Hanna & MRSM

I was cleaning my drawer last night when I saw 6 movie ticket stubs. We watched the movie last year at Sunway Pyramid and I still remember one incident while queuing up to get that tickets. I was waiting with my Hanna when she recognized this guy in the same queue.
She went “Ibu, itu Sam Bunkface!”
I asked her, “Are you sure?”
“Very sure lah Ibu!” came the answer.
So I went like “You really want to buy his CD, so why don’t I ask him?”
“Jangaaaan Ibu.... malu!”

Hahaha.. I was just bluffing and there Hanna was – trying to make herself invisible for having a daring mom like me! I saw her face reddened. My God, my 11+ yo daughter really thought I was gonna embarrass her!

Since Sam and his pretty girlfriend were like two feet away when the line went the corner, I sakat Hanna some more... I whispered “Let me take his picture with my phone. You definitely wanna post this in FB and Myspace”

“Jangaaaaaan IBUuuuuuu.. pleeeeeezz nooooo”, and she turned away.... Malu for sure.. so I said “Oklah”. But I did snap twice when they were waiting for their popcorns. I know Hanna would like to tayang to her two sisters – Hasya and Haifa later on.

Alahai... Teringat my Hanna... who is now away from me in a boarding school up north since end of March. Sigh. I miss you. Double sigh.

You see, when she took the UPSR exam last year, just to be ‘fair’ I told her that she’d only be applying for MRSM, and not other schools. So I didn’t get online to apply for SBP for her. When the UPSR results were out, I have to fulfill my promise, so with a heavy heart I filled out the MRSM form for her and send it to MARA (hoping that she wouldn’t get in!)

The MRSM results came out in February 2010 and she wasn’t selected. I was happy – Yay! I gotta keep my baby at home! Hanna was ok, since initially she didn’t give much thought about MRSM anyway. She was happy with her friends and the school that she went was just around the corner. Unlike some of my friends who appealed to MARA, we didn’t. I just told her, “It’s all fated that you didn’t get to go to MRSM. Remember Allah knows what’s best for you”.

It was a month later when Dear Hubby called me in the office telling me that somebody from MRSM called him and asked him to check MARA’s website regarding Hanna. I was surprised to see the online offer letter from MRSM and that she had to register at the MRSM in less than two weeks. She was included in the second intake for Form One students to be enrolled in one MRSM up north.

That was a tough decision to make. Should I let her go? How about the classes she’s been taking like swimming, taekwondo, piano, squash and the guitar lesson she’s just started? Would she be ok like me when I was 12+ ... finding my way in MRSM Kulim in 1979? Would she find great friends like I did? Would she learn the many tastes of life like I had?

My friends in FB gave their opinions... so did my parents and my siblings. There were pros and cons... but mostly pros. Most would say that it would be for her future. Her education. So that the path for her to go on will be there once she finishes high school. But I knew then that whatever it was, it would all be up to me to decide since Hanna herself couldn’t decide. The thing was, I’ve always told myself, ever since the kids were just babies.. that I would never let the children leave the house until they’re done with their SPM and further their studies elsewhere. Not in a million years would I send them to boarding schools!

It was a Yes and No decisions in the next 4 days... until one day, while on our way to Kluang to see my MIL, Dear Hubby and I discussed (again!) and he said something like “It’s kinda funny to me when you don’t want Hanna to go to MRSM and yet you were schooled there. You should know how great it was.”

Yes, I had been selfish. I wanted her with me.. just because. So what should I say to her now that she’s got the offer? What about “It’s all fated that you did get to go to MRSM. Remember Allah knows what’s best for you?”

So I decided to let her go. She’s now away from me in her MRSM. It’s tough you know, especially during birthdays when she wasn’t around to share the birthday cakes. Like going to the cinema to catch a good film. Or eating her favorite food and drinking her favorite drink. Or walking passed her favorite store in a mall. All would always come to “Hanna sure will love this”.

It’s been more than 3 months since, and I’m getting used to her not being around the house now. I can’t remember how many trips we’ve made up north to visit her or how many phone calls she made to me. She learns how to take care of her things now - washes her own clothes, gets up in the mornings on her own, tidies her own bed and locker, sweeps the floor, irons her clothes and manages her own time. These are all new to her since at home these are all done by the maid.

