I should properly write now.
Posted by: farahhanani on: November 4, 2009
I know. *Cringe*
One month absence wow.
En francais is an Engineers Dilemma
Unlike previous semesters, the local smart kids from Quebec make up the largest demographics in the majority of the class i’m taking. I reserve the most admiration for this particular group of comrades, because from an Asian point of view, it is without a single doubt that they come from a very different sphere of education system. In contrast to their Asian/Middle East counterparts, Quebecois kids may not be the geniuses in town. However, they are the most creative, most proactive, adventurous, highly curious and the most helpful go-getters i have ever seen. Their outlook in academics is such a drastic 360 degrees turn from ours in a way that i get really jealous. I am not jealous at their smart alecness, but rather of their education system. I envied the most of their mindset of how their academics experience should be formed.
There is a notion that in university life, one should adopt an attitude to be educated as much as possible as opposed to with the goal to pass exams. For the misinformed, that view was bludgeoned from the young minds in Asia aeons ago. Main culprits are elite high schools,where the pressure to perform well in national exams surpasses all other priorities. In effect, matters pertaining the subject that doesnt revolve around the exams generate mild interest/disinterest. Screw the wonders of Wolfram Alpha, i dont get an A with it anyway.
Granted, both types of outlook may brought success in academic life . Although, they differ drastically in undertaking strategies. The latter can be achieved by getting assignments and past papers from graduates,doing late night religious studying, following the exam fromat to the dot and targeting questions that the professor have an inclination to ask in examinations and probably a little plagiarizing thrown in. In retrospect,following an academic experience that is configured to best fulfill the examination system.
Still confused? Think SPM.
How was the preparation like? Do you learn the subject or do you learn how to answer questions the right way about the subject?
Case in point.
Now, the former is what i call an idealistic view( and now scarce to find in real practice with the high academic inflation phenomenon nowadays) of an individual’s academic experience: you come to class to be inspired, to learn , be intrigued by new frontiers of your area and to contribute daily to a ping-pong banter of ideas and hypothetical experimentations. In restrospect : God Damn exams.
This sounds highly Utopian to my SPM educated ears.
But not to these Quebecois kids. They are the rare bunch of people of who still view academics along that vigour, or at least try to encapsulate the same along-said spirit in daily practice. Note that the attitude is applied even with the examination system in place. The ability to hybrid the ideal view of academics and still beat the current system is something i find wondrous, even mesmerizing. In McGill engineering (with its tight curriculum and hectic schoolwork), trust me, idealistic is best to let rest in its laurels for 4 years and one is better off sticking to late night studying and FarmVille.
The point here is this:
How am i supposed to contribute in the lively discussion of wonderful enlightening and knowledge if i dont speak the same language as they are. Heck, i cant even contribute to the casual conversation of what i had for lunch today with them. In effect, i am an automatic outcast.
This is somewhat a depressing pickle i find myself in. The being minority female thing was one and now this? Come on now.
I am not kidding, this is a real and genuine problem. Learning is best done with participation, especially so the case with myself whos darn slow in the brain department. This problematic issue is even more compounded when youre clueless in what to do in a lab demo( as is often the case) but everyone else is happily frenching away with each other.
It felt really rude to intrude in english. So all i can do is just gape in awe over; 1) their brilliance in the stuff, 2) their brilliance in french, 3) brilliance of chinese and indian guys in french all the while still fumbling with the oscilloscope dials to get a non-noisy sine wave signal.
P/s :”…. and Quebec French doesnt even sound that good!”- me complaining.
David Duchovny, why dont you love me?
Posted by: farahhanani on: November 4, 2009
Two things i never grew over are :
- Dragonball Z ( or any japanese comics for that matter,i once devoted to those weekly hong kong fight comics of Mah Wang Sing, i wonder what happened to them )
- The X-Files
- Glass bottled sugarcane soda.
England ut pictura 1- Oxford
Posted by: farahhanani on: September 7, 2009
Oxford:
Oxford City Hall property
Sheldonian Theatre. Major place for graduation
One of Oxford colleges grounds. They were massive. Horses can gallop comfortably on them.
The scholarly tradition seems to be imbued in every inch of this city.
