GETTING UPDATED WITH AN EX-STUDENT OVER ICED-COFFEE AND CHICKEN CHOP

24th AUGUST 2019 ~ Someone was back in Johor Bahru because of work related matter so it was the best time to make sure all the plan on socmed to meet up to be executed. The easiest location for coffee would be SDS Cafe in Taman Universiti as I also had to go to another event before that.

The last time we met was I was warded in Sultanah Aminah Hospital when she came visiting with her mom like 2 years ago.

It was just a short meeting but I do hope for another gathering if she is back in town again. It definitely has to be somewhere else outside Skudai area.

Thanks Ms. Alia Zainal Abidin [ex-SMKTUN SPM batch 2005] for the treat, the time and the company. It will always be a pleasure to see an ex-student once in  a while.

THE 23rd DAY OF EID 1440H

This should be the last week of Eid celebration hence people are going all out to try to visit as many friends and relatives as possible. I drove to Taman Senai Utama right after school as I was invited by an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti [SPM batch 2005], Puan Khadijah Hishamuddin to her open house. Unfortunately, her husband, Dr. Mohd. Zaki Yunos, who is also an ex-student was not home yet.

Khadijah's dad, Dr. Hishamuddin

After that, later in the evening, Mr. Syazwan Shavarein [ex-SMKTUN batch 2012] came with his parents and siblings. They are one of the few regulars who always come in one big family every year.

Six more days left, and hoping to get to see more people before the Eid celebration ends.

ATTENDING AN AQIQAH CEREMONY AFTER SCHOOL

19th FEBRUARY 2019 ~ I was invited to an Aqiqah ceremony at the house of ex-students of SMK Taman Universiti. The ceremony was held for the two babies, first the baby (aged 6 months) of Puan Nurul Nazihah Ismail who is married to her schoolmate, Mr. Hussin Abu Hassan [both from SPM batch 2009], and also the baby of  Dr. Muhammad Nur Harith Ismail [SPM batch 2005] who is just 8 days' old.

"Aqiqah is the Islamic tradition of the sacrifice of an animal on the occasion of a child's birth. It is widely performed by Muslims and it is considered sunnah to slaughter a sheep for the baby and distribute the meat to the poor. Muslims also prepare a feast for family and friends in celebration for being blessed with a child." [sourde: Wikipedia]

I am also no stranger to the parents and the whole family used to visit me during Eid celebration.

I should thank them for their kind thought to invite me. Guess there will be similar events like this in the future to attend.

THE 19th DAY OF EID 1439H

A group of male colleagues of SMK Dato' Jaafar came visiting this evening on the 19th day of Eid. A few of them were here last year during the celebration while for others, this was their very first time.

the first group to arrive

As these people reside in different parts of the city, they all arrived in stages. The first group was at my place at about 8:00 p.m. while the last person arrived at 10:15 p.m.

For once, we managed to sit, eat and chat for longer hours - something that is impossible to be done in school.

the last guest of the evening

I was glad they could make it this time, in a bigger number compared to last year. I hope this visiting session could be a regular activity for us, especially during Eid.

THE 16th DAY OF EID 1439H

Already the third week of Eid, I got to see more people as they came visiting this weekend. The first visitors, a husband and wife couple, Puan Sakinah Mohd. Ismail and Mr. Azhar, drove all the way from Seremban. I was truly touched for their kind gestures just to be at my house just for like an hour. Too bad, I could not spend more time with them in town as I was expecting more visitors after that. 

Puan Sakinah is my UPM TESL classmate class of 1993 while her husband was also from the same residential college there.

After that, an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti (SPM batch 20050, Mr. Faiz Ishak and the wife, and their baby boy arrived. This was their very first visit to my place after trying for many years and finally the plan was successfully executed.

Later in the evening, another ex-student of SMKTUN (SPM batch 2013) was here with his other family members - parents and three other siblings. They were already family friends and his brother, Mr. Nadhir Iman was in SMK Mutiara Rini when I was teaching there.

The very last group of visitors were also alumni of SMK Taman Universiti were people from SPM batch 2006. Puan Noor Fatihah Hamid and this time coming with her husband, together with a schoolmate marrying another schoolmate, Puan Insyirah Johan and Mr. Firdaus with their two boys. So the group has grown bigger with two boys in the group - the young and not so young ones.

Even though Puan Fatihah is now working and residing in Kuala Lumpur, for many years already, she still makes it my house a must visit place during Eid.

That was quite a long day for me but I was happy to get to see many people throughout. Thirteen more days remaining to go visiting or to be visited.