Quiet Christmas...宁静的圣诞

This is a completely quiet Christmas day. That day in the morning, I looked out from my window , it is a sunny day; I looked down on the main street and it is unbelievable quiet........ no people, no buses, no cars, not even one shop is opened. Most of my friends was very curious about how fun the Christmas was in the UK, but every time they asking the question, my answer is always the same: "boring, boring and boring". It is really not that fun compare with Malaysia, actually it is a day for Christian to celebrate with their family and it is a common way the people celebrate it here. Anywhere, even-though it is the most boring Christmas in my life, but I am sure it was absolute the day that I can't forget forever.

梁静如有宁静的夏天，我却有宁静的圣诞。这天一早醒来后，从房间窗口望出去，街上冷静的很，没有一个人，一辆巴士或一间开门做生意的店。由于我的房间是对大路，所以平时都非常吵闹和繁忙；今天突然间这些景象和声音都不见了，剩下的只有那空荡荡的街道。非常的宁静，很久都没有那么的宁静了。虽然是一个人‘熬’过圣诞节，但宁静的一天带给我心里不少的平静。今年的圣诞虽是最寂寞的一次，也没有任何的特别，但我肯定的是我永远都不可能忘记这一宁静的圣诞节。

Snow world...白色世界

white world
Oh, the real snow on my hand

Today is the first time in my life to see a snow. It is an unforgettable night and so amazing, the world turn all in white. Pure white every way from the street to the lamp pole. I have forgotten where am I now and it is so magical. Even I have been seen snow in some movies couple of times, but this time is real! I can touch the snow and feel it, I can see the snow falling down from the sky. Oh my god, I can't say how nice it was but it is really a lovely present to me before Christmas . 

12月21日是我人生中第一次看到真正的下雪，这种感觉真的毕生难忘。那一晚由于做Part time那儿出现了调动的错误，本来去工作的我却在半途中搭巴士回家。本想今晚有收入可是又临时说取消，算是可怜的一晚吧！既然回家也显得无聊，就打电话约一位老外朋友出来喝喝酒（在马来西亚就是我们所谓的喝茶）。今天天气也的确异常的冷，天空都是灰灰的。 晚上十点左右，当我们走出门外时，竟然发现整个世界好象变了；从走进来灰色的调调，成了白色世界。从马路，路灯，垃圾桶和停在马路边的汽车都被薄薄的雪花布上了一层白纱。我兴奋地用手轻轻抹了一层 雪，感觉就象非常幼细的爽身粉，粉粉冰冰的，太神奇了！在抬头往上看，在街灯照耀下闪闪发亮的雪花，象飘在空中的‘金粉’，徐徐落下；下雪的世界也真的太梦幻了！由于爱丁堡并不是常常下雪的地方，所以今晚这场短暂的白色世界，令这个古城里的人们异常的开心。我一个人走回家的路途中，一面象一个小孩似的，踢脚底的雪花，一面享受这爱丁堡提前送给我的圣诞礼物。。。

Before Christmas...圣诞前夕

For somebody before christmas is so exciting, but for me this time before christmas is so boring. Most of my friends went back to their home town, especially Amo friends; Malaysian friends some of them go to travel and some of them went back to Malaysia as well. For me, now I am a lone in Edinburgh. Working part time during weekend, doing assignment during weekday. Four walls in my room is the only world to me during this Christmas season. Now i know, Christmas in the place that closer to Santa Claus is not really exciting, I rather than have my Christmas time with my lovely family and friends from Malaysia.....

