The Amateur Writer

Believe it or not, today marks my one month stay in New Zealand. I still couldn't believe this fact when I woke up today. So many things happened within this past month and certainly things have changed. A lot had happened and I couldn't be more happier to be where I am right now. Certainly not during my second week here, after my family left. I'm a lot happier. More confident.

I miss home terribly, everyday but I think I can manage my emotions a lot better now. My only solution to that is to keep myself busy, which I did. Currently I'm active in OMSA (Otago Malaysian Student Association) and I thanked Allah for letting me meet all these positive and interesting people. For the past few weeks, I've been tagging along to whatever event they were planning and finally, I've sort of landed a place in the committee. Being the first freshman to do so, so far.

In fact, I'm the current director for the big P.Ramlee drama for Otago's Malaysian Cultural Night. It's a lot of pressure seeing that seniors pulled an amazing performance last year and I decided to take up the job. Honestly, I'm excited but right now I kept asking myself whether I have enough time or can I even pull this off. I'm confident of my own capabilities but people are panicking around me.

Must. Stay. Calm.

And I'm a bit concerned on how people are going to perceive me seeing I'm a first year and everybody is a lot older than I am.

Putting aside my OMSA concerns, my studies are going quite alright. In Literature class, we've started on the sonnets today and my new lecturer is a fatherly man. He's big man with a big voice and has a lot of passion for what he does. During the lecture today, I can't help but think if that's going to be me in twenty/thirty years. Not the part being big and a man but whether can I be as smart as him in the next few years. Sometimes I get so frustrated for not being able to think critically enough or speak fluently enough like the rest. But I know, this is going to push me harder towards my dreams. I can make it.

I can right?

My least favorite class right now would be Linguistics 111. I have always known that I'm more the literature kind rather than the lets-learn-how-to-make-sounds kind. It is torture but it's not like I suck so bad at it so right now, it's still going good. Let's hope I can last for taking this subject for the next four years. Oh for those whose confused why I'm taking Lings when I'm an English major is because my minor is TESOL. Yep.

This is going to allow me to teach and travel at the same time. That's my plan for now. I want to travel to the East, particularly Taiwan, Japan or Korea and teach English there. Hopefully, I'm able to learn a new language too. Then after working there for a year or two, I'll come back to Malaysia and work on my Masters. Then my road to become an English Professor truly starts.

I.JUST.CANT.WAIT!

Now you must be asking, where do I fit publishing a novel into all that mess? Honestly I don't know. I've decided not to rush and if Allah and time allow it, it will happen. But for now, I'm just going to focus on my studies (that doesn't mean I'm going to stop writing altogether!).

But for now, pray for me that I can be the best and I hope things will go mighty well for you too. (^__^)