- the airline company I should choose;
- the time difference between Australia and Malaysia;
- the visa requirement;
- the currency exchange;
- the accommodation;
- ground transportation from the hotel to the conference venue;
- where to go and what to see; etc.
After getting these infos, I figured that I also need to find a tour guide to take me around Brisbane. I also decided to go to Sydney for a tour. So, I searched the FB and found a young Malay couple who resided in Sydney. They seemed reliable and trustworthy. They had a baby. So, I was convinced that they were the right people for me to ask for help. When I contacted them, they were happy to help me find a tour guide in Brisbane. She was a postgraduate student from Malaysia. I felt relieved. After buying the return flight tickets for Penang- Singapore- Brisbane, I decided to tour Sydney. I chose Singapore Airlines for Singapore-Brisbane flights. As for Brisbane-Sydney-Brisbane flights, I chose Tiger Airways. I negotiated with the couple to be my tour guides around Sydney. They agreed with some fees of course. Even better, they offered for me to stay at their apartment. I was thankful. So, I planned my budget carefully and contacted the banks to activate my ATM cards and Credit Cards for the duration of my visit. I also chose the most affordable hotel within walking distance to the conference venue, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The flight from Penang to Singapore was smooth. Once in Singapore airport, I realized that there was none in my vicinity a Muslim woman with hijab. Nobody really took notice of me but the fact that I didn't see anyone wearing hijab like me made me feel conscious about it. Everyone seemed rushing getting to the right gates for their flights. I waited for mine. On board the plane, again I did not notice anyone with hijab like me. I was seated in a four-seat row and I was in the third seat. The elderly white couple who sat next to me on my left were pleasant and friendly. They smiled at me every time I looked at them. The lady sitting on my right was quiet and making herself comfortable with the pillow around her neck. After a few hours on board, I started to have terrible cramps on both legs. I felt so uncomfortable that I had to frequent the toilet. I felt sorry to disturb the sleepy lady with the pillow around her neck because she had to stand and let me out from my confining seat every time I needed to go to the toilet. After a few rounds to the toilet, the people sitting at my row seemed very understanding. I guessed they felt sorry that I was not well. It was a long 8-hour flight. Luckily, two hours before reaching our destination, I felt better. I started a conversation with the quiet lady sitting next to me. I asked her where she's from. To my relief, she said she was from Spain and going to the same conference and staying at the same hotel with me.
When I touched down in Brisbane, I had to join a long queue at the immigration counter. Suddenly, I was approached by a lady immigration officer and was asked to follow her. Every eye in the long queue was on me. I was not panic but I felt uneasy. Was there something wrong? She took me to a separate counter and asked for my travel documents. She went into a small room at the the back of the counter. I waited at the counter feeling nervous. I did not do anything wrong or carry any prohibited substance in my luggage. I guessed she made a more detailed check with my passport. When she came back to the counter, she simply stamped my passport and let me go. I felt relieved.
After getting the immigration clearance, I went to look for the Spanish lady. I was glad that actually she waited for me with her student who also attended the conference. We took a train and then walked to the hotel together. My sense of direction was horrible and I was not good at reading maps. I was glad the Spanish lady was with me. I could not recall her name. This was five years ago in 2014. After settling in our respective rooms, we went out to a nearby cafe for lunch. I could only eat vegetarian sandwiches as I was not sure about the halal status of the cafe. Too bad, I didn't see her after that. I truly grateful for her help when I had a bad time during the flight and she accompanied me from the airport to the hotel.
I could not contact the tour guide since I didn't buy the sim card for my hand phone at the airport. We communicated via FB messenger instead using the hotel WIFI. We met later in the afternoon. She took me to a telecommunication shop to buy a sim card. Only then I could contact my supervisor to arrange for a meeting since he was my co-presenter. In the afternoon, I went to see my supervisor for a discussion and then, I went to register for the conference and attended the keynote address. I was feeling overwhelmed by the whole experience. I was in my first year of PhD study and listening to a great scholar's presentation made me feel small. I started to feel nervous about presenting the next day. That night, I worked so hard and slept at 1 am. I felt jet lag a bit. After getting the powerpoint presentation slides done, I slept.
The next morning, I woke up around 5 am and still feeling a bit jet lag. I rehearsed the script for my presentation. I was a bit anxious. What if, I went blank during the presentation. It would be a real embarrassment. I did not want to let my supervisor down since he believed in me enough to invite me to be his co-presenter. My presentation was at 9.00 am that morning. Gosh! The room was full mostly with native speakers of English. But then, I realized they were interested to know about education development in Malaysia (my part) and Vietnam (my supervisor's part). I gathered my courage and mustered as much confidence as I could. To both our relief, the presentation went well. We got positive feedback and constructive questions that added clarity to my study. We were approached by a few interested people in the audience asking for more information about the research.
I attended few other presentations between breaks. I noticed that halal food was also served. I could see that they took this matter seriously. There were other Muslims also attended from Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey among others. The Organizing Committee also prepared a room as Musolla for the Muslims to pray. I felt touched by their gestures. This subtly indicated their position that not all Muslims are terrorists.
