One of the greatest moment in my life was to live my dream of studying in The United States and that moment came true when i got this scholarship offer from MARA to pursue my tertiary education in Colorado, United States. After getting all the required documentations and processes including a short 3 days orientation at the University Malaya, the day finally came for me to say goodbye to my family and friends.
Date: June 5th 1982 ; Day: Saturday ; Location: Terminal 1, Subang International Airport, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The beginning of the new chapter of my life.
The first leg of our journey was to Singapore using Singapore airlines. From Singapore, we all boarded China Airlines with transits in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Honolulu and finally in Los Angeles. There were 20 of us in the flight, 15 x-MRSM students and only 5 from other schools including me. Ironically, with none of us ever been to USA, no MARA or government officials accompanying us in the flight.
I, finally set foot in Denver on June 6th 1982 via Stapleton International Airport, Colorado. After more than 30 hours journey including missing connecting flight from LA to Denver, it was very invigorating to breath Denver's cool sunday morning air. Many months later ( remember the great 1982 blizzard?) , i find out that the cool air was just an appetizer in this Rocky Mountain climate. By then, we had become accustomed to the mountain climate and the sweet sound of Metro bus plying through Colfax Avenue.
All 20 of us were destined for the Bridge International School, Denver CO. Before we left Malaysia, we appointed a leader amongst us, Bro Junus Suhid, a MRSM Kuantan student, an outspoken and a fun guy to be around. Obviously, he was to be responsible for the group's journey from Malaysia to Denver but with the missing connecting flight and the no show by the Bridge International School officials at Denver's airport, this put him in a tight situation.
Upon arrival in Denver and with nobody to receive us at the airport, we had to call the person in charge, Ms Judy, who's mentioned in the offer letter from the Bridge International School. Since majority of us were still in the Manglish mode including Junus, the communication with the Bridge official was left to the 4 girls in the group. This time Hajar Raslin (Assunta girl) stepped in to contact Ms Judy and inform her of our arrival at the airport. It made sense to let the English speaking Assuntarian to do the talking. Not the MRSM boys nor the SAS boys!.
But as the group leader, Junus must have felt that it was his responsibility to get things right and Junus being Junus, he was having fun asking any woman passing by as if she was Judy. "Are you Judy?" , "Are you Judy?" He did it until Judy showed up one hour later to pick us up from the Denver Airport.
She later took us to Driftwood Motel on Oneida Street, off Colfax Avenue where she checked us in for the rest of the day. We definitely having jet lag and it didn't take long for all of us to fall asleep until late evening on our first day in Denver, Colorado. Later we woke up to a new freedom in which we would never experience in Malaysia.
After 3 days stay in the motel, we finally moved into our own accommodation at Woodland Apartment, #1093, 16th Avenue, East Colfax Ave, Aurora Colorado. Across the apartments blocks on the Joliet street and Colfax Avenue was Safeway Superstore and in between the apartment and Colfax Avenue was the Church Fried Chicken, now where the KFC outlet is. The same Ms Judy from the Bridge International took us to Safeway Super store and showed us around what to buy or not to buy in the store and one thing she said that i remember until today, " you guys are poor students and please avoid those Deli section where the goods are on the expansive side" Yes, with only USD 370 a month to spend while doing our English, nothing much we could buy then. Our pocket money was increased to USD 405 a month when we entered the universities.
Put aside poor student status, I have to confess that living on my own was very exhilarating and beyond my imagination. Coming from the boarding school background with its rigid hostel disciplines and rules, the apartment dwelling was a quantum leap in my life style. No lights off, no warden, no early morning wake up call and no need to make up the bed were just one hell of new experience for me. Nevermind the absent of nasi lemak or cendol, my mind was only focussed on the limitless self indulgence in this new world called the United States of America....
When i received the offer for the Bridge International School, Denver Colorado, the first thing that came to my mind was John Denver, the famous country singer with hit songs like, "Take me home, country road", "leaving on the jetplane" and many more. Then, came the images of Rocky mountain with its snow capped peak seemed to be welcoming me to be there as soon as possible.
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Before i arrived at the Bridge International school, i imagined meeting many international students from all over the world but I found out that the school was full with only students from the non English speaking countries like the South and Central Americans and a handful of Middle Eastern students whom majority had poorer command of English than the Malaysian. Even with our Manglish, we were placed higher grade of English classes which were divided from level 1 to level 5.. And it was obvious that the 4 girls + few other guys were place in the highest level class which almost guaranteed their place in the Universities of their choice based on their English TOEFL result or Michigan test.
Beside normal English lesson ( listening and writing) , we looked forward for the bumper pool and ping pong games in between breaks. The learning scenario in the classroom was more like the BBC comedy sitcom "Mind your language" or "Oh My English " on Astro programme.
One of my favorite teacher was Ms Marion who taught mid level English class and also acted as our chaperon for some of the trips outside the school such as "the Renaissance Festivals" held in Colorado Springs every summer and few of the cowboy country dances in town.
