If you ask me about what is ATU a.k.a ADFP (American Top Universities @ American Degree Foundation Program) about a year and a half ago, I wouldnt' be able even to give a hint of it. None that I know that it is a preparatory program specially designed for students going overseas (or more specifically, to The United States of America). Nor do I have any idea studying overseas is all about; until one day, everything has changed - I signed myself for ATU (twelfth batch) program and the story unveils...
Being an alien in a foreign land (well, Peninsular Malaysia was quite alien to me by then), I stepped my foot to INTEC Section 17, UiTM Shah Alam. OMG, where the hell in the world is that place? All I knew was everything new. There, I saw people like me hustling and bustling around busy completing their chores of registration and getting familiar of the condition itself. That time, I still remember that I left a very important document back home in Kuching! My father was mad at me then! Huhuhu...
Then I stepped in Cemara Block 1 room 511 of where I lived for the first semester. Cold and dingy the room was. When I first stepped in, I was downtrodden by the 'aura' of the room itself, how dirty! Cobwebs everywhere on the ceiling, 3-inches age-accumulated coal black dusts on the malfunctioning ceiling fan with a dead bee on it, not to mention the sticky and slimy sensation of the foot as I walked in the room! *sigh*
Soon I met my first roomate, Kai Yuen, ahaks! He looked as innocent and heartbroken as me as he entered the room. That time, he was with his parents and sister, Kai Li (of which I thought to be his younger secondary school sister, which is false). Then we greeted each other and made a pact to spring clean the room. Hehe, thanks for Kai Yuen's mom and Kai Li, they were really good cleaners!
Then came Yazid, or Hotai Melaka, and Usamah. My heart was then further levitated when I knew that they are from Qisas, ahaks! (A place for reference in religious issues!) And after the mild greetings and further spring cleaning, the life of the first semester begins...
During the first semester...
I was in ATU 12A California, where I really learned a lot not of our similarities in getting A's, rather our differences and unique personalities. There, I met people with differing, and even opposite, view of life than I. Below are some of them:
Joe the philosopher: Huhuhu, I always pondered (and wondered) what is inside his mind. He writes unconventional English with outlandish ideas. Yet his ideas are intruiging to my mind! A SAT genius... I really admire him for that.
Chear the computer expert: This is the other kind of a talented person. I am grateful to be able to meet this genius in computer. His genius is well reflected in OC presentation class when he presented a virtual robot to the class that made us and Datin Minda agape!
Fizah and Fareza: Huhu... I often confused the person and the name. They has opened my eyes to the world of feminine. Well, I never quite understand why girls love pink until I met these two lovely and lady-like girls.
Khirul the Class Rep: The one who sits next to me in the class. An outspoken and well-groomed person he is. He helped me a lot in SAT maths (thanks Khirul!). We often played poke and choke when we are sleepy (right, Khirul? hehehehe...).
And others... lecturers and Californians... all are very intelligent people.
To be continued...
