Saturday, July 11, 2009

On My Birthday


Yesterday was my birthday but I felt a bit shaky and unsteady having experienced some situations occurred around myself. When the house was about to be left, our big brother, Ko Tin Shway said "have a trip". In fact, it was not for a trip but I was setting out for the college with my friends. However, the situation was encountered as if predicted. The underground tube was taken at a quarter to nine (15 to 09: am) in the morning at Hounslow West Station. When the vehicle arrived at the Knightbridge Station, the announcement was made that the train would be suspended for sometime and stopped there. All commuters were astonished because this is unusual. Everyone at such time is hurried to their works. For us to our college. But no way. Another vehicle must be taken if the destination was to be seized in time.

Getting off the underground, passengers were in a hurry to look for the way-out and ask the staff standing up nearby which bus had to be taken to the directions they wanted to go. There was one of the Underground staff, a black girl, standing up expecting to be asked by the commuters as to their buses. Approaching her, she was inquired which bus went to the Russell Square where the SOAS College is located. She was puzzled and could not give an immediate answer and asked one of her senior staff, a black man standing near the machine door. A reply from him came quickly that the bus we should take was "No 10" which goes to King's Cross Station near Russell Square.

We went out of the Knightbridge tube station. It was almost 10 o'clock am when our class usually starts. We were in a rush to find a bus stop and in the middle of nowhere at the huge junction in the central London. Backing and forwarding from road to road, finally the bus stop was found. It took as good as ten minutes walk to get there from the station. At the stop, another ten minutes were wasted by waiting for the bus which arrived after 600 seconds. The bus was moving like a lazy tortoise as a long cue of buses were standing before it. In the central London, as usual cars, buses, taxis are always sandwiching between two huge blocks of tall buildings such as hotels, shopping malls, supermarkets, government offices alike.

We had already been late to get in time to the class. Farthermore, one anouncement was heard in the bus that it would go to other destination but not to the King's Cross station as usual and terminated on a half way, at the Warren Station. All passengers had to get off there. And so did we. We three again came cross anthor problem with finding the way to Russell Square. Fortunately, one of my friends knows how to get there as he the day-before-yesterday had lunch around those areas together with his classmates. He was heading the way and the rest two including me were following him. After about twenty minutes walk, we got at the college. It was already eleven o'clock which means we were exactly one hour late to the class. We had no choice.

As soon as went into the Main Building, one activity which cannot be avoided whatsoever being late had to be made. It was going into toilet. And the lift was taken us to the fourth floor where our classroom is located. When the door of it was pushed open, we both were astounded to encounter that there was exam. All other students had already been sitting at the examination room for one hour. The class tutor, Ms Catherine stared at us and gave a consoling smile to remove our tensions. She was appreciated for that. We went and took our seats to take the exam. As we did not know in advance we would have it today, my head suddenly became burning. I was at a loss what to do next.

However, a concentration was first gethered and established, and then focus was given on the exam question. It was to write an essay with (500) words for the topic "What must a student demostrate to achieve academic success". Again, I was bewildered. I did not know what they were. However, the best attemt was made in the exam though it was the first challenge for me at the London University. No one cannot be blamed for that. Situations in the natural world sometimes happen as we encountered yesterday. A thing which gose as wished is rarely found. Anyway, when we got back home, my birthday party was briefly celebrated by three of us. This is what was experienced on my birthday. Fantastic? Or fascinating? May be both. Enjoy!

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