Joseph Chiedozie Patrick
19 March 2010
Hug me and tell me that everything will be all right. Please do it now.
The past fortnight has been quite trying for me. I’ve been under a bit of pressure and feeling some stress as well. I’m doing two subjects this semester, and as light as that sounds, there’s a lot of off-class work required to get through those. One is a sociology subject centred on research, I think it’s a very important subject for any student in the Humanities, but it does have quite an unexpected workload within it. The second is a reading subject, a self-directed subject which I am structuring myself. It’s my opportunity to read extensively about one topic of great interest and write a 5000-word literature review on it. As exciting as this has been so far, I still feel overwhelmed with academic responsibility.
I think it might actually be because of the things that are happening outside uni. I was at work when the recent hailstorm broke out in full strength. I was standing there, looking small and helpless, as the hailstones mercilessly pounded on the panels of my car. What an afternoon! I imagined that it would go on for hours, hoping that it would stop the next minute. Apparently that’s how I got through the episode. Thousands of cars suffered the same fate all through Melbourne, and a customer told me it was the first of such weather in a century. After the episode everyone stepped out to see the extent of the damage to their cars, but I waited, just to let the whole thing sink in.
I expected the worst, but hoped for the best. I said to one customer, ‘Gee I hope that hasn’t done much damage’, to which he replied, ‘Oh, it has done a lot of damage for sure’. Thank you very much, I said within myself, here I was, looking for a positive comment, and this is what he tells me. The other guy came in to relieve me, asking me to go see how my car was. I went out, refusing to look at the car till I got closer. ‘Oh my baby, what have they done to you?’, I said within myself, as I ran my fingers through the countless dents on the surface. I saw the broken light covers, the broken mini rear spoiler and the smashed external mirror. Then I looked up and saw another car as it slowly drove by, the windscreen was smashed to pieces. Oh well, at least none of my screens got smashed or cracked, but still. Insurance hasn’t been very effective in relieving my distress either; I guess they’ve got hundreds of people like me, calling in every other day, asking for a solution to nature’s kindness.
The challenge now is to ignore all these distractions and focus on the semester subjects. I should find a way. My happiness is that I’ve got a very understanding tutor for the sociology subject, and a very accommodating supervisor for my reading subject. Oh dear, I’m badly in need of that hug.
4 March 2010
Image from my relaxing break in Apollo Bay
The summer break has been quite long, though not long enough as usual. My friend at a housewarming party on Sunday thought I was joking when I asked him whether or not he had classes the next day. That single question ruined his evening. Well, that was definitely not my intention; I just wanted to keep the conversation going. I’m sure you get that sometimes: you catch up with a friend after a while and you’re both excited to see one another, then at some point you get the impression that you’ve talked about all the fun stuff. The silence comes, your laughs last longer, maybe at the same jokes, and then you start asking the ‘no-fun’ questions, just to keep the conversation going. I think that’s what happened with me on Sunday.
I’m looking forward to uni, and to the few days of work. I need to see those smiling customer faces, well, for the customers who do smile. Some other customers just want to make you smile or laugh, and others want to grab their shopping and get on with their life. Quite understandable really, life would be so boring and monotonous if everyone behaved the same way. I had a customer once who was so keen to grab their merchandise and move on, that he actually scanned the bottles himself while I was standing right there, then he had the correct change as well! Before I knew what was going on, all I could see was his back, and a faint deep voice telling me to ‘keep the receipt’. If I have too many of those I will probably find myself being transferred to the logistics department, whatever it is they do. Ah, good stuff.
So yes, semester has resumed, work has resumed, all in the same week. An Asian saying goes that one should ‘expect the worst and look forward to the best’. I’m not sure if that’s what I’m doing, but you’ll soon find out. All the best to all!
18 February 2010
A poem in dedication to my current holiday destination in Victoria, Australia:
The box with an apple logo is in,
The camera and cables are in,
The suitcases are in,
The tank is full,
Zoom zoom,
Off we go.
A bright rainy day,
Few cars on a busy road,
Sounds of happy music,
Smooth tarmac,
It’s a holiday!
A drive with nature,
A wet and misty afternoon,
The road of a million curves,
The car that speaks to my soul,
Drive me on, it says,
It’s my day.
