An International Student in Brisbane Pt. 3: Exploring Queensland

Feeling a little bored stuck in St. Lucia or Brisbane? Trust me, I get it. It's difficult to travel beyond Brisbane without a car and you can only visit Brisbane CBD so many times before you get bored. Best part is, Queensland has a plethora of picturesque spots, from sunny beaches to breezy mountains. You'd never run out of places to go.

So if you don't have a car, make friends with someone who has one and rent their car or better yet, go together! I was blessed to have housemates who have a car which they rented to us at times, and it was a great way for them to utilize the idle car to earn some extra passive income.



1. Burleigh Heads
A personal favourite and top on my list, especially during dusk as the sunset casts a certain glow around Burleigh Heads. Perfect for picnics and quiet afternoons out.

“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince #carmenventures

A post shared by Carmen C (@carmenchanz) on Jun 29, 2016 at 5:37am PDT

An International Student in Brisbane Pt. 2: Food Glorious Food

You guys.... this is my favourite part of the series (only 2 so far but I already know it's my favourite)

Food glorious food. Brisbane may not be like Sydney and Melbourne where brunch spots are practically everywhere. I personally feel Brisbane needs to up their brunch and dessert game. But that doesn't mean you're out of choices for some good eats.

Here are some of my pick of restaurants to eat in Brisbane (and beyond):


Korean

Dreams of fried chicken#foodblog #foodblogger #brisbanefoodbog #brisbane #brissie #igersbrisbane #hungrykittens #hungrykittensfoodblog #koreanfood #friedchicken

A post shared by Hungry Kittens (@hungrykittens.foodblog) on Jan 7, 2017 at 6:10pm PST

1. Funny Funny (Brisbane CBD)
Address: 85 George St, Brisbane City QLD 4000, Australia
Must order: Great place for Korean fried chicken. 50% off KFC on Wednesdays!

An International Student in Brisbane Pt. 1: Getting Started

This is part 1 of a series I call "An International Student's Guide to Life in Brisbane", particularly if you're Malaysian - this is what to look out for when you first arrive. This was actually written for my cousin who's also going to UQ to study, but eh while I'm at it why not expand and share it with everyone?

A little background about me, I studied Bachelor of Commerce at University of Queensland for approximately 1 year as part of a credit transfer program. I haven't had the time to explore every crevice of Brisbane and its surroundings, but I think 1 year is enough for me to talk about things that I personally would've loved to know when I first arrived. Also I was a Student Leader at UQ, and I had to tell things like this to new students all the time. This series is a collection of advice I've heard from people and things I've experienced myself. In no way should you treat my suggestions as the word of God. I may be incorrect and inaccurate, but I'm trying my best to help you!

Pro-tip before we get started: Don't bring so much over! Pack, remove, re-pack and do it again. I brought too much over, and then my mom came to visit and brought MORE over. I hardly use 50% of the things I have and it's just collecting dust, whether it's clothes or Malaysian food (that consists of sauces, herbal drinks and instant noodles). You will certainly purchase more things while you're in Australia and you'll find yourself bringing back home more than you've brought here. And contrary to popular belief, you can find most of the things you need or crave from Malaysia/Asia over here. You've been warned.

Let's begin!

Making 2017 LIT

2017 sounds like a terrifying year: finding a job, quarter-life crisis, trying to figure out what I want to do post-university...

But at the same time, it's an opportunity for a fresh start, a renewed vigor and barely existing motivation to get my shit together.

It's both horrifying and exciting. And if you know me, I'm not great at making decisions because I'm the most indecisive person ever. I've also always been a very introspective person. After choosing something, I will always wonder, "What would've happened if I took the other path?" and subsequently feel FOMO (fear of missing out) while seeing what other people are up to in their lives that I'm missing out on. It's a vicious cycle.

But here are a few things I want to achieve in 2017. Call them resolutions, but I don't want to put a label on it:

1. Be more present

It's no secret that I'm an absent-minded, forgetful and painfully slow person at times (most of the time, really). On the first few days of 2017, I've already did several things that showcased how freaking forgetful I am, making me feel worse about this goal. But I'm trying to make a conscious effort to be more mindful, aware and present in the moment. If there was an award for someone to be "Most Likely To Get Alzheimer's When Old", I'd be the perfect person.

2. Be more assertive

This is something I've been working on for years, and it's still a work in progress. Heck, we're ALL WIP. Slowly, but surely. How? By saying 'no' more often to things I don't want to do, standing up for what I believe in, and just being more confident in my mannerisms and speech.

3. Be more creative

Creativity is something I personally think I lack. I want to explore, write and produce more graphical content. It can be through making videos, revamping the blog by writing more or expressing myself in a more creative way. There are no boundaries when it comes to creativity and innovation. I don't want to think outside the box, I want there to be no box. #deep #zen #2k17

4. Learn a new skill

I'm leaning towards brushing up my French and Korean (knowledge basically almost nil now), improving my coding skills and learning how to play a new instrument. GO GIRL GO

5. FIND A JOB???

I don't think the problem lies in finding a job, it's choosing a job I actually like or at least can stand for the next 2 years at least. First world problems amirite.


Other than that, I'm trying to create a healthier, fitter me this year. So far January hasn't been a very healthy month (with CNY and meeting up/eating out with friends etc), COME AT ME FEBRUARY.