Baggage claim

Dear Sir / Madam,

Baggage claim Ref.  No. MELQF67040

I was the passenger who took the QF637 flight from Brisbane to Melbourne on 11Sep, 2010. When i checked in my baggage, your staff told me my Chinese musical instrument, SanXian was too long and domestic flight is different from international flight, it could not allowed to handcarry myself. They given it a fragile tag and promised would be take extra care and would be seperate it with other baggages and needed to get it back at another special counter. After I got off the flight and got back my baggage, I found it came out with other baggages in the conveyor belts. Unfortunately, I found it was broken and went to the counter to reported this case. They given me a letter and my reference no. is MELQF67040.
After I took my broken SanXian to your repairer, Sweeney's Luggage Center, they told me it is not repairable and given me a proof letter. They asked me to go for Allans Music and they told me since it's a Chinese musical instrument and they are not familiar with it. Even they may repair it, but the fee is possibly much expensive than the musical instrument's original value.
Therefore I would prefer replace a new SanXian.
I tried to get a quote from Hong Kong where i bought my SanXian which is about the same style with my original one. TSXL01 in HKD$3,200.
Enclosed the proof letter from Sweeney's Luggage Center and the quotation from Hong Kong Harmony Music Company.
Since I need this SanXian for busking during my stay at Melbourne, I wish I can get the new SanXian as soon as possible.
Please advise the procedure and I am looking for your reply. If there's any question or missing informations, please don't hesitate to contact with me.
Thank you for your kind attention.

Yours sincerely,
Minnie Wong

move on to Melbourne

this is a trip of faith......

finally i've got some time and mood to drop down a testimony on the days recently... really thanks brothers and sisters' prayer support.

tell something more about why i have to go from Brissy to Melb....
when i was in Brissy, everythings was smooth... the days are relaxing... work for a few hours a day... hang out with frds to eat, drink, coffee... stay at May's place, even can sometimes painting, dancing, running, sun tanning.... i almost forgot why i planned to have working holiday here. i actually planned to travel around, to experience God, to be a good testimony for Him...
before i arrived Aussie, i believe it's God's will on me to come over. Just like Abraham, God told him to leave Haran and go to Canaan.

"Leave your country, your people and your father's household

and go to the land I will show you." Genesis 12:1

take action when hear the calling.... u may take a look on my first post if u missed it....

while i was chatting with Karen, my Little Singapore colleague, she also had same will to go Melbourne. why not go there together?
also i know that Shu Shu was working at Breadtop there and always said she could introduce me to work there too. Work at bakery, sounds interesting...
It's kind of waste if i only work as waitress for the whole year....
Melbourne is an Artistic city, strong street busking.... as a graphic designer... and also a SanXian player...... i must visit this place as i planned to busking while Brissy always not allow me to do so........

okay, started planning.... don't know why, 9-11 appeared on my mind.... okay, i don't fear of the terror... go ahead!!!
contacted shu shu abt that, she said she gives my contact to her boss, and Brissy actually hire ppl too.... suddenly Karen changed her mind.... she said she wants to stay... but i'm somehow stubborn... once i made the decision... i won't change.....
kept on waiting for the call.......
before i resign... i wonder how would my supervisor Carol feel when i resign... since after Alice left, i worked for the open shop shift almost everyday... not much colleagues can works everyday since most of them are students...
i asked Chris, another colleauge who would leave soon... she told me actually Carol are leaving soon... she possibly won't care abt it.... huh?! so i told her the next day... yea, just as what Chris told me... even she was excited abt my life in Melbourne:)   just found that all my worries were so silly.... she told me i can get the reference letter from my boss too... what a good company... i never thought of this kind of job would do that....

one more thing, the tax return form were received just on time..... i could finished it right at the last day i work at LS and the next day got on the flight to Melb. and Wai Wai was so considerate that she given me all my salary on my last day... i told her i don't have time to wash my uniform b4 i return it, she said she would help me to wash........ so so so adorable ^3^

no matter what, Little Singapore (esp. City) is really a good place to work... love this family... the colleagues are so friendly and funny.... i almost forgot my real age :p

