PARIS&LONDON

I would have never believed it until two days ago. I'M GOING TO PARIS&LONDON!

my dream to study design oversea and although this isn't an exchange program it is the next best thing, a study tour. it means we visit other countries and learn about design/art/architecture&typography THEIR way, visiting museums, galleries and taking tours around the city. i regret not applying for last year's study tour with my friends which went to New York&Chicago. i had too much shit going on and i was failing subjects (3 subjects at one time), for the very 1st time.

this year is paris and london. i thought i wouldn't get it, since i was a 3rd year student and it was only opened for 2nd year students. i thought anthony elliott (the teacher that i love and hate at the same time) would grill me for my 3 failed subjects especially the one which he was the co-ordinator for. perhaps he would take this personally? i stayed up for the majority of the night preparing for my interview and researching the places on the itenary list. we also had to think of 8 other places we wanted to visit and give a brief statement as to why and the relevance of it to our studies. i woke up this morning dreading my interview. i thought i wouldnt get it, i felt i wasn't good enough. i was ready to give up the fight. vman called me, i told him that i wasn't going to go. he told me i had to, that i worked all night preparing for it and reminded me it was something that ive always wanted to do.

so i attended the UK/France study tour interview that afternoon at 2pm. my heart was beating irregularly waiting outside that room. anthony elliott was taking his sweet time interviewing and laughing with another applicant and my interview time was meant to start at 30minutes ago. i felt like walking away and giving up again.

the interview was nothing that i expected. it was a pure casual conversation. i prepared for questions like:

• Why did u failed 3 subjects last year? Have you lost your passion for design?
• How will you pay for all these expenses?
• Do you know how to speak French?
• How will you cope from being away from home?
• How will you represent Swinburne as a university?
• How good are you at making friends with strangers?

All of which answers would generate a negative connotation. but he caught me off guard with the 1st question being 'How old are you?' i had to think for 2 seconds. He asked me questions about my health, if i was allergic to anything, if i had any cultural or social concerns he needed to worry about. He asked if i ever travelled before, where did i go, and in what conditions did i stay.. he saw my average results of 75.5% and said i was a Distinction student. he finished off the interview with the words, and i quote:

Well, there is no reason why I think you can't come

Like WOW. THANK GOD i got up that morning

So that is the story of how i am going to Paris/France. It will happen over 3weeks, Novemeber 19 to December 10. It will be with 12 other random design students who i do not know. i need to start saving up this money, FAST.

France

London

Yesterday was my 1st university exam. Since Communication Design is a folio subject, it has been 3years since my last exams. i kinda missed it. The marketing exam was held at festival hall, which meant i had to walk for 10minutes from north melbourne station. the suburb of north melbourne is indeed a quiet and beautiful one, i wish i could live there. the hall was full of students, there were tables that filled the floor, side and main stage. the seriousness of the students and the fact that the place was so orgainised was overwhelming. i had to take a picture, but didnt know if this breeched univeristy exam policy. maybe they thought id cheat? i had to take aphoto anyway to saver this feeling so here it is.

Marketing Exam @ Festival Hall, North Melbourne

The exam went for 2hours. I think i did well, but you never know with marketing until you get it back. When you think u'll do shit, u actually get a HD and when u think u did good, u get a 8/10. true story.

after i went start to Jwow for work. james took me to this cosy little japanese resturant down Little Lonsdale street called Horse Bizarre. strange name but cool place. note to self: all you can eat and drink at Horse Bizarre on Thursdays from 7pm-9pm for $25 per person.