Mobility in Malaysia

Name : Iris Christine Jim

Matric No : A124108

Faculty : Social Science and Humanities

Week 1 (28 June 2010 - 3 July 2010)

28 June 2010

“This is too good to be true” was the phrase that kept playing in my head during the first day of the adventure of Inbound Mobility Program. The overwhelming feeling that swept me over ever since getting the phone call from International Office saying “Congratulations, you have been accepted as part of the STH Inbound Mobility Program” had never left me. As I woke up in the morning of 28 June 2010, prepared for the first meeting with various students from different countries, I promised to myself that I’ll make the best of this opportunity bestowed upon me.

Walking into one of the lecture halls in FPI building had proven marvelously thrilling because I have never been around so many international students, no sooner did I realize that I have to instinctively converse in proper English, alien from the daily usage of broken English or locally known as ‘Manglish’..hehe.. It didn’t turn out bad though. I managed to utter my first fluent and respective, “Hi, welcome to Malaysia, I hope your stay here thus far has been pleasant” to my first UK friend, Matt Gander from LJMU. He responded rather plainly but friendly, “Yes, Thank You”. Maybe, I need to be a little bit friendly this time, but not too friendly as someone might possibly thinks I’m cuckoo in the head.. After gaining my strength and confidence, I said “Hi, I’m Iris from Malaysia, where are you from?” It so happened that somebody was talking to the same person I was talking to, and she decided to concentrate on the other greeter instead. I felt my face flushed and right then, I decided to give up the whole idea of introduction entirely. Sulked face, hunched shoulders, deteriorating self-confidence, I went in to the hall and found a seat. Seated beside fellow UKM student was a relief but not an accomplishment. While waiting for the lecture to start, I felt my...