Oxford projects a certain aura: a scholarly aura. Almost immediately there was an urgency to walk straight, chest out and look as cleverly as possible. Buildings and structures adorning the city is really ancient, with strong Beaux-Art influences. It was exam season at Oxford, and students crossed the roads and walked around in full Oxford uniform called the sub-fusc. See, if one happen to walk around in them anywhere else, it’ll look utterly ridiculous. To demonstrate how very un-21st century it was, it includes a tail-coat and a flower pin on the chest pocket. A real flower pin. Sub-fusc was nothing ridiculous in Oxford. Here, the sub-fusc have a certain perverse (or adverse, depends on your perspective) effect to residents not owning one. They certainly made me feel jealous. People look at you with a certain respect in that uniform. After all, its a mark to identify an Oxford scholar.
In essence, Oxford bore one similar trait with Montreal: it is a passionate bike city, where any residents with common sense ride the bicycle to navigate around instead of the car. There are no subways or metros, just the occasional bus. The highest polluting source would be the huge tour buses. The roads are narrow and sometimes cobbled. Like any other bike cities, Oxford is plagued with the same problems such as bike parking shortages and rampant thefts.
A-rowing.
It is a pity I did not tour the halls or insides of the colleges since it was a bit late (spent half of the day with my host in Southampton, with the highlight being the wicked Fererro Rocher milkshake) However, I am unnerved. I managed to sneak into one. Pretending my best to pass off as a student, touring the insides of halls induced a love-hate relationship. It was majestic and gorgeous and everything Harry Potter-ish however i hadto curb my jealousy in check. I was soo green with envy and one couldn’t help but have the occasional ‘ if only i was an Oxford scholar’ stray of thought once in a while.
Oxford in a nutshell: Nice, comforting place to visit. Beware excessive amount of jealousy.
Up next: Coventry and Shakespeare..
MERDEKA-LAH!
Posted by: farahhanani on: August 30, 2009
Nation, Happy Independence Day.
At 52, let us show maturity and bravado beyond our tender age. Let us steadfastly believe the impetus of keeping it close to the rakyat’s heart.
And never, ever shall we bow to disgusting, idiotic, kepala lembu politics.
MERDEKA SEGALA-GALA
Dont let this man down, folks.
Godspeed.
Jetlagged
Posted by: farahhanani on: August 26, 2009
Heishh.
How to fix this? I fell asleep right after zohor and woke up at 7.00 pm. Just nice an hour left to pray Asar, make Mi Ruski and milo before breaking the fast at 8.00 pm.
And after Isyak and Terawih i cannot sleep.I tried forcing , but ended up waking on hourly basis. Finally resigned and did all my unpacking and cleaning and rearranging in the wee hours in the morning.
12 hours difference needs major time-span to adapt but haiyyo too long laaaaa. i still havent done my groceries because splitting headache overwhelms me if i dont sleep during the day. This is not Malaysia, where got Tesco opening until 1.00 am????
Anyways, check this out: 15Malaysia . Apt doodling for the Merdeka Month. I’ve read about it couple months ago in Off The Edge, but i never knew the videos came out already.
Will Miss both of you and Dad and Edah
Another weird coincidence is my flight itinerary was the same as my two new TNB juniors coming to McGill.
Inilah barangkali namanya berkat Ramadhan. I have no doubts about God’s hand in this because in London, i was waiting for them at the baggage pick-up. I didn’t find them. I waited so long at the bay where lots of people came to pick up their relatives at the ARRIVALS section in TERMINAL 3 . After that, i gave up. Just when i was resigned to hang around all alone, guess where i bumped into them? At the DEPARTURES section in TERMINAL 5. trying to figure out how to use the London Underground to jalan-jalan. I could have gone out first, if i choose not to linger say, more than 10 minutes. But no, i actually pondered around for an hour and a half at the airport. And here they are , semangat gile nak tengok Oxford Street but all the shops are not opened yet:
Boleh guna ke tefon ni nak call mak kat Malaysia?
Lilian and Jundi, lost (not exactly, sebab ada me heheh) in London
P/s: Salam Merdeka everyone.
Salam Ramadhan
Posted by: farahhanani on: August 20, 2009
Each Ramadhan, i always regret that i did not take as much advantage on the abundance of barakah promised on the Holy Month. This year, i strive to perform better. Please God, dont forget me just yet.
