This Is It!

After weeks of scouting for accommodation through advertisements from the net, and us dropping by at different rental agencies for countless times, we finally found a terrific place at Sandford Street, St. Lucia. It's a fully furnished unit (spelled litellary, with additional stuff such as dvd player, home decors, barbeque pit, and even towels!), breathtaking river view from the balcony, and this beautiful place is only for AUD 450 per week!!! (what a ripped-off!). Besides the fact that there is only one toilet and one bathroom, everything else was beyond our expectations. This is IT! We've signed the agreement and paid the bond. We're moving in.

To be honest, as much as I am excited about this whole idea of moving out from the Lodge (an on-campus accommodation for UQ students), it was not an easy decision to make. Living at the lodge for almost three and a quarter years since I was in Australia, has in a way made me love this place more than I thought. Who will even think of wanting to move out from here when this place is so comfortable with nearly everything provided (except for food)? We were even pampered with having a cleaner to clean our unit every once a week and a maintanence guy that comes whenever we need his services to fix damage household utensils. And my friends, it is only a 5 minutes walk to uni! Campus Lodge will definitely be missed!

Many people have told me that living off-campus is much cheaper than living on-campus. So that was my main motivation of moving out. It's cheaper. And then I thought, "Well, it's also time to step out of my comfort zone." But on top of all these, the more important reason is, I'm moving out to a cheaper place, I'm going to taste the bitter-sweet of independence and responsibility, not alone, but with my two lovely hyenas.

Moving out from home and family to a foreign country is a big step. Moving out from college to the lodge is a bigger step. Moving out from the lodge to a place of our 'own' is definitely a much bigger step. Moving out with friends whom you love and care about is not just the biggest, but a HUGE step.

It is a huge step because living with people is not an easy thing in the first place. It requires a lot of effort, a lot of understanding, a lot of tolerance, a lot of respect, a lot of love. I know people whose relationship with their once called bestfriend/s deteriorated because of past horrible experiences living together and I have an experience of my own. If living with people you are not okay with is a challenge, keeping a significant relationship despite of the ups and downs along the journey I think, is a bigger challenge . Nevertheless, I certainly hope that this bigger challenge would make our relationship grow into more meaningful one.

I am trully grateful for knowing my hyenas. They are beautiful just the way they are. And who says Singaporeans are kiasus ? At least these two crazy ones I met are not. Three of us are different in many ways, albeit our similarities in certain things and we get along well. Every now and then when I sit and daydream, I smile to myself thinking of my first encounter with each of them, and how our relationship has change and grow until today. It's been nearly two years now and is still counting. I'm amazed by how far we've come. It is that kind of relationship I know I'll keep for life.

I foresee the ups and downs along our journey together for the next six months with hope that this journey will make us learn, understand and appreciate each other even more than before. This is it. The journey has just begun. Together we shall sail into the ocean. I have faith that this journey, will be a memorable one.

p/s: for a sneek peek of my new home, visit

Wei Ling's

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