Alfonso Rojas

November 2008

This month i had some very interesting activities, of course, most of them have to do with the last tests, everything was an extreme situation of homeworks plus tasks plus study, plus tests, plus planning, but fortunately everything is now a thing of the past, now everything is about waiting for results.

So now with more time, i took my chance to go visit Melbourne while attending a major international event, im talking about the Melbourne Exhibition Center, they held an event called iDEF strongly recommended by Monash University, and as well followed by an Expo on media and entertainment, i got to say the conferences were very interesting, it was all about digital arts and multimedia and of course videogames, mobile technology and web evolution.

And the fun came that friday following the conferences, a very big exposition on games of all kinds with contests and prizes everywhere, promotors, hardware, software everything was there at reach, mobile phones, big brands like Nintendo, Playstation, XboX, i even participated and won 3 events!, so, now i have some great irony, i have Ps3 games and i dont have a PS3, and even if i did, the format of the game is for PAL video format, and we in America have NTSC (back at home nobody lost chance to laugh and say "Next time win something you can use!!"), so i will have to trade it for something i can actually use. Anyways the satisfaction of going and winning, its something i can enjoy world wide.

Anyways, like all good things, this had its limits too, so i went back home loaded with prizes and happy for having a real nice and well spent day, maybe in the coming days i will actually pay a visit to the movies, or maybe actually the Aquarium, i think there are still interesting things to see in Melbourne only if they are indoors because most of days downpours strike without warning, i recall i had a chat the 4th day i spent in Australia, at the bus stop i was looking the constant changes of sun, overcast, wind, and a woman said to me, yeah you are not from around right? This is Melbourne, if you dont like the weather, just wait 5 minutes she said laughing, and now i see the powerful truth of those words.

Anyways now the attention resides on one thing, i need a job, its great to spend first 5 days relaxing and enjoying of doing more less nothing but feel the nice sensation of having accomplished a semester, but even if i am catalogued among the most quiet passive people, i dont think i will survive in such passive mode for 4 months until next semester starts.

I've qualified for many jobs but all were regrettably declined in the end, mainly because i am not allowed to drive in Australia until i have lived at least 6 months (or so i was told), so maybe will have to aim for another kind of job that does not involve driving at all, packing stuff, moving things, ive heard so many times about the picking fruits, but the question is, WHERE!!!?

I guess its time to ask around and see what can be done at least before the meeting with the Sydney fellows come, but mainly for all the months coming after that.

Well i guess its all for this report, greetings to everyone and i wish the best results from your final tests!.

Good luck everyone!

October 2008

Well for this month i have very little to write about as my time was consumed with the last assignments for each course that is accurate to say all were very extensive, now we have to focus on tests, those worry me the most, as they are practically a rope around the neck, really too much added pressure to put such a heavy mark on them, plus giving them the ability to trash your work and with seriously nasty consequences, of course nobody wants to fail a final test anyways, but the serious implications and after effects have had their effect on my patience levels.

I think i will be "relaxing" & enjoying Melbourne just after the tests, as well i would like to know more about the Sydney celebrations, i dont know dates and anything, and remembering those places and those dates have crowded stations is not making things easier, lets hope our Sydney fellows can put a date by the end of this month.

I long for taking my camera and go to places to show my friends and family about Melbourne, Sydney, and the surroundings, as for living we had a little trouble, someone broke a big glass of the shop in front of the house i live, we had to make declarations to police because along with the broken crystal, there was a fire bomb thrown inside that burnt the door.

About the incident, the Landlord comments it is isolated and says we should not worry, however i still think, that the Clayton road needs surveilance specially by night, before these things transform from rare isolated to common daily. The whole city seems like on increased insecurity specially in the stations by night.

Anyhow, now its not the time to worry about those problems, i have way greater on my own hide with the final tests on my subjects.

Its the last step, lets engage it with joy, we are going there anyways!

