Going Down Under!
I didn’t want to announce it before I was certain of the arrangements. While it is not 100% finalised, we’re are most certainly very nearly there. The ball has started to roll and it is becoming increasingly obvious that the end is in sight.
I will be travelling to Canberra, Australia in February 2005 to pursue a Ph.D in International Relations at the Australian National University (ANU).
This is the light at the end of the tunnel. The consolation prize. The reason why I am no longer buying Anu Mac (the iBook). And why I have started saying goodbye. It is the bitter sweet ending to three years of turmoil, uncertainty and loss. God may have taken leave of absence but Cainer worked his magic… well… he tried. It’s not perfect as you shall soon read.
Broadly, my research topic will be on regionalism in the Asia-Pacific analysed from political economic and constructivist perspectives. I will be attached to the Department of International Relations at the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies (RSPAS). The Ph.D is expected to take anywhere from two to four years, though I aim to finish it in three.
The major hitch in this grand plan concerns funding.
On 21 December, I received the wonderful news that I had been selected to receive the very lucrative Endeavour Australia-Asia Postgraduate Student Awards offered by Australia’s Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). The Endeavour Award will pay AUD50,000 for one year (in 2005). Unfortunately, that is it for now! I have so far not been successful in my applications for other sources of funding.
While the monies from the Endeavour Awards, and supplementary income, can realistically see me through 18 months of maintenance and tuition costs, there is still the matter of funding the remainder of the 3-year programme to think about. That, unfortunately, is a very uncertain and very unclear issue at present. There are a few avenues for funding I can explore in future and hopefully these will materialise at some stage, but there are no guarantees to the outcome of any of these.
Fortunately, my future supervisor has indicated that he might be able to offer me some research assistant work. I also intend to find other employment while I am there especially during the holiday periods. This would not amount to much more than supplementary income towards maintenance costs. However, any additional amount would help and it would be squirrelled away to the JikonLai ANU Fund.
Of course, if a generous benefactor would appear during this time, I wouldn’t turn him/her away! If you have any funding leads/idea, I will welcome them. I need to raise at a bare minimum an additional AUD30,000, preferably AUD50,000, from third-party sources.
*Yes, it is a lot of money*
[As I am considered an international student, my tuition cost alone for 2005 amounts to AUD20,000. This fee is expected to be increased from year to year (inflation).]
I am taking quite a gamble on this at the moment - but I do hope for the best. It is something that, in some ways, I have been wanting to do. It is something I can be passionate about. And given regional social, economic and political developments at present, my research topic is far too timely to ignore. With any luck, I will find myself successfully completing the programme and emerge as Dr Jikon Lai in a few years time.
I intend to travel Down Under in mid-February.
Don’t forget - everyone is most welcome to contribute to the JikonLai ANU Fund! I would be happy to provide you with details of my bank accounts or other ways to channel the funds!
*********
I deleted his numbers from my speed dials over the weekend.
Posted on January 17th, 2005 by jl
Filed under: Notable: Personal
yay!
good to hear! all the best!
well done, jikon!! have been dying to go to australia to do a PhD myself, but have the same financing problems too.
so glad that for you, at least, it’s worked out, and good luck with getting the rest of the funds for your tabung!
have a blast of a time.. we WILL still be hearing from you on this blog, won’t we?
oh jikon.. i am so glad for you. so this is what you meant when you told me you might not be around for my wedding
oh well, i wish you all the luck and i know you will succeed in all that you do.
i’ll keep you posted via my blog.
and hope to hear from you often via your blog… right?
*muah*
“Dr. Jikon Lai” sounds hot! Congratulations!
ah chew been sick long time. but is so glad to hear of good news.
plenty of opportunity to earn money there. best is to tutor. on holidays, just whack and apply for jobs. can live rather cheaply too..haha…just scrounge as much as possible, buy everything 2nd hand. I did that fairly well. saved me AUD50k at the end of it… hahah phew!
all in all… this is one piece of good news!!! congratulations again!
If you need to sub-contract any work on “international relations” in the region then I’m more than happy to help… and for free, as was planning to continue my research into this vast subject matter anyway (forget a piddling PhD, I’m going for a “lifetime achievement” type of recognition thingy)…
This is clearly (to me anyway) good news and, from what I know of you Jikon, I doubt if you will regret going… all credit to you for taking the plunge and following (one of) your passion(s)
I’ve never been to Canberra (have a feeling that might change)… which could be due to its less than glamorous reputation (now, that’s definitely about to change!)
Mike x
Jikon: I only know you from blogging, but I’m really happy for you anyway! After what you’ve been through the last few months this must be exciting news indeed. I too left Malaysia after a similarly harrowing period. And I can tell you, the change in environment helps. It really bloody helps.
Oh yeah….you’ll be a Dr. Jikon Lai soon..invited to give talks and lectures and schmooze at intellectual functions. Ohhhh….at that point in time, remember who were your friends before you became a hotshot okay?
Thank you to all for all your good wishes. I do appreciate them.
k: I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. I don’t know what to say really except that if you want it bad enough, one day, it might come to you except that you should also be careful of what you wish for because… you just might get it and then discover that you do not want it after all!
izreen: sorry about the wedding. my thoughts will be with you. And that ring did look too dazzling to be true!
ahchew: I’ll need hints and tips pretty soon. start compiling them!
mike: forget Canberra - I’ll come meet you in Sydney. Mardi Gras 2006 - it’s a date! I’ll try and survive the 2005 one in March without you… I’ll try very very hard…
jay: we must trade stories one day… if not husbands as well!
zarina: oh darling… you know I’ll never forget you or any of my friends. I don’t abandon them, at least, not without provocation…
*hugs* to all
Jikon, you’re “on” for 2006!
After all, spurred on by your news yesterday I checked out who was on-line on gaydar in Canberra and Sydney and there was really no comparison, not as far as I am concerned anyway!
Look forward to some vicarious thrills via your report if you do manage to go this year…
Yes, I am very…. very… sad!
Jikon: If/when you come to London, I’ll uh, reveal myself to you.
PS For obvious reasons, I won’t be bringing the boyfriend.
Jay… can I attend also when you “reveal” yourself please?…. Please!
Congratulations!!
I’m glad for you
way to go Jikon!!!!
Glad the timer is counting down to happy days
(almost) Welcome to Oz. I hope you enjoy your time here and of course, your studies. Ask around on campus for work, there is usually something up for grabs.
*clap-clap-clap*
congrats, jikon!
An intellectual pursuit, i.e. resuming studies, definitely would help getting over a relationship. It worked for me. Best of luck in your endeavour.
hey babe
you need a paypal link
sorry i haven’t kept in touch…i’ve been..busy.
i’m not in florida anymore…it held too many memories and not enough.
so i’m at a new place in life…or really…just a twist on the old.
it’s cold here. it snowed today…it was beautiful..and i cried for you.
i hope you love it in australia..but most of all..i wish you peace.
still have ears to listen if you need me
hugs
G’luck, Jikon. Btw, someone once said that the title “Dr” can only be used in public by medical practitioners and the like and not PhD holders of ALL fields. Is it true?
racheal: you’re alive!!! missed you…
mei: i’ve never heard such a thing though I wouldn’t be surprised if it was true in the US.
Congrats Jikon! Very happy for ya…After all the shit that uve been going thru, this is indeed a blessing. But im gonna miss u sooo much! PROMUDA’s function aint gonna be the same without u around. Keep on blogging yeah? And keep in touch! Love ya babe