4th visit. ENJOYED!

This is my 4^th time traveling to Lake Toba. Yes I love this place. I always go to this place for a short trip and this time it’s as short as 2 days 1 night. This sudden plan is FUN. It’s an ADVENTURE! I received call nearly midnight asking me to go for this trip, saying we’ll explore ourselves this time, we’ll take the public transport and ask around about the way. Wow~ before we’re there it already sounded so FUN! So there we are the 4 of us, packed and gathered at 7am. We took the public transport like the one we always take to campus. We were chatting on the way. None of us know the way to the bus station but we worry not. We enjoyed the ride. The mini bus driver was nice. He told us when we were there at the bus station. It is different here at Amplas. In Malaysia, we would need to get a ticket before we get into a bus. Here, we just climb into the bus and get our seat. Remember not to leave your seat as others would take yours later.

the ferry we took

They will then collect the bus fare on the way and all the way going to Parapat, there were passengers going up and down the bus. By the middle of the way, the bus is so full, the passengers got to stand in the lane in the bus and yet the bus driver is driving so fast. 4 hours journey is long for me, I brought my cute headphones with me. Arrived to Parapat, we took ferry to Samosir Island. It was so hot that day. 4 of us walked around looking for hotel rooms to rent. Of course, we looked for affordable ones. We asked and walked around and finally decided to spend a night at Samosir Cottage. It’s a good place. Great scenery, better than the one I stayed in my 3^rd trip to Lake Toba. 

Let's go Samosir Island

Fish farm in drizzling rain

making his Chapter 24's wishes

They said girls took longer time for shower so the guys went renting motorcycles while we were getting ready. After shower, we had our first meal of the day. We’re hungry dead! The portion there was big. We’re lucky we have guys around. They helped with our food. It was raining. We went around taking photos. Coincidently it was one of my friends’ birthday and we gave him a little surprised simple celebration. I guess it wasn’t that surprised for him though. We couldn’t find a cake in any of the bakery there so we ended up buying breads, those we love from Samuel’s. Birthday bread looked good too!

my first holiday since I entered clinical year

A simple and relaxing trip is good for us who are in our clinical now. Take a day or two to free ourselves from our stressful life with friends is awesome! That’s how we should pamper ourselves.

Tsunami after massive Japan quake made me worry

I just heard about the news that Japan was struck by a magnitude-8.9 earthquake off its northeastern coast, triggering a 4-metre tsunami that washed away cars and tore away buildings along the coast near the epicentre today at 0546 GMT. I thought of the Kato family once I see Alex’s post in facebook. I’m worried. I’m down. I’ve lost contact with them recently. We used to email our recent photos to each other. Sometimes I would post them a CD or cards. I didn’t know why I couldn’t email them now already. Hotmail had been giving me delivery failed notifications since the day of my graduation here. I thought of sending them pictures of me graduating. I looked around in my room here in Medan for their number. I remembered I called them from Indonesia before and had a short conversation with them about my studies here. *slaps of regret* I should have keep all these important numbers properly. It wasn’t saved in my phone and I really didn’t know why. I hope they are fine over there. I bless them with all my heart!

This feeling now was exactly like the time I felt on the 26^th December 2004. Remember the Tsunami that year which hit the Pacific region including Sumatra, Indonesia? I was in Japan that time and there were news which says Tsunami hits Malaysia around Penang too. That morning, okasan (it means ‘mother’ in Japanese) woke me up quickly to tell me about it because she wasn’t sure which part of Malaysia am I from and I quickly called home to ask about my family’s condition. Now, on the 11^th March 2011, I’m in North Sumatra, Indonesia having the same feeling for them in Japan.

My ‘family’ is in Nagoya. All I can do now is just to pray for them.

I remember I promised them I would visit them once I complete my high school. Too bad, the year I completed my high school was a very busy year for me. I attended National Service, took a fast-track course of Foundation in Science and continued by entering the university for my first year. Then I told them I might come when I graduate from this university. I miss them. I miss the triplets. Let’s just hope my ‘family’ and friends there are safe and sound. Pray for them. God bless!