Everytime I see her, she looks more mature than my previous visit. But I guess she’s still pretty much smitten with Sam Bunkface..hahahaha...

** We love you Hanna! Take care of yourself, ok?

An Update on Asrama Donni

Remember Donni John Duin? Donni was 11 when he took his own life in March 2007 so that he could ease the suffering of his mother and replace his mother’s weak heart with his. It was during our 30th Killerbatch reunion at Taman Equestrian Putrajaya on the 7th February 2009 that this idea of Kulim to Kiulu (K2K) for Asrama Donni was tabled out. At that time, I was somehow skeptical.. Eh..boleh ke ni... so many things to do la.. how to get RM250K etc.... but who’d ever thought that it would become a reality!

K2K project initiated by us – the ex-students of MRSM Kulim (1979-1983) aka Killerbatch is actually a fun raising project to build a dormitory for the underprivileged high school students of SMK Tun Fuad Stephens in Kiulu, Tamparuli, Sabah who have to walk miles across the rivers and jungles for hours before they can reach their school. With the dormitory, these students will no longer have to endure those exhausting long walks anymore.

The journey that Killerbatch took to realize not only their dream, but the dream of hundreds of students back in Kiulu Sabah was full of adventures and lively of colors. Along the way, new friendships were made and new paths were taken. Everything was indeed remarkable... and at the end of the road, countless huggings, hand-shakings, phone calls, emails, teh-tarik dos, brain-storming sessions, smiles, laughters, sweat and tears could fill the ocean spread between Kulim to Kiulu.

Such precious experience. Priceless.

How did we get the fund? Apart from the generous donors (companies, families, friends and even strangers), Killerbatch participated in 3 major events through out the 12 months - Tune Talk, I Miss Him So Much and Ghazal Party Queen.

Kulim to Kiulu charity series started off with us participating in the Tune Talk competition which was on from June to August 2009, with K2K as its cause. It wasn’t easy doubling up the votes, but with the help of our family and friends, especially those from Sabah Credit Corporation, we managed to win the first prize of RM50K! Not bad for a beginner :)

The second was I Miss Him So Much art charity where we teamed up with our good friend Galeri Chandan, held at Galeri Chandan from 30th September to 12th October 2009. Around 40 generous local artists participated in the exhibition, and more than RM200K worth of artworks were sold. It was a huge success!

Datuk Mukhriz - officiated IMHSM and attended GPQ, such a great person!

The final part of the charity drive series was Ghazal Party Queen (which I'll elaborate more here) held at Taman Budaya from 5th to 8th February 2010. GPQ was a restaging of an award winning play with 8 Killerbatch and ANGKA (Angkatan Karyawan Aktif Kuala Lumpur) as its cast. It was based on a true story of one Pak Teh Nan, a famous former Ghazal Party Queen in Sungai Bakat. During the day, he worked as a paddy farmer and at night, a graceful belly dancer in Ghazal Party.

Pak Teh was in love with Kamariah and nobody knew of their love affair. He was broken apart when Kamariah was married off to his own bestfriend, Pak Din. Indeed it was a sad night for Pak Teh, when he had to perform his Ghazal dance during their wedding kenduri. To further crush him to pieces, Pak Teh was accused of something he didn’t do. That was the last dance he’d ever done. The hurtful dance.

I loved the play.. especially that Munah character – so entertaining!

GPQ - some of the cast which include Aishah, the big-hearted singer. Munah is the one in the short black kebaya

Hmmhh... the project is now at the end of the road. Looking back at the road we've taken, I would say that Alhamdulillah, Kulim to Kiulu is a success! Despite some criticisms made by certain quarters regarding the project, Killerbatch stood tall to endure the sour remarks and other challenges. With wonderful people-with-visions in the team, giving their best in everything they did, and those not in the team but giving everything their support and encouragement, Asrama Donni is now complete! Yeap, the official opening will be on 17th April 2010. Insyaallah TYT Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Ahmadshah Abdullah and Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir among others will be attending the ceremony... as well as Killerbatch families and friends.