I’d love to write a contemporary post about ibadah but never dared to because i am not an arifiin. (one whos knowledgable). This is an area i would like to improve on, since blogging is a great medium to spread dakwah. Writing about matters of God is a road that must be tread carefully, because we are responsible to the people reading our written articles. Misleading people is a great sin. In fact, a muallaf once told me that the devil is actually the uncertified articles and webpages about religion spawning around the internet, its sources and writers questionable. The unknowing muallaf , even practicing Muslims themselves easily fall prey to misleading articles ( remember friendster forwarded bulletins?). Just because an article talks about religion does not mean it is right. Check the writer’s sources first. I welcome artciles that is written with the spirit of nasihah ( to remind ), or informing the masses about what is already known to be set on stone. Usually , these articles are written by an individual with a certain stature. The worrying trend is the emergence of posts deliberating about hukum-hakam islam, novels of supposedly religious stories, and writers condoning an action or quoting words supported by hadith with weak sanad. If it is not from a convincing webpage, read it but take with an open mind.
So I copy paste. From a creditable source, of course. Sorry. But this piece is quite neat.
Bismillah.
Before the Sand Slips Away
By Muhammad Al-Shareef
- Insaan 76/1
Imagine that you are on the beach. You are four years old. The camp leader has told you that you have five minutes to build a great castle. “Quickly,” your three year old Ameer tells you, “the sand here is too soft. Run closer to the water and get better sand!”
Off you run and grab, with your tiny hands, as much sand as you can hold. But, as you run back, plop, plop, plop, you feel the sand slipping through your fingers. You can do nothing about it. In your haste, all the sand has slipped away. Bang. The competition is over. This is the analogy of our lives. This is the analogy of our time in Ramadan.
For many living in Western countries, Ramadan is passed daily with 9 to 5 jobs or school – nights where we may or may not go for Taraweeh. A peak at the TV (may Allah protect us) and the night is over. Back to work where all around us people are eating and drinking from crystal water fountains. Blink. Ramadan is over.
The question of the hour is: how do we take full advantage of this gift of Allah? This is our topic, before the sands of Ramadan slip away.
How many years have we been fasting Ramadan? 10 or 15 or 40 years? Are we 10 or 15 or 40 times better? Or, does it seem like we have arrived back at the drawing board every time Ramadan comes around? All acts of worship are for our own benefit! Don’t do it and harm befalls you, which is the way life was programmed.
Ramadan is no small matter. It is one of the pillars of this Deen of Islam – without it one’s Islam would not be complete. In this month, Rasul Allah – sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – would intensify his worship of Allah ta’ala. In doing so, he laid the foundation for his Ummah after him to emulate.
Ibn AlQayyim – rahimahullaah – wrote: “From his blessed guidance – sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – in Ramadan is that he used to intensify and diversify his actions of worship. So, for example, Jibreel used to rehearse the Qur’an with him during the nights of Ramadan. When Jibreel would visit him, he would intensify the amount of Sadaqah that he would give. He was the most generous out of all people – sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – and Ramadan was the time when he was most generous. In Ramadan, he would fill his time with Sadaqah, treating people kindly, reciting Qur’an, performing Salah, remembering Allah, and performing I’tikaaf.” – Zaad AlMa’aad
Observers described the way Allah’s Messenger- sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – gave like Ar-Reeh AlMursalah, like the blessed wind. Why? The blessed wind, as they knew it, was a wind that brought coolness to everyone – no one was denied its blessing. The blessed wind, additionally, was not lazy in bringing its goodness to the people. It would come swiftly to all. This is how Rasul Allah – sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – was described, and this is how our service to humanity should be: swift and encompassing. Bi idhnillah.
Below are ten ideas to and help make the most of Ramadan – before it slips through our hands.
Idea one: Compound Your Siyaam!
If you told your financial broker that you just want to keep money in the bank and save it, he would say, “You are wrong.” “Invest it in the stock market. That way your money will be compounded – you will earn multiple times what you put in.” So now I ask the question: Wouldn’t you love to get two times the reward of fasting Ramadan? How?
