Home Sweet Home

Man! Just realized I have abandoned this blog for quite some time. Okay, that's a lie. I didn't JUST realize, I have felt something is missing inside me for so long. I miss my soul, haven't visited her for some time...too preoccupied with so many dunya things. Been drifted like a dead wood for so long. Need to reset.

We have made it....home, that is. Myself and hubby are now settled in our new jobs (at the same company - for better & worse). Kids are attending new schools and loving it. All in all, Alhamdulillah...I have yet to feel any regret leaving Singapore. My last entry, i recorded my anxiety, not sure if the decision was right. Though I have yet to find the conviction to say "yes this is the RIGHT decision", at least I know it's NOT the wrong decision.

Before I came home, my mind was filled with lots of paranoia thoughts, thanks to the massive media coverage, friends' experiences, rumors and my own assumptions. Below I listed some of the major ones...

a) Expectation 1: "I'd be living in great paranoia, given high crime rate in KL"
Sure, Malaysia can't put 'low crime rate' as our Visit Malaysia Year winning point, but I think if you apply some street wise common sense (i.e dont' flash ur jewelleries, don't lenggang2 with your LV, Gucci, (original or otherwise) loosely in your hand next to an 0pen street filled with bikers), and went out of your home with a proper doa...then insyaAllah, you won't contribute to the statistic. It helps that we managed to find a place in a gated community, minimize our outings to absolute minimums and we don't buy newspapers (that's where the spotlight on crimes are, hence you tend to focus on them..hence invite them).

b) Expectation 2: "The bad traffic jam....will kill me softly"
Even though our place isn't exactly in the same postcode area as our workplace, we spent about 30 to 40 min to work and 20 min from work. Yeah, we encountered some sluggishness along the way, but I used to the time to chat with hubby or sing out loud (since reading in car makes me nauseous) to politely ignore his grumble of the rude drivers cutting in and out traffic. Of course we have NEVER been to the KL City center itself...purposely avoiding that area since we know it'll rob our sanity away. Since we can get ALL the stuffs we NEED including my tudung ekin & tudung Siti) in nearby area, why invite the stress?


b) Expectation 2: "Amirul & Alyssa will hate his school and have a bad time adjusting back to Msia educaton System"
Alhamdulillah we managed to find a private school which serves our needs within the vicinity. He rates his school 8/10 (slightly over-rated IMHO). But hey, as long as he is happy, then I am happy. Alyssa is attending a preschool, two doors away from home. She rates her school 5/10..barely passing. But since she only spend mornings there, I think she can last til end of the year. She started to converse in Malay now...I am so thrilled. Though she still has her witty comebacks every now and then (yesterday when I asked her to eat her chicken, she says "chicken is SO YESTERDAY, mummy" in her Hanna Montana accent). I do want her to master Malay first, then English...but I don't want to loose her quirky comebacks which are the highlights of my day.

c) Expectation 3: "I'd be suffocated living in close proximity with my family and in-laws"
I stand corrected...not that bad at all (maybe it's because we don't see each other that often...only once a months!). And there's a big plus....now that we don't spend our long w'ends 'balik kampung' since we meet often ('often' according to my definition), then I can plan our vacation! man..if only you knew the places we plan on going!

d) Expectation 4: "I will not be able to fit into the new work culture - government mentality"
No comment. I'd have to write a WHOLE other entry for that piece alone. All I can say is, I've added jumping up and down vigorously as a routine to end my day. why? 2 reasons: 1) To release this build up emotion I have collected since morning 2) To shake it off in case stupidity and mediocrity are contagious.

THE VERDICT : Okaylah...Not So bad lah. Malaysia Boleh!