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| Monday, 15-Oct-2007 05:29 |
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Eid-ul-Fitr 2007, Shibuya, Tokyo.... Oct. 13, 2007
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Baju raya mama sent me!!
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with my cool kohai, Shahnaz
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my laid-back kohai, Haniza
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my glamorous kohai, Shamimi
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with Ros
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with Iman
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lovely Kak Maa
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sweet, sensitive Een
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nyum, nyum..b4 the 'incident' happened(lol)..
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As I set my foot in the embassy, my eyes anxiously examining every face in crowds full of cheerful people, silently wishing for faces that I'm familiar with to appear. Where are my friends? They did promise to come.... 
And suddenly, somebody tapped my shoulder from back..' Hey! Selamat Hari Raya! Maaf Zahir & Batin! ' Oh, it's Kak Maa!!....and then, there's Een! And Kak Jannah and her husband Mon too!! 
Thank you, God...Thanks soo much they're here. The faces that have been keeping me sane all these years, especially during my final years in Japan, are right now in front of me. Just to know they're beside me have been giving me courage and confidence no one ever managed to give. Just like magic, yes, it's like magic..
And yes, not very long after that, I met other friends too, the remains of RPKJ batch 19. It's very nice to meet all of you once again..you've really made my day. Thanks a lot guys.. Maaf Zahir & Batin to you all..
After six years, this year's Eid will be my last Eid in Japan, InsyaAllah. Finally, I'm going back home. I need to go back home. I just can't stand the emptiness and loneliness anymore. I might go to other places again, for nobody knows 'bout the future, but what I really know right now is, I wanna go back home. To be wrapped in the warmth of my family once again. To enjoy the sweet smell of home. And to feel safe in a place called home.
"Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I'm lucky I know
But I wanna go home
I've got to go home...."
Michael Buble - Home-
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| Sunday, 1-Apr-2007 12:00 |
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Di Ranah Minang, Bukit Tinggi-Padang,Indonesia, March 15-18,2007
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My first time with AirAsia.. Long live no frills flights!!!
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cute...'small room'?
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Nami and mama
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pop? cute word!
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cumi-cumi? This is beyond!!!
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Visited 'Ranah Minang'( in Minangkabau Language, meaning ' Tanah Minang' in BM ) with my parents and my youngest brother, just a week after the most recent earthquake which struck off West Sumatera Province. Well, it was kinda 'going back to the root' kind of visit since my ancestors were Minangkabau, both from mama and ayah's sides. So, what can I say, breathtaking sceneries, delicious food, affordable goods...mama shopped like mad! But then, as I myself managed to buy 2 pairs of very cute shoes, I just couldn't say I wasn't satisfied at all even though I still have lots of Indonesian Rupiahs with me when I returned to Malaysia. 
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| Saturday, 31-Mar-2007 12:00 |
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Aernie's Wedding,March 11, 2007.
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Aernie's getting ready for her big day
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Gorgeous Aernie gleaming with happiness
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me and Aernie
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I've never returned to Perlis since I finished primary school and then moved to another state. I've never met my x-classmates again since then except a girl name Afni, where we went to the same boarding school; just for one month, to be exact; because after that I went to another boarding school - the Mara Junior Science College ( MRSM ). 5 years later, we met again at Kuala Pilah Matriculation Centre, and once again, after 5 months of studying together , I walked away from her, and went to Japan. I still remember her last words, when I went to her room to say what other people usually say - good-byes, till we meet again, bla-bla, Afni said " You're a nomad, Azreena. You never be in one place for a long time. And it seems like you'll always leave me behind, no matter how hard I try to track you down. But it's all right, that's what I like about you. Good luck then." When I think about that, yes, I'm kinda nomad in my very own way. 4 primary schools, 2 secondary schools. And not to mention about my siblings. Well, my family moved a lot, that explains why. 
So, after almost 13 years, I returned to Perlis to attend one of my x-classmates' wedding. Aernie's wedding. Sweet Aernie, for inviting me to her wedding. Kinda flattered. And since I was in Malaysia at that time, I decided to attend her wedding. ( She was REAL GORGEOUS!!!! )
Secretly, I kinda hoped to meet lots of old friends, but well, seems like everybody's busy at that time. Maybe next time. Maybe one day in the future, there will be a reunion for x-6 Harmoni students, and maybe, maybe at that time, everybody will be there, and we will talk, laugh, and maybe even cry about the past. Till that day...
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| Saturday, 26-Aug-2006 12:43 |
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A trip to Kansai region- Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka. August 2006
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A day after climbing the sacred Mount Fuji, I decided to go and visit my friends who live in the Kansai region ( west Honshu ). THANK GOD I didn't suffer from muscle pain!! Stayed at Tuty's apartment, all three of us ( oh yes, Een's there too ) went grape-picking at a grape farm. We were lucky because Tuty knows the owner of the farm- we ate as much as we wanted, plus bringing some grapes ( and peaches ) back home for free.. YUMMY!!!!