Also worth to mention about my 3 months experience there was the 2 weeks Metro bus strike which prompted many of us to purchase bicycles and eventually me and Jamaluddin Ahmad shared to purchase Datsun B210 model 1974 for a sum of USD700. I became the sole owner of the Datsun b210 when we moved to Greeley in September 1982. Finally, all the good times at The Bridge International school ended when we got accepted into various Universities for the Fall semester but the memories remain until today and i could vividly remember the laughters and the commotion in between classes especially when we were fighting to be the first to play pool or ping pong. Donde Esta La Vida Raul, Mohammed , Unandar and the rests?
nota kaki: The Bridge International School is no longer at the 1800 Pontiac St and i wonder whether it ever existed anymore...
1) The Journey
Date: June 5th 1982 ; Day: Saturday ; Location: Terminal 1, Subang International Airport, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The beginning of the new chapter of my life.
The first leg of our journey was to Singapore using Singapore airlines. From Singapore, we all boarded China Airlines with transits in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Honolulu and finally in Los Angeles. There were 20 of us in the flight, 15 x-MRSM students and only 5 from other schools including me. Ironically, with none of us ever been to USA, no MARA or government officials accompanying us in the flight.
I, finally set foot in Denver on June 6th 1982 via Stapleton International Airport, Colorado. After more than 30 hours journey including missing connecting flight from LA to Denver, it was very invigorating to breath Denver's cool sunday morning air. Many months later ( remember the great 1982 blizzard?) , i find out that the cool air was just an appetizer in this Rocky Mountain climate. By then, we had become accustomed to the mountain climate and the sweet sound of Metro bus plying through Colfax Avenue.
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| There is story story behind this Minor identification card below 18 years old. |
2) Manglish time !
All 20 of us were destined for the Bridge International School, Denver CO. Before we left Malaysia, we appointed a leader amongst us, Bro Junus Suhid, a MRSM Kuantan student, an outspoken and a fun guy to be around. Obviously, he was to be responsible for the group's journey from Malaysia to Denver but with the missing connecting flight and the no show by the Bridge International School officials at Denver's airport, this put him in a tight situation.
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| The Bridge International revisit -1983 |
Upon arrival in Denver and with nobody to receive us at the airport, we had to call the person in charge, Ms Judy, who's mentioned in the offer letter from the Bridge International School. Since majority of us were still in the Manglish mode including Junus, the communication with the Bridge official was left to the 4 girls in the group. This time Hajar Raslin (Assunta girl) stepped in to contact Ms Judy and inform her of our arrival at the airport. It made sense to let the English speaking Assuntarian to do the talking. Not the MRSM boys nor the SAS boys!.
3) Judy , Judy , Judy
But as the group leader, Junus must have felt that it was his responsibility to get things right and Junus being Junus, he was having fun asking any woman passing by as if she was Judy. "Are you Judy?" , "Are you Judy?" He did it until Judy showed up one hour later to pick us up from the Denver Airport.
She later took us to Driftwood Motel on Oneida Street, off Colfax Avenue where she checked us in for the rest of the day. We definitely having jet lag and it didn't take long for all of us to fall asleep until late evening on our first day in Denver, Colorado. Later we woke up to a new freedom in which we would never experience in Malaysia.
4) Living in America!
Put aside poor student status, I have to confess that living on my own was very exhilarating and beyond my imagination. Coming from the boarding school background with its rigid hostel disciplines and rules, the apartment dwelling was a quantum leap in my life style. No lights off, no warden, no early morning wake up call and no need to make up the bed were just one hell of new experience for me. Nevermind the absent of nasi lemak or cendol, my mind was only focussed on the limitless self indulgence in this new world called the United States of America....
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| With house mates in Denver circa August 1982 |
5) The Bridge International School
When i received the offer for the Bridge International School, Denver Colorado, the first thing that came to my mind was John Denver, the famous country singer with hit songs like, "Take me home, country road", "leaving on the jetplane" and many more. Then, came the images of Rocky mountain with its snow capped peak seemed to be welcoming me to be there as soon as possible.
Before i arrived at the Bridge International school, i imagined meeting many international students from all over the world but I found out that the school was full with only students from the non English speaking countries like the South and Central Americans and a handful of Middle Eastern students whom majority had poorer command of English than the Malaysian. Even with our Manglish, we were placed higher grade of English classes which were divided from level 1 to level 5.. And it was obvious that the 4 girls + few other guys were place in the highest level class which almost guaranteed their place in the Universities of their choice based on their English TOEFL result or Michigan test.
 |
| my last visit to The Bridge International School in 1983- approximately 27 years ago! |
Beside normal English lesson ( listening and writing) , we looked forward for the bumper pool and ping pong games in between breaks. The learning scenario in the classroom was more like the BBC comedy sitcom "Mind your language" or "Oh My English " on Astro programme.
Also worth to mention about my 3 months experience there was the 2 weeks Metro bus strike which prompted many of us to purchase bicycles and eventually me and Jamaluddin Ahmad shared to purchase Datsun B210 model 1974 for a sum of USD700. I became the sole owner of the Datsun b210 when we moved to Greeley in September 1982. Finally, all the good times at The Bridge International school ended when we got accepted into various Universities for the Fall semester but the memories remain until today and i could vividly remember the laughters and the commotion in between classes especially when we were fighting to be the first to play pool or ping pong. Donde Esta La Vida Raul, Mohammed , Unandar and the rests?
nota kaki: The Bridge International School is no longer at the 1800 Pontiac St and i wonder whether it ever existed anymore...