--------------------------------------------------------

started to find a place to stay at Melb...
i actually no such experience.... when i first arrive Brissy, Josephine arranged everything.... after that, i stayed at May's place.... what i have to worry abt?
mayb God gives me a lesson...
i seeked it at backpacker forum...
since didn't have time to inspection... i just contacted with SMS, emails, phone calls.... not much reply or told me someone rented already...
suddenly i got one reply... he sent me photos.... seems not bad and looked from the map... seems not too far away from Collingwood, the breadtop bakery that i planned to work for...
since i'm afraid someone would rent this place, i tranfered the $ to the landlord asap....
i actually worried will he cheated me? got my $ and disappeared... but i thought... i've got his mobile phone #, bank account, our SMS and email record... if he's really cheating me, i still can call police and traced back everything....
he finally cheated me in another way.....................

the photo he given me was actually another room... he didn't show the common area... the kitchen, bathroom................ it's soooooo sooooo horrible...
dirty with bad smell.....
i paid him one month rent and he asked me to pay him another one month rent as bond............ sorry, i don't have $ wor.......
so wise to not pay him any more....
after i told him i don't want to rent here anymore, he said... short term rental is not like that.... okay, what if i stay three weeks but he won't return my $ while i paid one month.... but afterwards he asked me to leave at the end of this month.... that means only 2 weeks more...
okay.... i don't want to stay longer anymore....
http://www.facebook.com/whyminnie?v=app_2392950137&ref=notif#!/video/video.php?v=473387969622   take a look on this video and u will know how bad it is.....

job hunting that few days... since the roomate of YHA given me her monthly ticket... i've got a few days to travel everywhere for free..... so i went to city everyday.... job hunting and find a new shareroom.... still no news from Breadtop.... only one job hired me.... that's Heng's recommended Crispy pork belly rice's place... Pacific BBQ cafe.... but $7 per hour..... Little Singapore given me $15.56 per hour..... so i really wanted to leave it......... anyway... they told me i can called them on Sun to get the roster of that week.... that means i should make the decision on Sunday.

seems no any response from other restaurants... i walked around city... and chinatown as well.... mainly given my CV to those Chinese Restaurants... Malaysian restaurants as well, since i believe my working experience and cantonese at LS may help.... yea, more chance to chat more while i given my CV... seems would get a job soon.... but no calls......
on-line applied some cafe job as well.... no reply.......

forgot to mention my Sanxian.... i was broken during the flight... so i couldn't busk also.... see people busking, but really no mood to give them $.....
i don't have $ too.....
started feel a bit faithless..... didn't want to buy any food, didn't want to spend my $...... also no mood to cook at the horrible kitchen....
i just bought some breads and instant noodles........
so worry abt my $, no $ to pay for the rent and bond for the new place..... if i con't out of job..........
is that i should go to be a stripper?!  i know how to dance like pussy cat dolls, christina aguilera and Britney.... but........... i don't want to disappoint my frds, my family and God...... how can i do such thing....... i can't betray my inner soul......

May comes to visit this weekend... i really want to give her a good news to make her not to worry abt me...
i suddenly received a SMS from Shu shu's frd, she told me to call Breadtop manager myself....
so i given him a call the next day... he asked me to come and have an interview.....

finally i had an interview today... i waited the train for quite a while, and lost at Collingwood.... finally i lated for an hour..... that's so bad to late that much for interview... but the manager is so nice... he asked me some questions and given me some forms to fill in... tried to work an hour, for me to know how the work will be and if i really like this job (instead of how my performance).... he knows i need to change train at City and can't start work at 5am... even may late at 6am... so he told me to check how earliest i could arrive... everything is so negotiable...
anyway, today is Sunday.... the day that i should make the decision to work at Pacific or not......... and May will go back to Brissy tmr, i given her the good news...

perfect timing!! everythings is under His providence :) my God is so different, right?!

urgent prayer request

Peace, Land and Bread....

Peace: pray that i still keep faith in God, no matter in what circumstances. also pls pray for my health, since it's so cold here, and it's raining while i was walking in the city, no umbrella.... fortunately (thanks God), i didn't get deeply wet, just the coat and hair... but my roomate got flu seriously, cough during whole day... it's really easy for me to get sick... what i can do is only drink the hot lemon that i brought from HK...

