Down Memory Lane to the University of Otago

The plane flew low. I peered out of the oval window and I could see rolling green pastures with little white polka dots. I could only blame my morbid mind, for I really thought they looked like maggots. I quickly realised that the polka dots were sheep grazing in the meadows. I remember thinking to myself, "Now, where is the city?" Only later did I realise that the Dunedin International Airport is some distance away from the city itself.

Dunedin was where I spent 2 years of my life, studying for my degree. It's a great little city at the region of Otago, and where the University of Otago is located. The University of Otago is the oldest university in New Zealand.

Studying was never more fun at the University of Otago. I had certain credit hours to fulfil every semester, and each day was scheduled in a way that there's plenty of time for self-study. It was quite relaxed, and I enjoyed myself tremendously working at readings and assignments at my own pace. There were plenty of spare time in between lectures and tutorials, and I could work on my own in the library or computer lab.

Before the University of Otago, I would not say I knew what studying in the university was all about. At the Teachers' Training College, we had to be in the college from 8.00 a.m. till about 2.00 p.m. every day like a clock work, and that was not much different from secondary school.

I stayed in Cumberland Hall during my first year. It's a big residence hall, and we had our own wing on the ground floor - we fondly called it the "Malaysian Corridor". It was great to stay in the hostel. The food was vastly different from what we had back home. I distinctly remember having Chilli Con Carne for my first lunch at the Hall. My friend joked that Chilli Con Carne was junk food back home. I'd grown to love Chilli Con Carne after a year at the hall. I can even cook it now. Of course when you stay in the hostel, you are bound to meet lots of people of all nationalities. It was very interesting to get to know different people studying in different faculties.

What I enjoyed about Dunedin was walking. The city was small, and I could walk from The Octagon right up to the Botanical Gardens. The weather was usually mild, and it was really inviting to walk to the supermarket, or the shops at George Street, or to the College or Education or to Library. It was quite an experience to walk in the drizzle or hail showers, as we never had those in Malaysia.

I certainly had a great experience studying abroad, courtesy of the Ministry of Education. I'm really thankful for that opportunity.

Pic Source : http://image32.webshots.com/32/9/21/71/283392171WrXdEC_ph.jpg