September 2008 Update

This month was full of ups and downs, the things get very very tight in schedule, assignments for all subjects, plus labs, plus tutorials, sometimes i just go home and crash for a couple hours before anything else can be done, we had some activities and among them, was the celebration of Independence of Mexico i sincerely dont know if there was a celebration at all, anyways we are far from home but never forget where we come from, to my luck, i got a call from home, in the moment where the president of the republic was taking the role of the call to the independence movement, then fireworks, at least could hear, and thats just recomforting a Mexican dinner would be fine but anyways handling with the resources is actually a challenging fun jaja, well, now, for the activities, earlier in September we had a participation in the fundraising, along with Alberto, Jorge , Luisa and I, got a spot in front of the meeting point food store of the Campus Centre in Clayton, all nice and done, but i have to mention that, if i was able to put my signature in the request, it was because we got authorization from the MEX i mean, Monash Exchange Club, to sign as part of this group, to doso, i told Georgia Costello about the need of getting a spot there in the Meeting Point area, and she kindly gave green light to the request. All this was part of a tickets sale of which thanks to agreements made by Melania, we got some ammount that went straight to the Afganistan support project. Soon after that event, the elections for MSA came, it was days after days of siege, until i discovered that the best to do was actually voting, so i got some moments checking the contenders, and made a decision, then used my Tag that has written "Sure!, can i vote twice!?" funny way to say, ok im free to go, siege the following! Now Lets see, what results of all this.

Things at my place are getting nice, the owner decided to create another 2 rooms, expand the kitchen as well, now will be space for 7 habitants, but the thing is that we are lacking of people as there are only 3 students including me, maybe next semester.

Days go by, but i see no spot to rest, i havent had the chance to visit places, or anything, and as well i dont count this non teaching class week that is coming, as a chance to do anything, this because the due dates for assignments on all the subjects are coming, and from there the final tests, no time to feel upset, the heavy part is coming now, this weeks hard and all were just a warmup.

So far i got fair good grades, which motivates me, but there is always this huge red alarm that final tests are a win or lose tests, you pass you can go to vacations and see if there is a chance to work and Travel or visit at least strategic points in Australia like Tasmania, or see Uluru, or maybe Cairns, or a short trip to some beach to begin with. But failing even one will deprive of everything, and send the efforts straight to trash, and thats the definition of discouraging policy.

Time to get locked up, finish those assignments and focus on the upcoming tests. There is no time for distractions, those come later.

But for now, time to return to the salt mines.

August 2008 Update

Hello, again this time reporting some more about living and studying in Melbourne, in this month we had chance to prepare a "ridgy didge" Mexican Lunch and here notice the " " marks because its a whole adventure to find the ingredients(though we finally found them all in Victoria Market near CBD), and make it worth the symbol Australian made jeje, fortunately we managed to find them all and cook what we (Luisa,Beto,Jorge and I), consider to be a more than successful meal, true mexican flavours, im feel so happy and proud to see the staff of Monash Abroad, Gina Vassos or Kate Parsons and our other guests and immediatly they tell they really enjoyed it!!, feels great to see someone that got a nice time eating what you traditionaly eat.

Plus i must say that we all got hands to work my fellows Luisa, Beto, and Jorge, it is so easy to make things work with them, its a solid friendship, indeed we get along well.

Then again and to continue, things at home got interesting with the Olympic games going on, specially because we have at home a Chinese girl that to say of her or describe her as Nationalist is saying few, she was so proud and excited about the games and never missed a single event transmitted while she was at home, there was even a special moment when the event of the Synchronized Diving was taking place, in the living room were exactly the 3 nationalities that won medal, China Gold, Australia Silver, and Mexico Bronze.

Later on this same month, i had the chance to enjoy a flash visit to the Snow Mountain, it is a place called LakeMountain, short 2 hours distance from Melbourne, pretty nice place we enjoyed a day with quiet wind clear sky and lot of fun in the snow.

About classes, things go by, so far so good, everything seems ok, but increasing in the demanding time, plus seems like my whole semester is programmed so i have at least a test per week, and long and certainly consuming assignments, so dont be surprised if next month the submission gets shorter, and even then , shorter and shorter as time goes by.
My work load has not changed i go to University everyday Monday to Friday in the average of 9 am to 5 or 6 pm.