这是一个何其寂寞的圣诞前夕。古人说每逢佳节倍故乡，虽不是华人佳节，但是在这充满佳节气氛的小城里何以不回想家里的温暖呢？这里的朋友回乡的回乡，旅行的旅行；而我却象个被遗忘的流浪者，残留在这个寒冷的夜空里。现在真的很冷，每天都是零下，连出门都要三思。所以大部分时间就躲在房间里无聊。城外虽有很多人群在购买圣诞礼物，但这都与我无关；这里的礼物我又买不起，而且又是一个人过，在热闹的街道上，并没有一个熟悉的脸孔，多么的陌生呀。幸好我还有一架能让我连系远放朋友的电脑，使我在这冷冷的夜里增添一丝丝的温暖。

Amo's work...老外作品

Long time no see everybody  loh!
           A drawing that produced by my course-mate
Final year model
Final year model
Final year site model

I became very stress now after I visit the final year student's project. It is so amazing! I still need to push myself to that level but it is really not easy. Frankly, I still do not know how to achieve that kind of level in the moment because it is true that I have a big gap with them in term of studio work. I think I good enough in architectural drawing but Amo keen to present with model and model is almost everything here. No body will blame you because you did not put scale or north point in your drawings but their will cut your mark because you can't present a good model. Alamak! It such a great challenge to me. You all know I am not talent in doing models and my work-man ship is terrible lah. 

这次真的大镬啦！

Presentation 1

My model: use radio as a raw material
My presentation board: arranged base on my design concept
Presentation: wahhhh....many amo listen to Axxu's bullshit

The five weeks work finally presented, this was my first proper presentation on my studio work. Actually, I was felt very nervous when I'm presented in front of many Amo. They take presentation very seriously and most of Amo present very well and hebat! Some of them just present their models, some of them used animation to present and he just sit back to watch his presentation with us. Their models are fantastic and unthinkable,some of them used bags, furniture, chairs, guitar or wax to do their models. They do have many funny ideas in their projects, collect water one, projector house, fishing house and so on....... We do not have any restriction in the project so we can choose wherever site we wanted, whoever client we imagined, and whatever presentation methods you liked. Even the presentation time and date was chosen by ourself. It is so awesome! But in other where it was too hard for us to find a right direction for our project, it might came out nothing in the end of the day. It did happened where many people could not manage to finish their work of the presentation. Please don't thinks the tutors all are nice people, some of them are bad, they will stop you from talking and ask you a question straightly, and just shooting you directly. Anywhere, my presentation get a good response from most of them. But don't happy too early, normally amo like to give you a very nice and polite face in front of you, but when come to marking you never ever can predict what will going on......They very serious in their job and profession, it is the most danger situation here indeed.

第一次在这样多老外面前做呈现真不习惯。文化不同就是不同，这里乱讲也需要技巧。我知道我的Axxu's language苦了他们， 他们的老外英文也苦了我耶。这场呈现真的不知所措，看着老外朋友做出一批批惊人的模型，概念，真的自叹不如呀！在马大时，我都非常了解讲师们的心理，知道他们喜欢听的东西，都尽可能控制局面。但初到远在英国的这里，就连来评我的人我都不知他从那儿来，更不用说了解其他了。我也不知道我说用的词句对他们来说是否能接受或是不礼貌，或有得罪的地方？有些词语或肢体语言在马来西亚很正常而在这儿可能是会让人觉的不舒服。但也有时候他们觉的很平常的词语，但在我们听来却回有误会；如他们讲：what a shame you make this meaningless model! 我听起来真的很不舒服，觉的有被羞辱的感觉，但一问之下才知道what a shame 在这里并不是羞耻的意思而是How pity you are...带有同情或可惜的意思。短短的一句话就包藏着不同的理解，更可能会造成误会。所以，有时只要他们问到一些出其不意的问题，我就不敢乱乱回答了，到最后我就乱了阵脚。知已不知彼，不战就输了。得了着一次的经验，我得下多点功夫学好更好水准的呈现方法。原来最后交功课这一天并不是结束，而是一切的开始。

小马 对 大马

有一位远在新加坡念法学系的学长在他的布格落里提到，他在新加坡被中国的朋友称：小马哥。而我在英国这里中国的朋友都叫我：小马。 从小到大我只知道我们的国家称大马，听到他们叫小马总觉的有点怪，但其实若他们叫我们为大马也更怪了，中国国土那么大，人口那么多；马来西亚在他们的眼里也就理所当然的‘小马’了，我也就这样在国外成了小马的代表。

