TB screening for UK Visa in Malaysia

Dear earthlings,

For those of you who are going to the UK, you must know by now that in order to get a UK visa, you have to undergo the TB screening test. Now here's the catch, there are only a few places that is authorized to perform the TB screening test. If you happen to be in the vicinity of Kuala Lumpur/ Lembah Klang area there are 2 places where you could go:

1) Gleneagles (03-41413282)

2) Life Care Diagnostic Medical Centre,
    1st floor, Wisma Life Care,
    No 5, jalan Kerinchi,
    Bangsar South, 
    59200, KL
    (1300222369)

Hubs and I chose to go to Life Care in Bangsar because according to a trusted source, their service is tip top..here's what you'll need to bring along with you:

1) Original Passport
2) A passport sized photo  (bring extra, just for safety)
3) A fee of RM210.00/ person
4) Your UK address. If you don't have one yet, no need to worry, just put down your university address.

We arrived quite early, despite having some detour due to following instructions from Waze, but that's a whole different story..Now, here's what you do when you reach Life Care.

1) Go to the receptionist at Level G. Tell them you are there for your TB screening. They'll ask you to fill in the necessary forms. Now, mind you, be extra VIGILANT when filling out the form. You have to make sure all are in capital letters. NO MISTAKE whatsoever (I looked up my university address and there's like 3 addresses on the webpage and I just happen to choose the wrong one..instead of Byrom, I wrote down Bryom..So hubs and I needed to fill out a fresh new form)..Your handwriting must be neat and readable. 

2) You go up to Level 1 and take your number. Wait while they call your number. They'll attach a cute pink tag to your wrist.

3) You need to pay the RM210.00 fee per person.

4) Wait for the radiologist to call out your name.

5) Once you are done, wait outside to see a doctor. Don't worry, the doctor did not ask tough questions.. He only asked what I was going to study, when I plan to leave for the UK..Do I have a tattoo? In which he himself answered, "No lah, mesti x ade"(I mean, do I look like I have a tattoo?)..are you experiencing any cough right now..He then said, your X-Ray is normal so nothing to worry about..

6) After coming out of the doctor's room, a nurse called out my name, asked me to sign indicating I have already receive my report form back..once she hands you the form, you can now cross off TB screening off your list..yeeehaaaa....

I hope this helps for those of you who have yet to do the TB screening. Good luck everyone!

Yours Truly,
Adventure Addict

Why on earth is it taking so long?

Dear earthlings,

If any of you ever had the experience of waiting and waiting and waiting, then you must understand my feeling right now..I'm sure everyone who is waiting for their result is feeling exactly the same as I am right now..super duper frustrated..

Just wanna update myself, my progress so far...

1) Forms submitted to a certain body incharge a while ago and guess what? At first they said, they would bring my application into the 18.06.2013 meeting...but no...they did not..they postponed that to 10.07.2013 (nearly a month after their initial set date) and penat je saya menahan nafas menunggu keputusan sebabnya, they postponed the meeting yet again..i see red tapes all over...

2) Submitted my ATAS application online on 17.06.2013 and they said it would take 20 working days for me to get my result but, it's already 15.07.2013 and still, no result yet...

A lag in getting the above two results of course leads to other major consequences...hubs still hasn't tendered his resignation since there is no assurance and black and white that the body incharge would actually approve my application and provide the necessary documents..we still haven't been through the TB screening procedure because again it relates back to the decision of the body incharge...I wish they could understand the angst and restlessness of ordinary people like me..

Let's all pray that they speed up the meeting. Amin.

Yours Truly,
Adventure Addict

Not yet...

Dear earthlings,

Just a quickie...I'm freaking OUT since the department incharge of approving my scholarship tak nampak gaya pon nak meeting anytime soon..oh my...oh my....menggelupur sekarang please..sungguh menguji kesabaran daku di bulan puasa nih...

Ya Allah, please ease this journey for us...Amin..

Yours Truly,

Adventure Addict

Iftar Day 1: Daging masak merah

Dear earthlings,

It is now the 2nd day of the holy month Ramadhan and I  hope it is still not too late to wish all of you to have a blessed Ramadhan...anyhoos, this Ramadhan, me and hubs decided to limit our spending at the Ramadhan Bazaar...with all the glorious food sold over there, it's easy to forget the true spirit of Ramadhan..

So I made a resolution to cook on most days, to omit the whole Ramadhan Bazaar is of course ridiculous...

The first night before fasting, I cooked Daging masak merah..it was my first time cooking this dish..

Since the food was already prepared, we were so excited to wake up for sahur on the first day of fasting...but guess what? because I slept uber late (nearly 130am...all because I wanted to cook the Daging masak merah dish), both of us did not wake up..It was so heartbreaking when we heard the alarm go off at 6am...

So what was meant for sahur, was carried forward for iftar..Alhamdulillah...not too shabby I must say for a first attempt...and as usual, hubs said, sama level macam gi makan kat kedai (I'm taking it as pegi makan kat kedai yang sedap lah..hikhik)..

Untuk menjadikan daging tu kaler merah, maka, wajiblah direndamkan dengan pewarna merah yer..kalau rendam dengan kaler kuning kang jadi daging masak kuning pulak kan...

Among the things yang dimasukkan ke dalam dish ni adelah:

Serai (obvious kot boleh nampak lam gambar)
Daun limau purut
Kacang buncis
Bawang merah
Bawang putih
Air rebusan daging
Cauliflower
Sos tiram
Sos tomato
Sos cili
Kicap cap kipas udang
Kicap cair
Garam and gula

Yours Truly,
Adventure Addict 

Not a walk in the park

Dear earthlings,

I've encountered some minor setbacks in my journey to set foot in the UK...So let me tell you this story...

I am a person who does not like to make last minute preparations for something HUGE..and jetting off for my PhD studies abroad is considered something HUGE in my vocabulary...therefore, I made sure that I prepared everything early on so as to not have any delay..I'm supposed to register on 2nd September by the way...

I filled in all the necessary forms, the list is endless mind you..but I forced myself to complete it...I went to BTN early...I secured the offer letter from the university that I plan to study early..but I have to tell you, the most challenging part for me was to get the signature of the person that I shall just label as X on my forms..but Alhamdulillah, I managed to get X's signature therefore I could proceed to submit to an office I'd just call Y..I submitted to Y on 23.05.2013...I know this for sure because I purposely asked the person who took all my forms to initial the date he received (I am very careful, just in case anything happens)..He promised me that all my forms will be sent to another office, Z on Friday...

The week after, I received an email from office Y informing that my application will be discussed in a meeting on 18.06.2013...So, I was very glad assuming that everything went smoothly...

Last week (04.07.2013), my colleague told me that he went to office Y to submit his application and the person he talked to mentioned that office Y actually still has my application forms with them...Imagine my surprise and anger at this news..I mean, for God's sake..I submitted in May, and they still have it with them in July??? This is a valid cause for me to worry..So I dragged my feet up to office Y to ask them what's going on and they said that they overlooked my case..they thought that I'm doing a split program (1/2 in UK and 1/2 in Malaysia) which obviously I'm not...so they have to put it through a meeting to get the green light from people in office Y...so much hassle...I'm going in freaking August and office Z have yet to approve my application (along with the funding of course)...which of course means I have yet to do my VISA application..

I'm not going to say anymore..I'm writing this down so that I will remember how difficult it was to secure this scholarship and how difficult it was for me to go to the UK so that when I get there, I'll remember to work hard and not waste this once in a lifetime opportunity...

Yours Truly,
Adventure Addict