Is it Redha? (Part 2)

GREEN Programme was organized byKhazanah Nasional Berhad with the aim of reducing the number of unemployed graduates in the country. This programme is now known as GEMS Programme.

The programme begins with a 2 months in-class training where it will be held at Darul Puteri, Cheras (a training building regularly used by Pandu Puteri Malaysia). This is followed by 10 months on-job-training at various GLCs. Accomodation is provided at Darul Puteri for the 2 months training but for the following 10 months, participants are expected to survive on their own. Each participant is entitled for allowance of RM1000 per month to cover for their expenses during the 12 months training. Khazanah made it clear that they don't guarantee employment at the end of the programme as it depend on the GLCs. However, there is chances for participants who performed well during the on-job-training to be absorbed and secure a job at the respective GLCs.

After reading about the programme, a thought come to my mind.

What if I join the programme?

It's only for a year. I can defer my study and resume after I'm done with the programme. Furthermore, I couldn't wait until I finish my master because by then I will no longer eligible to participate since those with education higher than degree will not be allowed to join the programme. So now is my only chance. Plus they are offering accomodation and allowance so I guess I could go for it.

I forward this idea to my parent. I convinced them that my aim of joining the programme is to gain working experience and I'm not putting much hope to be employed straight after the programme since I will be continuing my study. They agreed with this since it's hard to find jobs for fresh graduate like me. They also said that I'm still young and there's no need to rush about my career. So I went for the interview in Ampang and secured a place in the programme.

Before I left for the programme somewhere in June 2007, there are few things I need to settle. First I need to clear up the second semester of my master study. Luckily the lectures finished early so my lecturer allowed me to sit for exam earlier. I also submitted all my assignments before due date and even skip my group presentation turn to be the first to present so that I won't troubled my group members when I no longer around. I feel sad to leave my classmates since we had become so close and I might not get classmates as wonderful as them when I return to continue my study later.

The second thing is to move my stuffs from my rented house to a friend's house. It's a hostel-like-building recently built in Desa Ilmu, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak where Desa Ilmu is just opposite Unimas (the old campus). The building compound consists of about six blocks and the whole area is fenced to keep off the outsiders and there's also a guard house at the entrance. I stayed in Block C where my rented house was on the 4th floor (top flour) and I rented it with two friends. I chose to stay in the master bedroom because I need space for my stuffs (I rarely send my stuffs home so they had piled up). The ventilation in the room was very good. The sliding windows was wide and since my room is not blocked by other building, I always left the windows open to let the breeze in.

One thing that I loved so much about my room is the clear view of the sky from the open windows. At duskI would stand by the window and enjoyed the sunset. Before I doze off at night I would lie on the mattress on the floor facing the window and gaze upon the sky full with stars. When I woke up in the morning the view of clear blue sky with white cottony clouds greeted my eyes.

At those moments of staring at the sky, I've always tell myself how fortunate I was to be blessed with such beautiful life. I have parent who had always been my best friends, I was born in a wonderfully happy family, I was surrounded with cheerful friends, I do well in my study, I was never short of money (although I come from middle-class family) and I got to do the thing I loved the most - roaming freely with my bike at anywhere and any time I like.

It's just doesn't get any better than this..

But the sun is not always up on the sky.

There's always a price you need to pay when you step out of your comfort zone.

And I'm about to learn more about that when I set foot in KL - for the GREEN Programme.