The air is clear,
The wind blows still,
Green leaves, happy faces, and wide streets,
“G’day” goes the greeting,
We’re here,
It’s the Bay of Apollo.
4 February 2010
I recently attended an event where one of the speakers said a few things that I don’t quite agree with. Well, he was addressing final year students, so I guess he just wanted to tailor his words to the audience. He probably overdid it.
His comments were about formal education. To summarise, he reiterated the importance of being formally educated, and said that if it weren’t for his education, he probably would have been working in a ‘factory somewhere’. To him, this would mean a lack of success in life. Formal education, as he saw it, is the only door to knowledge and especially, success, through which everyone should pass. He told us a poignant story of his upbringing. How he continued his education on his father’s strong guidance and insistence. His father, according to him, did not have much formal education.
The importance of formal education (at university level, I suppose) is well evident in today’s society. However, I don’t think that we should draw analogies of those with it and those without. Formal education ‘formalises’ our knowledge with documentary evidence. We learn to improve our skills and also learn formal workplace etiquette. So, without formal education, we still have our skills, and these skills can be developed through well-established social channels.
And of course, education can be obtained informally. In many ways, this is the form of education that teaches us life and determines who we are: things like historical lores, family teachings and spiritual or religious beliefs. And historically, those people who mix formal education with knowledge obtained informally have been passengers on the ship of academic, artistic and scientific excellence.
So then, formal education is highly important. But it is even more important that we do not disregard informally obtained knowledge. This is the foundation of knowledge. And we certainly cannot do without it.
22 January 2010
This week has been all about the summer school workplace practices subject for my degree, so it’s been very busy. And even though it’s study, it’s quite a lot of fun.
It is conducted at La Trobe University’s Melbourne city campus, just a two-minute walk from Queen Victoria Market. I went to the market on Tuesday: so many things to purchase, and many more to overlook. It was quite exciting actually, probably because it was my first time.
The market has an arrangement that is very much like that of African markets: much more informal than supermarkets, many more people out and about, the sellers have spots next to one another, and most of them can only take cash. I had to stay conscious of every turn I made, just so I could find my way back to the campus. A friend tells me that I should check out the night market, and maybe I will.
I hope the subject progresses well. As for the market, my exploration has only just begun.
7 January 2010
It is the start of a new year and a new decade. It’s 2010. Welcome!
It doesn’t matter whether or not you have a resolution for the year. The important thing, I think, is that you take all the steps that you feel are in the right direction for you. This year is all about you, not in a selfish way, of course, but in a self-gratifying and fulfilling way. Most people would expect the economic climate to improve considerably from last year on an individual, national, and global scale. I am one of these people, and I welcome the year with open arms and much hope.
This year some of us hope to find something new: something exciting and fulfilling. Others want to break free from some form of limitation or another. Whichever one we are, and whichever way we choose to go about achieving our aims for the year, always try to keep these in mind:
‘When you discover something that you believe to be the truth, do not assume that everything else you knew before it was false.’
‘No entity is perfect, indeed perfection is arguably a flaw in itself.’
‘The length of life does not span from birth to death, but from when you start living to when you stop.’
And remember:
‘To be truly successful, you must believe in your capacity to achieve success.’
My wishes for you and for myself: have a great year and an even greater decade!
11 December 2009
I received a reply to my email to the Victorian Premier. Good stuff. Even though the email travelled quite a distance and ended up in a department of the Federal government, it was finally replied to.
Do I hear you asking what my letter was about? Oh well, I wont tell. It’s between myself and the Premier, or maybe the government department. I’ll tell you this much, it was related to my status as a student, derived from what I feel to be the reality of things around me, and based on what I understand to be an educated guess. Doesn’t make sense? I know!
But yeah, I received a reply. A fine pdf attachment it was. I read it, it wasn’t quite what I expected, and the officer even reiterated this in the letter. How kind of her!
Well, for one thing it gives me a certain sense of belonging in a society where citizenship means a myriad of things and determines even more. That is why I am a tireless advocate of democratic values in any government or organisation. Well, it’s the main reason. Even though the answers may not always be what we expect, at least there is an answer. There is the active existence of responsiveness, even if not much else sometimes. To me, this forms the foundation of foreseeable progress in society.
