Sending Off

I managed to go to the airport to meet Jools and the family before Jaz’s flight last Wednesday. It reminded me of my own experience going away to further my studies. When I first went away for my undergraduate studies, things were different. We were going in a group and most of the guys/girls in the group have known each other during a pre-departure course that was held for about 3 months earlier. Hence, there was strength in numbers. There were uncertainties as well but where we are going to and most likely who are we going to say with. The rest are just adjustment to be made but more often than not the decision you made would only affect just yourself, e.g. if you want to skive the week off or skimp on food so that you could save for the latest gadgets and stuff or staying up late for a night out with a midnights/early morning show.

But going away on my postgraduate studies was totally different. There was the three of us plus my aunt who followed along to mind The Boy. Budget and allocations has to be made. Essentials, needs and want have to be well defined. To put things in perspective, heating plus electricity was essentials as we have people in the house all day long, broadband was needed for the research of coursework plus keeping in contact with close friends and relations, satellite TV was luxury that we can forgo.

Grocery shopping was mainly done on house brands, up to a point my aunt commented that these mat sallehs really loves white packaging as most of the stuff bought came in white, bless her. Once in a while we would have eaten outside, but being on a student budget it would have to be a value for money kind of establishment. Lunch was nearly packed every day and we would wake up 2 miles to and fro a day to school. Trips away would have to be done on a budget as well, staying with friends or acquaintances or looking for a cheap deal on lodging. Finding baby minders are a luxury as the charges are exorbitant. Payment to the child minder would cost the same as our rental per month. Luckily there are Malaysians around who could do that for us for a lesser charges.

I was wondering what is running in Jaz’s mind that night. The long journey to get to her destination, to settle in a foreign place alone, to get accustom to her new schedule, to set up a decent place before her family gets over there. Jools and the girls would follow suit in a about a month’s time. After that I guess Jools would have to take care of the household, keeping the family unit whole. Welcome to the He-Biatch world Jools !!!! Muahaha…