We went for a sightseeing at Kyoto and Osaka too. Actually, just to visit some places that we've missed during the first time we went there, and to do window shopping ..
Hey, what else 'bout girls if not shopping? 
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| Monday, 21-Aug-2006 12:00 |
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Climbing Mount Fuji expedition, August 14-15, 2006
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It's my second time actually - I've climbed Mount Fuji once when I was a freshman. But this time I climbed with my lab seniors and a junior- all six of us, Suzuki-san ( D3 ), Asami-san and Hata-san ( both graduated last march, currently working in the R&D departments at giant companies-Honda and Toyota..talking 'bout those brainy people*sigh*..), and my B4 junior, Miyoshi-kun. We spent one night a the 8th station before continue climbing to the top, and to view the ' Goraiko' ( sunrise ).
It was damn fun, really it was. I even plan to climb Fujisan again next year
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| Friday, 11-Aug-2006 12:00 |
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Summer Festival at Kurihama-with Aikido club members
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It's summer once again. And summer means there are ' Natsu Matsuri ' ( summer festivals ) or ' Bon Matsuri ' ( Bon festivals ) everywhere. This year I was invited as one of the ' guest of honor ' ( actually I would like to think that way ) to attend a festival held at a ' jinja ' ( shrine ) at Kurihama. The reason I was invited is because one of the Aikido club members in my university, Hayakawa-san, is a ' Miko-san ' at the shrine. ( i don't really know what a miko-san really is. It's kinda priest who's in charge of taking care of a jinja, only that the priest is a woman ). Takeuchi-san told me that Hayakawa-san's family have been in charge of taking care of this jinja for generations. And now it seems that it's her turn then.
Well, like other festivals held at Shinto shrines, people who live in the neighborhood took turns in bringing the ' Mikoshi ' around the town, and then back to the jinja.( Inside the Mikoshi is a statue of the guardian who's being kept in the jinja under great care of the priest of the jinja ). It took hours to circle the town, and the club members who joined the march told me that the Mikoshi was damn heavy
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| Tuesday, 8-Aug-2006 12:00 |
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The 24th Summer School Camp at Hakkeijima, 3-5 August 2006.
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Participants from Yokohama National University
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the Oota-Kamiya Laboratory representatives
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When night comes..it's party time!!!
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Hmm,,, this year I participated a summer school camp at Hakkeijima, Yokohama. This programme is held annually for all students ( senior-year students, graduate students and post-graduate students ) from all over Japan who are working on researches based on the topic ' Electrochemistry '.
There were participants from universities as far as the Kyoto University.
And as for me, apparently I was the only ' gaijin ' ( foreigner ) who participated in this camp.
But it was quite fun, actually. I got to know some new people, got the opportunity to listen to lectures given by famous and successful professors, and exchange ideas during postal presentation hour with other participants.
Gosh, they were all brainy students 
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| Monday, 26-Jun-2006 12:00 |
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Tun Dr. Mahathir n wife - A visit to Japan.
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I was invited to attend the welcome reception for the former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on May 25th 2006, at the luxurious Akasaka Prince Hotel. He was invited to deliver a speech on the Intellectual Property issue, and then to have a brief discussion based on his long carrier both as a politician and a medical doctor. ( Well, I didn't really understand about the medical issues discussed. I'm not in that dicipline, though..)
Hmm.. brilliant, wise man. When my friends and I got the chance to have a brief chat with him and his wife, this was their advise to us:
" Work hard. Learn as much as you can. You're all our country's Intellectual Properties. The future of Malaysia is in your hands. "
I was speechless. I just don't know how to describe my feelings at that time. Astounded? Overwhelmed?
The fact is, I've never even thought of myself as one of Malaysia's Intellectual Properties. Seems like it's something so far away, way beyond my reach.
To tell you the truth, I was over excited during the reception. Not many students got the invitation, you know. Just a handful. 
Well, lucky me.
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| Saturday, 6-May-2006 15:24 |
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A Tear Fell
by Marge Tindal
I shed a tear today
Silently, I felt it fall
You caught it
shared it
held it
felt it
then
suddenly
it wasn't
so big after all
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| Friday, 7-Apr-2006 15:43 |
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My Family's Visit To Japan ( March 23-28, 2006 )
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My parents and Nami, my youngest brother came to Japan to attend my Graduation Day ( and of course, for sightseeing too ). We went to places in Tokyo that I've been to many, many times, whenever my friends came to Yokohama, and the day before they fly back to Malaysia, we went to Tokyo Disneyland. As long as I remember, that was my 3rd trip to TD.
But still, the feeling was just not the same even though I might've been to those places lots and lots of times, because this time I went there with MY FAMILY. The feelings - soo refreshing, soo exciting, just like the first time I went to those places when I was a freshman.
Next time, if my parents are coming again, I'll take them to Kyoto.
And yes, maybe one day my other 2 brothers will come to Japan too.
Really, I'm so looking forward to that day.
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