So, I dedicate this blog to democracy. Even though there are clear flaws as a result of the ‘majority’ benefit, democracy is, as one of the academic articles I read for my politics subject last semester calls it, ‘the least-worst system’; although I do not really think of it as a system, but a principle, which is compatible with not one, but a few systems of governance.
Let’s continue this discussion later. For now, my wishes are of long life, good health, and desirable growth and development for Australia’s democracy, and for all democracies around the world.
25 November 2009
To Nigeria, from Australia: A letter to home.
Dear home,
I’m sure you still remember me. It’s only been 2 years since I left. I hope there have been improvements to your health and wellbeing.
As you know, I am writing from Australia. It is a country and a continent. The people here don’t dance as well as your people, but I’m getting used to it. I’m a student here. And I cannot think of anything that I require that is missing. I even reckon you could borrow a leaf from the way they run things down here. Of course they don’t have as many responsibilities as you do, with over 140 million mouths to feed and cater for, but they do the best with what they have. I think that’s the most important thing.
One commonality is that you share the same colonial roots with Australia, although I cannot say the same of your colonial experience. You are both sisters in the same Commonwealth of Nations, although your sisterhood is a rather distant one. You have oil; they have coal. You both share the same democratic values, although unlike yourself, her democracy has not seen any interruptions since Independence Day. I could go on and on, but I will not.
Australia is taking very good care of me. Her people are generally down-to-earth, carefree, and humorous. In fact, she is not very far from what I would like to call another home. I’m sure this is fine by you. I just have to ask her when the time comes, and depending on her response, I might call her home too. But first I will finish my studies and hopefully, do some more studying. I’m starting to think that she’s quite well suited for my interests and future prospects. But as I said, it all depends on whether or not she wants me to stay.
I will write you again, maybe at the end of 2010. I love you and I miss you. Please take good care of my family and friends. Whatever be the case, I will always call you home.
Yours lovingly,
Chiedozie
5 November 2009
Eight more weeks and it’s 2010... under 60 days!
This year has flown rather quickly. Well from my perspective I suppose. I think it’s a good thing that it has, although one cannot exactly tell if there’s a lot to be excited about in 2010. Well of course we do have expectations and hopes for the year. And yes, we should do away with all negative thoughts and plan on staying alive. That is the bedrock of having our expectations come true.
What is the difference between 31 December and 1 January? Really. I guess the difference is that we like to keep count, and it helps us to tell how we are advancing towards some things, and away from others.
I had a customer the other day who got slightly annoyed (in a funny way) that I didn’t ask her for ID before serving some bottles of wine. To end the matter I just said, ‘I’m sorry, I’ll remember to do that next time’. I’m supposed to ask for ID if the customer looks under 25, and if I verify that the customer is over 18, then I can serve alcohol or tobacco products.
When we’re younger, we desire age maturity, but when we get there, we start to indulge in youthful traits and desires. And I don’t think there’s a stage between ‘younger’ and ‘older’. When I made a quick mention of my thoughts on getting older to my former tutor, who is himself a very advanced teacher of Philosophy and English, he told me ‘It’s all in the mind’. Oh yes, I’ve heard that before, some people say, ‘You’re as old as you think you are’.
Is it true? Oh, hang on. I don’t believe in any such concept as ‘truth’. So I’ll rephrase the question.
Do you think it is correct?
Well, I think there are benefits in believing that it is. So I’d say yes it is correct, to a very reasonable degree.
22 October 2009
The king sits on his throne, his queen sitting by his side. The look of anxiety is well evident on his face. Everyone in the court is silent; the only person allowed to break such silence would be the king himself. He is expecting his only son, the prince. News has spread all over the kingdom that the prince has found himself a bride in the most unexpected of families. The prince comes in alone. And the dialogue ensues:
King: What is this that I hear? You have proposed to a peasant?
Prince: Yes father. I love her.
King: My father did not marry for love, I didn’t, and neither will you. We married to keep our royalty unblemished, we married to preserve our blood. I’m afraid my son, there are sacrifices you must make in order to enjoy the great satisfaction of rulership.
