Malaysia Firsts >> Gerbang Meru Indah

OK lah! After staying at Ritz Garden hotel at the city, we moved to Obet's house, good friend of my hubby Manny. The house is BIG and situated about 5 minutes away from daddy's office. We stayed at Ritz for only 8 days (Aug 3 - 10 '07) because homesickness started to trickle slowly in our veins. Mahirap tumira sa hotel nakakabagot noh! But the idea of having someone come over and clean your place is relaxing. I know if we leave, then I'll be doing the chores for "real". Ok lang nalolongkot na ako eh.

More so, I am not used to staying on the xth floor, I prefer my house to be rooted on the ground, you can do a lot with your backyard including landscaping, play with your kids, etc. plus of course, the neighbors. I feel more attached to a place if I can see what's going on outside and I have a good backyard to just sit down and relax. Haay Cavite home I miss you more tuloy.

Anyway, the house is very big for us. I prefer a smaller one, well, I feel the emptiness because of the space. By the way, I'd like to say big thanks to Obet for helping us on our "settling" stage here in Malaysia, also to Mike M. Aside from offering a place to stay while looking for a house, they showed us where to go for groceries, market, what foods to pick on the grocery, etc. etc.

This is the house located at Gerbang Meru Indah, 5 minutes away from daddy's Jelapang (this is the town) office. My kids love to spend time outside so when I am done with my chores I let them play outside especially if it's gloomy.

Selamat Datang!

My Nicole and Maqs

Who are the people in your neighborhood?

Nicole likes the remote-controlled retractable gates. Wala lang, uso dito eh!

Scanning our neighbors from our bedroom. I like the grills here, might copy this for our home back in Cavite.

Kulitan lang tong dalawa sa bedroom hehehe

This is our first get-together here in MY. At this time, we're still staying in Ritz Hotel. Nice to meet new friends and see the house as well. Naka-pajama na nga kidz e....

Kapitbahay

Nicole enjoys Playhouse Disney, it's part of the Astro here unlike in Phils, there's an additional subscription fee for Dream satellite TV.

Katapat namin

Wala lang.. This is Astro, the satellite TV provider in this area of MY.

Ipoh is a city of many hills. This one is just a sampler, taken just outside the house.

Well, this is just about it. We stayed in this good neighborhood until end of August 2007. September 1 - we'll be in Tasek. See you there!!! God Bless.

Missing home

November 7, 2007 5:43 AM I was awake since 5 am this morning, hhhhmmmm can't go back to sleep after going to the bathroom. I just prayed and huddled close to Manny, who always gives me a warm hug even while he's sleeping (or is he?). I loved to spend quiet mornings, gives me time to reflect and think about the Lord, our life and be humbled to his Great plans for us as a family, for me especially. Actually, it's been 3 months and 4 days since we left Manila. I must admit I really miss home a lot. Yes, minsan nga I just feel my eyes become moist/wet with tears, especially when Maqs is sleeping and I have time to think about home. This is not the first time I've been out of the country due to company-sponsored business/long haul trips on my previous job but this time I feel different - I am with my family and there's no return ticket. It's like handling 2 very different things in your hands - one makes you happy, the other one makes you sad. You can't do anything about it, just ride on kid. Sometimes, I ask myself "Do we really need to be here (in Malaysia)?" Coz, I terribly miss my mom, our house in Cavite, Intel friends back home, my in-laws in Bataan (yes, I do miss them really) and my hometown in QC. 76 years old na kasi mama ko and I don't get to see her as often as I could - I missed my mom the most. Unlike in Manila, she just comes by and pays a visit to our house in Cavite or we spend weekends going to QC to see her. Ganito siguro pag bunso ka.

