If I'm not mistaken, we arrived at about 5.30 pm, then went to get our luggage, and everything settled at 6.30 pm. (local time) JPA officers were there to assist us, and also some seniors. Then, we have to wait for another hour or two for the arrival of the JPA and MINDEF students… We waited, and waited, and waited….
And at last, they arrived!!! So we grabbed our coats, and stepped outside of the airport for the first time, on the land of Russia. Feeling the first breeze, I trembled because it was cold! Literally!! (Show off your coats, guys! This is the time!!!) Yeah, we all wore our new coats… XD But me, the MARA jacket was sufficient… Thanks MARA…
We went on a bus to go to the Malaysian Embassy. It took us about 2 hours to get there. On the way, everyone fell asleep~ ZZZzzzzz….. When we arrived, the first thing that we all saw were FOOD!!! Yummy!!! They cooked ayam masak kurma, rice… Just like in Malaysia! We stayed there for a while, briefed about what will be going on tomorrow, and off we go to check in into a hotel, named Korston. Each paid 200USD to stay there, in a room of twos. It was very comfortable! I shared my space with RODIAH, and our room was SO HUGE!!! We cleaned ourselves, and watched the tv… and again, slept….
When morning came, we have to check out early and boarded the bus to go back to the embassy, There, we were briefed on the safety precautions, the functions of an embassy, and also we get to know the individuals who would help us here in case we came to a problem during our stay in Russia. Again, we were given MALAYSIAN FOOD!! YAY!!!! Burp… thank you, embassy people…
Then the time came for… GOODBYES… First, the Moscow students took their bus to their hostel, about 30 minutes from the embassy… our friends-RIA, MIRA, AYSHA, ASYRAF(Yes, the one who helped me get my bag on the plane… Thanks, Acap!!), AJIM, FIRDAUS-BAPAK, VILZAN, SYAFIQA, NAQIB, HAZEL, FATEN REZAL, AFIAH, AFIQAH, and who else?? Sorry if I missed your name… You will always be remembered!!! After that, our Nizhny friends went on the next two buses. They will use the land road to get to their destination, and I heard they had to sit in the bus for 7 hours!! Pity them… Hope they arrived safely… From class 14C-QILAH, TIRAH, ARINI, SYAZOL, AMIR(Again, the guy who helped me, thanks Amir…). And last but not least, US… the Volgo students… We have to go back to the airport for the next flight that will bring us straight to Volgograd. We sent all the students going to Moscow and Nizhny with supporting and encouraging goodbyes, but by the time it was our turn to go, there was no one left to do that for us… That… caught me a little, and I almost cried… But never mind, there are still my friends with me here! I must be strong!!! One thing to be highlighted, I saw this Proton Wira on the roads of Moscow!!! *Proud*
Well, my journey was so full of waiting, as we had to wait for another hour or two at the airport until we were able to check in. And I must say, you must expect the worse here, because if you can't speak Russian, you will not get the treatment you deserve. We had to queue for another hour! Can you believe that??!!! It's just because we are foreigners, and there were some people who didn't know how to queue along. Hmph!!! But luckily, there are still good guys here in Moscow. There's a few grandmas that hanged around the counter, who chatted a bit with us while waiting for their flight, that helped us to get out of the mess. They argued among them, though there were nothing to argue about as we had the right as we got there first! Wait for your turn!!! Oh my, I'm not bashing… just… wanna tell the truth… Don't like it?? Then DON'T DO IT!!!
This is where my journey starts, as an ex-INTEC student and as a fresh 1st year student in Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd, Russia. But of course, I will start my story with my journey to Volgograd. After the hustle and bustle in my home in Saujana Impian (Lovely home!! Love it, miss it… Thanks Abah and Mama<3), I (finally) was able to leave home with one large luggage for check in, one cabin bag, one laptop bag, and of course, my handbag approximately at 6pm. (Though I should already be at the airport by that time!) =P Lucky I was late(sorry MARA officers…), coz we were not to check in till 9pm. Arrived at the airport at 7pm, then queued with other 1st years. Within the two hours of waiting, met with my fellow friends from MRSM TGB, JASIN- AWEEN, SUHAINI, …, also I saw some guys too… SAFWAN… Sorry didn't get to greet you guys coz I was busy with my family… handling my excess luggage, etc, etc… Really wanted to greet you, but… maybe next time, given the appropriate time and place, we get to meet again, InsyaAllah. After we had checked in, then came the time for our parents to let us go, fly as free as a bird, gaining knowledge in a very foreign place to us. Different people, different environment, different weather, different language, and the most different thing in Russia, the most important aspect of our lives(Every 1st year agree to this!), different FOOD…. Yes people, we have to cook our own food here, and there is VERY LITTLE food shops that's halal for us… But to think more of it, it has its own advantage too… we get to be great chefs after 6 years of study here! XD
After the goodbyes (missing you guys a lot, fams!!!), we, the MARA students went our ways to the gate C16. We were separated from the JPA and MINDEF students because we were taking different flights from them. MARA students went on the economy class of MAS, while the JPA students went on… sorry, I don't know what flight they were on but they transited at Amsterdam, while the MARA students transited at Stockholm, Sweden. We were on our own, and Alhamdulillah, we were able to arrive safely in Moscow…
Wait! Wait!! The story in Stockholm doesn't end there. We were to hang around the airport for five hours, until our plane of Scandinavian Airlines came. Though without me knowing, some of the boys were able to find the BIG DOOR of the airport and hanged around the garden. How lucky! They get to feel the air in Stockholm!! Nevertheless, I enjoyed my 5-hour-stay there and bought a nice key-chain which I used for my handbag. Sorry sis and bro! I only bought one, as I was afraid to be short of money… You know I'm not 18 yet and I have my limit!! Don't worry, next time I transit somewhere interesting, I'll be sure to buy you guys something! =)
And not to be forgotten, to the HANDSOME GUYS who helped me carry my bag through out the flight journey- AMIR, FAEZ, ASYRAF, and another one… an AUSTRALIAN GUY who sat beside me in my first flight in MAS, thanks very, very much!!! I know I had packed way past my carrying limit, but I can't help it. Thanks to you guys, I was able to bring all my stuff to Volgograd.^^
