I Did It!

Yesterday I went for a party - the Perak MMA (Malaysian Medical Association) Night (I don't know what is the proper name for the event).

I didn't really know what to wear, but since it was a formal function, I decided to tie a saree.

Now, I call myself an Indian, but I have never ever tied a saree for myself before.
I know how to do it, as in I know you go this way and you do this, but have never tied it for myself, and have no confidence whatsoever in tying it for myself.

So, I asked my room-mate to help me with the trying.
She said OK, but she had a wedding to attend on the same day, in KL, in the afternoon.
Fine with me, the function doesn't start till 7pm anyway.

Yesterday, after work, I had an ultrasound scan teaching, and so I only came back at around 4pm. Since I had the time, I thought - why not just try to tie it myself. Then my room mate can concentrate on getting ready herself.

And so, I tried, and tried and tried.

At 5pm, I gave up and tried calling another friend of mine - she was asleep and did not pick up the phone. Then, I tried another friend, who was at the saloon and so couldnt' help me.

Choiceless (my room mate was delayed in KL) and frustrated, I removed the saree and decided to give it another go.

This time, I somewhat managed to get something that remotely resembles a saree.

I guess it was OK, since it did not fall off even when we were on the dance floor.

Not bad for a first timer..:P

The 'product' of my hard work

Quote of the day - maybe a man will only learn how to swim when he is drowning..

MMA graduation

Only in a MMA (Moscow Medical Academy) graduation :

- the students organize their own graduation

- the dean’s office elects the students who will organize the graduation

- students have to pay for their graduation

- any planning have to receive approval from the dean’s office staff

- the rector cannot travel 1.5 hours away for the graduation, but students are expected to travel that amount of time to class everyday

- the dean’s office agrees to an uglier, smaller hall just because it is nearer to the office (lesser travel time for them) and rejects all other halls

- each student can bring only 1.5 guests per person because of inadequate seats in the hall

- we have to pay for each guest- for the cost of food that will be served

- the graduation MUST include a ‘makan’ whether you like it or not

- we are not allowed cater food from outside for fear that someone would poison it

- the organizing committee prepares (design, type names) the certificate (yes, our degree)

- we BUY our graduation robe and cap

- everyone has to use similar pens for the exams- bought by the committee

- the yearbook cannot vary too much from those of the previous years

What I have spent/have to spend for my graduation :

- graduation fee (hall, pen, ‘makan’, robe, cap, yearbook) – 4500 rubles

- certificate holder – 400 rubles

- entrance for parents – 1700 rubles (2 people)

TOTAL (so far) = 6600 rubles = almost RM1000.

RM1000 to graduate after the thousands of ringgit spent for the past 6 years. I guess the name Money Making Academy (MMA) fits it after all.