Queen: (Interrupts) I’m right here you know.
King: I know my dear, but I’m trying to talk sense into this foolish boy.
Queen: I don’t care. You do not have to tell the entire kingdom that there is no love in our marriage.
King: We’ll discuss this later my dear, privately. For now, the future of the kingdom is at stake.
Prince: Father, I will marry for love. Shame on me if, one day, I should sit where you sit, and say what you’ve just said, about my wife.
(To be continued)
The mild stress of the end-of-semester essays has put me in a story-telling mood, and this is only part one.
This semester has been particularly challenging. Indeed the second year of university bears little resemblance to the first. But I’m okay, I cannot complain, I have made the choice. The king is correct about making sacrifices, but he seems to have read the wrong books about a few other things. Well, maybe not from his perspective.
My economics teacher told me that for every choice, there is a forgone alternative. What matters in the choice we make, I suppose, is our personality: our needs and requirements. So although it may be hard or impossible for others to understand the choices we make, we should always stay committed. As long as it is necessary to do so, according to how we feel.
In the end, we do know that while other people have the ability to organise their priorities, we can also organise ours in a way that suits us; as long as this does not impose on the freedom or freewill of others.
Time now to return to my research essays.
8 October 2009
Critical thinking is a first year philosophy subject that I am very happy I chose to do. I am not sure what made me choose it, but whatever it is, I am grateful it nudged me on.
It is one of those subjects that you don’t realise how useful they are until after you’ve done them. Oh yes, I remember now, I chose it because I thought that as an elective subject of mine, it would not require much work. I was wrong, but I don’t regret it. It is a subject that anyone can do, regardless of majors or specialist degree. It touches on all aspects of human thinking and communication: speech coordination, diction selection, and argument structuring. I did not realise this while I was doing the subject, but I do now, and so will any student who does the subject.
The high point for me was the tutorial debate for which we had to form groups and organise arguments. Through this practice I further discovered and explored my penchant for philosophical and academic arguing and critique. I probably wasn’t very good then, first year student you know. But if I should get the chance again, I’d probably do it better. Because I think I have improved, after doing the subject and connecting the concepts to the reality of my surroundings. I also think I have learnt effective ways of constructing arguments without leaving holes of logic in-between. Well, at least I try.
Oh yes, and I also got a letter notifying me of my membership to a select group of ‘critical thinkers’. I just hope I don’t disappoint when they call the meeting. Hang on: we don’t meet, we think. Fair enough then.
If I am glad I did the subject, then it is possible that other students are also glad they did the subject. If other students are also glad they did the subject, then it is possible that all students who do the subject are glad they did it. Therefore, if I am glad I did the subject, then it is possible that all students who do the subject are glad they did it.
That’s the sort of logical reasoning you learn under critical thinking.
24 September 2009
I’ll share with you the 12 do’s and dont's of university study as I see it.
- Do ask questions if you feel confused. If your lecturer and tutor can’t answer a question, forget it, it’s not relevant to the subject.
- Do try to chat with a few other students in the same tutorial. That will come in handy when you’re told to select a partner for a group assignment.
- Do try to be early for lectures. If you’re not there for the first 15 minutes from when the lecturer starts talking, you need to download the slides and read through.
- Do try and hand in your assignments on time. Try to avoid two extensions in a row, unless absolutely necessary.
- Do bring issues up with your tutor. If you want to draw the lecturer’s attention to a big issue, try to keep it until after the lecture.
- Do your best on your assignments and exams. In the end, that’s really all you can do.
- Don’t get too closely acquainted with your tutor during that semester. If you do, your low marks will be all the more painful.
- Don’t be shy in classes. If there is an issue you’re embarrassed to mention, send it in an email.
- Don’t expect to get special treatment. If you get high marks this semester, don’t expect that the same will automatically apply the next semester.
- Don’t hesitate to put more effort into understanding a subject when your tutor’s name salutation is ‘Dr’, especially when this tutor is different from your lecturer.
- Don’t ignore comments on your marked assignments. Read them and try to improve on the next one.
- Don’t hesitate to see your tutor personally if need be, it’s your future we’re talking about here.
And yes, your experience might be substantially different from mine.
