So What's The Deal?

This picture was taken in late February, but why does it feel like it was just yesterday?

So what's the deal? What's so special about an overseas education? These are the questions that I have been receiving since my surprise return back home for the winter holidays.

And it's nothing short of expected to be honest. An overseas education used to be something that was seen as for the "geniuses" or for the "rich and luxurious". Today, we see parents selling both an arm and a leg to ensure that their children receive an overseas education, but the question is: why?

• Why spend so much money when they can receive a degree/masters/PHD at local (private and public) universities?
• Why spend so much money when the chances of them earning the initial cost back is no guarantee?
• Why?

It's something that I have been finding surprisingly difficult. I found myself in a weird situation where I came back almost the same as when I first left:

• I had not started using the Aussie accent
• I had not put on much weight nor lost weight
• I had not bought many new outfits or merchandise

So what changed? or more importantly, how did going to Melbourne impact my life?

Now that was a question I spent half the night yesterday wondering. Here's the list of what I think changed about me:

• I learnt to cook
• I learnt the joy of grocery shopping
• I learnt how to budget
• I learnt more about culture (both Malaysian and Australian)
• But most importantly, I learnt to survive

Some might call the survival I am referring to as independence but either way, I came back in one piece which I guess is pretty much the whole point isn't it? To know that when your on your own, when your parents leave in the future, and when you most probably have kids of your own, that you will be able to take care of them and yourself.

Studying overseas is not as easy as everybody thinks. The challenge is not to just get good grades, but getting good grades with the additional responsibilities of what would normally be taken care of by your parents/guardians.

Friends are important in this journey

It doesn't matter where you are:

University at Buffalo, State University of New York

The University of Manchester

RMIT University

Be it the United States of America, the United Kingdom or Australia but what matters the most is the journey. How your embrace it, how you appreciate it and most importantly the outcome of it.

Home is where the heart is

(The Living Legend was asleep before inspiration struck: Thank goodness too cause he remembered it was Jeffrey's birthday and saw three goals in a space of 20 minutes)