hello PINOY-OZ dreamers, my final day is over. wow, grabe, hanggang ngaun ramdam ko pa ang kaba, panginginig ng katawan ko dahil sa pressure. parang gusto ko ng umuwi, at tumakbo na lng pabalik kasi alam mo ung feeling na, ur aiming for something positive but its hard to expect kasi alam mo ung weakness mo, ehehehe...pero i would like still to thank every soul here who has cared for me and for the others as well in saying a prayer. I believe that even distance can't make us feel far from each other, instead it makes us near and connected. Praise His name!
This morning, I got up early, took a shower and ate my bfast and left at 6:49. I arrived at IALF Center (Indonesia-Australia Language Foundation) around 7:30. There were only a few of us, examinees, who were there and after a while the others came. I found a lot of friends there. Filipinos are friendly, arent we? so it was not boring anyhow why i came way early but no regrets after all. Most of examinees, who i had a conversation with were applying for studies abroad to OZ, Canada, US and Europe. Sosyal ang mga Indos ah! 😃
When it was close to the scheduled time for the test, we were gathered all in the visitors lounge and one by one roll called for the attendance with picture taking and biometrics. Not too long after, I found myself in the test room. We were three only. And when I inquired why, the examiner told me that they were maximizing the other rooms of their center. Well, not a bad reason.There should be fifteen students only per room, the maximum-he replied.
He read the instructions and other concerns. We filled up the answer sheet first with our factfile and there the listening started to rock and roll. 😃 One good thing, he asked us if the audio quality was good or needed to be adjusted especially for the volume.
The first part which was the listening, was actually good so far for me. Though in the end part, I missed the info for the years and the finding the direction part coz there was a word that the sound was like 'zzsssss' of its final sound, unfamiliar sound and its strange for my ears. But anyway, I still believe that it can't hinder me to achieve my target band score. Go 7! 😃 Time just flew fast that I found myself transferring my answers in the answer sheet.
Oh nooooo!!! Reading Test was there to devour us next! I admit that it's really my long-time worry. Its just so hard for me. The passages are long and the content is extremely highfalutin for me. Well, that explains for academic. But praise God, He gave me wisdom! Towards the end, I believe it was the answers that were revealed. It made my eyes see my first answers coming to its high sensibility that hey, this is supposed to be the answer. The key words were just showing themselves to me so I immediately prompted to change my answers. It was quite a lot, uh! Very good for me! 😃 This incident makes me more very glad and affirmed even more that God is just there around the corner. I do not really regret why I came home late last night as late as 11:30PM even I would have a long day for the next day. wew! I had been from a bible study anyway. They prayed for me btw. It was a very solid group, very supportive.
This time I was smiling inside of me coz READING was conquered by me. I was confident now. I just felt that I was right of my last minute corrections 😃. After a while, the writing task unfolded. Task 1- two charts showing the percentage of students aging from 14-16 in relation with studying foreign languages in comparison between 1984 and 2007's statistics. I wrote about it the last coz I wasn't sure how to attack it triumphantly. I wrote first the task 2 which says 'many people are afraid to their homes because of rampant crimes. They say that we have to take a little action on it rather than more action as others feel. What are your views?". Well, I think I made a good essay. I used my journalism prowess but I should not expect much coz I'm NOT the examiner. 😃 Despite the pressure and all, I think I was able to manage it well. How do I know? I have a peace inside despite my lapses.
Here came the last part, speaking test. I felt being tortured. I was the last person to be executed. 3:30PM. That was my appointment. Pero ok lng na matagal pang hintayin, coz I left the room with again, peace and gladness. Yun, tinaob ko nlng ung written exam sa twang ko, ahahahaha. Ginamitan ko ng mga uncommon vocabs, ahahaha. basta, pinakita ko talaga sa knya na I deserve to a get a grade like that of an engl native speaker, joke lng!
Overall, ok lng ang experience ko. OZ??? Here I goooooooooo! This day marks my first step in a strenuous journey of my dream--OZ dream.