once upon a time...

It’s time to pay my tuition fee for new semester. It’s my 9^th semester already can you believe it? I just checked my pictures in my laptop and found some old photos, memorable ones. I don’t think we can take photos like this anymore now. Most of us are separated. We don't live together already. We don't go to campus together already. We are not doing many things together now already.

First semester, we went to campus together by van provided by our agents. Of course, we already paid the transportation fee even before we came here for studies. 

This was taken after exam.
Examination attire: black & white

I remembered how much everyone complaint about this university, including myself. The boys got to bald themselves for orientation week. Some guys escaped by saying ‘I’m a Punjabee I can’t cut my hair’. 

One of the pillars in my university.

Biochemical Laboratorium

We attended practicals in lab together. Those were the time where we all lived under the same roof, in a hostel. It was fun! FUN is like, we really enjoyed ourselves. We were so young and energized that time. We played crazily like small kids when we gathered. I remembered how we celebrated each and everyone’s birthday. Whenever somebody’s birthday is near, we will start keeping eggs till it stinks. Some others would go look for CHEAP birthday cake and bought extra cream to add on top of the cake. 

Mixture of margarine and cream on a CHEAP cake.
Of course, we prepared another birthday cake for him.

Splashes of water on him from upstairs.
Note that we kept dirty water with cockroaches in the bin right next to him.

Some guys would prepare dirty water with dead cockroaches in it. Won’t you escape these tricks? Not to forget the flours! We threw flours too! We won’t stop running and hunting until the security guard scolded us. There was once the guard got so angry he locked the water supply to our rooms so that we couldn't wash ourselves =.=! but our men are smart! They would secretly go unlock it! XD

Second semester of studies, we, Malaysian Chinese in Medan decided to organize a dinner. We worked together, we looked for sponsors together, we sold tickets together, we practiced for performances together, we prepared gifts and souvenirs together! We divided jobs well. 

Our break dance coach.

Modern dance choreographed by Lorna Ting.

I’m not good in dancing but I joined them. I attended 3 dinners that semester and I was the master of ceremony for 2 of the dinners.

2 of the MCs in the dinner organized by Malaysian Chinese Cultural Club

sang with my senior, Terecia (just graduated as a dentist) in the dinner organized by Dental Student Committee

Third semester, we all shifted out. We rented house since the hostel was meant for the first years. I lived with all the dentistry Malaysian Chinese students. They are helpful. We study and do things together. Juniors are here. We ‘bullied’ them. I remembered how one of the guy juniors was asked to dance. It’s easy to recognize who are the juniors, who are the seniors. Spot for the botaks they’re the juniors!

We have no other family here in Medan. We celebrated Mid Autumn Festival together. We had games. We chose the most popular seniors of the year.

Johnathan Lin and Li Ting

We chose a colour as our theme and everyone must wear that colour. Those who didn’t will end up like this.

Forth semester, we organized a bigger Chinese New Year Auspicious Dinner! We had around 600 guests. We had improved from the previous dinner. This time, we invited magicians. We rented a grand piano.

Piano duet by Li Ting and Zheng Kang.

Masters of Ceremony of the night.

It was the first time I present myself to campus activity. It was Sports Day in the Faculty of Dentistry. I only went for the bazaar on the closing ceremony =P

Penutupan Porseni
Li Ting's classmates (2007 class)

There was once a photographer came and asked me and a few friends for a photo. I thought he was one of the crews working on my university’s website. Few months later, I got to know that he was actually hired by an agency, to promote this university in Malaysia.

P.S. I didn't come under this agency =.=!
This photo is up in the newspaper lately =P

Fifth semester, we went to Air Terjun 2 Warna together. It took us 3 hours to the waterfall and another 3 hours to get out from the place. Exhausting but it’s all worth!

I was shivering when we captured this.

 It seems to us like the Malaysian Chinese in this town has got nothing else better to do. This semester we organized a gathering for ourselves and we named this gathering “Just For Fun (JFF) Awards Dinner”. Guess what award I got? Best Dressed! We chose these according to votes.

I was asked to help the dental supplier from Beijing as a translator in the 4^th Regional Dental Meeting and Exhibition in Medan.