Zayd ibn Khaalid AlJuhanee narrates that the Prophet – sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – said, “Whoever gives a fasting person (food) to break his or her fast, he (the one feeding) will get the reward equivalent to the (fasting persons) reward – without diminishing anything from the reward of the (fasting person).”
How do we do this? Ask any Muslim relief agency if they have a feed a fasting person program. Subhan Allah, you may find that it only costs $1 to feed a person! So, for $30 you could come out of Ramadan having doubled your reward.
And, we should not forget the needy in our city. We think that in a ‘modern’ western country or city there are no needy people. That is not true. There are many needy families that are waiting to be discovered. Ask around and you will find a gold mine of people to help, in your own backyard.
I speak about Washington, DC. If one was to have a food drive, all the food could go to needy Muslim families in DC and still not be enough! I’ve seen this with my own eyes. How blessed it would be to get the youth that just hang out in the back of the Masjid during Taraweeh to take on this task. Organize the collection of the food and distribute it. It can happen! It just takes a leader with vision to set this up for the youth and all the good people who want to make a difference.
Idea two: Operation Guide the Youth
Often in Ramadan, there are khaatirahs, words of wisdom, halaqahs and reminders, all geared to the adults praying Taraweeh. The youth, it seems, are being disrespectful by talking in the back of the masjid.
“Shhhhhsh!” someone shouts at them. “Listen or go outside (and we prefer if you just go outside)!” So, quietly they sneak out of the Masjid and chat and chill all Ramadan. How Eman boosting is that? Remember, Allah commands that you protect your wife and children also.
Try this: Just like there are things for the adults, we could have Ramadan activities and reminders geared specifically for the youth. And, it need not be ‘in’ the Masjid. Let’s say the youth like to chat and chill outside in the parking lot. Why not organize the activity there? Yes, on the basketball court or in the parking lot. Have a 5-minute Khatirah, play games with them, and give them some noble projects to complete in Ramadan.
Again, making a difference like this needs a leader with vision, one who recognizes that the youth are his or her responsibility. I pray that person is you!
Idea Three: Turnoff TV Month
Every parent knows that when they want their child to do well in their studies they tell them, “no TV.” If this is for Dunya, then how about someone who wants to excel in Ramadan?
“Fasting and the Qur’an will come and testify on behalf of the ‘Abd on the Day of Resurrection.” The Fasting will say: O my lord, I denied him food and desires, so allow me to be a means for him to enter paradise. And the Qu’ran will say: O my Lord, I denied him sleep at night so allow me to be a means for him to enter Paradise. And (he will be entered into paradise) because of those two.” – Musnad Ahmad
Try this: Announce in your household that Ramadan is the official turnoff TV month. Be an example for others and do fun and rewarding things instead. Visit people, take on a Ramadan feeding project, increase yourself in knowledge, etc. Turn off the TV and turn on life.
Idea Four: Dua’ Time
Ramadan is the month of making dua’ to Allah, an essential compliment to fasting. Rasul Allah – sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – said, “There are three persons dua’ that will be accepted (by Allah). The fasting person, the oppressed one, and the traveler.”
Try this: Make a list of all your goals in life. Make a section for your a) personal goals; b) spiritual goals; c) economic goals; and d) contribution goals. Every day during Ramadan, take out your list and make dua’ to Allah to grant you the tawfeeq to accomplish your goals. Insha Allah, you will attain your goals with hard work, both during and after Ramadan.
Idea Five: Parent Appreciation Month
We all know that the one who wakes us up for Suhoor is our mom. I know it was for me. If not for her alarm clock, her early morning cooking, her motherly love to go and wake everyone up . well, let’s just say our iftars would have become our suhoors. If you are living away from your parents, you know what I’m talking about.
Remember the hadith of the person who doesn’t reach Ramadan with forgiveness? The end part of the Hadith says they found their parents in old age and they were not a means for him to enter Jannah!
So, why not announce it loud and clear this month, “Thank you Mom! Thank you Dad!” Let’s take care of them this month with extra calls, extra hugs, and extra love.
Idea Six: Masjid Power Hour
During Ramadan, why not spend a few more moments in the Masjid before taking off. This could be done after Fajr or after Asr. Sit back, grab a Qur’an and remember Allah. As your time in the Masjid increases, bi idhnillaah, your love and heart attachment will increase. Make this your personal Masjid power hour.