Hello, I'm NEW in dentistry

I never had holiday since I entered my co-assistant life. Being a co-assistant is not as easy as many people think. Now I finally understand how dangerous it is being a dentist. This coming week will be my 6^th week in clinical. I already got eye infection, infection at my lacrimal gland. A week after I had my first infection, I got another one at the same eye. It was so painful. It hurts even when I blinked! Not only that, it itches. I went to the ophthalmologist, she only gave me anti-microbial to ease the itch.

This is how I dress up ever since I got my eye infections. There was once where the patient asked why I must put on that big mask. Face shield mask is to protect my entire face especially when I'm doing scaling for the patients.

The first week of my clinical life was all about applications and tests. They gave us a pretest, just because they wanted us to study at home. What are our scores in the pretest? It doesn’t matter because they will only count our post-test results. Then we started looking for patients for the 2^nd week. Oh, the question is why do we LOOK FOR patients? LOL. Of course, there are patients who came to clinic but why do I still go look for patients? Well, I guess the answer is because I want to get my minimum requirements done on time so that I can graduate on time. We have 32 co-assistants in the current department I’m working at and we only have 10 dental units. Working hours on Monday till Thursday will be 9AM – 2PM; Friday 9AM – 12PM; Saturday 9AM – 1PM. We have to be there at least an hour earlier to sterilize and prepare all the things we need of the day. Last patient only can come in 2 hours before the clinic close. We all must ‘fight’ for the units to use, otherwise we won’t get our minimum requirements done.

Apart from the dental unit problems, we also have problems with patients. There are some treatments where patients have to come for a few visits. In case of patient who didn’t come for the required visit, then our lecturer will cancel our case and we will need to find a new case and treat the new patient again. There is a case we need to handle, which is to call back the old patients who come more than 3 months earlier to come back for checkup. So there, needless to say, we used loads of credit on phone calls for sure. I think I really look like one of those insurance agents, calling people nonstop to tell them to come back for checkup. Some answered us politely, giving us reasons why they couldn’t come back. Some would scold. Some changed numbers. I called one, who had passed away. I got no idea what I should say other than the word sorry to the family. I seriously never thought co-assistants have to do all this phone-calling jobs. Sighs.

We are all already stressed out of the problems we’re facing and there, the biggest problem of all, I shall say is our lecturers. We have to know which lecturer favors what kind of students. There is a lecturer who prefers us to use English rather than Indonesian language, for example. We have to discuss with lecturers about how we are going to treat the patients. They want us to do things fast and yet they always delay us for the discussion what treatment should be done. How ridiculous. There was once where I went meeting this one lecturer, he looked so sleepy, he told me to wait a while. Right after he said so, he slept on his table. WHAT! I’m stunned. I was so speechless. That case of mine had been pending for 2 weeks. Even the patient called to ask me for her next schedule. Sighs.

Perhaps it is all the university’s fault. Everything looks just so disorganized. Getting into clinical life is all about learning and practice all by ourselves. I heard the next batch of new co-assistants will be entering clinical in the April. I wish them luck joining us in this new life. Well I really hope hospitals in Malaysia won’t have problems like this when I’m back later.

Well, there are also fun in clinical life. I had new friends here.

We went supporting our faculty's soccer team previously in their match with another faculty, I forgot which.

That was the first time I'm watching live in Medan. I still don't understand the game though. We just went there and supported with one of the lecturers.

Sarjana Kedokteran Gigi 22/01/2011

I graduated! I mean I got my bachelor already ^^ I still have approximately 2 years to go for my clinical years in Medan. My convocation was on the 22^nd January.

I went home immediately on the night after my convocation. It was a tiring day for me and my family. My family came to Medan on the 21^st morning and arrived to my house while I was in the useless rehearsal at the Auditorium USU. They threatened us to attend and said they won’t give us our certificate for those who didn’t attend the rehearsal. I had my friend sent me to the salon for hairdo and make-up. I took the package where my family will have the photo-shooting in the studio later after my convocation.

The studio told us to be there by 5am. My friend told me she’ll be here by 4.30am, so mummy and I woke up at 3.45am for shower already. Then we waited for more than an hour because my friend couldn’t wake up early =.= So we rushed a little in the studio together. The make-up artist there was professional I say? She only used few minutes and *poof* make up done!

Hairdo and make up were done on time but we still arrived there late because I forgot the big black coat of mine =.= How forgetful. I felt so sorry because we’ll need to take a big round to reach the studio again.

