Farhan's first day to school

The first school term of the year starts on 2 Feb. So, it was Farhan's first day of schooling. He reaches 6 years old this coming 21st Feb, the age of compulsory schooling here. Different from Malaysian education system, only kids reaching age of 6 before April of the year have to start schooling. The rest bornt from April onwards will attend school the next year.

Since several weeks before the school started, Farhan had been apprehended of how he's going to deal with school environment without being able to speak and understand English. We tried to converse with him in English to familiarise him with the language, but it seemed rising his worry. Maybe we took wrong approach.

So as expected, he cried on the first day refusing to go out of the car that the father had to carry him to his class. He also had to be consoled by his teacher who carried and cuddled him till he stop crying. The teacher asked us to leave for kids normally will stop crying when they no longer see their parents around. That's was correct. After we left the room and peeked through a window, he had started playing on his own besides his teacher who slowly left him with other classmates.

I found the class is very condusive, even though the school building looks quite old with not so tidy landscape. There are tables and chairs in the class for about 15 children, a space for free activities decorated with variety of children's arts.

And it's true that children learn faster than adults. Back from school that day, he uttered one single English word, and now after 3 weeks, he is now able to have simple conservation in the language.

Trying school clothes.

So afraid and anxious..

Ammar wanted to go to school too.

Second day of schooling - back from school in the first day, he said something like "It was so fun at school that I can't wait for tomorrow!"

Wandering..

Yesterday there was a weekly routine of meeting with my supervisor. After the meeting which lasted almost 3 hours, (what a blurred brain I was after listening to his lecture and being interrogated of my draft), I accompany my brother who came here a a week ago to take my mother back to Malaysia. So I would lose company of my mother who was so helpful for the start of our life here. I don't know how chaotic it would be if we come here without her starting the so different life in this alien land.

We are so busy to meet the weekly deadline that we couldn't spend time to take my brother going round Melbourne. He was almost on his own wandering the city. So, pity him for taking photos of Melbourne without him in the picture, I decided to spend little time being a kind photographer for him. At least I won't regret failing to meet his expectation when coming here assisting us to bring our mother back home.

Here are some of the photos of amateur photographer.

St Kilda Beach

Jalan-jalan di St Kilda Beach, the most popular beach at Melbourne. It was sunny, but windy and chilly.

The beach is very beautiful - white sand, sparkling ocean, blue sky. There is a bridge linking from the beach to a breakwater in the sea meant to protect the Melbourne harbour which is home to little penguin sanctuary. If you come late evening, you may have opportunity to see the penguins.

Roller coaster

Our feeling and motivation at this early stage is like riding roller coaster. Sometimes it's up but many occasions it's down. What a weird roller coaster! Is this the same like other students? I feel like we put our life at stake doing this.

Only last week we were told by the faculty that we will get our own room equipped with computers and printers. We really need the room for prayer and printing. The cost of printing here is high. It's only 2 months, but we have finished 2 cartridges. We'll also get the opportunity to see other postgrad students.