Idea Seven: Bad Habit Buster
Many people already do this. They may have a smoking problem or a TV addiction. When Ramadan comes around they say, “I’m going to train myself to stop smoking or to stop watching excessive TV by abandoning it throughout Ramadan.”
So, you don’t have a smoking problem huh? Everyone has a bad habit and everyone has a recurring sin they pray they could desist from. Make Ramadan the training month by telling yourself to go without this sin for the entire month. Then, if Allah grants one Tawfeeq to complete the month, one should continue to pray to Allah to keep them away from the sin after Ramadan.
Idea Eight: The Gift Groove
Have you ever noticed how beloved a bottle of perfume is when it is handed out by a little four year old Muslim? Everyone loves a gift.
Why not take this a step forward? Go to your local Islamic bookstore and request a bulk purchase of some beneficial Islamic materials, something in the $1 range. Then, hand it out to everyone that comes to your masjid. Bi idhnillaah, you will find for the little effort one may put, people all throughout Ramadan will be learning from the gift.
Idea Nine: Ramadan Muslims, Convert!
It is true that on the first day of Ramadan, the number of Muslims in the local Masjid multiplies considerably. And, it is a sad moment on the first day after Ramadan that the Masjid attendance drops significantly. This idea is Operation No More Ramadan Muslims. We want people all year long!
Ibn Abbas I’tikaaf: A man came to Ibn Abbas while he was doing I’tikaaf in the masjid and asked him for his assistance. So, Ibn Abbas stood to leave and people around him warned him, ‘but you are in I’tikaaf’. He replied, “To assist my brother in fulfilling his need is more beloved to me than to perform I’tikaaf for 2 months in the Masjid of Rasul Allah – sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.”
Try this: Make a ‘compassion crew’ that reaches out specifically to Ramadan Muslims. Extra special attention is showered on them and roles of responsibility are delegated to them so that they can participate more in the Masjid. Invite them to special Iftars where they are the center of attention.
With this extra attention and responsibility, bi idhnillaah, every month will be Ramadan for them and the masjids will be full all year.
Idea Ten: Home Halaqah
For example, each family member may recite a few verses of Qur’an. Or, one of the kids can read a story of the Sahaabah so that all family members can be reminded. Or, each family member can speak about the blessings of Allah upon them and what they have in their lives for which they are thankful.
Just 15 minutes for the home Halaqah. For the entire family, bi idhnillah, it will be a spring of Eman.
Ten ideas to enhance your Ramadan:
Idea one: Compound Your Siyaam!
Idea two: Operation Guide the Youth
Idea Three: Turnoff TV Month
Idea Four: Dua’ Time
Idea Five: Parent Appreciation Month
Idea Six: Masjid Power Hour
Idea Seven: Bad Habit Buster
Idea Eight: The Gift Groove
Idea Nine: Ramadan Muslims, Convert!
Idea Ten: Home Halaqah
The past saw Muslims that spent their nights of Ramadan awake praying to Allah. It saw days where people, for the sake of Allah, went thirsty.
They knew that this season may never return on them and they heard Allah’s words “Ayyaman Ma’doodaat”- a limited number of days. Don’t let the sand of Ramadan slip away.
http://www.almaghrib.org/khutbah/newest.html
www.almaghrib.org
Source: www.almaghrib.org
@ work
Posted by: farahhanani on: August 15, 2009
Welkommen
Faulty 33kW Step Down Transformer
Re-Callibration of Gas Sensor
Gripping Scene at CCR ('Ada GT kite trip ke? Alamak.')
Focus..('Check wether short or not wire ni Farah.')
Burner Assembly ( Vapor Collector Check)
Made redundant-- gave asynchronous readings
Nikel Cadmium Battery Alkalinity Check
Manuals Discussion at Central Control Room
Work in Progress
Leaking Fuel Oil Control Valve GT2
SIEMENS Gas Turbine (Silo Combustor Part)
Fire Water Tank.
Excitor+Carbon Brush Slip Ring Assembly
Trainee Engineers ( Faiz and Ashraff)
John Brown Turbine Shaft and Stator Winding
Your helmet fell down?
