make the black clouds disappear

astaghfirullah. life can be really short.

just these few days, i had some people who are close to me, or to someone i know die.

condolences to nurrizan harun's family.

condolences to fatin hamizah and her family.

and also, another important figure in my life, the one person who has helped me go through long journeys in buses and trains and LRTs and walks and jogs with his serenading music and soothing voice all through the four years i have been listening to him, Elliot Smith.

i can't believe i just found out that he had actually died in 2003 at the age of 34. he is still young and budding, how can he be taken away? i am yet to hear more of him, when it all came too soon. listening to him playing the soft, simple, bare-naked Angeles will never be the same anymore, definitely. i would have a vision of that wonderful, piercing (though not intermidating) eyes of his and it would then slowly fade away. i would listen to him strum the strings of his guitar and i would feel like sitting next to him and just listen.

his distinctive voice, how can i ever begin to describe that "whispery, spider-web thin" voice he wore so humble and full of love? as if listening to a baby cry, the sound so far, yet so loud. especially to know that he was dealing with depression and drinking problems and drugs, his songs now made perfect sense, like he was trying to reach out. but that scary thought of him having two stabs into the chest, (which was said might be self-inflicted) that certainly changed the way i listen to his songs.

he is my all-time favourite singer/songwriter. EVER. and my favourite tracks by this songbird are:

Angeles

(the best. now i know what the "trade" and "evil" is all about)

Between the Bars

("drink up"...)

Twilight

(this is very, very close to my heart. esp now that he's not around)

oh god. i feel like crying. man. this is really bad. like a kid who just found out that Santa isn't real. he always made me feel like crying listening to his songs. now, im really going to cry. especially on the long route from mawson lakes to the city on thursdays.

"sometimes there are songs you just wished you had written".

That is the only way to describe his songs. beautiful and honest. a masterpiece often over-looked.

But he's still my favourite guy.

He always will be.

May you rest in peace, Steven Paul 'Elliot' Smith. Always.

feast fit for the class

last wednesday was really cool. mak, safa and me decided to not just have the eid feast with our fellow muslim friends here, but also with the non-muslims. so we thought it would be great to 'bring the feast' over to our class and Andrew the course coordinator was more than happy. he even volunteered to bring the paper napkins. thanks man. lol. coincidentally, mak and safa had their solo presentations that day, so it was really like a malaysian day for the class. mak and safa were to present on arabic language and bahasa malaysia respectively. i was supposed to present on that day as well, on malaysian english (yeah, its worth talking about, huh?), and i prepared like mad, but we havent got enough time. so i ended up being pissed at myself for suggesting the feast, coz if not, i could have sighed with relief, coz i've got tonnes of presentations coming up!

anyway, we brought kuah kacang, nasi impit, flat fish crackers, serunding (courtesy of ms.sally), apple and mango juice (courtesy of safa) and marble cake (cam ala2 kek kukus mawar la. first attempt nih, tahniah2)

That's Andrew with Eric "Ermm..it's tasty, man. Like that Chinese take-away!"

Yeap, Sambo's trying to feed me ala 'ibu dan anak' and there's Wendy and Erin

those are just some pictures coz im so malas to upload here. go check out my fb later and i'll upload more there along with the picture of our multimedia display for constructing curriculum class, which was a huge success!

aiyo, what is all this la deyy?

i thought about life
and same things
come to mind
goals, hopes, dreams
i thought it was time
to think
of something else
so
i thought about death
and now im just
too scared
too worried
to think anymore
so
i thought i'd stop
and i did
- i think.



background music: some Hindi track from some dude's iPod or mp3 (wtv) behind me. dude, put on the earphones will ya?!? and hell, im trying to get some mood. (library computers are so communal. the princess in me cant handle it anymore. bloody friggin nasty)

just these few days..

things could get really interesting if you allow it to be. well i had interesting things happen to me these few days. most interestingly, i came across some witty and heart-warming phrases or quotes around town. hell knows if it's a sign (how so?). Some of them are:

1) Saw on someone's shirt in front of pub tab: "I used all my sick days, so I called in Dead" (i was lol)

2) On a notebook at the Newsagency: "Always remember that you're unique, just like everyone else" (im like, wtf?)

3) A t-shirt on a mannequin in a DIY tshirt store: "What happens if you get scared half to death twice?"

4) Found on Zaza's blog, a picture with this: "Vandalism: Beautiful as a Rock in a Cop's face"


And my personal favourite (cause it's personal. haha), is...

5) A rocker dude who lived near my house told me: "Your parents made beautiful children" (awww..)


There you go ladies and gentlemen. these little things made my days. find what made yours :)

tak suka monumen berbentuk orang. menakutkan.

hari ini panas. macam hati ini. ceh. haha. tengah bengang nih. dah la hari tu ter'miss' gig the Grates atas sebab perasaan "malu" (ada la cerita disebaliknya), sekali tu ingat nak cover balik. tak apa lagi la sebab diorang ada next show in october. gedebak gedebuk, rupanya gig tersebut jatuh pada hari ini! ah tensi ni sebab tak dapat pergi. melepas untuk kali kedua! haaa. gigit jari je la nampaknya :'(

Something from the Heart

Dear everyone,

I'd like to fully utilise this opportunity to do what other Muslims would have done by now; to wish all of you a blessed Eid Mubarak this year. We all deserve a little celebration, don't we? :)

And along with that, I'd like to mention a tiny and special Hari Raya greeting to these lovely people:

My dearest family

Ayah, Ibu, Rul, Ilin and Lia.

I know you guys are having a great time in the car, all peaceful and quiet, on your way to Muar now. But i promise y'all, I'll be back with more tunes to 'serenade' in the car next year! Oh, you're so missing 'the noise' (as you put it, Rul. you're no quiet than me yourself)

My dearest BB friends

Asil, Aida, Azrin, Azura, Shazlin

One of you guys would prolly do an open house, as usual. hehe. Guess I'd have to miss it this year. Sorry. But make sure next year it's double the fun!

My dearest Semesta friends

Fa, Zaza, Killy, Hazel, Moon, Kiera, Fayma, Didie, Nieza, Ecah, Jijah,

Fatin, Zara, Dayah, Faiz rashdi, Azmir

You guys have seen me during my 'braces' times. haha. Thanks for all the kindness and help. Hope we can meet each other again some time and have a feast during hari raya. oh and, sape nak kawen next lepas sarah? haha

My dearest compatriots

Liyana, Tatie, Emy, Ella, Nad, Syud, Hafriz

Thank you so much peeps. You were there through thick and thin. This raya, I'd like to apologize for every single perkara jahat that i had done to you and with you. And I'd like to say that (in case you are apologizing to me) you are all forgiven, though you must know, that there isn't any thing that you should be apologizing to me for anyway. I hope that the friendship we have (or had) would remain in the good basket of our memories and will be for a long time. Thanks a bunch :)

My dearest friends

The people in my batch during Pre-Degree TESL

Yaya, Napisah, Hana, Zack, Hani, Wani, Atep, Hafiz, Anis,

Jiji, Helmey, Yam, Farah, Ayu

Have a blessed raya, you guys. Maaf zahir dan batin. I am glad I met you guys during our 'innocent' phase. Things were pretty much different then, but I love you guys nonetheless :) Missing every one of you.