2 September 2009
I will not write anything this week. Don’t ask me why, but I’ll tell you anyway.
The past two weeks have been full of activity for me. I transferred to a new supermarket, which I happen to like. The transfer took a lot out of me, much more than I thought it would. The transfer papers were put through and then they went missing. How convenient! I had to pursue them myself and arrange for new forms to be filled in. This time I picked them up myself and took them straight to my new store.
It’s a much bigger supermarket, and my co-employees are quite nice (that matters heaps!). One of them said to me, ‘they’re starting to like you already’. I was quite surprised to hear him say that, but I guess you never know how much people talk about you when you’re just not there. But it’s cool. I don’t expect everyone to like me anyway; that is never too good. It makes you feel internally pressured to meet some standards that may not even be the real you. I believe in being the real me, well, depending on place and time.
Things are going very well at my new store so far. The store manager is one of those who don’t say much, but expect quite a lot. It’s good though (if done in moderation), otherwise people forget why they’ve been employed – more or less.
That is not the only thing that has happened in the past fortnight. I’ve had some developments in the automotive sector as well. And yeah, did I mention that I also handed in an assignment? I’m even working on one right now, due next week! But should I complain? I think not.
So yeah, I will not write anything this week. That’s right, this is me not writing anything.
20 August 2009
It’s the second semester of second year at uni for me. Assignments have already started trooping in! It’s like an army of formidable soldiers on dedicated duty. But it’s quite peaceful. Yes, I’ll come out of it in one piece.
The good thing is that I’m very happy with my subject selections for this semester. There seems to be a smooth correlation between them, the readings at least. I find this quite handy, because there is always the slight possibility of using one subject’s readings as a valuable resource in doing an assignment for the other subject.
It’s interesting how career alternatives for a university student can change from time to time. It’s quite difficult to stay fixated on one career path that you feel you definitely want to tread. Embracing reality, the best thing is to keep your options open. That’s what my former mentor, a teacher at La Trobe International College told me, and I think it’s very true. Today my interest lies in academia and criminology, tomorrow it might swerve into entertainment and media (a bit of a swerve I know). You never know.
Let’s hope the semester goes well. I’ve still got a couple to go before the end of my first three years at uni. Then who knows what will follow? Well for one, I know it would be worth my time. That’s enough for now.
06 August 2009
My words of appreciation for those who have helped shape my academic standing here in Australia.
To the first, a lady: I had my first Australian class under you. It was at the International College of La Trobe University, and I remember it quite well. It started me off and introduced me to the Australian education system. For this, and for all you did (and still do for me as one of the referees in my CV), I thank you.
To the second, a gentleman: Your subject at University gave me the much-needed opportunity to partake in a process I have a side passion for. It was one of the core Media subjects, and I got to work with a group of students in putting together a 20-minute TV News project. I was one of the newsreaders. That experience shall never be forgotten. Thank you.
To the third, a lady: I did not like your subject very much at first. I was quite worried that I would not meet your high expectations and demands. But over time, I came to see, and indeed I know today, that everything I learnt under you was priceless. The news writing skills, the simplicity, and the coherence; you taught me to improve on these skills. Indeed I’m not perfected yet. I may never be. But I thank you so much for your professional approach.
To the fourth, a gentleman: You tutored me in two Legal Studies subjects over two semesters. You gave me good advice when I approached you in my confusion after the first year. We were friends, although you assessed me most objectively and marked me down when I deserved it. Your advice has been priceless. Thank you.
And to all my past teachers, lecturers and tutors (whether or not you still remember me) I am pleased I studied under you. No subject of mine has been worthless, and I’m sure it will continue to be so. Indeed learning is a continuous process as the old Igbo (Nigerian) wise man would say, and I intend to get my fair share.
Be it yesterday, today, or tomorrow, you will all always be part of my life. Thank you.
23 July
I feel a sense of solemness today, and I wish to share some of my sane wild thoughts.
Sometimes I wonder if people consciously keep a list of importance. Well, if they do, what would happen if the item on top of the list would, all of a sudden, disappear or be reframed?