我们这一匹马虽小，但是实力并不输于人：

实力一，我们有令人羡慕的语言能力。有时并不是我们能够讲一流的英语如老外；一流的华语如中国人；和一流的粤语如香港人，但肯定的是我门可以更以上的所有人沟通。有时侯中国人也不能有效地与香港人沟通，虽说是同一个国家。

实力二，我们有强大的适应能力。身为马来西亚人，我们从小就接触到不同种族，不同语言和不同文化。在这里我们能够跟中国朋友谈三国演义；更香港人谈tvb，王菲；和老外谈west life, spice girl. 

实力三，马来西亚人是一个很令人好奇的国家。这是因为我们是小地方，许多人都对我们了解不深，所以我们总是有许多老外觉得惊讶和不可思议的好玩东西，坐下来喝茶总有课题可说。

实力四。。。。哈哈，我保留这个实力四，若不我们就看起来非常了不起了。借用邓小平先生的名言来总结一句：无论是小马还是大马，跑的快的就是好马！

UK's climate...天气篇

Many friends asking me what the differences between the UK and Malaysia. Indeed, this sort of question is not easy to answer with single words because it is two different worlds. However, I would like to share with you partly by partly about the differences that I've discovered.

The UK's Climate:

The most dramatic changing in my life here is the cold climate. The average climate in the UK is low and windy. In fact, my place Edinburgh is considering the nicest climate in the UK but not for me. Now the temperature is around 10 degree, at night it can be dropped to 1 or -2 degree. Please don't think the cold climate is good, it will bring a lot of problems when you are taking bath, going out side, clothing, and even sleeping. Here, you have to protect yourself from the bad cold weather properly, if not someone will really die because of the climate. And the sunlight here is very short, the sun will say “bye bye” with you after 4pm. The heater is the new thing for me, it just like air-corn in Malaysia, but you need to lean how to use it properly, if open it too long it will cost you an unbelievable electricity bills, if it not open in right time, you will felt cold all a day long. In Malaysia the climate is nice and suit to our human life. Even some people said the weather is hot lah or humid, but you won't be die because of the Malaysia's weather. You can go any time, anywhere you like, that why many Mamak is open 24 hours.....but not in the UK, the latest Pubs are closed at 2am. And every time I go out I have to wear 3 to 5 layers cloths, so if I take 1 min to change my cloth in Malaysia I have to spend 5 mins here before I go out , and take another time to taking out one by one after I come back. 

英国的天气对我而言是不能和马来西亚相比。每天的生活就象和天气作战；出门前都把自己包到厚厚，衣服穿了一件又一件；冲凉正的是“冲”凉，冲完两凉就冲着快把衣服穿好。有几次我慢了几秒，整个人抖的不能自我控制，由脚趾头抖到头皮屑。在马来西亚我们是多么的自由自在，想去那儿，就去那儿，除了下大雨，若不，天气绝对不是课题！在英国，如果你很穷没钱买衣服，你定会冷死街头，但是在大马你只要有一条短裤，你就可以在天桥地下过活了（所以才那么多流浪汉）。在马来西亚天气报告其实都不重要（交通报告才重要，因为有塞车），但在这里天气报告就象我的每日批命老，算我要穿多少件衣服。有是真不了解几千年前为什么人会选择住这样冷的地方。在马来西亚我们都喊天气热，喝的要放冰，房子要冷气；到了这里我才了解到温暖的可贵，太阳的难得和脂肪的重要性（所以圣诞老人才有这样的身材嘛）。朋友，别埋怨明天早上的太阳了，它带给我们的并不是热而是温暖；马来西亚的天气其实是我们的骄傲！

Harnham Monastry...英国佛寺

今天一大清早7点钟我们一行人就准备出发去Newcastle, 目的地是一间佛寺－Harnham Monastry。 这是一个寒冷的早上，一路上只见迷迷的雾，就象在天堂。不时，我们经过一些小镇，不时又经过清油的农场；穿过山谷，又经过了树林；两个小时后，我们终于到达了一个小乡村。那佛教道场就在山丘上，高处望下，四周只是蒙蒙胧胧一片。这里就象世外桃源，远离红尘的圣地。但，天气却非常非常冷。