My dearest housemates (Shah Alam)

Kecik, Pika, Kak-Aisyah, Kak Lina

Guess it takes a lot to remain peaceful under one roof, huh? but we made it! (though some dropped out. hehe) Sorry for all the noise and 'inappropriate' behaviors during my stay at that house. don't fret, i'll be back soon! :p

My dearest kanak2 Suria

(wtf? haha) Acad, Moja, Cheap, Azri

Thanks for all the amazing times. You guys were always there for me to bully :p Do accept my apologies for 'using' your inferiorities (hehe) for my entertainment. And special thanks to Cheap (lol) for always lending us your pink camera.

My dearest TESL friends

Every single one of you (sorry, too many to mention)

esp: Maktab KB and GAYA people, Juniors, Seniors

I can't possibly mention every single name, but you are all important and meaningful all the same to me. Thank you for all your kindness and friendships and I wish you all a happy Hari Raya :)

xxxxxx

To everyone else (and everyone on the above list), I can't thank you people enough for just being there in my life and giving me a sense to live. Do know that I meant every word of my apologies. All your good deeds will, without a doubt, be returned with more big and great things, if not equivalent. I will always pray for your well-beings and prosperity, and may we be in acquaintance for a very long time. I truly hope that this Eid Mubarak would be the best for you and your family and that it will be a momentous one. Have fun and take care everyone!

Love, and love always,

Me

:)

puitis (wannabe) dari adelaide

hari ini terasa amazingly normal.
macam bukan nak raya.
maybe sebab kat tempat orang,
dan mereka tak sambut Eid Mubarak.
semua orang jalan macam biasa.
macam hari ini hari isnin.
hari isnin
yang supposedly membosankan.
oi!
semua orang!
lagi dua hari
hari raya lah!

i'm gonna soak up the sun

it was fantastically sunny and beautiful today. i almost cant believe that i experienced a bodily, biological process, called perspiring. i didnt even remember how it felt to have your shirt moisten. man, sweat is cool! haha (to some extend, yes). there are heaps of people today. like a mass parade, walking towards the city.

they all love the sun you can tell. i do too, i just hate the uv ray and the cancer effect it can bring us. yeap, skin cancer is just a ray away.

i read recently somewhere in a health mag that skin cancer starts from your lips. coz apparently, that's where the skin is most thin and vulnerable and exposed. like, duh, you dont slop huge gunks of suntan lotion on your lips, right? so i guess basically now, all girls and gays and guys will have to go out into the sun with some balm on your smackers! the best is to wear lip balm or lipstick (guys, you've got very little option here. sorry!) and try your best to avoid lip gloss coz it absorbs the uv ray.

and skin cancer is like the 'thing' now, since global warming is slowly evolving into global hot-as-hell heating. free saunas everywhere for everyone! (trying to be optimistic. the glass is half full people)

yeah, i reckon, more money will be rolled into the pharmaceutical business, since a lot of people buying moisturising lotions coz of the dry weather, suntan lotions, balms, ointments etc. more Watsons and Guardians!

whatever it is, here in Adelaide (and Australia), more people are putting away their clothes. you can sort of hear them under their breaths when they walk next to you, "soak the sun. soak the sun. soak the sun.." like a mantra. seeing half naked bodies lying around wherever there is grass is a new thing for me man. (im not that innocent! -brit) can you say "culture shock siyot!!" haha. ah sod it. im used to my bro and sisters running around the house naked with things dangling and swaying all over.

just this morning, i have a girl come to me and ask if 'my tan' is original coz "it certainly looks real!!". gee honey, let me tell you something, being tanned is normal from where i come. and yeah, it's original! i was quite shocked by the stranger-coming-up-to-my-face-asking-unlikely-questions incident, that im not sure whether i should take it as a compliment or insult. like she's trying to say im coloured? holy crap. and for the record, im not tanned. im bloody burned! (serious shit, the sun is doing me no good, though i like it. remember, skin cancer)

anyways, things are turning up these days. hope more good things would come my way :)

i am muff, the discoverer

i found the best, most scenic and secluded place in Adelaide. its somewhere in Para Hills. take the 506 bus and get down at stop 52. its near the Para Hills Ovals. once you get down, be prepared to be blown away by the wonderful, surprisingly extravagant view just from where you are standing.

i didnt get to snap a picture as i was too absorbed in the tranquility and amazing breath-taking panorama upon my eyes (apart from the fact that i was rushing to catch another bus). i cant believe people took for granted of this place. vehicles drive pass it like nothing and people jog pass it, not to it. it's just sad.

from there you can see the whole view of the airport, houses, highways and roads. just go and see for yourselves. it's worthwhile.

orang-orang kejam

sila kasihani whales kerana mereka tidak berdosa. ada ke patut menyalahkan mereka untuk perkara yang tak sepatutnya.

ni idola azzam. dia yang bagi link nih. wahahaha:

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=whales_suck

kekejaman berleluasa di arena marin! sila tangani segera!

*lari-lari sambil freak out*

kebosanan menggamit diriku

orang yang asyik cakap dia bosan serious shit tak menghargai hidup. rilek ar bro, wa tak cakap lu. the thing is, aku pun buat benda yang sama. ha ha. bosan ar weh. tadi pegi Woolies, beli sebotol air sprite. ntah kenapa. padahal bulan puasa, kalo tak puasa pun, aku tak minum sprite. baik beli ice lemon tea. nampak sangat hari ni hari pelik.

oh iya, kenapa ada orang suka bunuh whales. kenapa? kenapa? diorang stok comel tahap gaban masih ada orang yang sanggup melakukan mass murder terhadap mereka. aku tak nak la pinpoint sape-sape, nor menuduh sape-sape, tapi sebenarnya aku bengang dengan negara jepun! mereka terlalu keterlaluan dan rakus memamah daging whales yang tidak berdosa itu!!