This reminds me of a rather popular story in my part of Nigeria. It is about a man who, after collecting his severance pay and work gratuities in cash, was attacked by armed robbers on his way home. They said to him, 'Your money or your life', and after giving it a thought he replied, 'Please take my life, I’ve got so many things to do with this money'.
Yes I know it’s rather funny, but it also tells of people and their priorities. And although there is a very slim chance of a person actually being the man in the story, the message very much relates to our list of importance.
So, when we give in to something in order to get somewhere we really want to be, are we blindly giving up on something else that we cannot do without?
9 July 2009
Don’t ask me to tell you the final scores of a game. Don’t ask me to tell you whether or not the team changed its coach or captain. I would have no idea. I know it’s not particularly ideal for a male who comes from a country that always vibrates with sporting activities, but hey, I’m not really your ideal kind of guy. So bear with me.
I was discussing the current footy season with my host dad (Australian version of football, called Aussie rules). He barracks for Richmond (aka the Tigers), and he expressed his slight disappointment in their performance in the current season: ‘They had good draft choices, but made bad picks,’ he told me. He still enjoys watching other teams play though, and he told me he thinks Melbourne (aka the Demons) will be the ‘wooden spooners’ of the season (the team with the lowest of scores). It’s amazing how he handles his team’s defeat, and sometimes even though his team loses, he manages to call it a ‘good game’. Oh well.
In my country the frenzy is usually about soccer (British/universal football), and people have different ways of handling victories and defeats. Once when Nigeria beat Brazil in one groundbreaking game no one could get sleep with both eyes shut. Young people were driving around with only one person inside the car (the driver), and the rest on top of the vehicle, singing, dancing, and beating drums. It was nice though. That’s one thing with sport; it practically blurs lines of difference among people. No one asks ‘who’s that?’ before shaking hands or grabbing a beer bottle from the same six-pack. It’s heavenly – more or less.
The frenzy goes both ways though. On one occasion we heard rumours that a man who lived on the third floor of a building was so excited about the game that he went to his pregnant wife, who was getting some fresh air on the balcony, kissed, hugged, and then threw her off the balcony; all in the frenzy. The rumours were that he wasn’t happy only because Nigeria won, but he had also won a bet on the game himself – a rather huge sum.
My experience from supporting a team has led me to conclude that there isn’t enough space in my ‘sadness area’ to accommodate events that do not affect me in any direct manner. Maybe some of such events, but definitely not all of them. Yes I know I felt rather sad to hear of Jacko’s death, although it didn’t directly concern me, but that’s the type I can handle. When my team loses again and again, perhaps in the space of a few weeks, the sadness and disappointment are rather hard to handle. Well, for me.
But I could change my mind tomorrow. Or perhaps create more space in my ‘sadness area’. Who knows? But yes, I love sports; I support all teams, all crowds and all supporters. Just don’t ask too much of me, well for now.
25 June 2009
My short holiday has not started yet but I’ve already started thinking about it. How will I spend it? Where, if anywhere, will I go? It’s winter now so I may want to go somewhere warmer than Victoria, spend a week or even a weekend. But there is a problem. There are so many nice places to visit. So where will it be this time?
Last time I travelled to Tasmania by boat and spent a week there. Oh, how lovely it was. It felt like another country to me. I was surrounded by nature, and I had time to drive down to Port Arthur and witness the incredible history of the place. I wrote an account of every day I spent. And I’ve taken turns on my laptop computer’s desktop with the pictures I took over there.
Maybe I should go back. I know it’s a colder part of Australia but hey, it was awesome right? I could do it again. Only that this time I probably won’t be travelling by sea again. Don’t ask me why. Let me just say I might be in a hurry to get there and flying over would be quicker.
Wherever I go after my studies, I think I might end up having a holiday home in Tassie (as the Australians call Tasmania). It is lovely. The cities are smaller, the freeways are freer of vehicles (big plus if you ask me), and there is always a bit of nature around.
If you’ve been, you’ll agree with me. If you haven’t, well what can I say?
11 June 2009
I hope you won’t mind if I tell you another one of my ‘customer’ stories. But I had a customer who spent quite a while with me at work today telling me a joke.