Land: the place i'm staying is really like a hell... bad smell when i go inside the room....everywhere is messy... the kitchen is so old and i even don't want to cook....everywhere is dirty.... i dont think doing house cleaning will help alot, that's just their custom... the internet is not stable, esp. night time.... they said someone downloaded movie... so it become slow.... i can only use it at non-peak time...
but i actually paid one month rent.... he asked me to give him one more month rent as bond, he didn't tell me abt this b4... and surely in this case, i won't give him anymore... i argued with my landlord today, he told me then stay 3 weeks and no return... so i actually loss 1 week rent... but i really wanna go.... 真係豪俾你算喇.... when i rent new place, i need to pay bond and rent again.... hope my little $$ is enough for me to live b4 i get the pay from new job.

Bread: i still not start working yet... job hunting today, got one job but really low pay, less than half pay of Little Singapore... really need to think thru... take it or leave it? the bread bakery job is not confirmed, but just got some news abt that again.... hopefully i can get this job.but i heard that it's pay monthly... so even i got this job, i may still need to wait a month to get the pay, then within these days, really eat bread?? really want to earn enough $ to travel around....

Last day at Brissy & First day at Melb

Last day at Brissy & First day at Melb
went to Westend for brunch... planned to back "Chan Chi Ming's place" but we missed the breakfast session... oh, my blood pudding='(
changed to brunch at another place and one more coffee at "Cup"...

say goodbye to them, say goodbye to Brissy.. i'll be back~~
had the meal at the plane while thinking of how's their dinner at Heng's place... i missed it...

picked up my baggage... how come i found my Sanxian with other baggage together while they told me i should get it back from a special counter...
while i picked it up, it's seems abnormal.... i opened it and checked, damn it!!!  the neck had been broken......
i went to the counter and asked for help... they told me i should call Qantas for that... either repair it or get a new one.... but as a Chinese musical instrument.... i don't think i can repair it here.... and this is not a really expensive one, repair it is actually wasting $$... what the best method is to buy a new one and given the receipt and claim for it... it takes time, u know.... I WANT TO GO BUSKING!!!!!!!!!

whatever.... i took the skybus and got to Melb city... a lady asked me if i'm a tourist and where i'm going to... she told me YHA is just a few blocks, yea, from the map it is... but she recommended me to take a tram and shown me which tram i should take....
but after i got on the tram, and asked other passenger if i should get off there... they told me i actually got a wrong tram.... huh?!
i got off the tram and tried to find the right one... failed to do so...
i wanted to get a taxi, but the taxi driver seems don't understand where i'm going to... i given up...
i asked ppl where's Flinder street, they pointed and told me at the end of the street.... okay... by walk then... but after Flinder street, i actually still needed to walk thru Spencer street.... i asked another two men, and they seems going there too... i was too brave to go there with them. but finally i got there....

there's another Chinese gal, Chi Hung from BJ as my roomate... but 4 shared room as a result only 2 ppl shared for the first day...
the bed is so comfy...

at the next day, i chatted with Chi Hung. she shared her breakfast with me... i asked where would she spent her Sunday... she told me her ex-colleague invited her to church, but she's actually not a christian... i begged her to bring me there XD
we took the train to Boxhill... Sunday saver ticket is juz 3.XX bucks for whole day, great!!
Boxhill is a chinese  ppl area, seems so many chinese food can be found.... her frd treated us, we enjoyed a shallot pancake and sour chilli soup.... the shallot pancakes were so nice!

they asked me to join the Mandarin with english translation service while is for youth and they attended the adult mandarin service....
for me, i prefer the English morning service since either Mandarin or English are not my mother tongue, i think english one's atmosphere would be better.... the Mandarin with english translation service is for teenage, i think i'm too old... but the mandarin service are mainly mid-age adult... juz no age between like me....
but let's see if there's another church near my place later.

Chi Hung prepared the dinner and shared with me... with Red Wine, cool! we chatted with the old man whose from UK but borned at Aussie. he's a retired civil servant... he had interest on how's the different for HK after the retured at 1997... franky say, i love UK governors... they fed me while i was growing up since my dad was cilvil servant too... i love Chris Patten=)
okay, stop say too much, ppl would know how old i am XD...
but good chatted with this old man....

i chatted with my another roomate too... she's from Swissland... a student but in working holiday... need to back to school soon but her bf would cont' his WH trip.... they would be in distance, she said she sad abt that...
i enjoy to chat with ppl in different nations... ha, so i should stay more at backpacker hostel?!

