there is no direct flight to Palmy..
i got some useful information from Carol Tham..
using Hong Kong Airlines (i forgot its name)
from KL-Hong KOng-Auckland-Palmy
just RM2000++
my goshhhh!!!
but i still dont know which one will be for my 'Journey to the North Island'
tomorrow i will do my medical check up and visa..
what a chaotic WEEK!!!

is that bad miss an orientation?
because Carol said tht its fine if i miss the orientation bcoz on the first day of class..
they still have like 'sesi suai kenal', ICE BREAKING (like ice ice baby.. )
so, no worries.. ( i hope so!!)
but yah..orientation is the best day for get to know each other..

>> What I'm saying is that they're far more likely to express their opinions.

A lot has to do with their culture (or Western culture in general) rather than education. In Asian cultures we show our respects, and address people older than us as Uncle or Auntie. In NZ, people are referred to by name, regardless of age. Therefore in class or anywhere else where everyone is "equal", one is more likely to freely express opinions.

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Added on March 24, 2008, 1:10 am
>> is that bad miss an orientation?

Do you drink beer? If not, you are not going to miss much.



This post has been edited by howszat: Mar 24 2008, 01:10 AM

While both options are okay, I suggest that you seriously considering going through Christchurch(CHC). One of the problems with Auckland is that the domestic and international terminals are seperate, so getting from one to the other will be a problem, as AFAIK they can't check through your luggage for you all the way to Palmy. I suppose people flying AK will be used to it...................

In CHC everything is contained in one nice building.


I only wish the internet could broaden their minds. More often than not however, they simply use the internet to live in their own bubble world, pimping out their friendster profile, poking everyone on Facebook, goth'ing their MySpace, talking about porn, they know all the soccer forums, but don't know who Jeff Ooi is, and closer to home, have you seen the number of threads from post-STPM and Diploma holders from TARC who are pleading for help here?

Oh, and while the government does send out people to "broaden their mind", I want those MARA scholars, after their minds are open, to come back and do what I paid them to do!

1) I'm a product of NCEA (don't ask), and personally the whole debate between NCEA and A levels is simply moot. I've never seen Bursary, so I can't say on this matter, but for all the flaws of NCEA, I'd say it is better in preparing people for the real world and university at the same time.

2)Getting into NZ uni's may be easy, but staying in there is another thing. Undergrads for law, while everyone is accepted in at 1st year, they trim you down by second year. For some numbers, Auckland U takes in close to 1000 students for Law every year, but about only 300-400 will only progress to second year. And this is a trend repeated over all NZ uni's. I admit, this is partially in responce to the weaknesses of NCEA however.

And even in "we don't filter you after 1st year" Computer Science, people are dropping like flies. In Canterbury University, about 500 CS students were admitted in 2006. Here in 2008, only 110 brave souls survive from that cohort.

Easy to get in, hard to stay put. The merits and disadvantages are another topic for another day.

3)I've noticed that newspaper penetration is very high in both Australia and NZ, compared to M'sia. Yes, there is a serious blind spot on non-western matters (or matters which the west has to meddle in), but most people are well informed on generally that is happening in NZ, which is crucial in a Responsible Government system. I suppose that is also one of the strengths of a mono-lingual society.

Welcome to the gang. They all look at me like I'm from Mars (and sometimes I'm convinced I am) when I bang on about the M'sian education system vs the Singaporean education system.

Sadly, in M'sia, anything outside academic use and soccer, is useless knowledge.

edlina.. i'm sure malaysian gonna have dance club there.. dont forget to join.. let them know we got culture. this is the time u learn something new, and if u already know.. heheh share the knowledge with the new comer.

talent is something if u r there.. got talent nite la, gala nite la.. heheh time to shine

just got back from practice.

1) Whoa! You're a product of NCEA? I didn't realise you're that young. There I was thinking Haya is a couple of years older than me.

I did Bursary, the second last batch to do so. I haven't experienced A'levels so it's no point of comparison for me. My biggest problems with NCEA (my brother was in the first batch) is that it doesn't distinguish the very good from there merely good and average. It recognises the extremely good through the Scholarship papers and Excellance grades (extremely difficult to get) but the Merit grade category is far too wide. The lack of percentage grades means that it's difficult to distinguish who is the best among the top students - a real problem when you consider the huge monetary awards given to the best.

It's also ridiculous that you can get all the Excellence questions and Merit questions right (or at least enough to get those grades) but get an overall Not Achieve because you messed up on one Achieve question too many. It's also far to easy to get an Achieve. Just finish the Achieve questions (less than 50% of the paper) and leave the other questions blank and you'll pass. Sorry, I mean Achieve.