*termenung sejenak*

haish, manusia. ini lah manusia. sentiasa mahukan yang lebih. (jap, tak faham point). ok tukar topik.

deyyyyy, aku rindu mahu makan itu roti planta sama itu teh tarik. dan juga mi goreng mamak. harapanku agar persatuan mamak malaysia akan meneruskan usaha mereka dalam bidang perniagaan ini terus prosperous kerana major consumer (aku la tu) sudah tidak lagi meng'consume' buat masa ini. jejak je kaki kat malaysia, bergegas pegi mamak dulu. haha. hish, mamak-culturized betul aku. (dan juga beribu-ribu orang lagi rakyat malaysia).

ok la, nak pegi kacau orang sebelah (farhana aka mak). nak tengok komen yang dia tengah tulis kat friendster nak bagi kat boyfriend dia. aku suka jadi annoying terutama sekali ketika aku tak diperlukan. hahaha. i rock la bebeh. chow.

BORING IS THE NEW BLACK.

HA HA HA

they are party poopers

last night was shaheeza's birthday. we all enjoyed some spaghetti, roasted chicken and cake. it was done at faris' house. everything was going well, until the mak guard came and pooped the party. you can straight away tell that she's a newbie, so a bit like poyo lah. she said we were too noisy. and she freaking came like 4 times! and sitting nearby the house in between the times she actually knocked the door telling us to keep quiet. i know it was a bitchy thing for shaheeza, poor her, and she had that sad look on her face last night. it was heart-wrenching. there were more than 10pax in the house (of course, its a party for goodness sake) and the mak guard was all about sending out half of the people in the house. it was like a mini holocaust. haha. nahh.

anyways, that incident intstantly reminded me of another similar tragic that happened while i was staying in kolej cemara. we were celebrating atep's birthday, and as usual, we went overboard; making ridiculous noise and all that jazz. throwing flour at each other was like pulling the trigger on the gun for the pak guard. hahaha. he was pissed like never and called us "monyet". im like, wtf. haha yeah, but that was a cool one. i missed all that - making the guards pissed. and last night was a remake of the history. hahaha

btw, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAHEEZA (if by any chance you're reading this. haha)

new movie

O sweet Lord. have u guys heard of the new movie? the one with takeshi kaneshiro? its Accuracy of Death aka Sweet Rain. takeshi is the grim ripper. huh. gotta love it man, gotta love it! im watching out for that! he's one hellov a jap! the best product from japan!

check it out: http://www.yowazzup.com/

do butterflies ever cry?

today's the last day of class before spring break. i have no plans whatsoever, and im pissed. just purely pissed over the fact that im short of two _____ tutorials!! hah. self-regretion is something i cant live without now, it's all splattered over me. it followed me around. man. ah. fuh-get it! i still have the email. yes, thank god for the internet, the cyber world, the email and everything else! thank you, O Lord!

made a new friend today, while waiting for the (damn) bus. she was crying, quite loudly and expressively. and i was the only one there, and i just could not ignore the weeping and all that and so i had to go and ask her what was wrong.

to cut the story short, she had guy problems, and as it turned out we go to the same uni. so we talked some more on the bus, and exchanged numbers. she was from macau. i like macau. not that i've been there. but i'd like to someday. all in all, she pulled herself together with my help (ehem, ehem), and i was equally happy to help.

by the end of today, as in before this moment now, the smile i got on my face turned upside down. and then it turned up again. and then down again. (wth? i need caffeine man) but whatever. all im trying to say is that today is a series of unwanted and unexpected things. geez. that image of that cathedral, is going to stick in my mind like a supernova effect man. it's permanent memory. im gonna miss it :(

gee wheez. geez bananaz. hoolla goronggo. gotta chow peeps. need to go get some chocolate before i go nuts with depression and self-guilt. hahahahahaha (yeah. u can laugh) oh btw, im fasting okayy. (who says im not? u bloody bastards!) so i cant really go get chocs. gotta wait for..erm..yeah an hour and a half. i can survive till then. wookayh, buhbye.

yeap, call me vulnerable

talk about vulnerability.
that's what im made of, now
i realized.
ugh. bugger.
that look; just that one look,
it got me hooked.

last lecture

today's the last day of lecture for constructing curriculum. michael started off by saying that today is a sad day - well, i have to agree, despite the fact that my mind nearly drifted off one too many times; heck, i love the lectures. they were available online, but it's different when you go and attend them.

judy's presentation was the cherry on top. she's my tutor and i love her. she has this low-key confidence oozing out of her everytime i listen to her speak - it's almost like listening to a bed-time story but when you listen to it really closely, they're full of critical analysis, judged opinions and all that. im gonna miss her.

people in my class are going for their practicum beginning after the spring break i think, and it's really going to be heaps of longing on my part. they will be teaching in schools and we will all be meeting each other again only on week 9, when our multimedia presentation is going to be held. but we still have a tutorial this thursday, which is going to be the last before their prac.

geez. this view in front of me is just amazingly tear-jerking. this is the first time i've used a computer in this part of the library - the one facing the GP block and the fountain and lake outside. mawson lakes campus is simply the most state-of-the-art campus and it's so beautiful that you just have to love to come to class everytime!

ah, what else can i say? i just dont want to leave this place. i want to study and keep on studying here. i would if i could, man. sigh, i'll try and make full use of this week and swallow it all in - the sight and smell.

next week is spring break for two weeks. hope our plan to go to kangaroo island would not be intervened. maybe i'll save melbourne for end of the year break. huh.

bugger. bugger. bugger.

i was lost for words. haha. i got back my first assignment for literature, and guess what? i got a bloody freaking C. yeap, that moon crescent look on my feedback form - a C.

i freaked out when i saw that, and was dumbfounded. well, there's a first time for everything, i thought. but i dont want to ever have a first time for this! ugh. i was quiet the whole time in class.

at the end of class, i went to see the tutor. i said, i got a C. and she nodded, not understanding the basis of my statement. i dont know what to say, so i repeated, erm, i got a C. now she looked super confused. like i just told her i'm not a woman. she said yesss... hmm do you need justification?. i bloody well do! but instead i replied but i got a C. almost in a weepy tone. she chuckled. well, yes, you got a C as far as i can see. and C is for credit. that's not bad at all! you just have to work on your referencing (as she flips my paper). wait, two things. C is a credit? oh. ok. so in malaysia...hmm. it's a B. haha. well, thats alright by me. hahah. can you say over-reaction? LOL. but still, C is not a good sight. why cant she just write full spelling? Credit, that would seem a lot better. geez. second, i dont do referencing back in uitm. all i did was copy and paste the website url. this type of referencing, is new to me man. course, i've heard of that harvard-style referencing and all that bull, but as if i apply it.

"Do add embedded referencing in your essays".

wtf? i have to reference? and i have to embed it in the essay? man, really. what have you got me doing oh academicians. crucify them! crucify them!

