From: peter morgan (cciemaha@yahoo.com)
Date: Fri Sep 14 2007 - 05:33:02 ART
Hi Guys,
I was able to catch my fish in 10th September 2007. Got my green
number (18807) in my 4th attempt. I have never given up & keep on doing the
exam. Here is my small story. It is like a fairy tail.
I have passed my
first R&S Written in May 2004. Then it has expired after 18 months without
taking an attempt. Then I got a free Cisco partner voucher from my office &
used it to get my written back in Feb 2006. I was keeping on study from there
onwards & I was able to take few months of continuous leave from my office for
the exam. But I was not in confidence to sit for the exam in 2006. I came to
another country for a new job. I got lots of free time after I changed my job
& then started to study in a schedule.
Finally I have decided to take & LAB
attempt in April 2007. It was a disaster for me. Also I was not able reach the
LAB location in the correct time because the CAB driver was not able to find
the place & he lost the way. I lost around 50mins in my first attempt. I have
taken another attempt in May 2007 thinking that I failed because of short of
time.
For my 2nd attempt I have booked a hotel very close (Walking
Distance) to the LAB location. I went the LAB before 30mins earlier. But it
was another disaster. Then I realized that I am lack of knowledge. Then I have
stared to re-read many of books & bought one of famous vendors work book.
Previously I have been using their old work books which has download from a
free site. Then after few months I went back to the LAB.
My 3rd attempt
scheduled in Aug 2007. I booked same hotel & went early to the place. I was
able to understand many of questions & was able to answer properly. But I
sucked in few occasions because of my mistakes & taken time to recover from
them. After the LAB I got the same result (Failed).
Then I came back &
written down all of my mistakes. I was able to identify my main weakness as
the lack of hands on practice & not the knowledge. So I have decided to buy
rack sessions from IE & I have booked racks in every day & week ends double or
triple rack sessions. I have studied with less number of sleeping hours (4-5
hours per day). Also I got another schedule for the LAB on 10th September
2007. So I have studied very hardly without even taking proper sleep. I think
your guys can remember one of my previous posts of IE rack support issue. I
was not able to find the place to get support at that time from IE. But Brian
& his great IE staff guided me & cleared my issue. Then next day morning I
have realized that I have addressed the case not nicely & apologize from
Brian. Because I was in different mind set when I was doing my practice labs.
Then Brian sent me & email with telling that he has decided to stop posting to
GS because of the
threats of people like me. I got really upset because I knew that there are
many candidates in GS like me who are expecting support from people like
Brian, Scott & other senior CCIEs. So I begged him & apologize from him with
many emails. Finally he accepted my apology. By the time Brian asked me to
provide details of the products which I have bought from IE. Because he was
thinking to provide more support via his sales team. Actually I havent bought
any of products from IE & I was using one of my friends old IE materials. But
anyway I was thinking to buy their COD within few days because many people
recommended it. Then I have sent few package selections which I am expecting
to buy from IE, expecting a good discount. But in a nice morning I checked my
mail box & found an email from Brian. He has given access to IE WB VOL I, VOL
II, VOL III, and Advanced Technology COD & also Online Boot Camp. Brian has
gone ahead & given me the access to above
materials free of charge. Also he has doubled my rack sessions by his sales
team. Also he asked me that, if I want more products then to update him. I was
not able to believe this & get upset about what I have done by sending email
to GS complaining their rack support. I told Brian that I will do anything to
recover the damage which I was trying to do by posting it un-necessarily to GS
(They have great/quick support option in IE member area named as ticketing
system. I was not aware about the option previously. They provide support
within few minutes when you get an error). But Brian just wanted to pass the
exam with his gift. He never expected anything from me. I was really upset
about what was happened & thinking about Brians good heart. So, Brian
requested only my pass of exam. I have decided to pass my exam anyhow in 10th
September 2007. I worked very hardly & never slept some days. I used Brians
gift-rack sessions, COD materials, etc.I
have scheduled many racks (Actually I have scheduled one in the LAB day
morning as well). So I was doing my rack practice & study without considering
about any other thing. I havent called to my friends, family members & forgot
many my personal life activities. But I went to office in every week day as
usual. When I got a free time then I started to listen to IE COD. Finally I
got sick because of the lack of sleep. I got a dynamic toothache (Changing
from one place to another place day by day) & a painful skin rash. I havent
gone to meet a doctor (I have free health insurance from company). I used
detol for the tooth ache & decided to take medicine after the exam. I have
kept on study forgetting about the pain.
The day was 9th September 2007, I
have traveled to Dubai. Stay in the same hotel (Tulip Inn- Knowledge Village).
I have entered the hotel 11.00PM in the night. Slept till 5.00AM in the next
day (Lab Day) morning. After a wash I I have practiced 30 minutes with my
scheduled IE rack. Then I walked to the Cisco Building; Went to 3rd floor as
usual. I was the first one came to the place. So three of other candidates
were there later. One of Indian girl, also among the candidates. Procter
(Yosuf) called us to come in to the LAB 5 minutes earlier. He explained the
next schedule. One candidate came in to the LAB 30 mins later because his
driver taken him a ride. I have started the LAB as I planned earlier. Read all
the LAB book & drawn few diagrams. It has taken 30 mins for me. Suddenly I got
something like de-hydration in the LAB & I drunken water in many times. Also
went toilet many times. (May be side effects of my previous hard study).
Procter called for the lunch; I was just in my schedule. So we had good lunch
with procters advice. Yosuf (Dubai Procter) is really nice gentlemen. Because
four of my attempts I have seen him handling candidates nicely.
So, after
the lunch I have scored many points with fast typing. As I planned final hour
used for the testing. I used Brians score sheet method. Based on Brians
score sheet my score was 96. May be 100 because I have not revised my answers
when I come back. I knew that I have 16 marks buffer.
After the exam I went
to Dubai City centre & bought few items. I was stuck there in the long taxi
queue. Finally I was able catch my flight & came back. I have logged into the
site & found that my number & pass. I was not able sleep & next day went to
office as usual. I sent my first email to Brian but he has not replied yet.
May be he has not received my email or he has blocked me because of so many
emails sent by me.
So guys my advice is work hard & gets it with your
effort. Dont wait till your number comes to you. Just work hard & get it. I
have taken four attempts & I got four different LABS. So it has not repeated
to me. So dont expect it. Some people saying that it has happened to them;
but it may be very rare case. One person asked same question from Procter & he
told that there are many LABs. But sometimes they may repeat.
I can only
recommend IE materials & Racks because I have passed with them & Brians good
hart. I have no words to thank Brian & IE. Thanks a million tims..to Brian &
IE.
Believe me Brian is a really good hatred man!!!!!!!!!! He is a really
sensitive person. Brian my hats off to you for nice preparing material &
support!
Note: Guys, dont post any un-necessary emails to GS or Brian by
following me to get free IE products. I still feel bad about what I have done
even after I got my number. Actually I was in another mentality & different
world when I am posting that complain to GS. ( I can say that was not me that
was my dark side of the mind). Sorry guys!
Finally I must thank to GS;
without GS I will never get anything for this year.
Thanks to all the GS
members for the being here. I learnt a lot from your discussions.
Bye for
now,
PM
CCIE # 18807
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