It is such a great honor for me to be an iota part of the project.

We are very much thankful to so many people, especially K2K partners - Sabah Credit Corporation, Galeri Chandan, CIMB Foundation and Tun Ahmadshah Foundation, friends from Ansara, Galeri Chandan, Tune Talk and ANGKA, our teachers from MRSM Kulim, Killerbatch families and friends, and those who supported the project by helping in so many ways - THANK YOU. Let’s hope that more “Asrama Donnis” will be built to help other kids around Tanah Tumpah Darah kita ini...

Congratulations Hanna!

I’ve neglected this blog for quite some time now. There were so many happenings that have been written unfinished and left in draft without being published. I just have to publish them one of these days.... will try to get them done....errr... before the end of the year!!

(A simple case of a true procrastinator procrastinates of procrastinating..LOL!)

Ok, to last week’s story – the UPSR result was out on the 19th, and Alhamdulillah my Hanna got 5As! It came as quite a surprise.... and we were very happy for her, that’s for sure. Dear Hubby who was on leave that day fetched both Hanna and Haifa from school, picked me up from my training class, and had a small lunch celebration at the Italliannies. We later watched 2012 at Sunway Pyramid – with Hanna and Haifa still in their school uniforms!

A note for Hanna :
Hanna,
Ibu and Ayah are so proud of you, sayang. Don’t forget to always do your best in all areas you’ve chosen. We’ll be there to support you come what may. And Hanna, remember that there are more mountains to be climbed later on in life... Climb each at your own pace, reach out for its peak, and expect the unexpected – bruises and skinned knees - along the way.

Congratulations Hanna! We love you!

Segalanya Kerana Donni

Kosmo - August 12, 2009

Oleh SUBASHINI RAJANDRA
subashini.rajandra@kosmo.com.my

Sekumpulan bekas pelajar Maktab Rendah Sains Mara Kulim, Kedah terus gigih berjuang mengumpul dana sebanyak RM250,000 demi kepentingan ‘anak-anak tersayang’ di Kiulu, Sabah.

Begini bermulanya cerita yang ingin disampaikan. Pada 20 Mac 2007, akhbar Daily Express News di Sabah memaparkan sebuah artikel yang cukup menyayat hati. Sesiapa sahaja yang membacanya dapat membayangkan kedaifan hidup sebuah keluarga yang terpaksa kais pagi makan pagi, kais petang makan petang untuk terus bernyawa.

Kisah itu menceritakan bagaimana enam orang adik-beradik dan ibu mereka sekadar 'kenyang' dengan menjamah bubur nasi dan sayur kangkung. Menyingkap kisah hidup mendiang Donni John Duin, 11, dia ialah seorang anak yang pendiam dan tidak bermasalah. Penderitaan yang terpaksa dilalui sejak bapanya disumbat masuk ke penjara akibat dadah begitu menyentuh hati.

Menurut ibunya, Hina Joloni, 39, setiap kali pulang dari sekolah, wajah Donni begitu murung kerana tertekan dengan ejekan dan cemuhan rakan sekelas. Menyarung pakaian yang kusam dan hanya mampu menikmati sajian ringkas, Donni merasai keperitan yang teramat pedih.

Seorang kanak-kanak di Kiulu, Sabah merenung masa depan yang tidak pasti ekoran kesukaran datang ke sekolah.

Kali pertama, dia cuba membunuh diri tetapi gagal. Namun dalam percubaan kedua, Hina menemui anaknya yang sudah tidak bernyawa. "Apabila saya menegur perbuatannya yang cuba membunuh diri pada kali pertama, Donni memberitahu bahawa dia sanggup berbuat demikian bagi meringankan beban keluarga."

"Setidak-tidaknya, kurang seorang anak untuk diberi makan dan bahagian makanannya boleh dibahagi kepada adik-beradik lain," luah Hina mengenangkan kata-kata anak kesayangannya dengan penuh hiba.

