Recent Issac

Is 4am now, just suddenly feel like wanna write something... Let's talk about anything which happens on me recently..
First of all, as I said, I have changed my courses to Geography and sociology, I know that's kinda weird, heaps of people said that. But I think just do something which is interesting will be fine. For Geography, my specific courses will be natural environment and environmental science. Therefore, I will have several field trips to go and do reports something like that, that's sounds hard eh? That's cool though, I like it...And we just went to a field trip last 2 weeks, lazy to post the pics here, have posted them up in facebook.. For Sociology, is actually a study about our social life, almost everything, music, media, culture, etc..Besides that, I am busy in uni now, not only because of the HKSS, but I am also one of the representative of my school(School of Geography, Environmental Science and Geology), therefore sometimes need to go and attend some meetings. Not only that, I am in an election for my AUSA committee!!! AUSA(Auckland University Student Association) is a society for all the Auckland Uni students, it is just like a party for students, always voice everything out on behalf of all the students, doing policies. And there are always heaps of people fight so hard for the positions here, just like a political life, I am sure every Uni got one. Therefore, I am now in an election for one of the committee position, my profile and statements will be published in my Uni magazine, so everyone can see it and vote me next week!!!! And I also need to go out to talk and get people to support me(la piao)!!!Haha... I am so excited and kinda nervous now.. However, that's really fun, you know, can do something new in Uni is always amazing, and supported by my lecturers for this election... YEAH!!!!
My social life? SInce I have moved out here, I am having so much fun all the time... I mean before when I was in hall, they have arranged activities for us every week. Now? need to find by myself, I mean every week will now go for a drink with friends, parties(my favourite haha) sing K, or have some dinners, Friday night is always what I am waiting for in every week. Like yesterday night, I went for dinner with my flatmates, for Middle East food, that was so yum but just the proportion was like.... kids meal. But they were just full, and they know I didn't. I just don't understand, why they eat so little but can be this tall, but I eat heaps still look like a kid, UNFAIR!!! Btw, they are cool people, as Emma(1 of my flatmate) said, we are happy shinny people, always having happy shinny lives.. Yeah.. they are, and so am I..
Have been moving out so far, everything is cool, I mean sometimes of coz you will feel like lonely because not that many people live with you, and my flatmates are usually quite busy, but being 'quiet' at certain moment is cool, cool you down, think something, do your works.. Now, Issac is a whole brand new Issac, more capable, even more outgoing, I think.. haha... let me be a KA, just figure out by yourself what it means.. nitez.. oh yeah, people who are reading this, mind to leave me your address? I mean like Meilee, or people who I dont have, feel like wanna send you guys something.. haha

大學生的校園生活

當大家在埋頭苦幹為明天的測驗、作業而發奮的時候，你又知不知道別人在幹什麼呢？
每個星期的週末，在街上閒逛的你，又知不知道其他大學生在幹什麼呢？

身為二十世紀的大學生，恐怕再也沒有多少個書呆子，光看書而不參與任何社交圈子了，因為這個社會更要求學生們能做個“全能新鮮人”，以配合這個世代一日千里 的步伐。其實，更正確的應該是學生們多了分活躍與好動（只不過是好玩，懶散的代名詞）。根據大學的一分調查顯示，高達８５％的學生都是“臨時抱佛腳”（你 包括在內嗎？），這可能也是現時大學生的代言詞吧！

大學生，就是忙著搞學生會，參與學校的活動，擴大社交圈子。從這裡，學生可以自由發揮，無論是搞創作、外交、甚至是電臺廣播人，只要你有誠意與熱情，無數 的機會就等待著你。每當奧大新學期的適應周，就有著不少學生參與這一項活動，帶領新學生，加入大學這一個既新奇，卻又陌生的大家庭。幾乎每一天，都有著不 同的節目在學校的學生廣場舉辦著，演奏會，歌唱表演，就連赤裸裸的喝酒比賽也有，老外所辦的活動，就是令人大開眼界。當然，還有那些一年一度的周年晚會，不管是男生或女生，都會把自己最耀眼的一面呈現在他人面前，要別人對你刮目相看，做個有魅力的大學生。

