When I do not have money, of course I felt depressed too. While depression turns other people to become a lazy snob, it turns me into a roaring lion. A lion ready to prowl to win. As a result, I studied even harder!
At the same time, I took every opportunity to earn and save money. During my school holidays in my secondary school, I helped my uncle to sell vegetables in return for some money. As success in my study becoming more prominent in my kampong, I was having more people ready to help with job opportunities and even ‘donated’ some money.
As my performance got better, money followed even easier. In matriculation, scholarship was offered without difficulties. Even at this level, success in study equates to getting financial incentives. However, many students failed to see this. To them, they need money first to succeed. In truth, success would have to come first and then money will follow later. That is what exactly happening in real working life too!
After successfully completing my matriculation, I was offered to continue studying in Australia. Again, scholarship was given for my success. However, as with many other scholarships, they were not enough. I was made to understand that I supposed to share house and food with several students for the scholarship to suffice.
However, I found that I am more productive if I am living alone. So I rented a room in an apartment-hostel in my university. By living alone, money was tight. There were times when I have less than AUD20 in my account (minimum balance was AUD 10). But I could always find extra money, I applied for student loan twice during my whole time studying there and I applied for financial assistant from Australian Government. I received that assistance for several months before they themselves had economic recession and thus ceased my financial help.
The sweetest things of all, I could work there. I did not have money to go back to Malaysia, so I worked in summer holidays. I did not mind not going back to Malaysia during term holidays. After all, the last thing I want on earth is to spend thousands of ringgit just to ease my homesickness.
I worked in Hills Factory in my first year summer holiday in Adelaide. I was earning AUD 11.00 per hour and I was working 8 hours per day for 5 days a week. By the time the summer holiday finished, I earned almost AUD 3000. That was the first time I earned money of that amount. I treasured it well. I used some of it for sight seeing, because the chances for me to do sight seeing after finish studying in Australia probably going to be in very remote future. The rest of the money I used to ease my financial woes throughout the next one year.
In Year Two and Three, I worked part time at night in a Thai Restaurant in Adelaide. I worked 3 nights a week. It was enough to ease my financial burden. The money I have collected was enough to send me home at the end of my second year.
Do you want to know what I did in the restaurant? I was a dish-washer. Yes I was a future doctor cum dish washer. Of course the fancy name for it is kitchen-hand. A job description of which involved mopping the floor, washing dishes, in charge of cutlery, cutting and preparing vegetables and meat as well as preparing some entrée. I definitely had no problem doing the job; my friends knew what I was doing. Some of them admire my ability to juggle times between work and study. I apparently did quite well in both fields.
The money problem hit me the worst in my fifth and sixth year. I could not work anymore due to the hectic and unpredictable schedule of my study. At that time, I can only say that miracles did help me in various ways. Some people did actually give me some money. My parents somehow blessed me with extra money. I wish to thank especially to my late mother who was somehow unrelenting in seeking and providing financial help for me. Somehow it astonished me, how did she as a housewife seems to be able to provide more than anybody else could (even more than my father who was a teacher could).
It was during this time when I was also studying another course (Certificate in Christian Studies) from another private college (Tabor Bible College). All the expenses somehow miraculously provided from various resources. People sometimes just stare at me in those times when I told them that I am studying medicine and studying in Bible College at the same time, and on top of that, working part time in a restaurant.
The whole work load and effort seems to be overwhelming to them. But I had the goal, and it was strong enough to compel me to succeed. At the end of my sixth year in Australia, not only I finished my medical course and became a doctor, I also successfully completed my three years course of Bible College. They were completed as per schedule, no extension and no delay.
You think having no money is the problem, I do not think so. It is the reaction toward lack of money is the real problem. Money is fortunately just a renewable source to pay for the price of education.
Just like everything else in life, there is always a price to pay for everything. If you stop pursuing your education, if you stop studying, you are actually paying a very high price indeed. You are paying it with years of ignorance and failure.
Robert Kiyosaki in his book says ‘if you think education is expensive, try ignorance’.
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