*deep breaths*

for the sake of education. for the sake of a degree, for the sake of high distinction! i will REFERENCE! if that's what it takes! i will practice referencing in my daily life!

haha. on a lighter note, i got okay for the other three subjects. *sigh*. hope i will be flying back with flying colours. i need to make my mom proud man. she was sceptical of me going to OZ for this program. she thought i partied all night here. i mean come on. me? party? nahh. hahah. whatchu lookin at bro? nway, i just wished she wouldnt be so "untrusting" towards me. i'm a big girl man. (in a big world. haha. that song). well yeah, gotta go get that effing high distinct for that literature assignment. geez. i dont want to be a nerd! i dont want to be a nerd! who started off that label should go suicide.


bye y'all. have a great day.


p/s: how would i look like if i were blonde? hmm..point to ponder. LOL

i need a cuppa!

ah, this funny little thing called humanity. never liked the idea of it. you acknowledged, and you will find the need to abid to it. let me tell you, it's a whole bucket full of bull. really. and there's the other thing by the name of stigma. the feeling, the action of labelling, just the notion of it - is automatic. you can't help it. you can't help giving people categories, calling them names; those which frequently emerge during first encounters. it's all in your mind. well, have the comfort of knowing that..i do it too.

first thing i do when i meet people is to put them in their astrological categories. ha ha weird. i read the symptoms - their body language, the way they do something, they way they speak, they way they listen to you speak - you know, signs. then i presume a group for them - the initial stage, i shall say.

the next phase is quite an interesting one. this usually takes me by surprise. this is the moment when the truth reveals itself - whether or not my presumption is correct (or otherwise). truth be told, i normally have a 50-50 chance, so i'm not really an expert at categorizing people, but i sure can be a professional gambler. *sniffs* *coughs*

if my hypothesis was proven wrong, i normally feel a little down. more or less like a failure. like i had done the person a measurement of injustice. i've interpreted him/her wrongly. yada yada yada - along the lines of mild disappointment.

if i was right, i feel a jolt of joy. i feel like i have a talent (of categorizing..sheesh) - to read what lies beneath. sometimes i find myself smiling or grinning (this is most embarassing cause it exposes the teeth). but whichever side of the coin it is, i always feel a sense of enthusiasm to dig deeper and to know more about that person - which is, obviously, a good thing.

beyond this point, i normally become neutral and uninhibited to any sort of notions and pre-judgements. this is the part i like most. this is the part where i got the most information on the person. just opened up to a glass window with a view of the endless horizon. haha cool stuff.

gotta chow peeps! (before i get really deep. hehe)

dont fall on your feet

hey people. how have you all been doing? hope things are fine with the Ramadhan on the radar, just try to be good people right. haha.

class were good just now. we discussed about the multi-culturalism that some people seem to tag to themselves - and that pretty much reminds me of where i come from. Malaysia. i believe we are multi-cultured, on the basis that everybody practices their culture and traditions freely. however, the fact that some of these people actually disacknowledged others who possess different cultures than those that they have, really sucks.

and i dont feel like giving a whole lecture on that now, since my brain is fizzed out from the discussion just now that all i need now is just a mango juice. thing is, its fasting month. mannn. i need to juice my brain!

guess i'll go make myself useful for a while. go check out some good books. really into children's book now. they're pretty damn good i tell ya! embedded messages and the illustrations are wicked! wish i have the talent to draw. life sucks. haha.

gotta bounce y'all.



p/s: the title is spur of the moment

post-party report

OMG. fo shizzle ma nizzle! gee wheez hoolla banana! the party was D.O.P.E.!! it was intense, we got a whole crowd come knocking on the door (some just barged in. oh well, the door was open anyway). and more than 100pax came to our supposedly-humble-and-small-and-random party. there were heaps of heads in the house, that some even had to eat in the bedroom (MY bedroom). coz apparently, they all came at the very same time, though we had allocated 11am-4pm, they all came at 1pm anyway. safa brought many of his guy friends to the house, like it was his party, haha. nah, it was good of him. good guy. he tried to match make us at every chance he got. geez, thanks but no thanks man. hehe. hani and fatin came too. they got a bit lost. one of the guys jokingly wondered if our house is already in the borders of melbourne. haha. funny.

the food was great, so says the guests, and everybody enjoyed themselves. the crowd started coming at 1pm with empty tummies, and the food was gone in a split second. so i had a teeny weeny bit of trouble, as i was in charge of the bread pudding (and i had to attend to guests, mingle smingle), and i had to restock the pudding as it was finished earlier than i thought it would be. these people sure have massive sweet teeth! and it takes almost 1hour and a half for a bread pudding, so u guessed it. it was pretty messed up. i mean, the planning and organizing of my desserts. sheesh.

the rest of it, fun fun fun. we met a lot of people. they all come from different places and backgrounds. friends from everywhere got together and just eat and got to know each other. it was pure awesome. i'll put up some pictures some time soon, coz i have some trouble with my banddrive at the moment. it was lost last week, and a hell lot of things were in there. but i'll work on that later.

and, we got a TV! Sam brought it with him on sunday, and it was quite a huge one. we used a coat hanger for the aeriel, but the it's pretty much working beautifully. last night we watched Thank God You're Here and Australian Idol, and we were just dumbstrucked by the fact that we actually have a freakin' tellie! we had dinner in front of the tellie, we did our assignments with the tellie on, we decorated it with flowers we took from the backyard; it was just amazing. like having a newborn baby. very gut wrenching moment there for a little while. haha.

my housemates are fine. we're bonding. farhana and safa are doing good too. things are cruising for now. am looking forward to the grates' gig. hah. can't wait. there's also the OZ festival. we might catch the moon lantern festival, sounds great. the rpesentation just now started with a whole technology racketty wreck but it ended well. angela was very supportive.

guess that would be all for now. thank you again, for those who came all the way to our house from the city, mile end, east and west. it was really amazing having you guys. do come by some day; our doors are always open :)

diari sebiji perut

Hari ini hari khamis.

Dah nak masuk tengahari.

Tak breakfast pagi tadi.

Kejar bas pulak tuh.