International City Church, ICC

since someone asked me abt the church info, i suddenly remembered the first church that i been to after i arrived Brissy. that's Internation City Church at Valley...
but after i got lunch shift on Sunday before, i chose another church which is at City and the time is just good fit to work for 10:30am shift.
from last month, i don't have to work on Sunday, but i still went to same church at City.
but this week, i thought of going to ICC again.

long long way to get there after got off the train... it takes 10-15mins... it's juz opposite to Emporium... 977, Ann Street.
the worship time is always great & touching ...

after the sevice, amazing thing happened...
i saw Lily, the malaysian chef of my working place....

i called her and chatted for a while. just found that she goes to this church, and she got 4 children already... she introduced her 3rd daughter to me, she's around 1X year old, i think not more than 20... sometimes when she called me "Mui Mui", i would think "i'm not that young actually=p" but in her eyes, i'm really a mui mui since she's got 4 children already...
she asked who brought me there, i just search from internet b4... she said why i didn't ask her... how could i know she goes to church=p
i told her abt my leave, but we will still meet in this two weeks...


how amazine!!  if i chose to go the church at City, i would never know she's a christian too...
thanks God's special arrangement~~ it's encouraging

365 days of love

today, after work and sun tanning... i went to the bus stop and waited for the bus. saw the
444 bus came but it just stopped for passenger got off only. then i checked the schedule and the bus would arrive around 10 mins.... 
in this 10 mins, i found many many elderly there.... i guess coz of after the Mama Mia show??
some of them checking the bus schedule, some screwed their eyes, some seems confusing...
i'm willing to help but a bit shy.....
after a few elderly gone, another old man came and looked at the schedule again.... the time was abt 4:4Xpm and his eyes was browsing around 2:XXpm... i pointed to 4pm area and told him should be around there... he first saw his bus at 4:32pm, i told him it should be gone, let's check the next bus... should be at 4:47pm... i told him it would come a few minutes later.... he thumb up and thanked me... just a simple thing... but  i felt great...

inspired from Jaeson Ma, his 365 days of love.... don't know if added him at facebook... i sometimes received his newsletter.... he sometimes did some project to serve others to show God's love... sometimes looks amusing but i enjoyed it all the time.... i think he's great!!
juz a little thing, can bless those who around us.... 

while i was on the way home.... i suddenly thought of actually i can do a project myself... stay at the bus stop and help those who need help... 


for today, if the bus not coming that early, i would like to help a few more ppl... mayb next time=)

Visit Annie's place

received a msg from Susan yesterday morning just b4 work. she invited me to join their Zumba Fitness party at  Annie's place.
so after work, i backed home and changed a suitable outfit and got on May's car and got there.

first thing impressed me was their garden, they planted alot of vegetables... they got a green house as well, but not much things inside...
i saw auntie picked a bucket of fishes as fertilizer... i understand the concept but didn't know someone is using this way to plant crops........  
we walked to have a look on the house just nearby which is selling.... but after chatted with a guy outside the house, we found that it's sold out, someone pay for the bond already...

May left afterwards for run...
Susan bought her Zumba Fitness DVD set and we chose the 40 mins cardio party.
Susan, Annie, her mum and Aunties plus me danced together... her mum and aunties quited half way.... actually it's a bit short if comparing to the real class.... but still learned some new moves from the DVD.
they got Karaoke as well, although mainly Taiwan's mandarin songs.

we had dinner b4 the K.... i saw auntie prayed for the meal... she said Amen loudly...
the meal was good, a little bit Taiwan style since they are a Taiwan family. we had fish,bitter squash, meat cake,  peanuts, some preserved vege... and a good fish soup that they fished themselves that morning... 
during the meal, when i looked up the wall... i saw a plaque writen 基督是主 Christ is our Lord. ...
then i found that among their group of frds, Annie, Lilian, Jersey and Ryan are all Christians.
no wonder the candle that Annie prepared for Susan's birthday with a tag writen "Grace"...
no wonder Lilian agreed with me when i said that's God's will for Ryan met his fiancee...
everything is unfolded... good to know some Christians frds here, Thanks Lord =) 

We karaoke afterwards... sang a few songs... as me and Susan love to 玩野 ... we sang some super old songs as well.... 倆忘煙水裡..... 小李飛刀... wahahaha....
Annie sang some cantonese song too... not bad pronunciation...
aunties sang 上海灘... and a few taiwanese songs... so funny...

sing K, dancing, eating... what a wonderful night...
ar, thanks Susan drove me home.

