Positive Vibes

Those days of feeling tired and helpless... Today is the day. 

Those days of feeling less motivated... Today is the day.

Sometimes, we just need help. We need more strength than we ever required.

People look at us like we are capable, hardworking, and independent.

But inside, only God knows how worn-out we are, craving for more strength.

I must say... That's women. You see as if they are independent. 

Meanwhile,

they need people to be there to lighten everything in their shoulders.

I got this from twitter ;

"To all independent women out there who once in a while just wanna cry because sometimes you just don't wanna be independent anymore..

Happy International Women Day."

I still remember how I was motivated with these words last year, 

"Women empower one another"

These four words which have given me more courage,

These four words which have brought me back closer to my soulmate, Allah,

These four words which have made me thankful with my life,

These four words that constantly open my heart wide to forgive,

These four words that once inspired me to let go of a guy I used to love for a woman who needed him more,

These four words that make me want to make every women in this world happy especially the woman of my life ; Ibu.

So... Again,

Happy International Women Day.

Stay who you are, and in case you are tired (like me noww), 

Stay courageous! But remember to be HAPPY. (:

The After SPM

3rd of March that day SPM result 2015 was released. Reminds me a lot to the moment my batchmate and I in the big hall of SAMURA, coming with the same outfit theme which was white, anxiously waiting to know whether the result paid our sweats and tears throughout the two years struggling together. It was a very good memory as for our batch that time in SM Sains Muar, we managed to   bring up SAMURA's name again and at the same time remained as Sekolah Berprestasi Tinggi. We were called the "Batch of Redemption" at 2012 (the whole year we're taking SPM), and we did it as the name given to us. We managed to 'redeem' better achievement, top 10 in SBP ranking, despite the fact that we have the most number of students sitting for SPM that year among other SBPs which was about 320 something. It wasn't easy for all the teachers, especially. Thank you so much, dearest Teachers :)

After a few years, things have changed anyway. We all now went in separate ways. Well, there are lots of things I learnt throughout the life after SPM result was out, until now. There are two things I'd really like to share with my brothers and sisters out there who've just received SPM result, whether they reached your expectations or otherwise, here I'd like to say :

(1) 

If your result does not reach your expectation, YOU will see a brighter side of your future, something better is planned for you. Jangan pedulikan makcik pakcik dok tanya-tanya, compare-compare kau dgn sepupu lain cakap cam ni, "La, dapat tu je ke?" Hello, makcik, pakcik? Get ready guys to open their eyes wideeeeee. Maybe not as soonest, time has their own way to make things happen anyway, inshaaAllah your highest achievement does not stop after SPM. You have wayyyyyy many things to achieve in your Uni, Master, PhD, Career, Family and Life.

I have friends who did not make it well in SPM, but I saw them happy doing things they never expected to do now. I'm so proud of them! They have travelled the world wayyy more than myself and that's so impressive. From their story, they all wanted straight As / A+s to become doctors, engineers etc. But little did they know the less As result of theirs actually lead them to something they'd really really love to do, and in the best way, what Allah knows the best for them. Allah is the Most Knowing. You just have to trust Him and pray for guidance a lot.

(2)

 If your result is very good and okay you're happy but you are lost in deciding your future and thought that SPM result is not useful in this competitive world, you're wrong. Jangan pedulikan sangat senior-senior cakap, "Ala, setakat SPM, tengoklah nanti universiti macam mana." 

I know, nowadays we are all driven to study abroad and that's our main expectation especially if you got straight As. We can do so many things that we lost in direction of where to go :

Studying abroad :  too expensive

Getting loan : too competitive 

Asking for parents' sponshorship : don't want to trouble parents

Seeking private company sponsorhsip : they don't sponsor for the course you want

Studying in public Uni(s) : you don't prefer

I kindly would like to advice you to think : What kind of working environment you'd like to be in the future? Are you passionate enough? If you're not, are you okay to find ways to gain it? And most importantly ;
What do you want to do to contribute to the world, country, religion, nation, family, and not to forget, yourself? Look at your result slip and think. Some people say, at the end, you're born to just pay the bills and die. 

To my dearest juniors whether you've good or less-than-your-expectation result, actually, at the end, after all the hardworks, when you're about to take your last breath, you will think : What did I really do to LIVE. Did I really live. And you will feel nothing but the best if you know you've contributed enough to the world, to those people in need, and if in Islamic way, to gain Allah's redha and blessings.