Rentetan itu,

AKU LAPAR.

gila nak mamps punya lapar.

perihal mingguan yang menarik tahap gaban

it's the 27th. a few days left for Ramadhan, the fasting month. i reckon it's not going to be that tough, since sunset is pretty early here. yippee. there are plans made to go for buka puasa and tarawih together with the other muslim friends. hope everything will turn out okay. coz we ain't got a car and we need a ride bebeh!!

other things.

this saturday, we're throwing a party at our house. gahaha. bajet gila siot. dah la pendatang baru/newcomer, pastu bajet2 la nak buat jamuan makan2. nak ajak sape deyy?!? ha, jangan tak tau. ramai jugak la yang akan hadir. tapi semua orang random la, sebab kita orang kenal diorang semua kat tempat2 yang random, lantas, random la party ni nanti.

menu. hmm. random jugak. maybe nak buat simple2 je. mi rebus, spaghetti (bolognese?), ayam bakar (eh ke panggang? xsure lagi. bbq set pun xde kott) and some pencuci mulut yang pasti akan meng'air liur'kan mulut. aku in charge dessert (of course, what do you expect?). LOL. tapi tolong gak la orang lain masak. haaa satu lagi, booze xdak naa. nak booze gi party lain. yg ada kat umah kitorang tu ka-booze je eh. hahaha memang berkabus pun. sebab atas bukit.

pastu khamis kena gotong-royong menebas lawn yang dah macam hutan belantara kat belakang ngan depan umah tu. tu la, soh sewa unit tak nak, nak gak banglo. gahaha. xde la banglo sgt tapi kira banglo la kalo rumah camtu kat msia. tandas nak disental (tolong la jangan aku lagi sekali), dapur di'shine', dan perabot disusun rapi. nasib baik umah tak banyak barang. kalo tak, naya.

time start, probably pagi kot. kul 11. abes dalam kul 3 kot. tengok weather forecast cam ada morning shower that day. harap2 la sekejap dan xlebat.

hari sabtu ni jugak la, menandakan hari gembira kami. sebab...kitorang akan dapat TV!!! gahahaha. Sam budak kelas aku tu baik gila. dah la bagi free, siap nak hantar sampai umah tu. dia automatic di invite ke party itu! hmm, dia ada benda lain tak nak give-away agaknya. keh3. gila cheapskate. bagi betis nak peha. bagi peha nak..? (fill in the blank)

sebenarnya, (jangan bagitau sape2), aku malas nak wat benda jamuan ni. leceh. pastu ramai lak tu yang diajak nye. approx 100org. nanti keje2 kotor dan jijik hamis keji semua aku gak yang kena. maggots dan kulat menjadi sahabat taulan ku nanti. ah benci! xpe2, orang datang umah rezeki. alaa tapi malas dowh! gahaha. point is, tak kesah orang datang umah, tak kesah masak, tapi kesah gila masa nak kemas nanti. dah la ahad tu nak tungkus lumus wat assignment. isnin dah kena submit dua. kelas lak kul 9am. adushhh. kancah kebinasaan siyot.

ok ar. wa chow dulu.

peace no war. kem salam kat anuar. (rhyme tak? hehe)

random

when you are not needed, that's when you realize the world does not evolve around you.

observe your surroundings.

malam merdeka '08

i went to the malam merdeka 08 last night at dom polski's. it was fun. my housemates were there, some new friends were there, new faces, familiar faces, all the exchange students were there too. everyone dressed up, made up, and smelt nice. i wore baju kurung, a simple one. most people wore dresses and something to cover on top (it was cold). guys looked nice in jackets and blazers and sweaters.

the food, was okay. i dont like the fish. it tasted like tupperware. the rest was good.

the performances were so-so. but they all did very well. i know some of them practiced like mad, and they should get credit for that. i especially love the merdeka advertisements in between performances. they were awesome. certainly brought memories of home and the past. good stuff.

the lucky draw was fantastic. the prizes were superb. they had a $200 dicksmith voucher, printer, digicam, bus tix, etc. i wasn't lucky i guess, coz i didnt win any.

the picture-taking moments were the best. people snapped away and smiled like they never did. it seemed that everyone was comfortable being with fellow malaysians after a while. been really busy with assignments and classes. it was fun.

a friend sent me home, coz i cant possibly take a bus, it was late. very nice. thanks a lot man.

the whole night was great. i had fun; and a hang over (sort of, too much soda). but i got to the lecture on time today. so all is good. cool stuff.


p/s: something quite weird happened at the lecture today. hmm

some Malouf

if you're bored, and you have no life, go and read An Imaginary Life by David Malouf. he's a genius. he is always spot-on in his writings about you and your life. i stumbled upon his novels when i had to search a reading for one of my classes. but alas, i got the wrong malouf. we were supposed to be reading things by Amin Malouf not David Malouf. but who cares. they were both great writers. both meticulous in choosing words and accurate with feelings. go on and read 'em. they're good people with no life, but writing.

random blabber

funny how people tend to be who they think they have to be to fit in. when most of the times, who you think you have to be is not at all what people expected you to be and who you yourself would actually be.

it takes a lot to realize who you really are. it takes time, for sure. and sometimes, it will all be too late when you finally realize who you are. it takes courage and belief, to acknowledge yourself. it needs support from your surroundings. it takes you to want to be who you already are.

we evolve. change is inevitable. time goes by. and because of the change that everyone goes through, we change along. and that's not something to be scared of, or shun over, or despised. it's just another fact of life. it happens - all the time, every single second, in every teeny tine decision you make; you are not only changing yourself, but you are, in fact, changing the world with you.

BODOH GILA

the things to assure you that i am getting by well

"when the going gets tough, the tough..well, ain't just tough anymore"


alright people. that's the words of wisdom for today. i ain't pessimist, but just stating the current situation. i feel horrible, wasted (but not drunk). feel super shitty, even shit dont stink as much. and to add the cherry on top (not the top of the shit, you dummy ass), i have no idea why.

*laughs lunatically*

fine. i was just overeacting. things are fine - in fact, im having the best times now. it's just that having all the fun and not many people to share it with, it sort of sucks in a way, y'know?

and for those who asked, things are great. it's superb. everyday is a learning process for me. like the other day, i learned how to use the vending machine which swallowed my $6. but im friends with it now, just that i couldnt buy as much cheese doritos coz i've got a tight budget (not tight a*s).

and i learned how total strangers can be like super duper friendly to you, especially when you have a map in your hands and the word 'LOST' stamped on your forehead.

i also learned how people really rely on each other to survive in a foreign world. although, its not as if im in the Amazon or Mars or something. but i survived so far. i withstood the test of homesickness. LOL.

having subjects like Language and Identity with Angela and Jonathan is subliminal. they are the greatest people. and Andrew, he's another interesting educator. love his lectures.

what else do you want to know? hmm..the rest is just normal. im beginning to miss writing about controversial stuff. now all i write is about me and my boring life and the boring things around me (contradiction alert).

most important of all, i miss dining at the mamak. when i get back, the first few things i'd like to eat:

• mi goreng mamak [al-awwal]
• roti planta [al-awwal]
• nasi goreng kampung [al-awwal and kedai kelantan mana-mana pun boleh]
• mihun goreng [hassan]
• padprik ayam [hassan]
• nasi putih, tomyam ayam, telur dadar taknak bawang [exceptional: gerai lilin tu]
• roti canai garing [jumma -near my house]
• teh tarik gila bapak punya kow [mana-mana mamak]
• teh taknak tarik [mana-mana mamak gak]
• kuey tiow goreng [mamak -haha, tetibe teringin pulak]
• OMG, lupa. MAGGI GORENG [HASSAN - nak dua paket]

ok, i noticed that the list sort of got carried away. anyways, point is that i missed the grand array of food we have in malaysia.

