Can you count the stars where you are?

  

2012

Only from the heart can you touch the sky - Rumi

Here's to a new year, a new hope, a new adventure.

Game On Bitches!*

Remembering Emak

Asia binte Jofrie, a beautiful woman with a beautiful soul.

Today would have been my mother's birthday.

I miss you Emak :(

Alfateha.

My Cambridge Congregation

Today is my Cambridge congregation! I know I should feel happy and proud but somewhat I feel sad at the thought of leaving my second home and my Cambridge family...

Ease Africa 2011

I attended the Ease Africa 2011 event, co-organised by SMSO and other tertiary student bodies on 16 Sept 2011 at Ar-Raudhah Mosque in Singapore. There were bake sale, media booth, T-shirt sales etc preceeding the dinner event. Dinner was in dulang style, 4 persons to a round tray. There were religious performances, short film/presentation on the plight of Africa and a forum enlightening us on Islam's views on helping mankind and the legal aspect of fund-raising. Tears flowed as I watched the slides on Africa. Prophet Muhammad said, "None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." It was indeed heartening to see fellow Muslims coming together to help their brothers and sisters in far away Africa. Alas I too can't wait until summer next year. Hopefully, I will get the opportunity to go to Africa on the KEP.

Jernih berkaca

It's been nearly a month since I returned from the UK. As much as I miss my home in Cambridge, it was good spending time with family members and friends in Singapore. The sweltering heat was unbearable, what with fasting and all. Anyway, I made time to visit friends in Kuala Lumpur and oh yes to buy baju kurung and some kuih raya. The short trip was made more special as I met up with friends whom I've not seen in ages, friends from Cambridge as well as meeting up a new friend. How lovely it was to spend some simple yet quality time with my new friend. I almost felt 'sebak' after our Sunday dinner together. As we talked over the fried beef dish, I held back my tears. Why was I reacting this way? Why did I not want to say goodbye? Anuar Zain's 'Kembalilah Kasih' played gently at the back of my mind as I waved goodbye to my friend whom I've grown fondly of over the past eight months, a friendship spanning over the Atlantic Ocean. When we finally met last week, it seemed so natural, no awkwardness; we're just being ourselves, the same selves we made known to one another. But perhaps I was the only one who felt the heaviness of parting...

I visited my mum's grave yesterday. Amidst the sobbing and making doa for her, I whispered to my mum, "I met someone. He seems nice and I think I'm falling for him. I don't know if he feels the same but I thought you should to know this and I'd like your blessing."

Kini hilang dari pandangan, jernih berkaca

Sayu suaramu...

The MPhil Journey

Phew... I submitted my MPhil dissertation on 22 July 2011. What an exhaustive but enriching journey! I've discovered so much about Kampong Glam and about myself. I can't wait to continue the research to the PhD.

I'm leaving Cambridge for the summer but my heart feels heavy... And just like many who had left Cambridge permanently or for a while, Cambridge is our love - I feel the same as Xu Zhimo's poem as that was written on the 'batu bersurat' at King's College. Here's the English translation:

Very Quietly I take my leave
As quietly as I came here
Quietly I wave good-bye
To the rosy clouds in the western sky.
The golden willows by the riverside
Are young brides in the settling sun;
Their reflections on the shimmering waves
Always linger in the depth of my heart.
The floating heart growing in the sludge
Sways leisurely under the water;
In the gentle waves of Cambridge
I would be a water plant!
That pool under the shade of elm trees
Holds not water but the rainbow from the sky;
Shattered to pieces among the duckweeds
Is the sediment of a rainbow-like dream.
To seek a dream? Just to pole a boat upstream
To where the green grass is more verdant;
Or to have the boat fully loaded with starlight
And sing aloud in the splendour of starlight.
But I cannot sing aloud
Quietness is my farewell music;
Even Summer insects keep silence for me
Silent is Cambridge tonight!
Very quietly I take my leave
As quietly as I came here;
Gently I flick my sleeves
Not even a wisp of cloud will I bring away.