08 July 2007

Life in the UK - an update

Today's 07-07-07. Nothing special but there's Live Earth going on as well as Wimbledon finals.

A few of my old friends back in Malaysia have been complaining that I have not been blogging about myself for quite sometime now. It's quite true but the fact is that I have nothing interesting happening in my life right now to blog about.

No! I still haven't started my PhD. I plan to do so this year when the next session starts at the University of Warwick. My wife has completed her upgrading and won't be attending any more classes. The only thing worrying me right now are the rumours that they are planning to increase the fees this year. The total fees alone are more than the cost of our apartment in Damansara, Malaysia.

No! Unlike what a lot of people seem to think, I am not sponsored by the Government of Malaysia. I resigned from my comfortable Government job last year to follow my wife here in the UK. That's why I get annoyed with a lot of Malaysian students who keep on complaining about the Malaysian Government at every chance they get, when they ARE SPONSORED BY the Malaysian Government. With all the work I am doing, trying to promote Malaysia here among the British and other foreigners, I sometimes feel that the Govt. should be sponsoring ME instead of all these ungrateful guys.

No! I haven't got a job as yet. I am either not qualified enough for the top positions and too qualified for the lower positions. The only options open to me now are working as a cleaner or in a factory doing hard manual labour. I have applied for jobs with a number of companies around here, including Ikea. In the meantime, I am blogging full time trying to 'cari duit' (searching for money). I am earning a bit but not enough to pay for my PhD fees. So right now we are surviving mostly on my wife's scholarship, which is just enough but we have to forgo the luxuries we were used to in Malaysia, including eating out and buying branded stuff.

Will blog more about myself when I have positive things to say.

6 comments:

Miss Aini said...

salam. adeh, terkena diri sendiri. but yeah, I'm working in here as well. as student ambassador for the college. you may go to this page for more info on how international (non EU) students can get allowance to do their post-grad. may allah make it easy for u. well, break a leg!

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Funding_my_further_study/Funding_for_international_students/p!eaLdigf

Anonymous said...

You are right why should the government be spending tax payers money on students that don't appreciate and did not earn the right to go abroad. It was based on the color of their skin rather than anything else. Rather it is a paid holiday courtesy of the government to be able to go to the UK and they come back hoping to have good jobs and cushy apartments and cars. Really have they earned the right to be what they are or are they brain washed into thinking so. Sadly it is more the latter and that has been indoctrinated since M was made PM nearly 30 years ago and also education minister before that. Thus, you can blame him for starting the whole gong show.

Dilip Mutum said...

Ainee: Thanks for the info.

Anon: It would be wrong to say "did not earn the right". Most postgraduates here are lecturers in various Malaysian public universities. They comprise all races and when they go back, they are bonded with their funding organisations for at least 5 years.

As for Dr. M, I admire him. It is only due to him that Malaysians are welcome almost anywhere including the UK. The same cannot be said for citizens of other Asian countries including India and China.

Anonymous said...

hi tamo, good to hear about your starting your Phd. I have completed my Master as of today and I have got my results as well. I am starting the other program next week. It involves some programming which I think is good.I am still working part time which is source of allowance every month and I havent ask ba for any for the last 6months:) keep blogging and hang in there.

Anonymous said...

Hi Adam, it's Hui Yee here. One of your BIBM student last time. Well, just drop by a few words since I'm bored till death here in LCCT KL waiting for my flight to Macau.

Hope you stand on to your PhD, although I couldn't support you financially, but I am still capable to support you mentally. You had always be a great lecturer in uni. Most of us idol you!! Keep it up, may luck be with you!! Cheers!

Regards,
Hui Yee

Dilip Mutum said...

Hi Hui Yee, Thanks for the kind words of encouragement. Glad to see some of my former students doing well in their career. Wow! I am an Idol.

I loved lecturing and probably might back into the education line someday.

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