Saturday was the day my family and me have been waiting for, and the main reason for this holiday. It was the day of my graduation ceremony! It has been a long time coming, and I have been looking forward to it since I started my university life in March 2007. I have seen my sister graduate twice, in London and Boston, but this time I am the one receiving the honour, and I am tremendously proud that my family can be here with me.
The day started with a simple lunch at Sanctuary Cove with an uncle, who has been living in Brisbane for the past 5 years. He made reservations for lunch at George's Paragon, with his girlfriend and her parents. I have not seen him for more than 5 years, and we had much catching up to do.
Both the company and food were great, especially the oysters and lobster mornay, which were going at $29.90 for the whole crustacean. Cheap! It was nice to indulge in great seafood once in awhile. My uncle's girlfriend's parents are also very amicable and accommodating individuals. They both stay at Mount. Kinabalu, and invited us to go over to their place for a holiday in March. My sis and I are very interested in taking up their offer, I am looking forward to it already! After lunch, I brought my family for a walk around the marina, while the rest of them went to HarbourTown in Gold Coast for shopping.
We rushed home at about 3.30pm to get changed for the ceremony, as we had to be at the Convention Centre by 5pm. That was when my sis took a rather uncompromising shot of me getting ready in the toilet.
We proceeded to the Gold Coast Convention Centre for the graduation ceremony. I registered my attendance, collected the gown, and it was picture time!
My ceremony was the last of the 5 scheduled slots which lasted over 2 days, and there were about 500 students graduating with me. The convention hall was filled with a sea of people wearing square hats, together with many friends and families.
It was difficult to get a clear shot from the front of the stage, as no flash photography was allowed. The university hired professional photographers to do the job, and the pictures will be available online at a later date. Must get my hands on them! The ceremony lasted for about an hour and a half, thereafter we went outside to have more pictures taken.
My family and I did not hang around for long after the ceremony, as it was already 9pm and we were getting hungry. We went over to a Japanese cafe opposite the convention centre to have our dinner.
It has been a hectic but fulfilling day so far, but it wasn't going to end just yet. My friends and I made plans to go out for drinks to celebrate the occasion. While the rest were still having dinner, my friend and I suddenly found ourselves with a lot of time to burn. So in the end, she suggested going to a strip club, as she has not been into one before. Funny I know, a girl wanting to go see naked girls, but I was okay with it. She wanted to "learn" some moves from the performers, and so we went! No pictures, sorry. =) The rest of them joined us at Melbas in Surfers Paradise soon, and thus began the celebratory toasts.
Cheers! Here's to a great future for each and everyone of us! The best is yet to be.
Fortune cookie Quote of the Day: "From your garden of dreams, many things will blossom."
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