After Aftershock

watched Aftershock with May at Sunnybank AMC, the only cinema shows this movie.
as many HK frds highly recommended, and as being a Chinese, i should watch it anyway.
昨天問朋友有沒有興趣看, 反被問及為何如此想看.... 真過份!
without knowing the director, without knowing the whole storyline... only watched the trailer... why not? need not to be care too much, many ppl recommended... i actually seldom watch Chinese movies... but this one is really attractive.
know too much abt the storyline is not good either, i don't want to predict the scenes.
so if u want to watch the movie later, don't read the comments below.............

without describe too much abt the earthquake and the rescue since it's not the main theme but the prelude. since this is not a disaster film like 柴犬奇蹟物語 (A Tale of Mari and Three Puppies) or 2012, Knowing, The Day the earth stood still.... those story abt the end of the world...
yea, coz it's actually really abt "Aftershock".... so i think the English name is more telling the story but 唐山大地震 would be more vibrating for sure. 
i quite like the fonts of  唐山大地震...
just as the poster "Her survival was just the beginning."

"

Sacrifice
當兩個只能活一個, 你救哪一個? it's really hard to choose... both are your children, save whose life? in my point of view, the mum save the little brother not only because his gender, but he's keep calling his mum for saving his life while the sister couldn't say anything but crashing the stone. the younger ones always got privilege... that's the normal (: as i'm the youngest child.... kekekke...
but their mum sacrifice her entire life, her fortune to fulfill her belief... their ghost couldn't get home if they moved too far away. 

Persimmon -- promise
that's the most touching part i think.
b4 the earthquake, there was a scene that only one persimmon left, the mum given it to the little brother, the daughter complainted her mum favouritism... the mum promised to buy her the next day.... at that night, the accident made her couldn't complete her promised.
after 32 years, their reunion scene... her mum prepared a few persimmons for her... no matter how old she is... she still remember that after all these years......... as she had promised... really meant it, not just a lie to a child. 


Pregnant scene
the daughter got pregnant with her bf, while her bf asked her to do an induced abortion....
such an irresponsible guy... this made me think of my frd who also got such experience while she chose the same thing with the leading lady...  give birth to baby and left the guy.
the most funny thing is when the adpoted father slapped the bf, an audience was too excited and yelled "打得好!!" in mandarin... really rofl XD

Coherence
it links up with the Sichuan earthquake at the end of the story...
another story begins to lead u have a little flashback. back to the scene that the mum made the choice...

Director
since the director Xiaogang Feng is familiar with comedy... so humourous scene are between. not crying scene for the whole movie...
14X mins... long movie but not boring at all.

cry or not, so depends... May didn't cry, i did. i'm emotional... but not only me, i seen ppl's crying eyes after Aftershock...



and i suddenly missing my mum...

i dreamed a dream

有人說夢都包含一些意思, 可能是反映現實生活, 亦可能是潛意識想著某些事.... 不過有時候都會只是將生活一些零碎的片段加以想像再剪輯成一個夢, 可以無需講理由, 有時候人物場景都可以隨時轉換....
我剛發了一個夢, 夢醒了就睡不著了.... 要起床把我的夢記下來.....

我夢見要Order dessert... 當朋友們都Order 了, 收了Menu.... 到我的時候, Waiter 忽然走了... 其他朋友都在享受他們的dessert, 當然我也有分享他們的食物, 都很好吃, 好像有Cheese cake.
我不斷呼喚Waiter何時可以Order, 好像也繞嚷了一段時間, 朋友都吃完他們的甜品了... 我跟朋友說其實都飽了, 是不是應該放棄? 好像是朋友鼓勵我要堅持Order...
終於Waiter 來了, 我把要的甜品告訴他.... 他好像不敢相信.... 再把Menu 給我看著來點, 沒錯, 就是這一款.... 好像是有藍莓的雪糕... 我好奇地問有什麼問題? 他說為何點得那麼簡單清淡?? 我說就是喜歡這個味道. 後來我醒來了... 記不起甜品最後來了沒有, 味道如何...