Back to the part when some seniors might say that SPM is just SPM, even good result won't help you to survive this world. What I have to say here is that I was thinking the same thing too. I thought the good result was useless up to my PASUM (Foundation in Science at UM) days. I wanted to be so many things like Doctor, Entrepreneur, Politician (hahaha), Quantity Surveyor etc... Too ambitious I think. Being overly ambitious is useless too adik-adik. Haha. Stay focus!

Back in pasum days, I went through hard times surviving but alhamdulillah I did well at the end. I really wanted to be a Doctor actually but I did not apply for any medical course when applying for UPU (because to me, if I were to do medicine, I wanna do it in RCSI or UM), instead I applied for something else. This was actually because my CGPA during the first semester in pasum (they require 4.00 cgpa for medical course in UM and it's really hard to get) wasn't good enough for UM medical course. I have the feeling that I wasn't going to do degree in UM. I also tried another interview (can't remember what uni) in India for medical course but unsuccessful cos I wasn't a 4.00 student in pasum :(

Then, I got offered by UM doing the course I applied, but it was after I was really determined to go and hence already registered in Heriot-Watt University Malaysia in Putrajaya (the first batch as it was just opened), I fell in love with the Uni since the first time my father showed it to me in advertisement in Star newspaper, until now. :) 

So, before I officially started my undergraduate programme in September 2014, a number of emails hit my inbox and some of them are scholarship offers. The annual fee for HWUM is quite costly as this Uni is Scotland-based. I really don't want to let my Dad pay for the expensive fees so I went to seek for scholarship. One of the scholarship offer was YTL. It was the scariest (but realllyy beneficial) experience in my life. The moment I sat down facing the interviewers, the first sentence came out from one of them was, "This is not a normal interview you usually do, but THIS, is your job interview." Wth I was only 18 man haha but it was a really good interview though. After two interview sessions (1 hour for first session, 1 hour and 1/2 for second session, it's a second chance cos I failed the first one hehe), I made it till the end. However, the highlight of this interview relates back to my blogpost is that during my second interview, they mentioned this, "Based on the first interview, you've failed cos you seemed to not have any passion in construction at all. But to look back to your SPM result, it's really really good. You're smart. It'd be so good to have a person like you here." I previously almost cried during the inteview session but this sentence somehow strengthened my gut back, until the very second of NOW. I never thought the SPM result was useful and might be one of the factors they accepted me to be sponsored with full scholarship in hwum. The guy who said that was so nice too, he gave a lot of useful advices and it really helped me to remain strong in accepting where I'm at now.

I'm happy cos YTL is not merely a small company, I could learn a lot from them throughout my working years there cos I was basically bonded with them for 5 years after graduation. Some people say I'm doing QS because my dad doing QS too. It was definitely the most incorrect statement ever. After praying a lot for guidance from Allah, I knew and felt that the decision to study QS in hwum is the best for me. Of course sometimes I doubt, meanwhile feeling stupid in this new thing I'm learning, but it's really really interesting if I look at the brighter side. 

Remember when I said I also wanted to be an entrepreneur? QS is the platform now, guysss. QS is in construction line, we also learn business management, investment, property thing and everything. I never thought I'd love these stuff more than I love Chemistry, Physics etc... 

So, jangan pandai-pandai cakap result spm tak pakai dah, buang dalam tong sampah, bye bye. Haha.

In spite of this lengthy post, don't give up and never lose faith. You will see brighter side of your future. Just keep going, okay? Future is different for everyone. Not necessarily you need to focus on studying medicine, dentists (but if you're doing this now, it's already very impressive! :) ). There are soooo many things you haven't explored in this world yet. Based on what I've read in news and what my father told me is that Malaysia currently needs more brilliant youngsters to contribute in other fields than those fields mentioned above. Go for business, construction, technology, arts, science and many more. You'd make your extraordinary future, inshaAllah !

Kota Kasih - Bali

I'm all pumped up after having Heaven and Earth green tea for dinner just now. And..... Finally here's the free time to post about our family Bali trip during the Chinese New Year!!! I don't care how long has the trip been already (omg, it's 2 weeks), the memory is however still verrryyyy fresh in my mind, and will always always always be among the best memories of us (although it's the 2nd time for us this time). And you have to know why... 