i want mcD, KFC (MELTZ!!!), and the the rest of the food i usually eat.

for the time being, i'll just make do with hungry jack's, pizzaland, and cheesecake shop. that's the only places i go for food (as recommended by some great malaysian people here) apart from the cooking we cook at home. my turn to cook is on tuesdays and saturdays. i really am not a hustler in cooking, coz i normally just cook for survival, not for impressing people or for the craving tastebuds. but practice makes perfect. so im gonna chill for now. haha.

talking about food really made me hungry..which brings us to the end of this 'unpostly' post.

adieu people.

mind explosion (sort of lah)

my head nearly explode yesterday. it was one hell of a class. like you sit there listening to lectures, and you have all these simple but complexicating questions being thrown at you, and you find yourself thinking and thinking, trying to search for the right answer, but u got none.

questions being asked are like:

"Who are you?"
"Really, who are you really?"
"What makes you, you?"
"Are you being shaped by language and society?"
"Are you you all the time or someone else at different times?"

Geez! who the heck would've thought those questions could actually cause severe headache. i went to see the lecturer right after the tut and told her about the mental debate i was having in my mind. she immediately grabbed my shoulders and shrieked "Dont explode!! Alright, talk to me. You have to talk to me".

like it was some kind of an emergency. the readings we had to do, and the questions we have to answer, they were brutal. really. i liked doing it though, but it does have a consequence that is quite unlikely. you end up answering the questions with questions that lead to another question.

now i have an essay to submit next week, and i havent got a shit to write about. i mean, i do have a lot of things to say, but none of it very academical, i must say.

this friday, my minor essay on children's literature has to be submitted. im bombed with insecurities telling me i couldnt do it by the deadline, and im shit scared it might just come true. besides, i really havent done any research so far.

golly, what did i do during my weekends?? (mental thought: tee hee hee..i did go sightseeing and taking a [long] breather in the city)

fine, i'll go straight home today, and work on my essay all night long, as long as my eyes and mind can bare. blimey, tough night its going to be for me.

how have you guys been doing? hope all is well. dont forget to update me :)

our all-time heroes

today i learned about the ANZACs. and the Gallipoli legend. it was fascinating. and heart-warming, and touching.

to know that there are a lot of people who would do anything to be a part of it, to fight for the country and allied nations. to sacrifice their lives to shape what it is today, and to not fear to die in the horrors of war.

my heart was deeply touched; through the words of Anthony Hill who wrote about Private James Charles Martin, who died as the youngest ANZAC. the book, Soldier Boy, was exactly what i needed to feel what i always felt during this time of the year.

i am sure that australians must be really proud of this boy, who only lived 14years of his life, before he was killed in a self-battle with typhoid during the Great War. at that time, australians were sent to Gallippoli, Turkey as reinforcements to help Britain. the boy died on the hospital ship, without the presence of his beloved family members.

we discussed about it in class, and it was amazing when Helen (the lecturer) showed a video she had edited regarding the ANZAC.

the ANZAC Day is on the 25th of April. on this day, australians celebrate despite the defeat as they are really rejoicing the sacrifices of the soldiers, and because it is the first war that they fought as australians; that victory is not so much of an importance.

at 11.00am sharp on that day every year, the whole of australia will stop whatever they are doing and will stand in silence - praying, and remembering the loss and contributions their soldiers had made - for one whole minute, with the music of trumpet being played in the background, before proceeding with whatever they are doing again.

some will go to Gallipoli (yes, all the way to Turkey), to commemorate the ANZAC. the ANZAC Dawn Service will normally go on longer than the one in Australia itself, with the normally freezing weather.

they also have a special round of AFL in conjunction with ANZAC Day.

all these made me think. and weep a little. i doesnt matter if i am not an Aussie - as a human being, i think fighting in the war is very noble and extremly self-less; eventhough i could not understand why there has to be a war.

we should cherish those who have perished to let us have the lives we have today, no matter who we are and where we are in the world.

my weekend

last saturday i went to the city east campus to join some Malaysians to watch a short film directed and acted out by the malaysian students here in Adelaide.

it was good, to have someone sacrificing time, energy and money just to relive the innocent meaning of celebrating our Independence Day. for me, it wasnt at all about the movie itself, it's about our understanding and what we do to commemorate our Merdeka.

i am a very patriotic person. i really am. but sometimes, it's more of an inside thing rather than physical. i feel patriotic, but i dont necessarily do anything about it. so joining this kind of thing is good, for me and anyone else.

after that film, there was a feedback session. so we can actually throw on our opinions and suggestions regarding that film to the director himself. some of the actors were there too, i recognized their faces.

later on, we went to have a barbie! the bbq was great; and it was actually my first bbq since i arrived here - most probably coz of the weather that nobody really cared to have a barbie during winter.

it rained; heavily and drizzled. and sometimes stopped abruptly. and started to pour again violently. it's crazy, really. i was drenched to my bones on the way from one block to the other. crap.

but the food was good. the people were good too. they came and talked and introduced themselves. coz honestly, im quite tired of having to introduce myself and starting conversations with strangers all the time. it's good to have strangers come and talk to me first for a change.

after the barbie, me and two other friends went for a walk on rundle street and grabbed a sip of my favourite (which has now become their fave too) Chioccolata Italiana at Cibo. it was so rich with choc. just sensational. gotta have them again. Hani introduced me to it when i first came.

in a nutshell, the day ended with me being very happy; as far as i can recall. i have no idea why, but i did. i guess its good coz im missing my friends at home, and meeting fellow malaysians is a redemption for me, in a way. really, they are very good people. hope i could meet them up again, for the merdeka celebration maybe.

fuhhh, its already august. one of my favourite months in the year. you can get away with being patriotic.

i want to go to the merdeka parade.

the Machines Just Hate Me saga

with regards to the previous blog post, i need to clarify my reconciliation with the vending machine today. after my SLA class just now, i went straight to the vending machine with a new goal in mind, not the cheese doritos anymore, but the twisties wicked cheese.

i was trying to get my coins out when my classmates - Sam and I-have-your-name-somewhere-in-my-brain came to buy some chips too. then Sam saw an opportunity to get a pack of chips out without coins. he banged the machine to the left and then to the right, and then, as simple as taking your clothes off, the pack of chips fell into the designated chute. i was so amazed that i had to refuse the chips we he handed it to me. anyhow, me being muslim (tau beza halal dan haram) i cant accept that marvelous offer. i said i dont eat that kind of chips (its onion and cheese or something). so he took it, snapped it open and stuffed his mouth with crunchy onionic chips.