I was leaving for Sydney in the evening. My mistake was I paid in full for the three-day conference. My supervisor said that I could actually just pay for one day since I only attended the first day. I didn't know that. I did not think I would get a refund anyway and was rushing to catch my flight to Sydney. I safely arrived in Sydney at night. I had already contacted my tour guide to take me at the airport. I was walking passed the airport public lounge area when I heard a white lady who was sitting at one of the sofas said loudly "Holy Cow!" and looking shocked at my direction. I looked behind me and I saw two Muslim women covered in black from head to toe. I guessed that was what shocked the white lady. It was the first sign of Islamophobia that I had seen. Even though, she was shocked, swearing loudly like that was uncalled for. I just kept walking but I felt sad and sorry to see my fellow Muslimahs being treated that way. They chose to cover themselves because of their faith and we should respect that. It was so much better than women walking around half naked or even naked even with their clothes on. When I reached the airport parking lot, it was quite dark. Luckily, my tour guide spotted me and brought his MPV near me.
Throughout my four-day stay in Sydney was very pleasant. The young couple are now my friends.
The flight from Penang to Singapore was smooth. Once in Singapore airport, I realized that there was none in my vicinity a Muslim woman with hijab. Nobody really took notice of me but the fact that I didn't see anyone wearing hijab like me made me feel conscious about it. Everyone seemed rushing getting to the right gates for their flights. I waited for mine. On board the plane, again I did not notice anyone with hijab like me. I was seated in a four-seat row and I was in the third seat. The elderly white couple who sat next to me on my left were pleasant and friendly. They smiled at me every time I looked at them. The lady sitting on my right was quiet and making herself comfortable with the pillow around her neck. After a few hours on board, I started to have terrible cramps on both legs. I felt so uncomfortable that I had to frequent the toilet. I felt sorry to disturb the sleepy lady with the pillow around her neck because she had to stand and let me out from my confining seat every time I needed to go to the toilet. After a few rounds to the toilet, the people sitting at my row seemed very understanding. I guessed they felt sorry that I was not well. It was a long 8-hour flight. Luckily, two hours before reaching our destination, I felt better. I started a conversation with the quiet lady sitting next to me. I asked her where she's from. To my relief, she said she was from Spain and going to the same conference and staying at the same hotel with me.
When I touched down in Brisbane, I had to join a long queue at the immigration counter. Suddenly, I was approached by a lady immigration officer and was asked to follow her. Every eye in the long queue was on me. I was not panic but I felt uneasy. Was there something wrong? She took me to a separate counter and asked for my travel documents. She went into a small room at the the back of the counter. I waited at the counter feeling nervous. I did not do anything wrong or carry any prohibited substance in my luggage. I guessed she made a more detailed check with my passport. When she came back to the counter, she simply stamped my passport and let me go. I felt relieved.
After getting the immigration clearance, I went to look for the Spanish lady. I was glad that actually she waited for me with her student who also attended the conference. We took a train and then walked to the hotel together. My sense of direction was horrible and I was not good at reading maps. I was glad the Spanish lady was with me. I could not recall her name. This was five years ago in 2014. After settling in our respective rooms, we went out to a nearby cafe for lunch. I could only eat vegetarian sandwiches as I was not sure about the halal status of the cafe. Too bad, I didn't see her after that. I truly grateful for her help when I had a bad time during the flight and she accompanied me from the airport to the hotel.
I could not contact the tour guide since I didn't buy the sim card for my hand phone at the airport. We communicated via FB messenger instead using the hotel WIFI. We met later in the afternoon. She took me to a telecommunication shop to buy a sim card. Only then I could contact my supervisor to arrange for a meeting since he was my co-presenter. In the afternoon, I went to see my supervisor for a discussion and then, I went to register for the conference and attended the keynote address. I was feeling overwhelmed by the whole experience. I was in my first year of PhD study and listening to a great scholar's presentation made me feel small. I started to feel nervous about presenting the next day. That night, I worked so hard and slept at 1 am. I felt jet lag a bit. After getting the powerpoint presentation slides done, I slept.
The Keynote Address
University of Queensland, Brisbane
I attended few other presentations between breaks. I noticed that halal food was also served. I could see that they took this matter seriously. There were other Muslims also attended from Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey among others. The Organizing Committee also prepared a room as Musolla for the Muslims to pray. I felt touched by their gestures. This subtly indicated their position that not all Muslims are terrorists.
I was leaving for Sydney in the evening. My mistake was I paid in full for the three-day conference. My supervisor said that I could actually just pay for one day since I only attended the first day. I didn't know that. I did not think I would get a refund anyway and was rushing to catch my flight to Sydney. I safely arrived in Sydney at night. I had already contacted my tour guide to take me at the airport. I was walking passed the airport public lounge area when I heard a white lady who was sitting at one of the sofas said loudly "Holy Cow!" and looking shocked at my direction. I looked behind me and I saw two Muslim women covered in black from head to toe. I guessed that was what shocked the white lady. It was the first sign of Islamophobia that I had seen. Even though, she was shocked, swearing loudly like that was uncalled for. I just kept walking but I felt sad and sorry to see my fellow Muslimahs being treated that way. They chose to cover themselves because of their faith and we should respect that. It was so much better than women walking around half naked or even naked even with their clothes on. When I reached the airport parking lot, it was quite dark. Luckily, my tour guide spotted me and brought his MPV near me.
Throughout my four-day stay in Sydney was very pleasant. The young couple are now my friends.
Rewarding myself after months of hard work.
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