Sunday, February 24, 2008

How I ended up in India?

IB result is out! Im all sweating that night. All sweating to accept the verdict. My father lied cordially in front of the tv mocking my worriedness. I just can’t stay put. Something in my heart says that this is going to be bad. The result will be announced in the net by 9.00 PM. It was around 7.30PM.

I just can’t stay put. I grabbed my mother’s Atoz key, start the engine and dash off to Masjid Sultan Yahya, the Blue Mosque of Kelantan. Waiting for azan, I prayed. I prayed hard for a good result so that I can go to one of the anglo-speaking countries. Again, after finishing Isya’ prayer I did another prayer. This time I prayed to Allah; “Ya Allah gave me the result that suit the things that I’ve done. I’ll take whatever the verdict You give me Ya Allah. “ That was my final wish after two years of struggling and prayers for the International Baccalaureate at Mara College Banting.

Indeed, the verdict suit what I’ve done. 35/45. That was my result. Good enough for MARA to send me off to overseas. With this poor result all I can apply for is Tasmania University, Australia. It’ll be a five-year medical course. 35 leads me nowhere. With no placement at all, UTAS is the only choice I left. Given that I fail to get entry to this university, the last resort will be India. That’s what MARA promised me with this result.

Fine… I only got 35. I’ll go with whatever I have. By the way, I’m not all alone. My best buddy Farid also have the same fate. No placement, poor result. Unwanted. All I can do is smile. Smile, feeling content with what I have. It’s takdir. I can’t question takdir. That’ll be hikmah. And I do believe that Hikmah is only for those who wants to think about it. Otherwise, it’ll be of no use. You’ll keep blaming yourself and everything around you, even your cat!

There were twelve of us who applied for UTAS. 12 hopefull unwanted students. Let’s make the story short- All the 12 of us didn’t get into UTAS. Bye-bye civilization... bye-bye beautiful country… bye-bye developed country…Aweful indeed. Most students from Banting are looking forward for living in developed countries. We, 12 students are receiving a ‘warm’ welcome from the ever-unexpected India.

India… one postulate will come to most of us…and our relatives: Subserviant to Malaysia. Yes, India is not as developed as Malaysia. The cities are dirty, it’s hot, people are not friendly, in short, life will be horrible! Is it true? You’ll discover later on.

Pn Ayuslina, our beloved MARA officer who took care of Banting students said that we will be sent to MS Ramaiah in Bangalore. Okay fine.. MS Ramaiah. Sounds good.

“You’ll be getting your offer letter in no time,” said Pn Ayuslina jovially

Upon getting the offer letter…

“Oh my God! What is this? This is no MS RAMAIAH… this is K…. U….. T… P… M!!! KUTPM?? What the %^%*?” She said it’s Ramaiah? What happen? Why? This is no India college. It’s Malaysian!!! Im expecting a local one.

Okay, okay… whatever. I was told that we were to go for an orientation at KUTPM Shah Alam. Okay, I’ll go. So I went…

TRUTH DISCOVERED IN ORIENTATION

Orientation is really a time for getting information. These are shocking truth that I’d discovered during the orientation:

1. That KUTPM has made a collaboration with Gokula Education Foundation, the body that own M.S. Ramaiah Medical School and all other associated schools in Bangalore. This collaboration has led to the establishment of a new medical college- KUTPM International Medical School (KIMS). GEF supplied lecturers and syllabus and KUTPM supplied a building besides MS Ramaiah Memorial Hospital plus all the funding. Hence, Pn Ayuslina has told us the truth. We are entering MS Ramaiah.

2. That there are many more of Bantingites having the same fate as me. All the unexpected faces appeared. Even those who scored flying colours in IB examination appeared there at the orientation. So, no big deal.

So that’s how it went. The verdict is known. It was predetermined that a man, named after Anas Aminin bin Wan Mohd Izzuddin is going to furhter his 1st Medical degree in India, at a Malaysian company-owned college.

Next will be the preparation to fly… finally. After all these years of suffering and uncertainty in Mara College Banting. Flying is yet another chapter to be told. Why must I tell story about flying? It’ll be the same old series of events… receiving tons of money from family members and friends, visiting them, buy all those new clothes and stuff, and finally hugging your parents in front of the International Boarding gate. Same boring stuff… Is’nt it?

No! mine is not. There’s nobody to send me off!

India: A New Chapter


I've been in India for the past five months-since October 2007. Now its February 2008. 5 months is such a long period. Many things have I gone through. Bulks to be shared and tons to tell. Last 20th of February I’ve celebrated my 21st birthday. An appropriate day to begin writing entries again after leaving this blog unattended for five months (poor blog heh heh).


From today onwards InsyaAllah I'm updating my blog with series of entries reminiscing my experiences and stories to be thought about. There are much to be shared about. It can't stay here in my memory forever. It'll deplete with time and age as per the normal of human being. Hence, writing it would save all the memories and thought that have crossed my mind before.


India is indeed a new chapter in my life. It begin around September 2007. MARA sent me here for my medical studies at International Medical School (IMS). IMS is a college under Management Science University (MSU), formerly known as KUTPM. Indeed it’s a Malaysian college established here in Bangalore…filled fully with Malaysian students. Ironic isn’t it? Haha. Let it be. Just hope someday that MSU will take admission from local Indians and other international students.

So here I am now. Aged 21 already, living cordially in Bangalore amongst other 200 something Malaysian st udents, studying MBBS. Oh Yes… maybe… this blog will be co-authored by my dear brother in Islam, Ahmad Farid Nazmi.

I’ll halt for now. This entry is just the beginning for a new chapter in India…

Wallahuallam…

Al-Insan