so i felt some victorious sensation as if Sam had just beat the machine out. wait, what the heck am i rambling about?! geez. im such a loser. condemning a lifeless machine.

well, its dinner time. we have tomyam for today. hmm-mm. time sure flies.

i gotta go before i gotta go!

gahahaha. some weird corny joke im trying to crack.

catcha later peeps

machines just hate me

these are the times when i wish i live in the 19th century. i have no idea how to operate the friggin machine. the vending machine that sells cheese doritos hates me. it ate $6 off me - thrice in a row. shitty.

now i cant seem to return the books i borrowed from the library, coz the return machines are stupidly too technical.

give me back the simplicity of life, people!!!

literature tuts/tuto

we did the readings for literature today. discussed it and all that. i read seven little australians and the magic pudding and it was amazing. i didnt get to read snugglepot and cuddlepie though, coz of the time constraint. but i will, some time soon.

i cant believe how everything has got to do with politics. the magic pudding was supposed to be a children's story book, but how the hell it got its politics' blues, i dont know. turns out that the writer was a big rebel back then - i guess that explains it.

geez, sometimes we need innocent, simplistic readings, dotn we? i miss those days when i was young and reading the enid blyton series. simple, yet interesting.

gtg!

the Malaysian Carnival

yesterday was the Malaysian Carnival and it was held at the Elder's Park (but forget the name, it's for both elderly and youngsters. haha). to tell you the truth, it wasn't that Malaysian-lah. it could have better been a Malaysian Food Carnival. the booths sucks. it's not commercialize, not promoted to the max, and even if it was, to the wrong people. you dont promote Malaysia to Malaysians, duh. course we know it at the back of our hands. go tell them whities! sell it to the Australians, Nigerians, Singaporeans..whoever! geez.

the performances, they were so-so. some were okay, some really stood out, like the silat show and the dikir barat. they were fan-freaking-tastic! the silat was straight out off Kung Fu Panda. haha, nooo. straight from Pendekar Bujang Lapuk, with more seriousness. gahaha. but they were good. they were very into it i shall say.

another major aspect of the carnival, was, the Food with a capital F. they were awesome. super wicked! the roti john by the Buxton Brothers were even better than the ones i ate in Malaysia. the 'chef' was a friend of mine, which i just met earlier this month. so dapat sos extra. haha. Kalau buat bisnes kat Pasar Malam sure laku beb! all the food booth people are Malaysians, so they know the food well. Nasi Kerabu ada, satay ada, nasi hujan panas ada, pendek kata, semua ada lah! memang sempoi huruf besar! semua sedap belaka.

the park, it was stunning. with bikes you can rent, and the birds. sheesh, perfect. we have people from all walks of life playing what we call ini Malaysia as the getah. i played, but obvious enough, i lost my charm. i used to be a champ in school, not anymore i guess. better off retiring at it. haha. batu seremban also got. safa played the sepak takraw, but he sucked. haha. no lah. he was a true takrawian (i coined this word. dont use in your essay). he was even called up front to display his talents, along with some other hustlers.

the whole thing ended at 4pm and after that i went for coffee with Hani, and some new friends - Putri, Fatin, Aida, Adibah and Jeremy.

oh by the way, Jeremy is playing for Jason Mraz in his tour in Melbourne this coming 10th of August. i am friggin jealous of that guy. really jealous, like, JEALOUS! and all that but still keeps his cool. all the best man!! he's coming out with his own EP next year. watch out for him people! but he plays jazz lah. hihi.

okay, better get going. this PC is public property. haha. gtg!

constructing curriculum

i missed the lecture for this course last monday, so today i came to the workshop with nothing in my mind. yesterday, safa freaked me out by telling me that it's whole bunch of scary things and topics are regarding the Australian education system, which, as you can guess, i have no single idea about. and i freaked out, of course. especially when safa immediately dropped the subject and took something else. i cant sleep last night thinking that i would fail this paper with or without trying my best. my feet trembled, not cos of the weather, but because i was so afraid about what might happen to me and my whole academic life.

so i went into the class. some people were already there. some old, some young, some look like they dont give a damn. i look like a freaking nerd, who got lost on the way to this room. so we had some ice breaking thing going on. met a few people - Liam, Nathan, Emma (or was it Emmy?), Aska etc. then the whole thing just melt into me - i felt a bit relieved that there are quite a number of people who dont really know about the curriculum here in asutralia, and mind you, they are Aussies. haha! great. just what i need. a confidence booster. talk about ignoramus :p

so we went on discussing stuff, some in the class are arrogant (i hate you), and refuse to enlighten me on things i couldnt comprehend. but alas, a knight on a white horse helped me out. hah! seriously people, i tell you, he looks exactly like Keanu Reeves. hows that for a classmate! *drools* geez. anyway, we had to come up with a picture/logo/symbol that represents the curriculum system (what the heck?) in a group of four. and given the fact that i LOVE coming up with things, i unconsciously let loose and relaxed. so there. no more scary thoughts and hopes to die.

my group came up with a snakes and ladders concept with snakes representing the challenges and bombs/booby traps/dragons as the stake holders which could, if overpowered can be damaging to the system. we had a bunch of shitty stuff on that picture too, that i just have to draw (i.e. clock, a tarzan, a tree, loopholes etc) all on the same piece of paper. so it kind of looked like a bit of a complex, unidentifiable, random curriculum we've got. we presented it amidst barrels of laughter and snorts.

but least unexpectedly, the workshop tutors (there's two of them), liked it. he thinks that we saw it in a new light that most people cant see. geez. what a twist! i guess it's because that i explained the whole idea of the snakes and ladders is that the system could sometimes be in the hands of fate and chance - the roll of the dice. we can never know whats gonna come out of the proposal we just implemented and shits like that, y'know? so yeah, he liked it and decided to put in in his office. haha.

but that's just for starters. you have no idea what else is in store in our assessments plan. i've got a major essay, and a multimedia display, which i have to present in the presence of 9 external scholars/lecturers from the whole uni. but lets forget it for now.

tell me, what's going on with all of you people over there? hows class? update me.


roger and out.



p/s: i wonder how the political states are in Malaysia. i've almost forgotten all about it. gosh, i missed local politics.

my address

yeah, im back at the computer barn. cos basically, this is the only chance i have to connect to the cyber world. i have no internet back at home. not yet at least. tomorrow, im gonna get them internet providers. just ended class.

anyway, to all you peeps who want to contact me, or send me cards and cookies, please do so and send it here:

18, Ozone Parade, Paradise, 5075, SA, Australia.

i know you're probably thinking, "geez, Ozone parade? what a name!" yeah well. i think it's a cool name. like the black parade. as if the ozone layer is parading along. and the suburb, is called Paradise. it sure is one heck of a paradise! i'll talk about my house in another post aite. i'll upload some pictures of it too. i gotta go catch Asar. it's almost ending. gahahaha. procrastinator me. very naughty girl. and the prayer room here at the uni is not bad too. sufficient facilities. ok, really gotta go.

bye peeps! and in case you need to know, i miss you all!

