UPDATED: I will attend the graduation proceedings. As of 11:30am this morning, my request (see below) has been approved, the airline ticket bought (Emirates for SGD630), and the gown rental paid for. All set. Mum will be ecstatic, the rest of us will be bored :)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yesterday's post on my 'Phoenix Degree' got me to rethink the plan to graduate in absence for the third straight time. Current thinking says this likely will not be the last degree for me, but still the chances are quite high that it might as well be. This led to some phoning and writing (below) after the run this morning in order to secure my seat at the ceremony. The RSVP was due three days ago on the 30th July, last Friday at 5pm - being late, business as usual...!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attention: Graduation Office; The University of Melbourne
To Whom it may concern,
I would appreciate if I can still attend the graduation ceremony on the 8th of Aug 09.
I apologise for the late notice, but please take the following points into your compassionate consideration:
- Even before the official end of the semester I had to leave Melbourne for a visit to my home country (Croatia, Europe). In the mean time, after the departure, I have managed to secure a job in Singapore. Considering the current economic situation, there was no much room for deliberation, and I had to alter my travel. Instead of coming back to Melbourne, I flew directly to Singapore to start the work on the 13th of July 2009.
- I speak to my parents couple of times per week over the phone, and just during our conversation on the last Saturday (two days ago) they have told me about the later that I received from The Graduation Office. Hence, I am responding to you in the earliest time possible. Considering that the official deadline was on the last Friday (30th July at 5pm), only the weekend had passed since the time when I had the right to reserve the seat for the graduation ceremony and now when I am asking for your favour to arrange the spot for me.
- This is all about my Mum, a lady who grew up in poverty. As a kid working on other people's fields in order to be fed, she made the oath to herself that her kids will have an opportunity for a decent education which will give them choices and prosperity in life. In 1995, after the civil war ended in our home county, my Mother convinced my Father that in order to give their kids this desired education they would have to move. Thereafter, we migrated first to New Zealand in 1996, and three years later they settled in Melbourne - I stayed in Auckland, NZ two additional years to complete my undergraduate degree. As I graduated in absence from The Auckland University, and have been living - on and off - in Singapore since 2006, my parents never had a chance to see me graduate. This is the point I have taken for-granted, and was thinking from my perspective only - having no desire to go through the ceremony proceedings myself - not considering how my parents would feel to experience it. Again, this became apparent only this last Saturday after the conversation with my Mum regarding the latter from your office.
- As I have just started my current job, in this competitive job market, I am not in the position to take an annual lave at my convenience. It just happens that Singapore celebrates the National Day on the 9th of August, and everyone is given a holiday on the following Monday, the 10th of August. This gives me perfect opportunity to fly for the ceremony on this particular occasion.
I hope my justification is adequate, and in time, to still secure my seat for the upcoming graduation.
I thank you for your understanding, and apologise for the inconvenience cased.
Sincerely,
ZB
(Id: )
Email:
Phone:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yesterday's post on my 'Phoenix Degree' got me to rethink the plan to graduate in absence for the third straight time. Current thinking says this likely will not be the last degree for me, but still the chances are quite high that it might as well be. This led to some phoning and writing (below) after the run this morning in order to secure my seat at the ceremony. The RSVP was due three days ago on the 30th July, last Friday at 5pm - being late, business as usual...!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Singapore, 3rd August 2009
Attention: Graduation Office; The University of Melbourne
To Whom it may concern,
I would appreciate if I can still attend the graduation ceremony on the 8th of Aug 09.
I apologise for the late notice, but please take the following points into your compassionate consideration:
- Even before the official end of the semester I had to leave Melbourne for a visit to my home country (Croatia, Europe). In the mean time, after the departure, I have managed to secure a job in Singapore. Considering the current economic situation, there was no much room for deliberation, and I had to alter my travel. Instead of coming back to Melbourne, I flew directly to Singapore to start the work on the 13th of July 2009.
- I speak to my parents couple of times per week over the phone, and just during our conversation on the last Saturday (two days ago) they have told me about the later that I received from The Graduation Office. Hence, I am responding to you in the earliest time possible. Considering that the official deadline was on the last Friday (30th July at 5pm), only the weekend had passed since the time when I had the right to reserve the seat for the graduation ceremony and now when I am asking for your favour to arrange the spot for me.
- This is all about my Mum, a lady who grew up in poverty. As a kid working on other people's fields in order to be fed, she made the oath to herself that her kids will have an opportunity for a decent education which will give them choices and prosperity in life. In 1995, after the civil war ended in our home county, my Mother convinced my Father that in order to give their kids this desired education they would have to move. Thereafter, we migrated first to New Zealand in 1996, and three years later they settled in Melbourne - I stayed in Auckland, NZ two additional years to complete my undergraduate degree. As I graduated in absence from The Auckland University, and have been living - on and off - in Singapore since 2006, my parents never had a chance to see me graduate. This is the point I have taken for-granted, and was thinking from my perspective only - having no desire to go through the ceremony proceedings myself - not considering how my parents would feel to experience it. Again, this became apparent only this last Saturday after the conversation with my Mum regarding the latter from your office.
- As I have just started my current job, in this competitive job market, I am not in the position to take an annual lave at my convenience. It just happens that Singapore celebrates the National Day on the 9th of August, and everyone is given a holiday on the following Monday, the 10th of August. This gives me perfect opportunity to fly for the ceremony on this particular occasion.
I hope my justification is adequate, and in time, to still secure my seat for the upcoming graduation.
I thank you for your understanding, and apologise for the inconvenience cased.
Sincerely,
ZB
(Id: )
Email:
Phone:
No comments:
Post a Comment