Well, most people say Paris is the city of love. But to me, so far after a few countries visited, Bali is the one. Kota kasih katanya. Speaking of love or kasih, we fantasize nothing but the love between man and woman. Oh gross, the most heartbreaking one. Set that aside, because Love is happiness and beautiful, I've been blessed with a lot of loves alhamdulillah, and that gave me life. The most important love ever is the one Allah granted it to me and my family. We become closer each year (not that we weren't that close before) but as time goes by, I feel them in my blood and soul, that's how I realize how magical my love for them is. 

So, we have been to Bali twice and I just feel that Bali is like our honeymoon set up every year hehe. It's not anymore a place that reminds me of typical love between man and woman, but I'm happy that whenever I'm reminded and called to Bali, it's my family who becomes like the "monument" of the wonderful place. My impression has totally changed since the first time I came to Bali. Though we went for only less than a week, which is really not enough, I have to admit that every second was precious and I couldn't feel happier without my family to be there with me. 

After all, THANK YOU SO MUCH Ayah for the trip!

We had Abang Epul as our supir (driver) there. He's been a loyal and dedicated driver to us in Bali since 2015. Knowing that it's quite challenging to find confidently halal food in Bali, having him as our driver there is definitely making our trip so so easy. Our top favourite food in Bali are of course Bakso Pak Rebo (which you can find in Sanur) and Terang Bulan, dessert like apam balik but a very nice Indonesian version one (I don't have a picture of this so so sorry!)

The Bakso.

The stall from outside. (Bakso Pak Rebo, Sanur)

It's damn nice so please goooo tryyyy if you go Bali. Shoot, regret that I'm doing this at night, now I feel hungry! Where to get same exact one in Malaysia?! I'll be so dead if I crave for this one day if I'll pregnant. My husband will cry.

This year, Ayah belanja my sister, my mum and me to go Spa while my brothers went surfing. Last year we didn't get to go but this year we had more free time so there we are... It was the best moment ever. I wish I could go to this spa everytime I have the usual perturbing backpain in Malaysia. Urgh. Unfortunately the moment I went to the spa that day, I was feeling all well, minus the little migraine. But my body was totally fine, urgh, why didn't you just get tired that day before the spa dear body, I was all fresh and well, fresher after the Spa!

We got to have the spa in a closed area, but sadly I was separated from my mum and sister, left all alone in the room with the spa lady. But I feel special though, it was like a real me time! I don't know how many times I wished the moment of being massaged didn't have to stop... "Don't stop massaging me... Don't stop massaging me... Don't stop your hands there, please!!!" When the first 1 and 1/2 hour finished, I was oh ok nevermind I still have the second one! Hehe. We actually took the 1 and 1/2 hour full body massage and 1 and 1/2 hour feet reflexology. We went to Aroma Spa Retreat, also in Sanur, and it's actually a spa under the Prama Resort. The place is bloody beautiful and relaxing...

Oh, you spelled my name 'correctly'?! and I'm married?!

We were fetched by a car from our hotel, and like usual, the people were so nice. And they treated us all so so so gracefully and nicely wherever we're at (they actually really appreciate tourists). I love how graceful they are the people in Bali. I loveeee Balinese!

Got wet towel and water bottle just before getting into the car. I felt like a Princess. How did they know I need these two?? THANKS A LOT. Wet towel please, I need to stuff this in my face cos migraine's hitting me again due to the super dry hotness. Ohhhh this chill plain water, I need to rehydrate myself most of the time. And a reminder here, I recommend you to go Bali in June, as recommended by the Balinese there, cos it's chiller and less warm, unlike in December-March. Or maybe, just go there when Australia is having winter!

 My single room during our first spa session : Full body massage. Nawwwhh I miss this T__T

Second spa session : Feet reflexology. Was sitting here with my mum and sis. Instead of falling asleep in the single room massage just now, I fell asleep when I had them there with me to talk to. Maybe the foot massage was just too comfortable....

We had the best lunch ever (read : TWICE) at Denpasar. The restaurant's namely Ikan Bakar Cianjur. Not to exaggerate but if you are food lover, don't miss to try their Indonesian dining!!! Cuz you won't regret it! Jangan lupa jugak beli keropok diorang, ada jual dekat pintu masuk. (Tak sempat nak tangkap gambar jugak sebab dah tak pikir apa, terus makan). Sedap gila...