大學生，就是和運動畫上等號。大部分的學生都有一手“看家本領”。每逢週末，就有不少學生會到大學的健身中心打球，練瑜珈，以做到“文武雙全”。每年學校都有舉辦各式各樣的運動比賽，讓一臉書卷氣的書生們換了武裝，拋開書本來作戰，散發年輕人應有的陽光氣息。輸贏往往更不是最重要的，而是參與的那一個過程，認識新朋友，多了志同道合的好友。陽光活潑就是年輕的大學生們，永遠充滿衝勁、無憂無慮地為念書而念書，為遊戲而遊戲，就像匹野馬，勇往直前。

大學生不就是年輕人啊！總會做一些無聊、荒唐而有難忘的事情。閒逛、吃飯、看電影樣樣不能缺。瘋狂的玩意兒，什麼秘密情人、化裝誤會、暗殺者，這一些既另 你感到興奮且難忘的遊戲永遠都會留在你的腦海里。除此以外，恐怕你也嘗試過三更半夜到沙灘、機場或山上看夜景，吃宵夜，和知己度過最美好的一天。這就是年 輕的大學生，青春就是本錢，再瘋狂的事也會去做。.

大學生，就永遠也離不開喝酒、跳舞與派隊。不過，這恐怕是屬於較”老外“的娛樂，因為老外的文化就是無酒不歡，每天在學校與朋友來一瓶啤酒就是聚會，每個 星期去酒吧就是一種消遣，勁歌熱舞就是放鬆，這就是老外。反之，亞洲人去酒吧喝酒，就會給人一個”懷孩子“的映像，甚至會被稱為自甘墮落，自毀前程，好像 被判了死刑似的。因為這不是亞洲人的文化，亞洲人一般只回去茶座或咖啡館，和朋友聊上好幾個小時。雖然是不同的文化，但大家都是手捧飲料，和好友暢談。

大學生，就是對這個花花世界有著無比的好奇心，想要好好地探索一番。因此，有不少大學生會在念書期間，趁著一些假期而往外跑，去一些沒去過的地方，做一些以前不敢做的事，提起被囊，成為一個流浪人，向世界出發。或是一班人朋友，三五成群地去遊玩，增添大學生生活更精彩的一面。讀前卷書倒不如走萬里路，這就是很多人都嚮往的吧！但是，往往“流浪人”又是另外一個屬於老外的活動，因為亞洲父母常說，“別周圍去，待會兒壞人拐了你”。結果，環境的約束使到亞洲孩子較為內向，而不去流浪了。

大學生，永遠別忘了，是時候讀書了！無論你有多豐富的節目，自立是你身為大學生的必備條件，你要在適當的時候再次拿起那山那麼高的書本，猛啃進腦子里，應付那決定性的期末考，創不過那一關的話，在精彩的大學生活也都是次要。

因此，大學生的你，看著這一篇文章，又在幹著什麼呢？我？我不就是為了香港學生會而發奮，寫著這一篇文章啊！

Have a long long time didnt post anything here. This is an article I have written and gonna be published in HKSS newsletter, are you doing like what I am saying above? hehe....

BUsy, BuSy, BusY....... Office and SocIAl PoLItics

YOu just can't imagine how busy I am for this week, or maybe for the following weeks. Besides than the full classes everyday, I have in total 18 hours in 4 days, include lectures, labs, tutorials. Because I have just changed my course. Besides that, I need to work in an office of the uni. I also need to do alot of stuffs for the club(Hong Kong Student Society). SOmetimes a few hours in between, I also go to play tennis, my timetable is just full from 9am to 6pm everyday!!! AT nite, will be back home and study. At least I have a meaningful day.
Erm.... Actually also nothing much, that's all... Ya!! I have moved to a new house quite long time, my new address is
21/14, Whitaker Place, Auckland Central, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand.

Have been hea-ing for 2 days this weekend. SO regret....

My life journal

Didn't really have a topic, but just feel fun to post something that I what I have done or what I have met this week.
First of all, after being UniGuide. I went to be Uni Ambassador, wearing this blue shirt at a help desk, help students to sort out whatever problems they have in the Uni. That was one of the happiest moment I am in Uni. Because a few of us in one group, keep chatting, with a 'kind' heart and such 'smiley face' to help students. And because that was the orientation week, we can get a lot of free stuffs, so we just ran around to get free stuffs, with my partner Jeneatte Ma(new best friend), and then shared with our team mates. That was just so much fun, and the really first time I feel belongingness to the UNi.