Alex (dental supplier from Beijing), Albert, Li Ting, Zheng Kang

Sixth semester, it was hectic yet happening! I didn’t go home for Chinese New Year because I only have a day for holiday. I never dare to skip classes because I had a lot of practical that semester. This Chinese New Year is the second CNY I visited the temple at 12AM sharp! Perhaps I was a little too greedy. My 2^nd wish didn’t come true. Perhaps it is all FATE? We will always meet the wrong one before we get to find the right one.

Wrote my wish down on a paper provided by the temple and hung it on the tree.
Not all my wishes came true but most importantly, my 1st and 3rd wish came true ^.<

we gambled!

 My friends and me went to Tuk-tuk. It was my 3^rd time to Lake Toba. It was way more FUN than the previous time maybe because we wandered around and explored the island together. This was the first time I rode on a motorcycle for 1.5 hours just for a hot spring! And guess what, we stayed at the hot spring for less than 15 minutes!

outside the hot spring

boys at the hot spring

I joined the seniors for odd job at a place named Bukit Lawang. I learned a lot here. 2 days 1 trip here was quite exhausting. The bus broke down so we waited till night for them to repair the bus to fetch us back to Medan.

Seventh semester, it started with Junior Clerkship where we went for duty at a hospital for a week. It is the semester I did my thesis. I rushed my work every day. I was lucky getting a very nice and helpful lecturer to guide me. Mid Autumn Festival this year had blue colour as its theme instead of pink and red for the previous years. Blue LOOKED GOOD too!

I attended another odd job, in an Islamic school. This was different from the previous odd job because we only deal with kids here. It’s more to pediatric dentistry.

I'm as tall as the kids =P

Due to the registration for my graduation as a scholar, I stayed in Medan in December instead of going home. I helped my junior to take care of his hamsters but one of them died. I felt so guilty. I buried it outside my house.

Eighth semester was a challenging one. This was my first time celebrating my birthday in Medan. My Malaysian friends here gave me surprised ‘knock on the door’ at 12AM sharp. I opened the door and saw this cake with candle lit on it with balloons all around BUT with nobody! Then they suddenly just ‘hello-ed’ me =.=! My family came for my convocation. I was very happy that day. My hard work was paid. I managed to get my academic years shorten by 6 months!

Then I entered clinical life. It’s like working life. Difference is that, we spend instead of earning here. I couldn’t believe I’m now in my 4^th department already and I have only 3 departments LEFT! I celebrated Chinese New Year here again where I went for 2 reunion dinner. I think I’m closer with my juniors comparing with my batchmates. They’re like my family here. Never look down on these boys. They all professional chef!

reunion dinner with my batchmates

reunion dinner with my Medan family.

Medan flood on the April fool where I thought my friends were fooling me. I went out and was stuck out there for 12 hours.

entrance of my faculty

Juniors asked me to join a Buddhism event. I joined for the first time and loved it very much. Not the event, I only loved the last part where we lit up lantern with our wishes on it.

I had my 4^th trip to Lake Toba! This time is a little different. It was a sudden plan. It was an adventure. Life of a co-assistant is full of excitement and stress. It all depends to how we respond to what is happening around us.

What will happen in this ninth semester? There were a few things I’m expecting. My friends and I had discussed about the coming orientation for new students. Every year around this time, the seniors will be so excited, thinking of ways to ‘bully’ the juniors. I’ll start extracting teeth next week. Hopefully everything goes well. 

North Sumatra University Hospital

Finally, something we should be proud of about my university. A teaching hospital is built. It was said to start operating early next year. Guess what! The North Sumatra University Hospital is the biggest teaching hospital in Indonesia. It’s looking good from the outside and I loved the color they chose for the hospital! No one had entered and take a look in the hospital yet except for the workers since it’s still under construction. They had been telling us about building this hospital since I was here in my first semester. Now I’m in my 8^th semester already. Sadly, I won’t have the chance to use it. Juniors are lucky but pity them at the same time. Their tuition fee had been raised to quite a big number due to this teaching hospital.

What does a GIRL want from her LOVED ONES in a relationship?

What does a girl want from her loved ones in a relationship? I’ve read back the post I scribbled months ago about 10 DON’Ts when you’re breaking up. So it reminds me of this, scribbling something about relationship about what exactly a girl wants from a relationship. Guys, girls are not complicated creature like you imagined. We’re just as complicated as you =) So, what does a girl want from her loved ones in a relationship?

1.       Love

2.       Care

3.       Faith

4.       Communication

5.       Understanding

6.       Toleration

7.       Maturity

8.       Responsibility

9.       Loyalty

10.   Time

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.