And gradually and impossible to stop, the 24 hour day seems like not long enough to do everything as requested, but there again, challenges are challenges, there is no other thing that face them and overcome them.

Have nice day, stay focused! The best is yet to come :)

July 2008 Update

Well this first report comes on day 29 because we were setting up the internet line at "home", the subjects i am taking involve programming in Java Language, Computer Systems, Database Management, and, Networking, all of them are main core of the career and help me to benchmark my actual knowledge on the subjects, plus taking the approach of such knowledge from the Australian educative model, my first 3 weeks were hideous mutant time tables, but now they have settled up, anyways unlike many or most of my fellow coeds, i go everyday to University from 9 am to 6pm with gaps between classes of 2 or 4 hours sometimes, IT career has more topics to cover and tutorials plus laboratories, but i will try and balance everything!, the projects i am involved right now are being the IT manager for the MEX (Monash Exchange Club) im just getting the details to start as the new webmaster replacing the previous one, as well there is this Mexican lunch that we look forward to prepare for the team of Monash Abroad, Kate Parsons is helping us to coordinate the kitchen time and other details, peace action group had meeting, Melania was there and we are coordinating something involving food, and a themed activities for the coming Independence Day of Mexico in September and maybe other minor activities to fundraise.

The greatest challenge maybe involves moving in the city, because takes 1 hour to reach city and 25 minutes to reach whatever place on bus, with bad luck it can take me 2 hours to reach the city center. I try to go the least possible fortunately the costs reduced with the concesion card, anyways 4 hours lost only in transportation are considerably too much. On the contrary what is to consider and be thankful is that the metlink system is a great help to find the way and destination, if only could work after 10 pm would be nice, ive been told that usually Australia is safe by night, but recently Victoria has had some violent increase, anyways its safer than any other city i have ever seen.

Somewhat the only issue with language is the "flavour" of english spoken, dealing with the aussie slang is a sweet pie compared to understanding the Indian digital print, or other Asian flavours of English, its not like there is a perfect english spoken by us international non english native, but i find quite interesting and as positive challenge to take classes with someone highly skilled and prepared that speaks english with native accent imprinted on every word.

Lets hope it all goes as something beneful, and not as an impairment, i look forward to get used to it in few days of having constant interaction with them.

Accomodation is great, home owner is a very nice person, and i live in a very pluricultural place, there is a Maltese student of commerce, a Chinese girl studying laws, Me, and we are expecting another member to come maybe this coming week, she is a full time working woman, house environment is friendly and very polite, a friendship very open has started between us all, all related to appliances is shared, but everyone has their own things for personal use, we had even a welcome BBQ for me, and its expected to have another for the welcome of the new house member.

As well i met the son in law of the Owner, he is a 100% Aussie, and actually first futty game i ever saw and i have to say first stadium i ever step into was precisely this one in a game were Glenn's team was playing, The Saints of St Kilda of course, and to the joy of the event, The Saints won, and i had chance to learn about the futty rules and the celebrations of the winners, and how the contrary teams accepts the defeat without real grudges.

As for activities, now that i am more stable in the schedule i will be able to figure out some more activities joined to the webmaster of the MEX team, however as many of my tutorials and laboratories have extra tasks to take home, plus lectures have some assignments to take home as well, i doubt i will be as active as i would like to be, because my classes days finish at 6 pm and its already night to be moving around to anywhere and hard to return home even if i live in the Clayton Road and near the South Primary School.

As for travels i was looking forward for the trip to the natural reserve but places were all sold out, and i havent had much chance really to be outside of the Melbourne boundaries, maybe in the upcoming months there will be chances, to go Skying or to the countryside of Melbourne, the woods, or mountain side.

People i met are actually the people i met in the orientation, the people at home, and some of the class mates, in general all lecturers, tutors and lab chiefs are nice people to deal with, other students are nice and easy going, so there is always someone talking to you and you have the chance to talk to someone.

Thats it for this month report, i will try and attach pictures extracted from the facebook account or special format to easy load them, there are some of the Melbourne Museum at night, and a picture i took after the first futty game that i would like to share.

Greetings and thank you.