If you are wondering whether you can ever experience all possible emotions there is in this world, studying for a PhD in a foreign land with limited funding, and at an old age (over 35) might get you there. Let's start!
Year 1 - Arrival
I decided to settle for school accommodation since I was moving to a new town and wasn't sure how things worked there. Several warnings on the school's website about rental scams also influenced my decision. Luckily, the school organised free buses to transport students from the airport to the school accommodation on certain dates and times within the first two weeks of resumption. I made sure that my flight would land in the specified airport and arrive in time to join the free bus because previous experiences have shown that it's very stressful entering a train with multiple pieces of luggage.
The flat was on the ground floor with six ensuite rooms and a shared kitchen. The whole block where the flat was located was for postgraduate students i.e. a combination of masters and PhD students. Initially when I received the email allocating me to the flat, I wasn't elated that it was on the ground floor until I arrived and realised how lucky I was. The accommodation block had no lift, and even though there were student ambassadors around to welcome new students and show them their rooms, the role did not include helping students with their luggage. This means students on the other two floors would have to manage with their heavy luggage on their own. I felt like God's favourite child for exempting me from such trouble.
I was impressed with the tidiness of the room, which was quite spacious compared to the pictures I found online; enough storage shelves and a new mattress cover was on the bed. Similarly, the kitchen was clean and had several cupboards. There was a dining table with six chairs; two double-seater sofas; two under-the-counter fridges and two separate freezers; one kettle; one toaster; one microwave; two ovens; two hobs: one had four burners and the other two burners; three bins (general waste, recycling and food compost) and a bag for glass items. I tried to mentally calculate if the kitchen amenities would be enough when all six of us were in the flat. From my calculations, it should be comfortable for four people and manageable with five people, but with six, hmm...we'll see.
The student ambassadors for our block informed me and two other students that arrived at the same time as me (but in different flats), that some students from the previous term had left some kitchen utensils in the general common room, so it might be advisable for us to check them out and pick anything we liked for free before purchasing new ones. After dropping my luggage in my room, I decided to check out the kitchen stuff in the general common room across our accommodation block. I met one of the guys I arrived with going there so we started checking the stuff together. Luckily, a lot of the things there were in very good condition; some items looked barely used. I was able to select everything I needed including pots, plates, chopping board, and even a mini blender. In addition, the ambassadors asked us to pick some biscuits and noodles the college provided so we didn't have to bother about what to eat that day. I was so happy that I got to save some money from buying the kitchen items, and that I could rest for the day without going to buy groceries immediately since I had been given something to eat.
I returned to the flat and kept the kitchen stuff in one of the cupboards and went to the room to unpack my bags since I wasn't feeling too tired. I was glad that I packed a bedsheet in my box because I had anticipated that I might not have the time to purchase one when I arrived. After I finished unpacking, I ate, took a nice hot shower, spoke to my family and lay down to prepare to sleep. I felt so grateful for how the day had been and how organised the school seemed based on what I had experienced so far.
Suddenly, I heard a sound. All this time, I had not heard anything that indicated someone else was in the flat. After listening for a few minutes, I realised that there was someone in the next room snoring. Given how much I could hear, i wondered whether the walls were too thin or the person really snores badly. I mean, if someone were lying beside him or her, will they be able to sleep? Is this how sharing this apartment would be, and what more should I expect this academic year? Anyway, a song formed in my mind, which made me laugh.
Chorus: The cherubim cannot sleep, the seraphim cannot sleep
He has woken the angels
Verse: With his snore that rumbles louder than thunder
No living thing beside him can dare sleep
Chorus: The cherubim cannot sleep, the seraphim cannot sleep
He has woken the angels
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