Sparkly Smiles: February 2013

Monday, February 25, 2013

Hello, International Friends! :D

Today we had International Students' Orientation which is compulsory for all new International Students. We had to be there by 9.30. Elia and I waited for Sush and Xivan (If you don't know who they are, go back and read this post!). By 9.15, Elia said he was leaving because he didn't want to be late.
So it was Sush, Xivan and I that left the house at 9.20. Half way there, Sush broke her shoes so Xivan had to run all the way back home and bring her new shoes! A hero indeed! :D

That added with the fact that we had to walk atleast 10 minutes before we reached the Griffith Duncan Building where our orientation was supposed to take place, you can imagine we were pretty late! Infact, it was almost 10 when we reached there. Fortunately a very helpful student working at the International Office lead us to the lecture theatre without anybody really seeing us (we sat on the first floor viewing seats!).

Luckily, they started just when we arrived so we weren't actually late late! ;)

A lot of people talked about a lot of things- the Vice Chancellor of University of Newcastle, Some one from the International Office, International Student who has been here for 2 years, some one from Allianz which provides our OSHC (if you don't know what this is, read this! again!), On campus security officer, different student club representatives and this really awesome person from a wildlife park!

After that, we went to have a BBQ lunch at Bar On The Hill, where they gave out Free Fairy Floss. There was this awesome puppet there too!

I apologise for not having too many pictures! I was too busy having fun! ;)

So after that, we went to the Students' Services Centre because Sush and Xivan had to get their Student Cards. I had a mini-heart attack when I thought I had forgotten my student account's password, but then remembered it! ;)

Then Sush, Xivan and Santosh (also a guy from Nepal!) went to enrol in their classes. I was suppose to enrol on my course orientation on Wednesday, so I stayed in queue at the Commonwealth Bank, to open a bank account. But the dumb me had kept my passport at home after listening to Jayson tell me that I should never carry my passport around with me incase I got mugged! :P So all that time in the queue was for nothing! I came back home, so exhausted, yet happy about how much fun the day was! :D

And I can't wait for the awesome O'week activities coming up! Tomorrow there's this amazing race! :D
Tell you all about it later! Bye for now! I should sleep! I got a big day ahead tomorrow! :D

Living on my own!

To those of you who don't know, I arrived in Newcastle at 6pm on Tuesday, 19th February. I stayed in Hanbury Lodge for the night.

To read this post click here!

The next day, I went to check out my accommodation in Jesmond. Jayson, my landlord took me there. It was pretty close to the uni and Jesmond Shopping centre! So I took it! He helped me move my stuff here. That day I bought some bed sheets, pillows and blankets. A new guy moved into our house that day- Elia, from France.

The next day, I exchanged some US $ into AUD (from a far away place!) and went grocery shopping. I checked out the uni and got my student card.

You can read this post here!

On 22nd February, I visited the International Office at the uni and got my Over Seas Health Cover (Health Insurance for International students) card. Elia and I went together, (we went to the park too! ;) )because both of us were new and we didn't have any friends here. Then it started to rain! Even though both of us had umbrellas, that didn't stop the rain from soaking us wet by the time we reached home!

Saturday was a quiet day. I spent most of my time sleeping and watching series, because it was raining so heavily and it was so depressing! ;) I was a bit homesick that day, but Raid and family members helped me get over it! :D

On Sunday, we got two new students here, Sushma and Xivan- cousins from Nepal. I was in my room for most part of the day, because by now I was getting used to staying in my room (that's what all the other students who lived here do! There is Simon from Fiji, he used to be a student, but now is an Australian citizen. Then there is Cindy, from Korea I think (I'm not sure!) and another girl from Port Maquarie, Australia, who came back here on Sunday, after her vacation! Then there are Kelvin and Moses. Those two hang out together a lot, but I don't really know much about them!))

When I went to the kitchen in the evening, I saw her there. She told me that she had felt homesick and lonely. I knew exactly what she was talking about, because I felt that too. So I decided to help her. (I wish there was someone to keep me company till i got adjusted, but well, I survived ;) )

So we hung out together and I went to show her and Xivan the shopping centre and the uni, yes, at night! :P

Well, apart from the fact that I still miss my family and friends, I am totally OK now. I don't even feel homesick. The minute things get even a little bit depressing, I either get online or watch some awesome stuff that Potayto put in my hard drive for me! ;)

So, for all my friends who ask me, how's life in Australia, that's life here! Catch ya later with more updates! :D

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Scrapbook of my 1st day in Newcastle! :D

Well, I already promised I'd write about the journey from Singapore to Brisbane and from Brisbane to Newcastle under the travels segment. So here are pictures from the moment I got out of Williamtown Airport till I reached my home in Jesmond :D

On The Road

Yep, that's my reflection! Yes, I was taking all of these photos from the car window! O:)

On The Road

The river

On The Road

There you see the City of Newcastle! ::D

On The Bridge

On the bridge

On The Road- The Industrial region of Newcastle

Oh look! A windmill! :D

One of those lifting-machines that transport cows to the ship there so they could be shipped out! Apparently Newcastle, NSW is the port from which the most number of cows are exported! O.o