Besides that, I joined a club, HKSS, like picture above. What you think it is? Is actually HOng Kong Student Society, weird huh? Since I am not from Hong KOng. ANd the first week of lectures I always need to go to the stall to help them out to ask new students to join us. And now I am doing Public Relations, need to find sponsors for our club, and also event in charge. Not small wor.. hahaha.. I also joined tennis club again, long time didn't play=playing so ugly, embarrassing. But surprisingly, the guy who played with me, was actually my TUTOR!!! He told me that he is gonna doing my next tutorial!!OMG, I definitely have to show my best all the time, even while playing tennis with him..
What about my new home? It is just so great, everyday I will go to my friend's place and she cooks for me. But of course, I will then be the washdisher. My flat mates? 2 Kiwi girls and a Kiwi guy, they are Ana, Emma, and Reuben. JUst now, when I was having noodle after badminton session, my flatmate, Emma, cae back from pub, and told me her 'depressing story'. Because she met some guys who are like always looking for 'fuck up'. SHe was like so isolated from them, she just didn't like it. I was quite surprised, I mean how can she doesn't know, or how come she is different from those 'normal fucking people'? Because they are all white. Now I just realize that, there are some white people don't like 'fuck up', haha..And she is just so cute, a Girl 1 year older than me, doing Law.
My study? After long time struggling, I have finally decided to study social science, Geography and Sociology, just did credit transfer. AT least I am doing something quite interesting, going into the lab next week! Those science theories that I have left behind for a few years, now gotta like pick them up, in hot soup now...
Ok, thats all, now lets continue to do my readings. Tomorrow? DOing some shopping, go to my friend's house warming party, and probably will have dinner with my cute cute flatmates. LOve them ^.^

UniGuide n AskMe

Last week, I was staying in my friend's house while looking for a flat. Finally, I have got 1, it is a student flat, flatting with 1 kiwi guy, his 2 sisters, and a french girl. But anyway, the funniest part is today, it was just AWESOME!!!!!!!
I have been in UNi second year now. I have now found that it is so so so interesting. Why I said that? Wasn't I enjoying the uni life so far? Yes, I do. But it is now different, because usually I only went to school, and came back. But today I went to be a uniguide, what it is? Is just being a guide for the new students, because now is the new year, new sem, and there are so many new students here, so we are here trying to help them about everything in the uni. Can you believe that? I mean like I am a small little Asian, and told the Europeans about my Uni, that's awesome right? At the beginning, everyone of us needed to talk to the new kids(but actually they look much more mature than me). I was talking in front of a few hundred new students, about my experience and my tips to survive in the uni, this is the first time for me in the Uni, and I said, "grab your every single opportunity, don't miss it, and also grab the free stuffs here in this week". And it has now become "my sentence", because everyone now knows me because of this sentence. Then in my group, 2 Kiwis, a Samoan, a Sri Lankan, 2 Chinese and Japanese. For a few hours, I brought them around the uni, talked to them to make them feel free, communicate with them, and I also need to follow up with them, to help them whenever they meet any problem and to get into this new uni experience. The experice is just SO MUCH FUN!!!! Because when u try to help the new kids, some of them appreciate it, and I just feel like, I am a part of the Uni, I am here. When I walked in the Uni, everyone was asking me like, "Where are your kids? Hows the tour going?" Everyone around you like knows you now, a spotlight right on you. WHen we finished, everyone of us shares our experience or what we meet along our way, that is just GREAT!!! This girl is one of my best team mate here, so helpful and funny.


Once I finished that, and have some lunch. I went to change my shirt, from red to blue, which with some words "AskMe". I was wearing that, walking around the uni, tried to help some lost students and also helped them to sort out their questions. A similar job, also interesting. And people just appreciate us so much. I now just know that, what's the realy key to survive here... There are alot more to go. I love it now!!! MUackz.....

9 weeks gone

Very quick, time passes, 9 weeks have already passed, and tomorrow will be heading back to Auckland. Even though it is not the first time I be there, or what.. And I miss there, but such feeling like nervous, uncomfortable because of missing here, and others just cant be avoided, thanks guys in Malaysia, see you.... next year, probably.....

Kerikeri, Paihia, Russell, Cape Reinga, Bay of Islands.....

Finally, I now update my blog with my final trip of 2007, which was in Bay of Islands. It is a place up north from Auckland about 3 hours drive. My first destination is in Kerikeri, a very small town, I got a job there, as a zucchini picker, mandarine picker, gardener doing weeding for about 3 weeks in total. Not much money got, but only got 'tiring'!!! However, that was a special experince, just like for me to see this world more.

my empty room in kerikeri, shared with a Macedonian guy, weird people



my hostel, it is really nice, because it is in a jungle, a stream beside the whole compound, therefore the temperature is much colder than out there.

