We arrived in Oct 1984. I can still remember the trip over. My sister was all of 2 and this was the biggest thing we had ever done. We initially lived on the Island and the 1st trip over on the ferry was an experience. I didn't really take it all in. It all most seemed to be too out of the ordinary to be real life.

We lived on the island for the first 6 mths or so before Dad had to be living on the Mainland. Another move and another school. RAAF School Butterworth. I believe I was lucky enough to be there for the school's Hay day. It was great to be there when there was a military excersise happening.

I recall one day sitting in class (Grade 4) and seeing 4 guys with machine guns run past the class room. A few minutes later another group of 4. It certainly made for interesting schooling.

I have read a few other students comments and one of the big things that comes up is how much we did not like being there at the time. I know that was certainly true in my case. I can't tell you what it was I was missing about home or why, but all I know is that I was. I now look back at those 3 years and think how lucky I am. I have 2 boys of my own and they are fast approaching the age I was when we left Oz. I think how lucky they would be to experience a similar situation as the one I and my siblings did in Malaysia. I hope that I can one day give them the oppertunity.

I would like to thank all people involved in giving me the oppertunity I had over there, teachers and students. I hope every one of you are doing well and I would love to hear from people I met over there.

I am now a Mortgage Broker in Melbourne. I have just finished nearly 7 years of service with the National Bank, where I still had the travel bug and was lucky enough to travel all over Australia with them.

Michael Alexander
4/3/03