As usual, programs held in Medan are not punctual. It started late and it took ages to end. It was boring inside especially while waiting for the 405 medical students to get up to the stage just to shake hands. I see many parents slept. My brother, who was sitting upstairs, told me some even slept with snores. I asked papa ‘what if I fall on the stage?’ papa giggled =.=

When everything’s ended, we had photo session outdoor with friends and family.

I didn’t take many photos though since I need to rush back to PLATINUM again. I’ll be sharing the photos when I got them later ^^ Sorry for the late post. Had written this a week after the convocation actually, but I hadn’t got much time for blog lately.

wedding reception invitation card

I received my first invitation to a wedding dinner. In the past, I always attend wedding dinner with family. So, the invitation card will be addressed to my dad’s name AND FAMILY. That’s how they always wrote it. This time it is different. It is one of my BFF in Medan’s brother’s wedding. So she gave me this invitation card with my name written on it. I see 2 differences between invitation cards used by Chinese in Malaysia and Chinese in Medan. What are they?

First, the colour of the card. In Malaysia, I always see invitation cards in RED or PINK with gold writings on it. Red brings luck and mean prosperity to Chinese. The one I received from my friend here is different. The card is in light yellow with a cover outside the card in dark cocoa colour. I’ve never seen Chinese wedding invitation card using dark colour like this. The card they’re using here is the thick, something like hard cover. I guess it must cost a lot just to print these invitation cards.

Second, the small sign by the end of the page. I’m a Chinese who didn’t really know to read Chinese because I studied in an English school since young. I’m still learning to read Chinese now. So I was reading the card that night with a friend next to me teaching me the words. Guess what, they translated all the addresses from Indonesian language to Chinese language. That must be hard because reading it was hard. Then I see these signs down there. I’ve never seen signs like this in the card we received in Malaysia.

They told me, the first round sign meant RED PACKET, the second round sign meant NO FLOWERS, and the last round sign meant NO GIFTS. As conclusion, it meant “we DO NOT accept flowers and gifts, we ONLY ACCEPT RED PACKETS.” WOW~ I’ve never gave red packet to anyone. Dr. William and his wife must be feeling honored LOL.

I’ve asked around my Malaysian Chinese friends. At my place, those who haven’t married will be giving gifts as to congratulate the newlywed. Only married couples will be giving red packets to the newlywed couple. At some other places in Malaysia, they will always give red packet no matter the invited guests are married or not. Perhaps this is what people say ‘different place having different culture’?

Ethan's belated birthday celebration

Ethan was given birth on the same day as me =) He wasn’t here in Medan on the 2^nd day of January so we had a little celebration for his belated birthday just few hours ago. His girlfriend went dinner with him first while Roxanne, Kam Hoong, and I went to the mall looking for a mouse as a birthday gift. Of course, not those mouse that can breathe! I didn’t know what to give him best. Roxanne told me his mouse is spoilt so I thought of getting him a mouse for game. I guess he would love it since See Theng told me once that he loves DOTA. Too bad, the one I looked around in the mall just now was way too much than my budget and we ran out of time so in the end I just get him a simple USB extension =.+!

3 of us went to Clover to get him a birthday cake. We chose Chocolate Pudding cake and it was yummy-licious!

We called for taxi and again they ignored us sighs. I already called to reserve a room in K2 Karaoke. Ethan and his girlfriend were already there an hour ago. We arrived there late so leaving us no room. We changed plan. Preparation for Plan B was done on the 2^nd floor of the Karaoke centre. The workers there helped out. They were nice! Thanks to them we didn’t used too much time. I prepared the cake with candle. Roxanne was busy choosing hats and masks.

Kam Hoong used all energy he had to fill the balloons with air. Balloons again! These balloons looked way better than mine the other day but anyway, I still love them =)

Everything's prepared. Time to move to the room!

Once everything’s ready, we went into the room. Both of them in the room were scared. They thought we were robbers LOL what a joke! Seriously, they looked a little frightened but we never thought they would think us as robbers =.=! Perhaps it is because Kam Hoong’s wearing black and with mask.

Does this look like a robber? He went in like this, with a hat, a mask, and blowing that I don't know what we call it.

Robber 2.

Robber 3.