We also went to his restaurant called Sederhana Restaurant at Ngurah Rai near the airport as soon as we touched down Baliiiii. Their specialty here is Nasi Padang! 

Next, we tried Anomali Indonesian Coffee. How do I tell you that it tasted waaayyyyy nicer than Starbucks?! The taste is even softer, cos as a daily coffee consumer, I easily feel dizzy and uncomfortably anxious after consuming coffee, but my experience was different with this one. The "feels" were so calming that I felt like keeping it in my mouth without having to swallow it heheee.

Wish I can get this now..... Noms. We went to the Anomali Coffee cafe in Ubud.

As you see, we went there for 4 days only and the first 2 nights we stayed in Sanur. The consequent night we stayed in Ubud. Our hotel in Sanur was Griya Santrian Resort. The hospitality was of course, the best one, but we didn't really like the room cos we unexpectedly got the kind of 'old' room ones, unreasonable to the price per night (we also didn't get our rooms close next to each other cos Ayah booked each room for two). Maybe the high price is due to its seaside location. Despite everything, we had great time there cos the place is beaaaauuutiful. Here are some pictures :

Breakfast area.

 Me and the welcome drink during checked-in. Btw, they put a LOT of orchids as their main flower for decorations! It's unbelievable how the orchids are all REAL, fresh and beautiful.

I am so sorry I just realized that I didn't take more random photos of view of the resort instead only those views with me in the frame. I had to upload them anyway. Just showing you the view around the resort. :)

And the next day, we went to Ubud. Sorry for being biased, but we loveeee Ubud more than Sanur. Our hotel this time is more reasonable in price and the view was even more breathtaking.  We had sea in Sanur, but because it was extremely hot there (there's no slight of wind!), and we couldn't even walk a lot around the seaside area because dogs were freely running around and it's uncomfortable. 

But differently in Ubud, we had the green view we always wished for. When I first saw Ubud, I was definitely in love. Ubud is more like a traditional place, you get to learn more about their culture here. And of course, I took more pictures in Ubud. :) 

Sanur is actually the most preferred place for the senior citizens. Ramai sangat omputih tua-tua! Most of them might be retirees or spouses who seemed to be sweeter than newly-weds! While Ubud is the place where teens, young couples prefer to go...it's more lively in Ubud than Sanur.

Oh anyway our hotel's name in Ubud is Plataran Hotels & Resort. I rate 9/10 stars for my experience! Soooo gooddddd!

My sister and I's room! 

I took flatlay straight away when we arrived... (I was obsessed with taking flatlays during this holiday actually, hence the lack of views photos). We were very very excited and happy with the transformation from a disappointing room in Sanur to a unexpectedly beautiful room in Ubud. Oh while I was taking flatlay, my sister's busy recording herself talking on how she loved her make-up that day (if you followed her in FB/instagram, I assume you watched it already haha). Well, I had to agree with that because she wore my Russian Red lipstick anyway. Hahaha. 

Chilling restaurant area.

Lobby.

I love the architecture! Of glass and wooden cladding...

The picturesque view while swimming... 

This view <3

The gym. Wish I have this in Malaysia! Heee.

We were lucky cos as the last day we're in Bali, the Balinese were having their Raya guys. It's Hari Galungan & Kuningan. I love to see they all were wearing traditional attire, like a kebaya in my eyes. Everywhere was so merry. We were luckier that we're all in Ubud during the celebration cos Abang Epul said it's the merriest celebration in Ubud and it really was! 

Oh, the girl smiled at me?! I was quite rushing when I took this picture. Didn't notice that she responsed at me! So cute!

Those tall things (I forgot what it's called, I think it's Benjor) are made and decorated with coconut leaves and Abang Epul also told us that we can only find the tallest ones in Ubud! We were lucky again! They were all indeed so tall. The ones we saw in Sanur weren't as tall. They only put these things up during Hari Galungan.

Btw,

Anyone wants souvenir?

Sorry to break your heart but this is the only thing I brought from Bali...

So...

That's all for my Bali post. Hope you feel the Balinese spirit!  This post definitely couldn't even perfectly describe how I love Bali so much. So I recommend you to go hehe. I will definitely return again someday, and like the "Eat Pray Love" movie, we might get to meet our soulmate there hehehe. So so so many mat/minah sallehs in Bali, guys. They also love love love Bali. Many of them make Bali like their own hometown already.

If you have any questions just drop me email or comment or anything!