Sebaik sahaja membaca kisah itu, entah berapa ramai daripada kita mampu mengimbau kembali kisah pilu tersebut. Mungkin ia sudah lenyap daripada ingatan kita ketika ini tetapi bukan bagi Raja Ali Raja Othman, Hamidi Baharuddin, Kamaruddin Yusop, Noor Bakri Ahmad, Mashitah Puteh, AR. Meor Wazir Zul'Aidin dan rakan-rakan mereka yang lain.

Raja Ali berada di bumi Sabah semasa kejadian pilu yang menimpa Donni berlaku. Selepas mengadakan perjumpaan dengan Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC) atas dasar kerja, beliau berbual dengan Pengurus Besar SCC, Datuk Vincent YK Pung. Ketika itu jugalah, isu Donni dibincangkan.

Hina Joloni manakala Donni (gambar kecil).

Di Sabah, hampir 5,000 remaja dilaporkan terpaksa berhenti sekolah sebelum sempat menduduki peperiksaan Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR). Bukan kerana tidak berminat tetapi dibelenggu kemiskinan dari generasi demi generasi. Selain itu, mereka juga menghadapi kesukaran perjalanan berulang-alik dari sekolah yang terletak jauh dari rumah.

SCC menerusi kelab sukannya sentiasa menjalankan aktiviti tanggungjawab sosial korporat seperti mendirikan asrama sekolah dan surau di Sabah. "Pada tahun 2007, saya difahamkan sebanyak lapan buah sekolah masih menunggu mendapatkan bantuan membina asrama," kata Raja Ali ketika ditemui Kosmo! di Kuala Lumpur.

"Sebagai seorang bekas pelajar yang pernah menikmati faedah kemudahan asrama, saya meminta Vincent supaya menyediakan asrama di sekolah yang benar-benar memerlukan di Sabah. Sekolah itu akan menjadi projek 'kami' yang diusahakan secara bersatu padu," ujarnya sambil merujuk 'kami' adalah rakan-rakan sekolahnya yang popular dengan gelaran Killerbatch.

Killerbatch merupakan sekumpulan pelajar Maktab Rendah Sains Mara Kulim, Kedah yang pernah tinggal di asrama maktab tersebut dari tahun 1979 sehingga 1983. Mujur disediakan sebuah tempat tinggal yang berdekatan dengan tempat pembelajaran, mereka tidak perlu risau tentang cuaca panas atau hujan sekali gus berpeluang belajar dalam suasana selesa dan tenang. Berdasarkan pengalaman manis itu, Killerbatch memahami betapa susahnya kehidupan bagi sesetengah kanak-kanak di Sabah tanpa asrama.

Jika musim banjir, sebahagian jambatan gantung ini hanyut dibawa arus sungai.

Pada hujung tahun 2008, SMK Tun Fuad Stephens di Kiulu, Sabah muncul dalam senarai sekolah yang menantikan pembinaan asrama. Sebanyak 100 daripada 1,400 pelajar di sekolah itu memerlukan asrama dengan kadar segera.

Sebahagian besar para pelajar ini berjalan kaki selama dua hingga tiga jam merentasi hutan dan sungai menuju ke sekolah. Menurut ahli Killerbatch, Megat Zulkarnain Mohd Nazri, dia pernah terserempak dengan seorang pelajar tingkatan lima, Jefri di jambatan Poturidong, Kiulu yang bangun seawal pukul 4 pagi agar tidak terlambat ke sekolah.

"Apabila dilanda banjir besar, sebahagian jambatan gantung ini hanyut," katanya.

SMK Tun Fuad Stephens mempunyai sebuah asrama desa tetapi ia telahpun dihuni oleh 100 pelajar. Dengan 16 orang ditempatkan dalam sebuah bilik, ia menyukarkan Guru Besar, Marsha Anthony Bongkok dan wakil Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru (PIBG), Joisin Rumut mencari ruang kosong. Ada juga yang terpaksa berkongsi katil dengan adik sendiri meskipun sempit.

DARI kiri: Hamidi, Kamaruddin, Bakri, Meor dan Raja Ali. Duduk di hadapan ialah Mashitah.