进去了大殿，礼拜师父后，就开始供养仪式了。师父是白人，他是在泰国学习佛法和出家；他所念的经文，所穿的袈裟，是多么的熟悉和怀念呀！用餐后，师父就为我们开示，过后还带领我们静坐。能在这西方世界里听闻佛法，是多么不可思议的因缘呀！师父的开示让我的思绪回去了马大时期学佛的时候。在马大，我们其实是多么的有福报啊？有那么多位的师父护持我们，还在马大的朋友，请别错失因缘，学佛来的并不容易，要抓紧机会学佛。在马大，要听闻佛法可以去上佛学班，去不同的佛寺，团体；假期还有佛学营，进修营等等。在这里，学佛真不容易，听闻师父开示要开两个多小时的车才到达，学会活跃的会员也只有五六位，会员和执委是同一人。平时聚会我也迷迷糊糊的带领佛学班，诵经，静坐等。真的是半桶水倒半桶水，罪过！但无论如何，佛学会肯定有它存在的意义，无论有多困难，我们都会让它延续下去。只愿一步一脚印的走下去。。。。

哈哈。。佛学会所有活跃的会员
鸟语花香，不过如此吧
世外桃源，修行的好地方

Design Project...设计作业

I would like to share with you my first individual design project in the UK, a house for a historian in Warsaw. This project with be completed on 5th of Dec, it is mean I have to rush it for my presentation. Actually, I still blur blur what kind of presentation I going to do. I really not familiar what kind of material that I can get it here and most important is how to find a cheaper material. Here is not like Malaysia that I can find any materials in my mind or what I wanted, so it is quit difficult for me to search possible material in this strange environment . Alamak....I still thinking and thinking!

Massing study with Skecthup
Site model- I used all recycle materials to do it, nothing were paid for the site model 

conceptual model-my building was build in the between two different periods style architecture, and the design was intend to link up the two buildings

Part time...打工咯！

Crazy Scottish fans- BBC news

I am have had working two jobs in this week. Two jobs that totally extreme different kinds of job. The first job is easy and gain high salary: I was became an surveyor in a fire alarm consultant company. The task was stand on one of the fire escape in a building, and then their rang the fire bell, and what i did was observed how the people emerge out and how many people came out from the door,lastly I have to write a short report to describe it. It just take me one and half hour and they paid me £30(RM 210); However, the second job in the same week was as a waiter in a stadium. The task was to serve the football cup VIP, Scotland VS Italy in Europe cup(when Scotland get in a goal, I can felt the whole building shaken!). The work started at 1pm until night time 9pm. No break and hard work, serve foods, cleaning stuff, move table, collect rubbishes and so on. It is really exhausted job, I was worked continually eight hours. But this job was paid £5.50 per hour. It mean eight hours work equalize to £44 (RM 300). You can see how different between this two jobs? Easy and high paid, another is hard work and low paid. Anyway, I was felt very enjoyable to work both kind of jobs. It is undeniable that working can help me to earn some pocket money to let me eat some better foods and buy better materials for my studio work. Even the waiter job is tired and difficult, but I am very happy to do that because I can meet people from all around the world (Poland, England,China, India, Switzerland and so on) and from different background and ages.

At least the job let me learn to do something that I never ever do in Malaysia. This is my first time to be a waiter in my life. By the way, after I finished the waiter job,the manager might like my attitude and my effort; He offer me a job and ask me to join their company in the spot. He write down his phone and address immediately and ask me to go to interview next week with my CV. Haha....I am so lucky!

有时候，工作量和收入并不一定成正比。就如以上所说的。用脑力赚钱真的会比用劳力赚的钱高出好几倍；这也是世界一种的不公平，赚钱真的不容易呀！