That Year Winter Came To Malaya

Chapter 2 - The first step journey of a thousand miles

The University was huge and beautifully surrounded by trees and shrubs. Everywhere one looked at, will see green. There was a lake too, where most of the students spent their time there for leisure, social functions, and sports activities. Those were the green lung and peace for all.

The clinical school is at a hilltop, located nearer to Federal Highway side. Next to it is the teaching hospital with a clinical students hostel attached to it. Most of the faculty members spent their time in this cloistered place for learning, teaching, researching and practising.

There is a 3-storey library located near to the lake, housing large collection of books. But, I hardly make my visit there, because there's already a medical library in the clinical school.

The year 1969 also coincided with the first batch of doctors graduating from the University.

We arrived in the morning for the entrance register, apparently, there were not many female students admitted to the clinical school. I was one of the three. The other two later dropped out in their second year; thus, making me the only girl in the batch. Suffice to say, those days, male were still dominant in medicine. Life was not easy, but the lecturers were very helpful and dedicated. They helped me go through the many critical phases. I stayed with a second year senior, Josephine in a double storey block our room was at the ground floor. We later became very good friends. Mummy and Papa helped me to unpack and setting up my bed. That evening, Josephine or I called her Jo took me for a short tour in the hostel.

The medical school was established in September 1962 and temporary housed at the School of Educations. In July 1963, the permanent base of the clinical buildings was initiated, the project was under the supervision of architect A.E. James from James Cubitt & Partners and constructed by Lewis Construction Co. Ltd. The early part of the clinical school buildings were completed in May 1964, thus, marked the commencement of clinical teaching in that year with 40 students admitted. The last part of the clinical school construction completed in 1965 with the addition of the para-clinical departments; medical laboratories, lecture halls, and a library, as well as the clinical students hostel.

By the time of my admission, the school was about five years ago, but it carried a heavy duty on its shoulders as the nation was in need of local doctors. The school was tasked to produce 100 doctors per annum.

One interesting part is, there was a buddy system; where a junior will be pairing with a senior we called as mentor. The junior will look upon the senior for advice in studies and guidance. I was hoping Jo to be my mentor, however, mine was Julian, both of them were in the same batch.

Julian is about six-and-a-half-foot tall and very good looking too; very often my neck got stiffed when standing talking to him. He was a very quiet and private person, I got to know that both his parents were physicians. Julian was popular among the girls in the school. Jo told me that he's the kind that will receive plenty of gifts during Christmas and his birthday. But, he never accept any of those presents and politely declined them.

Initially, once in every week I got the chance to see Julian to ask regarding the studies. He would be very patiently answer all my questions, and if he couldn't he will try to find out. Sometimes my questions may sound silly, but the conversations always on the studies. Slowly the meeting become once in a month as he was advancing to third year and got busier.

Despite our hectic schedules, every morning we will have our breakfast together at the dining hall, together with his other peers. That's the only short time every day I could see and hear him discuss on medical matters.

Julian was always in serious mode when it comes to discussing on medical matters. He once told me, he would like to become a specialist and find cure for hereditary blood-clotting disorder. I admired him very much, for his high-spirit and noble thought.

I don't know when, but I started falling in love with him. I wanted to see him more often but I don't know how. I know my feeling on him was real and true. My heart started beating fast whenever I met him. I felt embarrassed and tried to hide this feeling.

That's how my first term ended.