Life in Moscow #2: The Decision

We went to the Sub Medic office two days after we have arrived in Moscow to process some documents regarding our registration in the university. We left our hostel at 12 o’clock in the afternoon along with a few seniors. After taking a bus to Yugo Zapadnaya, we took the metro to the Sub Medic office in Sportivnaya.

Processing the documents took forever. It wasn’t until 7.30pm that we were finally free to go. Before leaving, Dr Farid gave us an offer to shift to another hostel as he had received various complaints from students and also their parents in Malaysia. Anyone who wish to shift to the hostel in Yugo were to write their names in a name list provided by Dr Farid and then pass it back to him.

After discussing with my roommate Junson, we made the decision to shift from Pushkin to Yugo Zapadnaya as the hostel in Yugo was nearer to the university and the room conditions were also better. However, the other three of my housemates decided to stay back in the Pushkin hostel and we respected their decision. So, we found ourselves three new housemates. They were Jia Hao, Bengque and Dave. We wrote down our names on the list and we left the office.

Instead of going back to our hostel in Pushkin, we followed Catherine to Yugo Zapadnaya by bus to take a little ‘preview’ of our new hostel. Having arrived in Yugo Zapadnaya, we ate at Mcdonalds and we met a few more seniors from the Yugo hostel. They were really friendly and we started chatting. After having a satisfying dinner, the seniors brought us to the hostel.

The hostel wasn’t too far away from the metro station and the bus stop. Plus, there were market, grocery shops, restaurants and medium-sized shopping malls nearby, so it was more convenient for us if we wanted to buy food, clothes or some daily necessities. The environment surrounding the Yugo hostel was apparently much better compared to that of the Pushkin hostel. I was so thrilled for what I have seen here. Convenience for travelling and also shopping! At last, I have made the RIGHT decision!

We went back to Pushkin after that and we waited for another 4 to 5 days until we shifted to the Yugo hostel. J

Life in Moscow #1: A New Beginning

It was 4 o’clock in the afternoon (which is 8 o’clock in Malaysia) when we arrived at the Moscow Domodedovo Airport. The journey from KLIA to Moscow took us almost a whole day. The airline we chose was Royal Jordanian, the government-owned flag carrier of Jordan. The seats inside the airplane weren’t that comfortable and spacious, so I had a hard time falling asleep during the flight. However, the number of meals they serve was rather incredible. The air-stewardess never gave us any chance to have empty stomachs – they serve us 5 meals within 24 hours! So, if you ever had the chance to fly with the Royal Jordanian, don’t be surprised when you find yourself gaining a few extra pounds after coming out of the airplane. J

Our guide and Russian Language teacher, Ms Ayuna led us to the baggage claim where we got back our luggage once we got through the airport immigration. She left shortly after the employees from Sub Medic had arrived. Then, we took a bus and reached our hostel in Pushkin after an hour. A short briefing was given by Dr Pal, an assistant of Dr Farid(who is the ‘big boss’ of Sub Medic) to us. After that, Dr Pal passed us our room keys; my room was on the 12^th floor. My housemates Tzong Yew, Kien Peng, Jonathan, Junson and I carried our luggage to our unit.

Our unit had 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. The first bedroom can fit in 3 persons while the other can fit in 2 persons. My roommate Junson and I chose the twin sharing room just like we had agreed back when we were still in college. Our room was quite dusty and the condition of the furniture weren’t good. Furthermore, the size of this twin sharing room was really small. It was a few times smaller than my bedroom at home. To be honest, I was a bit pissed off when I first got in and saw the room. But, hey, what can I do? I’m already here, in Moscow, and there is no turning back. I had a look at the other room. It was much bigger than our room and it made me thought that I had made the wrong decision. Hmmph… What’s done is done. They might have a bigger room, but we have more privacy!

15 minutes later, we returned to the lobby to gather with the seniors from our university. I met Catherine, my ‘mentor’, and she’s supposed to take care of me, her ‘mentee’. So, I got a sim-card from her, withdrawed some money from the ATM machine, topped up my phone and called back home. Later, the seniors brought us and the other 1^st years to a restaurant and we had our dinner there. Just like I had expected, the Russians couldn’t speak English. So, Catherine helped us to make orders as we could barely speak Russian. We went back to the hostel after having dinner.

The weather here in Moscow was cold. 16 to 17 degree celcius currently, much colder than the weather in Klang. Everything in Moscow was so new to me. The people, the language, the weather, the architecture and so much more. Now it’s about time I experienced something new, something very different from what I had seen or felt or tasted in Malaysia. This would be the beginning for something new, something distinct. This would be a new beginning.  =)

Life in Moscow #Prologue: The Journey

1. KLIA to Bangkok (10.30pm – 1am)
2. Bangkok to Amman (2am-10am)
3. Amman to Moscow (??-8.30pm) --- GMT+8

The day has finally come, on the nineteenth day of September 2011.

Today was the day I would leave everything behind, in my beloved home country.

I would be travelling all alone to an entirely unknown region, without company of my loved ones.

Reaching the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 6pm, other Medic Ed students could be seen waiting at the check-in counter along with their family members. After a roll call and a short briefing by the Medic Ed staffs, passports and other documents were returned to us. Luggages were then being checked in at two counters adjacent to each other.

After checking in my luggage, I went to the airport cafeteria. My parents and siblings were there waiting for me. My aunt’s family came after a while and we had dinner. We ate and chatted and took photos together.

At 10pm, we exchanged our “final” words and bided farewell before I went into the terminal with my batch mates.

I would be all on my own from now on, without guidance and urging from my parents. I made a leap of faith and I would stick to it no matter what the circumstances are. By the day I return home, I would have achieved something great. I believe in myself, I truly do. J