He said that an elderly man and his wife were shopping at the local supermarket, when an armed robber attacked. He ordered everyone to lie on the stomach and cover their faces, so no one would see his face. Most people did, and some didn’t. When he noticed that some people had seen his face, he ordered them to get on the back of his van, threatening to take them to a very dark place where the only thing they’d see would be imagined. According to him, this punishment would teach them to listen and adhere to commands. When all the people who had seen his face boarded the van, he asked if there was any other person who had seen his face. The elderly man touched him gently, pulled him aside, and said, ‘I think the Mrs had a quick look’.
I found it quite funny, although not ethically so. Generally, customers are nice and friendly. And in providing customer service, anyone would find out that the behaviour of customers reflect the entire society and the values embedded within it. So from my experience, I’d say that customers, and indeed, the Australian people, are among the most accepting and funniest I’ve ever seen. And I enjoy this, because I don’t mind a laugh from time to time, and I try not to take myself too seriously. And when you’ve got the stress of study coming from all angles in and out of semester, you’ll understand why I enjoy doing the work I do and meeting the people I meet at work.
It is a pleasure to study in Australia. I am here, I should know. And yes, I do know.
27 May 2009
Give me one pack, no, give me two packs, in fact, give me the entire box. I need energy. Those energy drinks don’t do much these days. Or maybe I’m expecting too much from them.
Semester will be ending soon. It’s gone rather quickly, although when you think of all the assignments and the check the dates you got them back, the time will probably seem longer. It’s always good to see the end of semester. I wonder what it would be like for the students who graduated this week, all looking colourful and bright, snapshots here and there. It must be weird not to have classes anymore, not to worry about those assignments. But instead to go out in the world and do the real thing. No more made-up case studies, but the real thing to grapple with, and to conquer. At the same time it must be exciting too. Yes it has to be! And I suppose for some, it would be a start of the race to the finish line, Honours, Masters, PhD, and the like. Whatever it is for one, I’m sure it would be gratifying.
Well for me, all that is yet to come. For now I’m giving up the energy drinks. A few trips to the University sports centre should do the trick. Exercise for the body and reinvigoration for the mind. Top shelf.
13 May 2009
One thing I should tell you is that in Africa, we love telling stories. We call them folktales. I remember those days (call them the good old days if you like), when we used to sit in a semicircle around my friend’s mother, aching to hear her tell a folktale. I’ll tell you one:
‘Sometime long, long ago, the housefly and the elephant decided to stage a public fight to establish who would rule the animal kingdom. The first party to land on their back (on the bare sand) would lose the fight, and the other party would take up rulership. When the day came, all animals gathered at the village square to watch the historic bout. The housefly was filled with bravery and audacity, and the elephant believed it was a done deal; victory was his. Everything set, the adversaries standing face to face, the drums were beaten as an indication that the fight had begun. Then the housefly, in its wisdom and astuteness, flew straight into the elephant’s trunk and drove him berserk! The elephant lost balance. His opponent had got him. His only concern was to get the creature off his trunk. So he thudded on his back as an admission of defeat and victory went to the housefly.
Back then we would always wonder why such stories were told. I realise it was because the adult storyteller would always ask what lessons we had learnt from the story. For this story, the lesson was, ‘Size or strength doesn’t matter as much as astuteness in life.’
Now that I have told my story, it’s time to return to the 3,000-word politics essay.
30 April 2009
One week off uni, and not enough. It’s never enough when you’re a student. So what did I do during the break? Well, I could sum it up as… let’s see… nothing much. I did a bit of work, got a bit of a rest, and you won’t believe it, finished my assignment which was due on the very day of returning to uni. Wow!
At least I had a bit more time in my hands and thus could afford to broaden my smile at work – it’s one of the things you must do! I had a female customer who made me laugh and ponder. She came to the counter with all these things she had picked up from the shelves – a few bottles of wine, loaves of bread and so on. After I had scanned everything and notified her of the total price, she paused as if something had hit her, put her hand in her red leather handbag only to grab her spectacles. She put them on, took a step back, and made a very detailed observation of everything listed on the customer display. Then she shook her head and said, ‘On the card please.’ To which I replied, rather jokingly, ‘These things do add up don’t they?’
I don’t blame the poor lady; everyone knows that times can be hard. The credit crunch is really starting to munch on people with fresh gusto. And we’re hoping that whoever does what they do, they had better do something right and get people out of this mess.