Also, lately the matter of 'cheating' has been raised - how schools selectively remark papers to raise results and all that. Some teachers were telling me that their recommendation for guidelines on the remarking/resitting of papers has yet to be taken on board.

The other issue is that it doesn't show "failures". If you fail a paper (Not Achieve), it won't show in your final results. The logic - employers and unis don't need to know what was Not Achieved, all they need to know is what was Achieved. No matter if 70% was Not Achieve.

2) Agreed that staying in is a problem for some people. Poeple who shouldn't be in in the first place. Passing courses and graduating with a degree is actually ridiculously easy. It only take a certain amount of work - attending lectures, tutorials and doing a little revision. Admittedly, getting good grades isn't but then it's not easy anywhere. I'll grant that it does depend on the course, there's a certain truth in the fact that Arts and Commerce degrees tend to be easier, at least to pass.

As for the merits and disadvantages, I'll only say one thing - is it truly a good use of resources to subsidise so many students who'll never graduate in the first place? It's costing the govt millions to pay for kids who don't know what to do with their lives, sign up for a random course, have a good time and flunk out.

3) Agreed. Then again, having newspapers is one thing. Actually reading them is another.

is there anyone studying pharmacy in university of otago ?

1 dollar TUI ? lol
whats so hard to stay put? NZ uni always help you to pass , but try to avoid you getting to good results practical or academic.
and btw, i heard for law, there is no more reducing in student for following year 2. starting this yr if im not mistaken.

no,i don't drink, thanks!

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Added on March 24, 2008, 9:34 pmhaha
you mean, zapin and all that?
i was a zapin dancer, was long long time ago,lol
i can dance, (a lil) Xp
sure, i'll not stinky to share something with others,esp our msia ppl..

whooaaa..you just got back from practice..
(try to imagine the way you dance..)
are you a good dancer? haha
kidding,man! no offence..
so how's your practice..?
must be really fun, enjoy the dance

anyway,may i know, how old are you?

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Added on March 24, 2008, 9:37 pmaiyoo..sorry,wrong word..

*not stinky,but stingy..haha!

i am not stink, AT ALL!!

This post has been edited by <EdLiNa>: Mar 24 2008, 09:37 PM

huhuuh kene paksa actually.. but hey.. if it not us, who else..

great.. if u know a lil bit about zapin.. from johor??

ehm.. i wonder, why some students always isolate themselves with another malaysian.. i mean.. it's good to make new friend other than our own Malaysian, it's good to mingle around.. but some of em up to the extend, they act not like malaysian anymore..

Unfortunately EmperorMeng, it doesn't seem so, or else I would go back there in a heartbeat (subject to terms and conditions through).

References:
http://www.law.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/law/for/...s/selection.cfm
http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/courses/undergrad/llb.shtml
http://www.otago.ac.nz/courses/qualifications/llb.html

I don't see what's the problem. Some people will want to settle down in nz on a long term basis. The sooner they adapt to the system and environment, the better.

Not everyone's future in M'sia is as bright as yours y'know.

owh.. ok.. now i understand..

I guess it depends. It's good to adapt and assimilate to a certain extent. But I draw a line at those who become white-washed and look down on their fellow Malaysians/Asians. You do not need to become pseudo white to settle down and become a successful and contributing member of the community.

Chinese have been in NZ for more than a century. Most maintain culture and their Chinese identity. That doesn't make them any less Kiwi (though I suppose to certain sections of society, anybody not Maori and Pakeha should "go home").

It's funny how those whose families have been here for generations, those born here or those who came here very young (pre-school) are the most comfortable with who they are and their Asian roots. It's the later and older migrants who seem to feel they have to behave 'white' to fit in and look cool. Of course, this doesn't not include the ones who stick to their own communities and refuse to learn more than a few words of English.

Act not like Malaysian? Mind to elaborate more???

As in drink beers as much as the kiwis or whatever? Just wanna know if I'm acting like one.

Did you watch "Here to Stay" (http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1160701)on TV2 last year? Specifically the Chinese bit. I found it interesting.

You're right on your observation through. I suppose its the fact that when one is cut off from their original culture, and to compensate for it they try to fit in to 'white' culture, simply because its a white nation here.

Mahathir documented this very well in this book "The Malay Dilema", when once immigrants are assimilated into the nation (he used the US of A as his example), it is the (former) immigrants who become more zealous than the locals in protecting their new national identity, even "look down on their fellow Malaysians/Asians". At the end of the day, we have to move on from the face/country card. One may have originated from M'sia, but when one is as good as a kiwi in speech, thought and outlook, the ties of the "nation" no longer bind.

