3 days, 2 nights in RUtland...

Note: 2nd email I sent out since i got here...


Hey all...

Where do i start?? Mystery House parties, my room being invaded, false fire alarms, groping in the dark (heh.. not that sort la..), barn dance, hall rivalry (with chants and all), a bell ringing society among other things and more!!

First off, i'll start off where i left off from my last email. I've finally moved into RUTLAND HALL. Infamous RuTland Hall, which i'll be living in for the rest of the academic year. I realise it isnt easy being a minority.. in many ways. First off, along my corridor, i'm nearly surrounded my girls! Two of those girls are named Sara (and one more somewhere in the hall). There's the vice president who's the only guy along my corridor. There are guys much further down tho..2ndly, mostly home students around me..

I'm living in a single studied catered hall. Today they served Chicken Korma but doesnt taste like it at all! I miss Malaysian food. Two fellows i came across complimented Malaysian Food! YEAH! Score one for Malaysia.

SUNDAY - I had the taste of hall rivalry in the afternoon. Other halls chant: Rutland takes is up the arse...and we proudly reply : yes, and we do it proud! Lol. And we chant : Rutland till i die, Rutland till i die, i know i am, i'm sure i am, Rutland till i die.

And we chant at out neigbouring hall, Sherwood : If i has the arse of a donkey and the wings of a sparrow i would fly over sherwood and shit on the bastards below. (to the tune of bring back my pony to me)

So, it's kinda like hall rivalry in err.. harry Potter but PG-18!! Heh.

There was a Rutland only house party on the 1st night but i kinda sneaked two friends into the party.. heh. We left early.. the 6 of us. We wanted to

My 1st night at Rutland was a sleepless one. There was a party right outside my door at 2am.. .. and i didnt know how to lock my door then (it's one of those lift up to lock types!) and this british girl came in and i stared at her in my PJs and i stared at her and then this bloke comes in and says sorry and shuts the door. Then later on, the fire alarm rings at 3!! It was freakin loud and instead of getting up, i cover my head with everything i can find and go back to sleep! The next morning, i found out that everyone had gathered downstairs.. If it was the real thing, yours truly would probably be send back in an ashtray!

Monday - I was dead tired.. but it was the first day of FRESHER'S FAYRE where all the societies/sports clubs promote themselves to all the students. There was Ultimate Fresbee, Trapoline Society, Bell ringing society, Magic Soc (Yeah!! Wanted to join but clashed with Ballroom Soc), Nott Malaysian Society, Catholic Society and many more... just to name a few. Last year, at the comercial booths.. attendants at the Isis (a strip club/bar) flashed to get attention! I got lots of tons of free stuff(mags,key chains, shirts).. i've been there 3 times in 2 days as it's right opposite my hall!)

A big "HEY ALL" from down here in Nott's

Note: Originally the 1st email sent out since i got here...

Hey hey hey!

As i type this it's 11.15 but it's like 6.15 back in Malaysia and.. noone's online! Besides that, i'm freezing over here and it seems to get colder and colder each day. Looking on the bright side, i've met tons of new people and the scenery's really good (scenery as in literally and figuratively!! >.<) Lol. I've manage to overcome the jetlag... picking up a bit of social drinking( irony was.. on Wednesday, i went drinking with two muslim guys! Lol) .. went clubbing at The Works (kinda disappointing.. way too much RnB). And the parties arent over yet! Next week, the home students will be coming in and lots of events/parties will be happening. No real chance to miss home at the rate we're going. I've got a phone and the number is 44(0)7830257553 but dont expect any smses from me coz it'll cost me extra to send overseas calls! Things arent cheap over here! I've been finding ways to cut corners on spending.. Ie: Packed lunches, maggi mee, soup in a cup (which i really great for keeping warm!) Most meals were and in the future will be served by the halls. For dinner, we keep on getting boiled vegies and it's so damn bland!! I've gotta tahan the food at the halls as long as i can or else end blowing my budget... The campus is quite big.. it's divided to 3 parts and i'm on the biggest one, University park. I've got blister between my toes from walking around.. and it really works up an appetite. It takes Scenery's great as in the grass is blade grass not like the shary type back home.. it's really lovely just to lie back and bask in the sun over here. it's a whole different mentality over here.. Back home, u wanna sit in the shade. Here, you gotta sit in the sun or u're freaking freeze yourself to death! Lol. Sidenote for the guys - Eyecandy around here is quite good. >.< When they call it an international campus, it means you get a bevy of beauties from around the world! heh.. Lol. But i cant help bumping into older women! More than half seem to be doing a masters in something (oncology,etc..) or JPA scholars who are a year older. Makes me feel damn young... And my brother's housemates say i look very young..*shrugs* Oh well..errr older women... More experience? Lol.

Heh. People here are really nice.. i guess we're all pretty united on one thing.. New Place and New Beginning.. etc... I've been lining up in queues for everything( get meals, submit aplications) but it's a great to just turn around and meet new people! Met a Syrian,a Iraqi, American gal (who kinda looks like Sharon Stone..really pretty), lots of Hong Kees, Koreans, tons of mainland chinese, pakistanis, s etc.. and u hear this phrase quite a bit : "I'm such-and-such but i'm from here-and-here." It's really diverse over here.. and the funny thing about being Malaysian is that.. u know all that multi-racial thing we take for granted back home. Up here, you realize it really is there. Malaysians are like the only country where u can really see different races all under one flag.

Anyway, that's all for now. Take care all and God Bless.

Joachim L.

P.S. Edwin, i met ur "brother", John from stella.. our senior on the flight here? We accompanied each other throughout the flight and when we bumped into Wei Jian at the airport, he mistook him as you! Lol.