On a free day, I walked around the small town and have a look. Once I was there, there were a lot of people gathering there, and a Maori performance was shown. I was so curios what was going on, and it was actually a culture day of Kerikeri, something like celebrating this small town has been such peaceful, and everyone enjoyed the cultural performance because this town has a long long history, is one of the place in NZ where European landed on the earliest.

Maori performance and almost all the people in this town were there, what a great gathering


Then, the first tourism hot spot is this STONE STORE, it is a store built in stone about 200 years ago by Europeans, and still be kept perfectly even now. It is just like a normal store, selling all those necessities, such as snacks, farming tools, construction stuffs. It was even selling all these stuffs even now, and the shop keepers wore like those country ladies 0f 18th century, unfortunately I forgot to take a picture with them. ehehe... They are just so nice, explaining to me everything about the store, and NZ early history, I love that.... It looked so nice from far here, right? And some pictures of the inside




This is the first villa in NZ, villa is one type of NZ architecture style, the idea was from Europe obviously. Everything in there is still remaining the same like 200 years ago...


This is the view from a far distance, the stone store, Victoria Villa, and the church(first church in NZ). Nice eh? And blue sky today, weather is just so nice...




This is one of the house I went to do weeding, with a canadian girl. That house was owned by an old man who was a pilot. Front there is a big garden, in fact, weeds are actually much more than those plants =.= Back there, surprisingly facing a bay, he told us he could even see dolphins swim up here in certain season.



I also did weeding in another house which was owned by an old couple, they treated me so so good, you cant even believe it, gave me high paid, paid me even lunch hour, made me some lunch and baked a cake, talked to me about everything, I just loved them so much and still contact with them with email now...They always say, they are not old, but just more experience than others, and they are still travelling around, unfortunately forgot to take picture with them....
Simply take a nice sunset, realize that sunset here is just so nice. At night, you can see uncountable stars hanging on the sky, really uncountable!!! You wont believe it if I say like this.


Soon, it was one week before Christmas, but they just started celebrating it, maybe they've got nothing to do I think... hehee... So a Christmas Parade was there and so many people on the main street of Kerikeri, looking at those cars and some people passing by, some performances as well. Actually it was nothing much, I mean the celebration is 'peaceful'. But it was so warm, and a few people even went over me and talked to me about the traditional celebration in Kerikeri, maybe I look obviously a tourist I think... So nice, this prooves that Small town people are much nicer than city people, but of course, Kiwis in city are also AWESOME....




This is the zuchhini farm where I worked, got low paid, heavy labour, but just for experince. Because you know? These vegetables grow on the ground, and we need to bend down our body to cut it off and put it in our buckets. I always did almost 8 hours a day, you just cant imagine how pain my back was. A rabbit always appeared here and we called him Peter. oh yea!! This is one of my friend in the farm, Yoko of japan...




After this three working weeks, I finally got some money and ready to travel around North part of NZ. This is the first place called Cape Reinga, with my Japanese friend, Makiko. Cape Reinga, the most northern part of NZ, at this point, there is nothing here, only a light house which still be used and a sign board whoch showed some other cities. On that day, that was heavy mog there and everything was just unclear. However, it brought another mysterious side of of Cape Reinga, just like in heaven. At this point, when you stand the most northen part of NZ, close your eyes, feel the cold, listen to birds singing and waves. Once you open your eyes, just like you are at the end of the world, just hard to describe here, limited Enlish ability... hahaha







Then, we went to a very high sand mountain, to have fun with sandbaords!!!! Which I have been dreaming for so long. Some pictures I havent got from my Japanese friend, but this is how it look, but actually it look much awesome because the mountain is just so so so high!!! You will feel like you are in a desert, and you will be scared when you are going down with the board. But I have also made 3 times, cant do more because you have to climb up that high, TIRED!!!



Next, we went to Ninty Miles Beach, it is actually just a beach, but very long, about 45miles(ninty just a name). We were there, looked around. And the tour guide picked something like mussels but not mussells and let us try. That was just so so delicious!!!! I dont even know that those fresh food can be that fresh!!! With some salty taste, just yummy!!!!! Pictures of the beach here not clear, because of cloudy day and my camera is not that good.