The house we just renovated in Cavite, I can always picture it inside and out - how the furnitures are arranged, the color of the walls, windows, our a-decade+-old curtains, my newly-bought lights from Soler (yes, i was the one who picked the best lighting for each corner and room of the house), the empty dog house ni Charlene (boxer namin), the old perimeter fence we have that needs re-painting, si Bogli (our "old"I white askal dog), I always walk around the house, as if I am there. Dami ring memories ng house namin - that is where I used to stay while working in Intel nung dalaga pa ako, wala pa ngang bakod nun eh, it's where we started our married life, dun din gawa ang mga babies ko hehe... friends come over...I love the fresh, cold breeze that always enters the house lalo na pag ganitong magpapasko.. Annggg sarraaapp! Kahit walang bagyo, ang hangin-hangin sa min kaya. Sayang nga eh, di ko man lang napaganda pa yung loob. I would have searched the web for good interior designs, incorporate it with my preference and do-it-myself ba for our house. Pero hindi eh, I needed to start packing up our things and prepare the house for rental. O 6:40 am na, pero madilim pa rin.

Sige na nga.... gising na mga bata. Back to reality muna... sarap kasi magsulat eh.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future ..." Jeremiah 29:11

Our first Hari Raya in Perak

For Muslims, Hari Raya Puasa or Hari Raya Aidil Fitri is a celebration of faith, a time for forgiveness and sharing. Prior to the celebration, Muslims fast for one whole month (known as the month of Ramadhan), abstaining from food and drink, for 12 straight hours a day to strengthen their spiritual resolve in resisting the temptations of the material world.

Hari Raya Puasa which literally translates as "The Big Day of the Fast", falls either on the 29th or 30th day of Ramadhan, depending on the sighting of the Syawal moon. This year 2007, Hari Raya Puasa was set on October 13 and 14. The sighting of the moon by religious leaders at strategic locations determines the day when the fasting ends and the celebration begins.

During Hari Raya Puasa, thousands of celebrants "balik kampung" (return to the village) to join in the feast with family and friends in a mood of thanksgiving. On the morning of the big day, after prayers, children and the younger generation will seek forgiveness from their elders. After all has been forgiven, it is time to put on new clothes; the males in baju melayu and songkok, the females in baju kurung, kebaya or kebarung.

In the spirit of fellowship, the Muslims will go visiting or host an "open house". The "open house" concept is a unique Malaysian practice which reflects the generous and hospitable nature of Malaysian folks. The concept is simple: when one race celebrates, all the other races are invited to join in the festivities because everyone is Malaysian anyway. So during Hari Raya, Muslim families receive various guests who come by to personally convey their best wishes to the celebrants in the spirit of sharing joy.

Now, for us who had been here in Malaysia for about 2 months and ~10 days, this means a "long" weekend is ahead of us. Since Hari Raya is a Saturday and a Sunday, Monday and Tuesday is no-work for dad. Most establishments, if not all, are closed on the first day of Raya. Prior this day, malls are filled with decorations and they go on sale as part of the occasion. We decided to just stay at home and take that long break, makapahinga naman.

This is Nicole in front of a traditional Malay house, displayed or temporarily built on Jusco mall, Ipoh. I guess this is the counterpart of "Bahay Kubo" back home in Philippines.

On Sunday, malls opened up and there were cultural dances on the entertainment area of Jusco.

Nice costumes, lah!

Marrybrown Truly Malaysia

( am not sure if Truly Malaysia is part of the business name though LOL!)

Nicole likes it here in Marrybrown because of the swing/s we sit on while eating. It's like the counterpart of KFC here but I prefer KFC still. This day is the 2nd day of Raya, the 2 awaits as dad orders the bucket of chicken.

Fried chicken, french fries and a glass of strawberry cola ... what more could Nicole ask for? Dad dito ang camera... hehe

Restoran Marrybrown

Nicole misses Jollibee, buti na lang may McDo naman.

This is our simple way of celebrating Hari Raya, malling lang. Most of our Pinoy friends are back home in the Philippines to take advantage of the long break. Kami dito lang muna... Anyway, "Salam Aidil fitri" to all.