Mengetahui keadaan genting yang dialami di sekolah ini sejak bertahun-tahun, Raja Ali, Hamidi, Kamaruddin, Bakri, Mashitah dan Meor sepakat meminta ahli-ahli Killerbatch lain mengutip derma yang disasarkan berjumlah RM250,000.

Secara kebetulan, tahun ini menyaksikan sambutan ulang tahun Killerbatch yang ke-30. Pada majlis keraian yang diadakan pada 4 Februari 2009 di Taman Ekuestrian Putrajaya, ramai hadirin termakan pujukan mereka. "Bagi menjadikan acara ini lebih bermakna selain bersuka-ria, sesi kutipan derma dilakukan pada hari itu juga."

"Proses itu diteruskan sehingga bulan Mei lalu apabila kami berjaya mengumpul sebanyak RM57,426," ujar Bakri yang kerap mengadakan pertemuan dengan ahli-ahli jawatankuasa projek Asrama Donni.

Sebagai ibu bapa, mereka semua amat memahami kesegeraan bagi membina Asrama Donni sebelum bermulanya sesi persekolahan tahun 2010.

"Walaupun kami sibuk dengan kerjaya masing-masing, berulang-alik ke luar negara dan menyediakan yang terbaik buat keluarga sendiri, kami komited untuk menjayakan projek sulung ini dalam apa juga cara sekalipun," kata Bakri lagi sambil disokong oleh Mashitah.

Usaha murni yang diperjuangkan oleh Killerbatch ini mampu mengubah nasib pelajar-pelajar di Kiulu, Sabah.

Pada 16 Mei 2009, satu sejarah manis terpahat apabila majlis penyerahan cek bernilai RM57,426 kepada pihak SCC diadakan. Kutipan itu digunakan sepenuhnya untuk kerja-kerja pembinaan Asrama Donni di SMK Tun Fuad Stephens, Kiulu, Sabah. Seramai 10 delegasi yang terdiri daripada Raja Ali dan rakan-rakannya datang ke Kiulu bagi menyaksikan majlis pecah tanah pada keesokan harinya.

Turut dijemput hadir ialah seorang guru yang mengajar pada era Killerbatch iaitu Teh Sharifudin Abdullah. "Dahulu mereka terkenal dengan kenakalan yang memeningkan kepala guru. Sekarang, mereka sudah berjaya dalam bidang masing-masing dan saya bangga dengan anak-anak didikan saya yang menyahut konsep 1Malaysia yang dilaungkan oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak," kata Teh menerusi perbualan telefon dengan Kosmo!.

"Killerbatch, rata-ratanya terdiri daripada mereka yang beragama Islam manakala SMK Tun Fuad Stephens mengisi hampir 70 peratus pelajar beragama Kristian. Inilah yang dikatakan keikhlasan yang lahir merentasi agama, bangsa dan sempadan geografi," tambahnya.

*************************************************************

My heart goes out to the children of the remote areas such as Kiulu, who spend hours just to get to their schools every day. So sad... to keep even one child in school before he could be a drop-out is an important milestone indeed.

And here we are.... with our children in their cozy rides to school and lunchboxes full of nutritious food.

Sedihkan?

It’s great that my wonderful friends from Killerbatch embarked on this Kulim to Kiulu project. Although I’m not actively involved, I’m always here giving them the support. So far, insyaallah we’ll get another RM50K from TuneTalk Chief Talker Contest in which a Killerbatch rep constested and won. Next will be the Charity Art Exhibition with IMissHimSoMuch. Later will be Ghazal Party Queen (theater) in December 2009. And I guess it doesn't stop there!

Let’s just hope and pray that we’ll get enough donations to complete the building of Asrama Donni.

A Hostel in Memory of Donni

..... I'm so proud to be part of this :)

NST Online » Local News
2009/05/15

A HOSTEL IN MEMORY OF DONNI
By : Joniston Bangkuai

TUARAN: Soon, about 100 students from far-flung villages in Kiulu, about 20km from here, will no longer have to endure a tiring long walk to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tun Fuad Stephens.

Thanks to the alumni of Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Kulim in Kedah, who call themselves Killerbatch, and the Sabah Credit Corporation, a hostel is being built for the students.