Plethora of controls and circuit breakers ( Local Control Room SIEMENS)
IR (Internal Resistance) Test on GT2. Yellow box is a Meger Meter.
Dead Weight Tester Assembly. ( GT Pressure Alarm Simulation )
Cooling Water Pump No. 2 GT2 with Abnormal Sounds. Conclusion: GT2 memang suwey.
:P
Miss you both 
( Fazlina and Naili )
Exhaust-Chimney-Filter
P/S: Will miss this place. Especially playing Royal.
Back at home.
Posted by: farahhanani on: August 10, 2009
*Warning: post is about her alma mater–SEMASHUR, henceforth deepest apologies extended if some might feel isolated*
Its one of those nice days where the thought of it kept you smiling till the very end.
I went back to school today to pick up SPM certificate which has probably rot themselves yellow in the schools office. Fingers crossed they didn’t lose that flimsy piece of paper. And tell you what? I was a nervous wreck. Believe it, my hands went all clammy on the steering wheel and my voice came out hoarse when talking to the guards of the gate.
(‘ The pintu gerbang has majestically changed since 2005! )
It was indeed quite ridiculous, since its mysterious emergence stemmed out of nowhere. All i knew i have this deep sinking feeling of nervousness to see the amazing human beings who practically i grew up with: How are these teachers? Sihat ke tak? Would they still remember me or would they glance at me, smile for a brief of hey-ive-taught-you before acknowledgment and go about their business afterwards? Honestly, the significance of yours truly back then is a hard thing to gauge. A normal prefect, a few sports or two,some okay academic feats, fairly obedient—this one a controversial statement.
Sidenote: Lets see…maybe missed a couple of perhimpunans, subuh jemaah ( probably some mahgrib as well but not as frequent as subuh), stayed in bilik sakit once or twice when not feeling like going to class, keluar takde kad outing, ponteng usrah sket, misuse of bilik pengawas, misuse of library for internet, misuse of bilik kaunseling for fridge and air conditioning, malas tukar baju sukan, not wearing lencana sekolah for a whole year(‘and nobody realizing it i wonder’) , , slept all through prep malam, slept all through prep petang, copied a bunch of homework (‘but everybody does that!’), brought handphone to school (‘only during PMR and SPM times!’) and some other wishy washy small delinquents. Pretty decent for five years, nothing juvenile i would say.
However, those are quite common commodity in SBP’s. In fact,since my time, the school has been churning not one or two, but nearly four batches of graduates ( 2006, 2007, 2008, upcoming 2009). They might recognize my face but would they still remember my name? SBP schools in particular, starting from june, every teacher has a full plate as exams are drawing near. Fridays are prime time for a half day’s of work but in my case it is justifiable : I have work tonight starting at ten o clock till morning indefinitely.
Fast forwarding on SEMASHUR turf.
The principal i had no longer helm the school. There was stark improvement in landscaping and beautification of school. The terrible fashion sense however, stayed on. In my time, there was the hideous pink uniform of librarians and the horrifying bright orange i dont know what to call it blouse. Now it was the uniform of the prefects : grey. Reminds me the colour of habuk.
There was this tree around the basketball court. I have always assumed it to be stunted in growth and i had lost all hope to see it gr0w a mighty tree because of all the five years i spent in school it never did.
It was a commendably big heck of a tree now. A jutting metaphore of how long time has passed. The tree was also a hint of the big picture.
I expected it but the shock still needed some amount of time to digest. Most of my teachers who are single are now married. Those who’re married now has a child. Those who has one child now have a second one. It was a live and throbbing evidence of social progress.
Talk about a child i have to mention this awfully adorable kid named Umari. Umari is third hero of Ms Roslynda , my then chemistry teacher and warden. He has this really wicked smile that is capable to make you die of cuteness. I spent nearly 2 hours at her house with Ms Salmi ( long time high school confidant, taught me English). The best part of going back was always the catching up part. Between playing football inside the house with Umari, chasing monkeys, having tea and eating durian while squatting, i thought, wow this was worth ponteng kerja for, also well worth them not remembering my name. Sidenote: I highly suspect Ms Roslynda doesnt remember my name. Just a suspicion.I dont really mind.