Then, the next thing was as usual, sang song, made belated wish, blew off candle, and time to open up presents.

After that, were all about song singing until about an hour later. We got home by taxi together. Roxanne was caring as usual to remind me about locking my doors and all.

We all said we would put the photo of ourselves with mask as our profile picture and both the belated birthday boy and girl had a little different one.

Ethan lil' ting

Staying home alone for about 10 days wasn’t that bad after all. I actually enjoyed staying myself here, alone. I wasn’t lonely. Feeling lonely is not about you being alone. Feeling lonely is because no one cares but there are a lot of them who cares for me here and I really do appreciate these people. See Theng had been accompanying me all the while. She had dinner with me every day. She came back from the hospital to have dinner together. I’m not sure if she did it on purpose. At least she cared =) Roxanne, on the other hand, would make sure I really lock myself in the house before she heads home herself. These big sisters of mine are GREAT sisters. I would like to say thank you again for taking good care of me here sisters!

22nd birthday

It was my 22^nd birthday yesterday. I thought staying here in Medan myself would be lonely. I thought I would go through my birthday myself for the first time. To my surprise, on the very first day of this year, 2011, my girlfriends had posted and shared a video they made. I was touched. I was happy. I was speechless even though the short video was nothing much. I would celebrate my birthday with these girls every year and this year is the first year without them and they managed to make me feel they’re here next to me this birthday with the cake in front of me at my screen. I love you girls!

My brother rang me at 12am sharp (Malaysia time) saying nobody else could call me that time because my brother somehow must be more important than others =) cute little brother I have. We were chatting for so long I guess his credit dried. I hope his girlfriend won’t be mad at him ^^ A while later when I was talking to my brother on the phone, I heard some sound outside. Honestly, I guessed it would be my friends since I received one of the wrongly sent messages saying they’ll make a surprise celebration for me but somehow, staying alone in this house, hearing people knocking the door outside that late, I’m a little scared too.

I tried looking out from the window but it was so dark I can’t see a thing. So I opened the wooden door and there I saw this cake with a candle lit on it and balloons around it! Oh balloons~

I didn’t know when I started fancy them! Then I realized there were a few others outside the gate because only 2 boys jumped in to arrange the cake and all. There we did the usual thing, sang song, made wish, blew candle, cut cake, ate cake and oh ya, Roxanne bought us some fried chicken from Texas.

Chun and Loong both made drink for us. Wei Sheng was busy taking photos =)

Bong asked why we didn't take photo of him preparing stuff so he pretended this and we took it =X

Then See Theng and Bong argued over the plan of surprise party they wanted to do. It’s so funny to see See Theng would argue with others all the time.

See Theng told me what she planned. The one we celebrated last night was Bong’s plan. See Theng and Roxanne gave me a hat as my birthday present. See Theng said I was hinting her to buy me the hat. I seriously wasn’t hinting you, See Theng! I think the hat I loved was very expensive and not worth it. There’s this hat I saw once in the mall when I went shopping with Bell.

I tried on it and Bell assured me I look good with it, of course because it matches the clothes I wore that day when I went out with her. I told See Theng about it when I went shopping with her, getting present for Ethan. She lied to me saying she needs to work the next day. She actually went and gets the hat for me!

Thank you very much See Theng and Roxanne.

Grandma’s call woke me up. I can’t believe she really remembers every of her grandchild’s birthday! I called her back since the line wasn’t that good and talked for quite a while, telling her about my coming convocation =) I had another session of drama marathon towards evening. See Theng and Roxanne came back from hospital to have dinner with me. The restaurant named The Paddock is still new.

I thought they should be providing us better service. To our disappointments, their service sucks, their food are tasteless, and they’re expensive!

This cup of carrot juice on the left costs Rp. 15.000 (around Rm5.50) and iced tea on the right costs Rp. 8.000 (around RM2.90) OMG! Just a glass of iced tea!

I hope there won’t be any spot check in the hospital right now or else I wonder what will happen to these two girls, running out of the hospital without permission to have dinner.

Besides, there were many who wished me online, also via sms. Some even called me and sang birthday song for me. I appreciate all these good friends I have. I love you all buddies! Thanks for the present, thank you for the preparations, thank you for the arrangements, thank you for the celebration, thank you for the surprises, and thanks a lot for the wonderful wishes!