我嘗試把夢解析一下....
我把這個dessert 理解為愛情... 當朋友們都拍拖, 談婚論嫁的時候.... 我還是單身一個... 其實我也想嘗試戀愛的味道, 可是等了很久都沒有機會... 朋友們都樂意分享他們的喜悅.........
我尋尋覓覓，冷冷清清，悽悽慘慘戚戚一番之後, 反正都絕望了, 不如放棄吧......... 朋友卻鼓勵我, 書本也教導我, i deserved a good one...
有時朋友都覺得我picky, 也有不相信我沒有拍拖....... 其實我的要求也很簡單........  在夢裡面, 還是沒有嘗到"愛的聖代"的滋味.......

好了, 應該繼續安睡, 希望能為故事有個好的結尾=)

Busking Audition

didn't notify too many people for my busking audition this time, i don't want to be like last time...

actually, from last audition... after the failured.... i was quite depressed and didn't even touch my Sanxian for almost one month..... i thought the next audition should be abt 3 months after last audition at late May.
i wanted to check for the date, but always forgot.... once i remembered and took action at the Brisbane City Council office, i found that it would be 10 days afterwards.... huh?!
i applied it anyway and started practicing again....
while i was applying, the staff asked if i am the gal that i played a plucked strings instrument... he remember me! he told me why i was failed last time coz of the sound.... it's too soft, in the busy mall, too soft ppl can't hearing it.... actually how can i solve this problem, i can't use amplifier thus i don't have it anyway...
no music stand for me to hold my score looks not professional also.... Heng said i should remember the song without the score.... yea, i know, but i always think while i'm nervous, i will forget what i'm playing....
but finally i still tried my best to remember the song.... and chose a song that is stronger than what i chose last time....
and i practiced stand while playing.... normally i don't see any Sanxian player do so....

yesterday, Sat morning, 9-11am at Queen Street Mall. i arrived 10 mins earlier.... they still not set up everythings yet... i got prepared myself on one side, tuned the strings, played a little bit.... quite smooths at that moment.....
i checked the list, i should be at the 15th... out of around 30 ppl...
i chose not to sit at their seats, and sat at the side, juz opposite to the judges... i think i could tune my SanXian without bordering other pre-buskers if needed... one of the judge was same as last time, i saw him at some Queen Street Mall functions sometimes.... but the one who i saw at the application time was not there...
many guitar players like last time.... when the judge called the names, some were not there.... so he tried to ask those who looks ready to play....
while i was waiting.... i started shivering and my fingers almost couldn't move.... i blowed my palms and put them inside my sleeves... the judge saw it.... he given privileged for me and called my name earlier.... my Chinese surname is so easy to find it out....
i asked a girl who's juz an audience to take video for me...
i was still a bit nervous.... but seems the song is louder than last time... mayb coz of the song... mayb coz of Sat morning, the mall was not that busy....
the string suddenly loosen.... i heard weird sound.... i wondered if i should stop and tune it... after a few seconds, i stopped.... i looked at the judge and requested for play it again.... he looks kind and given me a "as u like it..." expressions....
i played again.... a bit shaking fingers.... couldn't give the best.... but i remembered the song without the score...
and i've got no idea on how my voice would be at the mall.... but i heard a bit echo... amazing!
and while i played back the video, seems not as nervous as i felt on the stage.... that's really an Amazing Grace!!
a few ppl chatted with me while i was finished and watched how others pre-buskers' performance.... some are great, esp. the crew with a gippy look gal... her voices and expressions are awesome!! the best crew ever!
one Aussie gal asked me if i heard of the movie MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA.... if my sanxian same with that.... i told her mine is chinese and that's japanese... mine is cover with snakes skins but japanese is CAT skins..... i use false nails and they use specific big pluck..... but basically, they are similar stuff....
last time while i was back home, a Aussie gal asked me if this is Erhu.... i was so surprised that she knows what's Erhu....
i think it's really a good thing to chat with others in this way...

the result will be notify abt one week.... hopefully i can success this time=)