:)

my third day of class

the third day of class has commenced today, and i have a feeling that im going to like it, despite the fact that the assignments are friggin tough. but what is one to do right? i'll just go with the flow. expectations are flying high, and competitions are everywhere with anyone, all the time. to excel, i have to be very, very extraordinary. i cant be my usual self. sigh. no more last minute assignments. now, i have to rehearse my presentations, not like before, spontaneity is the name of the game.

the assignments, involve hardcore researches, and need hardworking people with ridiculously creative minds. whether i will be able to complete the assignments by the due is one thing, whether or not i can get high distinctions for all of it is another.

to prove the extremeness of it all, there are 2 to 3 lecturers in one lecture. not like back home, one lecturer per lecture/tutorials. all of the lecturers give speeches that are so freaking inspirational you just have to be awake. to tell you the truth, i cried in my first lecture. they were so bloody, unbelievably good. i love lectures!! (for now)

you know, im actually at the computer barn here at the cafe (where there are public computers), and there are actually people waiting to use this PC. i think i might have just abused the IT usage here. more than my quota. gahaha. so i guess, i'll just write more later. i cant stand the guy standing behind me watching every letter i type.

gotta bounce, peeps. catcha later!

My day today

On the way back from Victor Harbour today, I came to deep thinking. I wondered what He has got written on for me. What’s to become of me in the future, and what the freaking hell is going to happen.

I thought about why I was sent here, there must be a reason (or reasons). Of course, I can’t very well see it now, but the curiosity is killing me. ‘The unknown’ has been quite a primal interest of mine but sometimes, I do feel like it’s a torture.

However way it is going to lead me in this one and only life of mine, I wish that it would be the best for me. For regret is the worst thing that can happen to me, and it is the last thing I need.

On the way back from Victor Harbour also, I thought about the friends I have met in the course of my stay here since the last week or so. They all come from different backgrounds, varied cultures and have similar or different ‘baggage’ from the lives they live.

When I talked to them, I got to know a little bit of their pasts, and the things that brought them here. They come for different reasons, and all of them very interesting and some unusual.

It amazes me how people simply amaze me, every time.

The trip, which is part of the orientation process, was really tiring. I was friggin’ exhausted by the end of it all. When we all got to the coach bus, everyone was lying back on their seats and dozing off into effortless slumber.

I wasn’t, though. Or rather, I couldn’t. Like I said, I went into heavy-loaded mental journey. And it was one that I couldn’t get my mind off.

I’ll have to go get some Baghlava now and clear my mind with happy, unserious thoughts. Toodles.

a hell of a shower

if i take showers here in Ade, it is bound to be more than 15minutes. once im in the shower, i can never allow myself to get out of it. thank God for water heaters, they made my bathing experience very pleasant. i need anything and everything warm these days - hot chocs, hot teas, hot scones, hot guys..

geez, snap out of it izza.

okayh peeps, going to take a warm shower. i'll make it a loooong one.


p/s: Mak takes an even looooooooooooong shower everytime. she has kurap.

Abrar

Abrar is the name of the house that i stayed for the first two days. the house is originally resided by four seniors but it soon became the place for new students to get help and shelter before they settle down on their own. hence the name Abrar as it means charity.

there are a few major houses like Abrar here in Adelaide. the people who reside the houses are close to each other. they call them selves sisters, while the guys are called the brothers. they are like family. i have nothing to worry about as they took care of everything. they cooked, they provided sleeping bags and quilts, they made me feel like home. people keep coming to the house. those from Campbeltown, Windsor Gardens, Newton, they all came to have dinner together. i had no idea it was going to be like this. we prayed Jama'ah all five solats. they are very close-knitted.

on the second day, 90% of them were going on a one-week road trip to a few parts of Australia. so Mak, Yani and me had to transfer to Mile End and stayed with Shidah and Fiza. so now, that's where i am staying for the time being. it is approx 10mins to the city centre. a very huge one-storey house. very colonnial. i like it here, but i will have to find my own place to stay soon. maybe somewhere with a garden and patio.

Adelaide Arrival

upon my arrival in Adelaide, Australia at approximately 5.30am in Saturday 12th July 2008, i was calm and relaxed like nothing happened. i didnt get any sleep in the flight and i didnt eat much. i was almost too nonchalant about everything.

when i get out of the arrival hall, i saw a lot of families, friends and whoever waiting for somebody for them to pick up. and then it hit me - nobody's going to pick me up. being a so-called "seasoned" traveller, i didnt panicked. well, not really, maybe a tad. i went thinking "geez, nothing to worry about. it's only Adelaide, the equivalent to Perlis maybe. or Perak. i'll get around safe. so i texted Mak, and ask her if she could pick me up. but she didnt reply so i thought maybe she's asleep coz it's still Subuh. then i decided if i call her, maybe she'd wake up.

so i went to find a phone booth. and heck, i aint got no coins. so i went back to the money exchange counter (with all my horridly huge and uglaaayyy suitcases) and asked for small change. the lady gave me some in return for my $10 that i have. so i tried to call. i was so darned stupid. i was confused, the number was confusing and i confused the phone that it went hay-wired. in the end, i just managed to vandalize a foreign country's public amenity and i still have nobody to fetch me. it's unbelievable how my klutziness followed me all the way from malaysia to australia.

by then, i already got frantic. my hair was all over the place, i didnt care about my belongings anymore, the only thing i held on to was my passport and my sometimes-useless creativity. my brain didnt stop working. my eyes scanned around, looking for handsome looking males that i could ask for help. then something caught my eyes - tudung. i saw somebody wearing tudung. i automatically assumed that person must be from Malaysia or Indonesia (coz of the type of tudung). yey, a friend! saudara seIslam! i dashed towards her, who is busy texting someone on her phone. i greeted her warmly and straight away told her about my predicament. she spoke Malay. her name is Saidatul.

to summarize, her friend (Anne) came to pick her up, i borrowed her friend's phone and finally got to talk to Mak, and she will come to pick me up with a senior. turns out that the senior was Saidatul and Anne's friend. it is a really small world after all, and i was saved.

when i stepped out of the Adelaide Airport, it was shit cold. colder than Cold Storage (that's where i practiced cold-endurance). i didnt wear any coats, just the tshirt and blazer i wore from KLIA. but heck, i was Superman and my teeth didnt really grittle. so i loaded my stuff in the boot, and we drove off to Abrar.

*to be continued