I have arrived at Singapore like… two weeks ago. On January 17, 2009. At first, I was really confused about what I have to do. Because I was a week late (the semester in NUS started on January 12), the classes are already begun, the briefings and the welcome parties are already finished. So I have to find a chance to mingle and make friends by myself. I don’t really wanna be late, though. But my final exams in UGM made me late. At that time I just realized, I won’t get any holiday then. Because as soon as I finished my semester in UGM, then I have to start a new semester in NUS. My first thought was, “oh well, then I’m gonna have one year full of courses, classes, tutorials, and other activities that keep me busy, and no holiday??!!” but on the other hand, I’m really excited to begin the new semester in NUS, because it’s gonna be a really good experience for me, I know it’s going to be useful for my future. So, let’s not think about holiday, I said to myself.
First thing I did is find some friends, at least in my cluster in PGP Residence. I feel a bit awkward because everybody already know each other, and they are already settling down as well. So I spent my first day in PGP with Sita, my fellow Indonesian for TF-NUS LEaRN. She arrived 10 days before me. So she already knows the situation, and I asked her almost everything. But then I know I shouldn’t friends only with Sita. Luckily, I brought some souvenirs from Indonesia. So I used them as a way to make friends. Some girls in my cluster found them really nice and later I don’t feel that awkward anymore. Most of them are nice girls. The rest? I just never met them. At least till now.
The chance to make friends also come when the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) set a “Get-To-Know Host Family” Programme. It was a dinner, and also a chance to celebrate CNY, they gave us this goodiebags with oranges in it. And finally I met fellow TF-NUS LEaRN Participants from various countries. India, Philipine, China, HongKong, etc. Too bad I didn’t meet my host family that night. But the OSA told me they will send e-mail to inform me about my hostfamily. So I guess I just keep waiting.
I also make friends in my classes. One of them are going to UGM next semester! I’m so excited about it. So now she’s accompanying me here in NUS, tell me this and that, and later I’ll be her guide in Indonesia. Oh, her name is Therese by the way. She is Singaporean and she is a really nice person. She keeps practicing Bahasa Indonesia with me. And we often go out together for supper or lunch. I also introduce her to my Indonesian friends, Jennifer, and of course Sita.
Oh, I almost forgot. The main activity of TF-NUS LEaRN actually is to enrich leadership and network, and the participants should fulfill 10 hours community service and work as volunteer in several voluntary clubs at NUS. it’s arranged by NUSSU and it allocated us, the participants, to certain voluntary club based on our interests and our preferences. I’m allocated to MINDS Fernvale, a project for disable children. I haven’t start the volunteer work yet, I guess it will be started on February 14.
But before that, I had this workshop for volunteer development, held on January 24 by NVAC (NUSSU Volunteer Action Committee). That’s where they introduce every community service clubs and projects, and then we can choose which project that we want to be involved. I also made some friends in that workshop. The workshop itself was really interested. I learned how to do first aid, and also the most interesting part is the balloon sculpting course. We’re taught how to create a rabbit, dog, and flower from balloons.
Right now, I’m still waiting for the info of my hostfamily, the volunteering work, and also I start struggling with my moduls. The courses and the tutorials need my full attention, and that means I need to study harder. For me, so far life in NUS is getting more exciting and I really can’t wait for my voluntary work. Though sometimes I still feel homesick, but I try to not really think about it and start to make more friends.
That’s my first two weeks in NUS. More stories about NUS and my activity here will be coming soon!!