After that, I went to Paihia from the bus, and Makiko, my best friend here left me and back to kerikeri, wish her good luck and all the best. She is really a backpacker, have been more than 10 countries. Anyway, I just got a room there and have a nice sleep that night, just too tired. An Irish guy in my room took off all his cloths and slept =.=""" dunno wanna yik who.. haha...
The next day, the weather was just so so so bad, what I have planeed was just cant go in my way. Initially, I was planning to book a trip for a boat trip to some islands around Bay of Islands, swimming with dolphin and surfing. But now, all cant go... Therefore, after information and blow wAter with the staffs at the counter, they gifted me a ferry ticket to Russell. I think that was only what I can do. Russell is a much smaller town than Kerikeri, only a few hundreds people, most of them are working in tourism industry and Oyster picking. But the terrible weather made me so suffering, and I can only have a few cups of coffee at that moment.



Then, I booked a mini trip there, just a small van brought me around some places in Russell places within 1 hour, cost 20 bucks.. what even more freaking was that, I was the only tourist in that trip =.= Then what I can do? Of course fat fai my blow water power with that tour guide!!! Superb blowing water with her in that hour, but of course she has explained all those places and history of Russell. Russell was the capital of NZ in a small period before when European just landed in here. However, some other cities with other reasons made them become the capitals, like Auckland, but now Wellington. because of the terrible weather, I also couldnt take many pictures, only a few for memory. But 1 thing is really significant, 1 hour blowing water power, I have known the tourist's background, where's her house, husband's occupation, their goal, relatives and many others... Issac Neng... ng hai long dak hui ming... hahaha...






Rainny night, could never make me feel peace.... hahahaha... I just went to pub with my new friends in hostel, and met up with some others. Finally, 8 of us drank and dance from 1 pub to another. Only 1 night, I have been 4 pubs!! hahaha... that was just so much fun, I was there alone, suddenly met up with some people, all of us have fun, dance and drink together, and I am the youngest and only Asian. A Canadian, a Netherlander, 2 Germans, a South African, a Latin American, a English, a Russian, and I... weird combination again....


The next morning, rainny day has not been stopped at all...Can you believe 4 days rainning continuously, non stop at all??? However, this ***ing thing just happened on me, messed up my plan, and I couldn't travel like what I was hoping for...Because I was also planning to do skydive, now this weather just made me pissed off!!!!
Therefore, I went to a place called Waitangi, where a handover agreement was signed by European and Maori, therefore it is also a national heritage of Maori culture. I was just looking around there, and enjoying performances of Maori, you just cant believe how well they can sing even without any musical instrument..




After the visit of NZ heritage and historical place. I walked back to the jetty, and hope the weather will be fine and I can have the final chance to get out from the land. Finally, I DID IT!!! the staffs told me that the weather was just slightly better, therefore I can only go for the trip with DOLPHIN WATCHING,NOT SWIMMING, and visit HOLE IN THE ROCK. I was actually happy, because I could go for a new place where I havent been, even though not as good as I expected. However, it was a nightmare unfortunately.... Initially, it wasnt that bad, because I met my roomates there, another 3 Enlish stayed in my room, and also the bian tai naked Irish guy... what a conscidence? Then we just blow for a while. because the weather wasnt that nice, and the boat just cant stay that peace... up and down, left and right just non stop, I almost wanna throw out, but an old lady beside me and feeling really good, of coz I need to.... haiz.... pretending like nothing and blow water with her.... When arrived at the HOLE IN THE ROCK, it is really a big hole in the rock, natural environament is just so powerful... On the way back, we stayed calm for a while for waiting the dolhins to appear... Finally, about 2 or 3 were at the far away distance from us, I cant even see clearly with my eyes!!! Then the captain said:"Wow!!! What a nice dolphin here today, we are just lucky, but we can probably see more than this if the weather is better. But dolphins are just too nice there... Ok, we have finished our DOLPHIN WATCHING, and now heading back." DEng him ar... waste me so much money, time, see the far away dolphins, and only be there less than 5 mins. You know? this 2 hours trip cost me 80NZD!!! But also because of the terrible weather... hate it ar!!!!! hmm.....






Once I got up to the jetty, I got back my backpacks, and ran to catch my bus which was heading back to Auckland. THis 1 month working and travelling trip gave me so much, like experience of travelling DIY and alone, new friends, knowledge, and a lot others. Sometimes, you just cant estimate that how much the return will be when you travel, it just SO SO MUCH... Travelling alone as a backpacker is now my habit, I love it, will also do it more and more... This year 2008, I might have alot others to do, wait and see.. hehe....