Turning a new leaf...

Hey, I'm back in jolly ol' Malaysia and haven't been updating this blog for ages! yeah, I know! My fans (if I can call them that...) have been asking me gavillion times to update this blog. The main reason I started this blog was to let my family members & good friends know what is going on with my life while I was in KSA. Now that I am back here.... don't see the need to do so......

Will start a new blog soon with less about me & more about other stuff....

Is it that time of the year already?

The prayer room in Frankfurt Airport

Nope, it's not tax payment. 2 occasions actually. Ramadhan and my birthday. One occasion is highly anticipated but the other one deserves to be abolished! Can you guess which one is my least fave occasion? I'm sure you would have known which one. If not, then you must've been living in a cave with no internet connection!

I read somewhere that you need to face your worst fears, stare 'em in the eyes and kick 'em in the balls real hard. Well, it ain't that easy once you have actually given up the struggle to fight. Like yours truly....I have simply given up on struggling with the fact that I am advancing another year. More like embracing the fact that I am not going to be able to stop time or stop people from asking me the eternally repeated question "When are you going to get married?"

Firstly, let's talk about aging gracefully.....Yes, let's talk about my birthday. I wanted to 'embrace' my age and hence the need to actually celebrate it in a grown-up manner befitting a professional single lady. So, I wanted to have a birthday party. Not only do my birthday party invite only 10 of my closest friends and acquaintances, it also 'invites' snide comments from certain individuals. Again, since I am already in this positive mood for a party, I just ignored those catty comments.

I am still going to have a small gathering of friends but it will be a very private one and most probably not everyone will come since it is Ramadhan and even I would rather go to 'tarawih' prayers. Still, it is in the works and insyallah if God permits, I will post it in this blog.

Now, about the second part....you'll just have to wait for another entry! I'm going to sleep now!

Me & N from Jamaica!

Ahhh...it's that time of year again....summer hols! I just got my flight tix in my hands and I'm supposed to be happy, right? Wrong! I was happy for a few hours until I went to visit my quran teacher for the final time. I felt I have disappointed her and I have wanted so much to make her proud of me. She wanted to throw a big party for her students who will finish the quran but I guess I have to disappointed her....I felt upset with the fact that I just couldn't overcome certain feelings about certain people who became a hindrance to my achievements. Anyway, it's all over now...I will definitely miss my quran teacher and pray to Allah to bless her in her life.

On another note I will also miss my fave librarian, N. She is from Jamaica and a super cool lady. We've gone through so much during our stay and learned so many things about people and situations. I hope that one day our paths will cross.

I'm gonna miss you

I'm surely gonna miss you.....
When I'm no longer near
Your beautiful singing voice I can't hear

When I see you
I'm at peace
The love overflows with ease

Sitting near you
Like you're my best friend
I think of home
I think of happiness
And wish it would never end

The first time I hugged you
I cried
You hugged me so deep,
So forgiving
I even see you in my sleep

So here's farewell but not goodbye
One day we will meet again
By Allah's grace and 'barakah'
The beautiful and peaceful
Baitullah Makkah Al-Mukarramah

Jalan-jalan cari makan

Me, Azla & Esah at Al Fana Restaurant in Dammam. Overly decorated restaurant....

It was a boring weekend in Dammam. A bus load of people who are undecided about where to go. Finally, we only went to Hayat Plaza, a large souq area catering especially for women clothes & stuff and then to Shatea Mall, another shopping mall. Didn't buy anything coz was too tired and hungry. I remembered one of my students telling me about a restaurant next to the mall. Went to the restaurant and had some food. It was okay. The make really nice ikan goreng....which of course, to my friend Esah isn't her fave.

Melancholic mood....

Another 4 weeks to go.....*sigh*.

I'm still reflecting.....

A little sad....

More feelings of gladness.....

A little fear but I know Allah is with me in my decisions.....

Today I'm off to Dammam city for sight seeing. I still have exam questions to make but I'm so un inspired....

Exciting week?

Alhamdulillah my hardworking undergrad students managed to finish they presentation and project week. They surprised me with a tribute to one of my lectures about "borrowed language". They have been exceptionally hardworking and creative in setting up booths on the influence of other languages to the vocabulary of the English language. France had an Eiffel Tower made entirely of chocolates! A bunch of students presenting Arabic influence by having a mini tent complete with camel chairs and carpeting. The booth about Italian language had someone playing a mini piano (because the word 'piano' was originally from Italian). The girls presenting Indian culture gave away glass bangles and anklets while there was a small booth of students with a mini library where people can have a seat and drink coffee and biscuits while browsing a selection of books. (sorry no pix of the project week....not allowed lah)

Busy week with exams and presentations, meaningless meetings, annoying bitchy people with ignorant remarks and super 'dengki' colleagues....What could be more exciting?

Penat layan perangai orang. Gimme my 3 weeks in Europe!!!!!!!

How about you? Did you have an exciting week?