This Master programme is more than just assignments

How is the weather in Malaysia? Read about the flood in Johor every so often and was tempted to drop an email about similar weather conditions in this part of the world. At least we are not missing on anything back home. =.)

It has been a wet, wet, wet week. Strong winds up to 130km/h were expected yesterday evening by the Luxembourgish meteorological department. Apparently, this was part of a Europe-wide storm. I wonder how Ko, Nee and all fared in England.

For once, I was thankful to be in a relatively 'solid' former steel company building. While the wind blew away half of the Netherlands, I was serenely typing my country report on older workers in Austria. How fitting, an awfully dry topic for a rainy season...

Finally wrapped up that report last night. This morning, we were given our next group assignment for the following week. Those in charge of this programme have an incredible knack in knowing when we should roughly finish one project before piling on another load of assignments.

This time in two weeks, I will be in Leuven, Belgium. Thought I better let you know about my living and study arrangements there. Quite a few hassles with moving to Leuven.

Firstly, my ATM card from the *International* Bank of Luxembourg, Dexia does not work in Belgium. The programme will distribute our monthly grant via cash (how absurd!). Then, we only have three computers in the Social Sciences Library that have connection with our institute, its datasets (for our data analysis) and a statistical software that I am currently using. This library is closed at night after 6pm and on weekends too! Writing my dissertation and other papers requiring data analysis will be a real nuisance there. *sigh*

Well, I am trying to maintain some level of optimism for Leuven. It's a university town with many other students from all around the world. All of us will be accommodated in the same student house with other international students, so that should be fun. There will many more events and opportunities to do non-study activities.

We get a tidy sum for lunch allowance instead but the quality of food at the canteen here has been deteriorating since Week 1 (something I noticed since the start of this term - maybe it's the UK effect of eating too much good Asian food?). Food in Belgium won't be cheap (since when was it cheap? In England? In Luxembourg?? *rofl*) but there are relatively affordable student eateries and a kitchen at the student house.

Any other news? Well, I am rushing for one PhD application while researching on possible research-related positions in the UK. Two former IMPALLA students have replied my email and have provided really helpful comments. One of them is currently doing the PhD programme at Maastricht that I am applying for. Another is now working as a researcher at the social policy research centre in Loughborough University. At least I know my range of options in six months and what I have to do before that.

It was nice to get the statistics exam over but many have started to worry over their results (we should get them soon), not to mention the coming stressful weeks working on more individual and group assignments!

My Belgian friend's parents were here yesterday and her mum commented that our programme is too intensive and stressful for its students. She herself is a lecturer of Demography in a Belgian university not far from Leuven. It was quite a surprise to hear that after all, I guess most of us are getting used to the stress and work level, in a resigned sort of way.

cheng =.)


Comment: Reminds me of my TAR College pioneer days (1969/70) when we were using borrowed premises, initially at a teacher’s training college in Jalan Kuantan, then at the Cheras Secondary School, in Cheras.