Unfortunately I didn't catch the show. What was interesting about it?

You have a point about assimilation and defending the new identity.
I should "The Malay Dilemma" sometime. Never managed to get past the first few pages.

However in some cases, it's merely childish behaviour trying to fit in and look cool. Case in point, my cousins. They don't seem to realise you can have Kiwis friends, be successful and well-adjusted without having to speak with a stupid fake accent and dissing everything Asian as backward and stupid. It's nothing to do with protecting the new identity. All this time of projecting the cool, white image and their Kiwi friends are poking fun at them behind their backs for pretending to be something they're not.

What I find most interesting is that the Kiwi Asians, the once who've been here the longest and are the most Kiwi, are just in touch with their Asianess as people in Asia. Sure they might not speak Chinese (most are Chinese) but they're proud of who they are. Not in the narrow-minded Azn Power type but in being self-assured and comfortable in their own skin. They just don't see a need to be whiter than white.

last time..
was born there and lived for about 15 years..
then went to KL, start my Form 4 in KL..
then now, move to bangi pulak..huhu.
and going to fly to NZ..haha!
when i was in JB, i learn zapin dancing..it was fun..

Well you know, when people around us are different..
we might change to be like the others..
it's not that bad, if you can still keep your agama kuat-kuat,y'know..
and dont do such bad things..
i hope i can stand it..sure i will!
pray for me.. =)

Fake accent, this is something that I am trying very hard to prevent. Unfortunately, like most of my mates, I tend to mimic their accent. It's beyond my control, but surprisingly towards Malaysians, my Malaysian accent and slang comes back. I am also trying very hard to reduce me Malaysian slang.

you know something?
someone from my office told me (he's graduated from Canada)

"don't be too close with msian ppl, avoid them..be friend with other international students.if you still with msian ppl,better you just study in msia..not wasting your money"

well,well,well..i don't really agree with him..
i think,most people out there who didn't join any Msia society & isolate themselves were got adviced from that man!
im not saying we must be in Msia group all the time..
but, at least join some of Msian group will make us more comfortable..right?

for that...
you know, PEOPLE!

it's true.. nothing wrong if we want to mingle more with the locals, just that, give support to malaysian society there. If u r planning to apply for pr.. well,, it's up to you..

sometime, not just they dont give support, even worst, they look down on other malaysian as well.

u dont have problem if u r non-muslim, and choose not to mingle with other malaysian at all. because u dont have to know about where to get the food, when got yasin, where got usrah and stuff..

i've seen many muslim from the other country, they just buy chicken and meat from the supermarket. man.. i regret that i'm not brave enough to ask them. i take it they dont know where to buy the halal one yet.

Actually, it depends on how you perceive it. I do think that your office mate is trying very hard to avoid them, which is not necessary, but again, mixing with fellow Malaysians usually means that you won't get the chance to mix with the locals in NZ, which I thought it's extremely sad, but true. I came here with my partner and with no other friends at all, met with a couple of Malaysians here in NZ who are also new to the country, they treat kiwis as pure acquaintance, nothing more...not to mention people from other countries. Yes, you'll feel more comfortable, but what's the point of studying overseas if so?

There's also a general stereotypical mindset that Malaysian Organization or whatever you call them are full of Malays, naive actually to be honest. So what??? Not racism to be honest, but like you said...mixing with your fellow countrymen makes you more comfortable. Utter bull crap if you ask me. My best Malaysian mate is now a Malay girl who shares the same mindset as me. She even told me that Malays think that she's 'Sombong' just because she mixes with people from other ethnic origin. Same goes to me where I join the Americans for occasional Texas Hold'em, Kiwis for touch rugby and basketball...My so-called Malaysian friends start to think that I am a snob for not joining them for clubbing sessions.

Worst of all, just because of a case or two of racist chants from the drunkards on the streets, they started saying bad things about the Kiwis and even proudly mention about how they screwed Caucasians when they were back in Malaysia. There was a day when me and my partner was watching movie in the common room, full of Kiwis, one of them came in and speak Chinese to us in a loud tone. I have no problem with that, but while watching movie? And speaking your native language in a loud manner? Spare some thoughts please.

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Added on March 26, 2008, 8:23 amerm, just something to add on, I've met with a few Muslims from Oman, Indonesia as well as Pakistan. Even though they pray and do pay attention to some religious views, most of them aren't exactly religious as well. I guess that's why they don't bother to buy meats from halal places. Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely no problem with your religion, I'm just sharing my thoughts.

This post has been edited by lilredridinghood: Mar 26 2008, 08:23 AM