I owe a lot to Ms Salmi. Shes the buddy teacher. I consider her more as friend now since we talk in the same wavelength I will always remember her as the teacher who picks up her student in front of her house for steamboat. Not many people in this profession is of your stature miss. Interrupting your class and all and make you drag the current debate team out for show. Thank you for the nice treatment. It definetely will help lessen the nervousness in future visits. Each school needs someone like her: The cool, student friendly type. Perfect warden specimens because honestly, you could see it shining in their eyes that they love their work.
Cikgu Masita. Shes the teacher who was around me the longest. Taught me Geography for the first three years in school and corresponded with her frequently when she was warden the following two years. I would be losing sleep if she doesnt remember my name–thank God not. Im throwing this out in the open: Cikgu, i dearly missed you and i pray you are happy and well always.
Then there was these long chats with Cg Indera ( my Add maths guru ) and Cg Nik (taught physics and Gosh, she sounds really like a mother now- a far cry from her single days haha ). The catch up session with Ustazah Zaharah( Pendidikan Islam) and Cg Zahrul ( Bahasa Melayu). I didnt find Ms Zilfadilah but she called me up and we talked quite long.
At times, i wonder wether these human beings realize the impact they had towards their subjects. Day to day, they did the same routine and the students graduate. For me, frankly, i would not be where i am today without them. They were there, like foster parents. I dont have any older siblings hence it was down to my parents and them for my source of motivation and influence.
I’m looking forward for the next visit in two years time.
P/s: Reinforcement: Umari sangat sangat cute.
Hello?Hello? Camera test; 1,2, 3..
Posted by: farahhanani on: August 10, 2009
Your move
Hello world.
Kerajaan RM 23.4 juta
Salam Putrajaya
Zippy Kenari yang selalu kene isi petrol
P/S: Noisy in low light exposure.
Spa, Roman style. (Day 4)
Posted by: farahhanani on: July 14, 2009
*Stay tuned, more pictures will be uploaded later*
Once upon time, there was a place where debauchery and religion mixing together is perfectly normal. In fact, business was conducted in that particular place, and the general public frequented the place for both pleasure and religious reasons. Sounds intriguing?
Well, it was a common activity at the Roman Bathhouse in the 60-70 AD. Roman soldiers whom roamed the land of England found a pool of hot spring. Of course, due limited scientific knowledge and rampant paganisme, the water gushing out being warm without requiring any heating was thought as a gift from God. And what better way to appreciate God’s gift by erecting a temple. The temple was gradually formed into a giant bathing complex in the next 300 years. It was then later known and visited by many pilgrims as The Temple of Sulis Minerva. Fast forwarding twentieth century later, the warm hot spring water is still flowing strong, while the remains of the temple is now a prominent tourist destination called the Roman Baths.
The last time I went to Bath was circa 1995,along with my parents. Barely 7 years old, I had no recollections whatsoever about the visit except what was pertinent to me as a kid back then–the children playground area in Royal Victoria Park. Alhamdulillah, it never crossed my mind that I would once again step foot into the quaint but picturesque little town uncannily called, Bath Spa but i did.
Bath Spa, judging from the beautiful rows of Georgian houses (with four chimneys!)lining up roundabouts and cobbled lanes is probably a place of high ranking and rich section of the society This was a personal opinion, since the big bricks making up the houses after so long are still orange tinted as opposed to dark brown- giving way of an ancient but regal look.
The train journey itself was an interesting one. Astonishingly, trains in Britain are allowed to pack like how minibuses in Kuala Lumpur can during peak hours. A single journey ticket is quite expensive, but it doesn’t guarantee oneself a seat. This was a new revelation, but only a slight setback with regard to my admiration towards their efficiency in Britain. The train was sardine-packed, passengers were not only standing, some even layered themselves onto the armrests of seats and sat on them macam kek lapis. I couldn’t sleep the whole two hours worrying about some old folks or children not sitting for the whole two hour journey.
