much fun. It was an exceptional way to wrap up my week.
It was a miracle that I didn't feel homesick, especially on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, when the full moon was shining brightly overhead.
I spent the evening at some friend's house. There was no moon cake (mainly due to laziness on my part to go down to China Town and carry back one of those brilliantly wrapped tin boxes); but there was a hotpot, plus heaps of sliced meat, lots of green vegetables, too much mead, and a few really good friends.
The night passed quickly while we ate our way through eight plates of raw stuff boiled in the bubbling hotpot. It was hard not to smile when surrounded by people who know you so well and whose company you truly enjoy.
We concluded the night by gazing into the cloudy sky where the moon was poking its mysterious face at us at irregular intervals. This was my 7th Mid-Autumn Festival away from Beijing – and Adelaide is feeling just like home.
September is generally I favourite time in Adelaide. And the reason is simple: this is the month when the Royal Adelaide Show is held!!
This annual carnival takes place on the Wayville Showground (which is ten-minute bus ride from the city) over approximately two weeks. Stretched over the Showground are countless thrilling rides, game booths with gigantic stuffed toys as prizes, and multiple big pavilions which host dog shows, animal booths, food stores, and random yet exotic vending stalls.
This year, I went to the Show again with my high school friends on Saturday (as our annual tradition). The weather couldn’t have been more beautiful. It was such a great place to simply relax and forget about uni for once. I spent the day licking ice cream, patting the gorgeous dogs in the Dogs Pavilion, watching my friend losing on the shooting game three times in a row, shopping for show-bags and other trinkets, and we concluded the day by taking a ride on the enormous iconic fairy’s wheel (being too cowardly to try other more thrilling rides).
I can’t wait till the Show starts again next year!
All the international student ambassadors of StudyAdelaide, including myself, came together yesterday to have a gathering at UniSA campus. Having this massive free Barbeque for international students was a student ambassador initiative and I must say it went really well.
We had raffle draws, where a lucky few walked away with a 2GB thumb drive, not to mention the sausages and veggie patties that were served hot and crispy for many of the students who attended it. It was a short gathering but it was the highlight of the day. We got the chance to talk to many other students and enlighten them on the future events StudyAdelaide is organising. There is always something to do or somewhere to chill in Adelaide. You have got to check the StudyAdelaide website frequently to be sure you don’t miss the exciting outings and the numerous events that come your way.
Wow, times flies in Adelaide. When you turn a new page in the diary, it's already September.
My September calendar is often decorated with heaps colourful reminder notes. Purple is coded for tests, blue is for assignments and projects, pink is for practicals, and orange is for presentations. Yes, this is a busy time of the year, especially to a senior student like me. When you can see the finish line no longer too far away, you heat up all the energy, speed up to hit the goal at your personal best. Our very last tests and assignments for year 12 are due in a week or two. Our school library is more crowded during free lessons. I and my pals spend more time revising all the concepts we have done throughout the year. Let's put some more effort in because you will get out what you get in. :P
Something more special today, I and Steph stuck a new note into our diaries, a big fat green on: our post-senior resolutions. You know, besides school life, we should all enjoy these incredible high-school days. There is something about Adelaide that makes my days here absolutely awesome: my Aussie and my international friends at school. And Steph is my best Aussie friend (eventhough she maybe the worst person to cover "Headlines" by Spicegirls, no kidding). Anyway, we have agreed that: after our super super important external exams in November (which we will need to revise very carefully together), we will make this year summer holiday the best one ever. Even though I can head home right after I finish my exams, I will stay here for another month to celebrate Chrissie (that's how we call Christmas) and New Year with Steph in the tent at the back of her yard. A couple of things that we have jotted down in the resolution: Linh needs to try some sport, and Steph will be Linh's personal coach, Steph needs to learn some Vietnamese and Linh will be Steph's private tutor. One more thing, I may learn how to ride Steph's horse. That is a very promising plan isn't it?
Spring is in the air. Beautiful weather. Busy school. And Happy Friends.
A couple of students from Adelaide High, including myself made our way down to 55 currie street to donate blood today. It was the first time for majority of the students going but since I had done it once before, I was more familiar with the process. We had to fill in some forms and were advised to drink loads of water while we were waiting for our turn to be examined by the nurses. I was feeling quite alright about the whole thing till I found myself laying in the chair, waiting in anticipation for what was to follow.
A friendly nurse attended to me. She was extremely encouraging and was willing to explain the whole process. Being me, I had some burning questions to ask about some of the procedures not because I was anxious but more so due to my curiousity. She was very engaging and we ended up talking a great deal. The best part was finding out all the information about blood and how they go about testing and collecting it. The pain felt was minimal but the fulfillment of having contributed was priceless. They say each donation can save 3 lives, so you do the math. It was an enriching experience which I hope to make regular.
Last Friday night I finally got a chance to catch up with my old homestay mother – Valmai, with whom I had been living for over two years when I first came to Adelaide. We had dinner at a Japanese restaurant on Jetty Road, Glenelg.
It was great to catch up with her over a bowl of miso soup and many bars of sushi and fried tofu. Val hadn’t changed much from what I remembered of her. Being in her seventies, she laughs and jokes a lot and loves her community activities like bowling. Seeing her smiling face again reminded me so much of how she had always made her house feel like home to me.
Val eagerly told me all the stories about her teenage grandchildren, who were once my regular visitors and young companions during the days when I was living with her.....
'Ross is the tallest of the family now, almost as tall as his dad; Lucas is working with his mom & dad’s business, Monique is brilliant at school, Samantha just got her license, and Rosie is about to start pre-school…’
I listened joyfully to the Val’s cheerful monologe, as I sat there chewing my way through my sashimi, all the while cherishing the feeling of having an extended family here in Adelaide.
In June this year I went to Kangaroo Island with about 15 other international students and it was fantastic. There were so many animals and some of the beaches were amazing! We saw kangaroos, emus, koalas and seals. The first day we were there we went to a place where you had to climb through a rock tunnel to get to a secret beach. I think it is called Stokes Bay. There was no-one on that beach except for us.
We stayed for one night at a farm house where we lit a bonfire to stay warm and a couple of the guys cooked us all one of the biggest barbeques I’ve seen – there was heaps of food.
On our last day we went to Flinders Chase National Park where we saw the Remarkable Rocks and Admiral’s Arch. Later on we went to Seal Bay and walked past some of the lazy seals lying on the beach. A baby seal even came right up to us.
Education Adelaide arranged this trip for us and I’m so glad I went – it was a great way to meet other students and make friends. What’s your best SA adventure been so far?
One of the best things about being a StudyAdelaide student Ambassador is that I’ve got to make some great friends and we get to do some cool stuff. Just after I started as an Ambassador we got to go kayaking at Port Adelaide on the Port River.
I had never been in a kayak before and was a bit nervous but our instructor, Tom, had a great way of explaining how not to fall out of the boat. When we got on the water we paddled up stream and then in amongst the mangroves. It was amazing to find out that a place like this existed so close to the centre of the city.
Maybe the best part was when we saw a dolphin and its baby swimming towards us. They did not stay for very long, they swam away, but Tom says he sees them all the time. Because I did not know about this place I think it is one of Adelaide’s best kept secrets. What is you favourite secret spot in South Australia?