So, I’m back at uni now. I have handed in the assignment. And although the break was not long enough as usual, I’m glad I had it. Let’s hope things get better for everyone. Optimism is the best weapon, with sufficient amount of realism of course. Stay well.
Joseph
2 April 2009
Challenge me to do something you didn't think I could do! Just mention it and leave the rest to me!
I feel rather happy today. And I am thinking to myself: is it because I've got two essays due in less than two weeks? Surely not! Is it because a work colleague has just been fired of his own doing? Oh, absolutely not! Oh well, is it then because I have a future to look forward to? A future that requires me to stay strong and happy today in order to attain it? Well, it might just be.
I probably shouldn't be writing about happiness, because lately I've been rather slightly sad over nothing really. But I have come to understand that it is one of those things we all go through once in a while, especially when we're students. Sometimes I feel like having a rather weird alternative: finish my studies in, say three to six months, earn my degree certificate and be on my way to conquer the workforce. But of course this is a wild fantasy. I'm happy that I do understand this as a fantasy. If I took it to be some sort of achievable reality, then my slight sadness might've turned into something a bit more chronic.
Thank goodness my university has sufficient measures in place to address melancholy in students. They must've known it before I did, that this state is natural for all students at some stage, in varying degrees. I may have to book myself in. Oh, hang on; I just said I was happy. And I am.
Though it seems there isn't much to be happy for, the future gives me a reason to be happy anyway. This is not the only reason of course, but when you have positive thoughts about your future, it helps you get through the tougher times. It is a wonderful solution that works many more wonders than any known scientific solution to human problems.
So, challenge me to something! I'll get right on it once I'm through with my essays, assignments and readings. That's in two years' time, maybe three if I proceed to the Honours year. Can you wait that long? I sure can.
18 March 2009
I received a message last year on YouTube from a Kenyan friend who wanted to know more about studying in Australia. He said he had heard it was a good environment to study and develop skills and intellect. After reading his message I did not know what else to add to what he had heard, and I figured it was because he had already heard it all. The next step, to me, was for him to come over and enjoy the experience.
Yes I'm a student at La Trobe University, Australia. Yes I'm enjoying the experience. And yes this is my first blog. Welcome!
I do not say "international" student as most would expect, and this is because from my experience, once you've commenced your university degree in Australia, you're just like any other student, local or international. Nigeria is my home country. I still have family there. I miss them a lot. But I cannot say that my being here is akin to some sort of torture, because I believe this is a necessity of life, and what's more? It's for a better tomorrow. When you're a student in another country the best thing to do is concentrate on what you're gaining rather than what you're missing. Because then, your concentration will guide you to see that your studies are being made for a reason, and that you will get skills and qualifications that will stand the test of time. By maintaining constant communication with family, listening to Nigerian music whenever and wherever, watching Nigerian movies when I'm home, I keep the necessary "Nigerianness" in me and maintain a strong-enough existence with the environment which saw me grow up as a child, nurtured me as a teenager, and raised me into adulthood.
Semester has just resumed after a long summer break. I have already chosen my second year subjects and the choice I've made seems to be best suited for me. After my first year, confusion began to set in a little. I wasn't quite sure whether or not I wanted to continue the same degree in the second year. And I set out to make enquiries. That's why one of the first things you're told when you arrive here is ‘Don't forget to talk to someone if you get in trouble or get confused about anything', and believe me, that is very true. The worst thing for a confused student is to keep to himself or herself, because if they do the confusion will multiply ferociously and they could find themselves where they'd rather not be. My faculty office helped me out immensely with course information and career prospects. I also had to trouble some of my tutors and lecturers - past and present. And it was okay. My emails were replied and appointments kept. In the end I'm glad I did it all because it has resulted in a more certain, focused, and happy me.
Australia is one of those places you'd like to study in, and Melbourne with its fabulous multicultural form is a splendid location. You can travel back and forth between the city and the suburbs if you like, and freely practice your religion and legal lifestyle. And what's more? You can make out time between semesters to visit some of those lovely tourist attractions that people from all over the world come to see. Yes, it is the ideal place for everything.