The ground-breaking for the project, which is estimated to cost RM200,000, will be held today in the presence of the students and their parents.

To kick-start the project Killerbatch, which was represented by Raja Ali Raja Othman, presented a donation of RM56,567 to SCC general manager Datuk Vincent Pung yesterday.

He said the rest of the funds would be collected through more fund-raising initiatives such as the staging of a play entitled "Ghazal Party Queen" which is scheduled for Dec 12.

Raja Ali said the heart-wrenching story of Donni John Duin, an 11-year-old school boy who committed suicide two years ago to ease the burden of his poverty-stricken family, prompted Killerbatch to embark on the project.

"The dormitory will be named Asrama Donni in remembrance of the boy," he said.

Donni, a Year Five pupil of Sekolah Kebangsaan Kinarut in Papar, had apparently taken his own life as he could no longer take the teasing from his schoolmates who likened his food, which was packed by his mother, to dog vomit.

"We were all greatly saddened by the heartbreaking event when we heard about it and decided that we must not let it pass unnoticed.

"The hostel is our way to ensure that what Donni went through does not happen again," another representative of Killerbatch, Hasnan Jamaludin, said.

Killerbatch also noted that a recent article in the New Straits Times had stated that about 5,000 teenagers in Sabah had dropped out of school before sitting the Penilaian Menengah Rendah examination.

This was largely because of the long distances the students had to travel to and from school each day.

Describing the project as a bridge between Malaysians in Kulim and Kiulu, Raja Ali said it was in line with the 1Malaysia concept espoused by the government.

Kids After the Hols

Now that the holiday’s over, things got back to routine. Back to school for my older children and back to kindy for my Hanis. Well, last week was a difficult week for me - having to listen to Hanis’s crying “Nak Ibu, Nak Ibu” everytime I dropped her off at the kindergarten. And it broke my heart to pieces everytime she did that.

But today in the car she smiled and sang to the tune of her favorite song - Sunday-Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday (that’s actually the complete lyrics of the whole song!) Can you imagine me listening to this song over-and-over again for like 10 times before reaching her kindy! Every single day. She refused to listen to anything else. Tak jemu pulak tu.

My Haifa got her first shot at school last week. That was an immunization injection given to Standard One students at school. She came running to me with tears in her eyes when I reached home that day and told me her sob story...
"Sakitlah Ibu tangan Haifa dua-dua ni..."
"Macamana Haifa nak buat punch untuk exam taekwondo nanti? Tak boleh lah Ibu..."
"Ibu, macamana Haifa nak buat backstroke swimming nanti.. tangan Haifa sakit ni"
"Ibu, Haifa rasa Haifa tak boleh pegang racquet squash lah Ibu, tangan Haifa sakit sangat ni. Tengok ni"
I said to her that the pain would go off in a few days.
She said, "I don’t think so lah Ibu, tengok ni, tangan Haifa tak boleh angkat ni.. sakit" And she showed me her muka sedih.
I said "Nanti Ibu sapu minyak Mustajab, nanti baik"
Two days later she was up and running, as if nothing ever bothered her at all. Haifa...Haifa...

Today my Hanna got her shot – given to the Standard Six pupils at school. She called me up just now telling me that she cried after getting the jab. So painful she said. I think that was the Rubella injection. I remember getting this shot when I first arrived in the States in 1986. It was painful... and many of the International Students there with me fainted, I mean they fainted before getting those injections!!

My Hasya has been asking me for another cupcake making and deco session. I know that I've promised the girls. Been dillydallying it for months already. And now they've been 'harassing' me. I think I better give in. At least I can bring those cupcakes during my Haziq and Husna's school party this weekend.

In the meantime, I'm trying hard to finish reading Sophie Kinsella's two books before I got to watch the Confessions of a Shopaholic movie. I hope I will finish them in time.

A marathon reading for me!

SPM Results Out Today

The SPM results will be out at 10am. So I was told by my nephew who at the moment is biting his nails off. What more could you ask for – Driving Test at 8am and getting the SPM results at 10am! Poor Zhafri. My niece Nisya who’s in KL is sure a nervous wreck too right now.

