Advanced JourNIe: A learning journey like no other

So last year, I was tasked to attend this course from NIE and while I expected this, I was also stressed and nervous because it would overlap with my wedding. The course was due to start in August, just a month before my wedding and it would continue till April 2018. This course also required me to be in NIE for 2 full days (Mondays and Tuesdays).

So the journey from my place to NIE itself is approximately 2 hours so I would need to spend a total of 4 hours travelling.

While I was not looking forward to all these, I knew that attending this course was a requirement so I braved myself and mentally prep myself on what is to come.

Coming back here as a student after 12 years……………

I find myself having to multi-task because there were 4 modules in the first semester and every module has assignments every week. Occasionally I am too tired to even walk to the campus canteen so I packed food to eat in class.

Doing readings and assignments while eating was a norm.

I was also rushing some work stuff and sometimes I find no time to rest at all even when I am home.

My partners in school were so understanding and covered for me as much as they can. I really appreciate all the sweet gestures.

As the semester commenced, I find myself rushing to complete the tons of reading to be done along with the reflections and assignments.

I was also glad that I was not the only one feeling the stress. My fellow comrades from the same batch felt it too. Perhaps we are all older now and our brains and movements are slower than before lol.

I really appreciate the little reminders that we do for each other. Sometimes work and this course can get too overwhelming that certain things slipped our mind.

Also thankful for lecturers who make the lessons interactive and fun and not too stressful………………… well most of the time lol.

Fidah was in another tutorial group but occasionally we do meet for lunch and during combined sessions. I am just amazed we all felt the same sentiments about this course lol. Most of us have been around for years thus our workload and responsibilities in school are pretty heavy.

To juggle work and course and family was tough for most of us, especially those with young kids.

That is why we do celebrate little success. Even though it was stressful, we did not want to miss capturing the memories.

During the final presentation, I wanted to celebrate not collapsing. By this time, I was already 6 months pregnant and in my second trimester, I was too exhausted juggling work and this course.

My final product.

I am sure I could have done better if I was not too tired and stressed but I did put in my best. Thank you to my friends who assisted me in so many ways especially seeing that my tummy was growing bigger by the week.

Also thankful to le husband for waiting for me to finish my assignments on weekends. So many weekends were spent at home trying to finish all the assignments, I felt bad as a new wife but thankfully he was understanding and never once complained.

Another challenge in this journey was travelling for 2 hours there by bus and train. Most of the time during morning peak hours, the train is too crowded and everyone is rushing and pushing their way through. I had to take extra care to not be pushed and had to give way to people who were rushing.

It was also devastating and infuriating when no one cared enough to give up their seats to me even though it was obvious that I was heavily pregnant. Everyone had their eyes were on their phone and never bothered to look up to see who needed the seats more than them. Only once, I experienced 1 kind foreigner who gave up his seat for me when he saw that I was standing and no one was giving up their seats for me.

Thank you kind stranger.

This society, what is it becoming when people lack compassion? Are we well educated but poor mannered? On many occasions, there were so many young, healthy people sitting down instead, and sometimes they are sitting in the ‘reserved’ seat. Seriously? This is not just experienced by me, it was experienced by my colleagues who are pregnant as well.

Sad.

I am just glad that this journey ended in April  and that also means no more standing for long in the train where people could not care.

Overall, this learning journey has been wonderful thanks to the people but if given a chance to do it again, probably not. I struggled to stay calm and manage everything at work and at home.

Thank you fellow comrades for keeping me afloat when I was drowning. Alhamdulilah survived this course! Suffered blood, sweat and tears for this. Yeah, lost weight and all from all the crazy deadlines and the stress. I hope future peeps doing this will manage it better than I did haha.

All the best for the future everyone!