Anyway, Roman Baths is definitely a must see attraction and worth the 9.50 pounds concessionary rate I paid. Don’t lose heart judging from the small outer appearance. It is a massive museum inside with insightful commentary. Special mention should be credited towards the commentaries from the curator himself, Gary Robson. He gave the most personal feel of the place and provides fresh perspective in a more sociological sense by conjuring his thoughts when wandering around the place. One couldn’t help but made to feel and imagine vividly the bustling activities that had once taken place as Roman pilgrimages. He pointed out that the Roman Baths significance back then is equivalent of having a swimming or any other form of nude activity in a church. Plus, bathing in a temple was deemed a pious gesture- good hunting indeed. But it was unmistakably the case during that period, when swimming and washing oneself( at the same time getting naked with each other!) qualifies as an act worthy of Gods praise. In a nutshell, the Roman Baths was a temple of worship, a place for both male and female take a warm bath and relax, to present tribute towards beloved and the fallen, to pilgrims travel far and wide to both make a wish and to curse. There was also a sacrificial compound for worshipers who wanted to offer sacrifice to the pagan Gods as a sign of thanks.
After a good 4 hours roaming the place, it was the town’s turn to be explored. Bath is very small, one can finish it on foot within a day,even after the Roman Bath tour. All you have to do is spot the “City Sightseeing Tour Bus Company”, ask for their route map and follow that on foot at your own leisure. I can guarantee you will not miss any tourist spot of Bath at all. Bath was not a difficult town to navigate. If you missed a road or the lane you’re looking for suddenly vanished ( like in Malaysia ), there are plenty of tourist signboards to guide you back on track. I missed a lane and heard French speaking on a megaphone and the map was immediately reduced to sidelines, Quebecois style. There was a petanque match down the road. French conversations buzzed among the crowds. Bath proved itself not only beautiful, but it can be quirky at times.
One notable incident was bumping into a Malaysian group of picnickers which to me, was a momentous, bewildering event beyond words. Here I am, minding my own business when I spotted uncanny faces of Malaysian folks sitting around Tupperware’s of food. (duh, what else?)
Their exact words : ‘Hey, Melayu kan? Datang sini makan!”.
Ah, sudah.
Boleh ke macam tu je jumpa-jumpa orang Malaysia kat sini?
Not only that, I bumped into one of the house occupants of the place I crashed in London! Small world eh? It bespoke of the huge numbers of Malaysian residing in the UK. The group consisted mostly of postgraduates living in Bath, with some have been residing in UK for 10 years since undergraduate time! I was at two minds about the incident; at first, I thanked the high heavens for giving me the chance to devour satay after so long. Second, please allow me to cry foul and wallow in anguish–this particular incident is grossly unfair. The government should send more Malaysians to Canada so I can bump into more picnics and save myself some lunch money.
Later on, the writer realizes that UK is akin to a mini Malaysian village. Bumping into another Malaysian in supermarkets, on the bus, in a shop, by the sidewalk etc etc.. is commonplace—a reality the writer finding it hard to swallow due to blatant bareness of her likes in North America. The writer also would like remind her comrades in UK to not become a bunch of elitist, an occurrence where one wished one could escape to a place where there was no other Malaysians but their sorry selves. They ought to understand that being the cool minority has it drawbacks, since it comes along with a set of frustration. The frustration comes in ugly form when nobody understands or acknowledges how cool our country is, how unique our demographics are, and how lame their food compared to ours. It is a kind of frustration that the writer wishes any dignified countrymen should never endure for it is quite painful. Especially when wearing baju kurung reduces you to feel like a wearing flannel shirt in winter.
By 6.00 o’clock , I declared the day is over. Bombarded with sufficient ennoblement of everything historic in Roman times, the body cries for some straightforward relaxation.
So I head for the beach in Bournemouth and with that, spells the end of the day’s excursions.
Roman Baths official site: www.romanbaths.co.uk/
Roman Baths information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Baths_(Bath)
Bournemouth official site: www.bournemouth.co.uk
P/s: The writer sends her regards to the blessed souls who made satay that day.
- farahhanani: i welcome you to come and sit in the lab sometimes. Just sit there. Sit there and watch. its an interesting spectacle. makes me smile and frustr
- farahhanani: thanks atif, im beginning to think tht inferiority plays a much bigger role here and the language somehow compunded the problem. anem orang bij
- farahhanani: i immediately borrowed the book lol.