I remember when I got my SPM results. It was early 1984, and I was doing my English course in CML Slim River which was organized by MARA for some MRSM students who were waiting for their SPM results. A few days before it was out, I received a phone call from my Mak. And I got my results! Apparently my AYAH had a friend in the Kementerian Pelajaran and got it out earlier for me. It was an unexpected call, so my feelings were all mixed up upon receiving the news.

So I went back to see my dormmates and told them the good news (the results were OKlah, not excellent). And you could see their faces – all drained of color! That night, the dorm was unusually quiet, and a few of my friends cried. I asked them, why are you guys so gloomy? They said they were nervous, anxious and scared. You OKlah Ja, you got it overwith. Alamak – did I spoil the fun?

Anyway, good luck to all parents and those 17yos with the butterflies in their tummies. May all pass with flying colors!

To Zhafri and Nisya – did I promise you guys anything for As?

Phew.... What a week!

I missed writing here. So many things I wanted to write but didn’t manage to get hold of my laptop for the last 9 days!

Although we were not First Timers in the kids-1st-day-at-school business, this time around with Haifa (Std 1) and Hanis (kindy)... wooo... it was very-very ‘mencabar’ indeed! As expected, they both cried lah...

The first day of school, Hanis refused to go into the classroom and cried incessantly. Look at Hanis - the mata bengkak & hidung merah... ciaaann...

The kindy was the same one that Hanna, Hasya and Haifa went when they were 4, 5 & 6yos but Hanis... she totally refused to join in her classmates. We thought that .. alaa... she’d adapt later, but then when it was Ayah’s turn to watch over her at the kindy (and I at Haifa’s Sekolah Kebangsaan), Ayah didn’t like what he saw.

He saw the 4yos were made to line up to go to the loo. In that one small loo, there were 1 sink, and 2 toilet bowls – one for girls and one for boys. They go in and pee (girl and boy next to each other), pull up their undies and walk off. When it came to the end of the line, then they’ll only flush. Can you imagine 25 kids doing that? Aiyooo... Why didn’t I see this when Hanna, Hasya and Haifa were the students there? Maybe I took things for granted?

So that was it. We scouted for another loo, oops.... another Kindergarten... and tried Hanis there. She cried, again as expected. But we were confident that she’d be ok.

And today’s the 1st time she didn’t cry! My Hanis didn’t cry! In fact she looked forward to go to school today. It’s just that she refused to wear the uniform since she wanted her teacher to do that for her.

I hope she’ll be ok in this new kindy. Although the RM1,3XX we paid for the first kindy will not be refundable, I’m pretty sure we made the right choice with this one.

My Hanis.... a ‘big’ girl now! Alhamdulillah!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

To all my Christian friends out there – Merry Christmas! Have a wonderful time with your loved ones :) Enjoy the egg nogs and the good food, ok?

To the rest – have a great time doing whatever you love doing! Nak rest ke, shopping ke, jalan-jalan ke...

I for one, is one happy mommy...yay..yay! I’ll be on leave until the 30th, and will work only for one day on the 31st. Then I’ll be on leave again from the 1st of January until the 11th. In other words, from today until the 11th of January, I'd only be working for one day. A long break, huh?

No, I’m not going anywhere la.. (though Switzerland and NZ are still on top of my wish-list!) Ayah and I are actually going to make ourselves permanent fixtures at our Hanis’s Tadika and our Haifa’s Sekolah Kebangsaan and Sekolah Agama when the schools reopen. Yes, in 2009, Hanis is going to the Kindergarten and Haifa in Standard One. Frankly, I still can’t figure out how we’re going to do the running, since both of them will be in the morning session in two different places.

I know for sure that my Hanis will cry on her 1st day, 2nd day, 3rd day... ooohh... maybe for the rest of the week... hmmmhhh... macamana ni...?

I just hope that my Haifa will be ok, since she’s been to school (kindergarten) since she was 4. Let’s hope that she’ll be ok in the Sekolah Kebangsaan and Sekolah Agama, especially when my Hanna and my Hasya will be in the same schools with her.

Oh, let’s worry about that later. Right now, I just wanna enjoy my ‘vacation’ at home :)