HAVING "TEH TARIK" AND FRIED BANANA FOR TEA LIKE A TYPICAL MALAYSIAN

Mr. Haiqal Johari [SMKTUN's ex-student of SPM batch 2016] proposed to me to go out for tea at a place which is actually not that far from my house. Pisang Goreng Pohon Cherry located at Jalan Sempadan in Kampung Melayu is a stall selling food from breakfast up to dinner time. Literally the eating place's name is translated into Fried Banana under the Shady [Malaysian version of] Cherry Tree.

When we arrived at about 5.30 p.m. the seats were almost fully occupied. This could be a popular spot for people to get their teh tarik [tea with milk] and fried banana as well as other local Malay food like other typical Malaysians but this was my very first time there. Well, there is always a first time.

We had fried banana and "keropok lekor" [fried fish fritters].

This stall should also be the regular meeting place for the veterans. At one corner of the place, there was this had a feeling they play the music on the hand phone and had it transmitted louder via portable speakers.

We had to leave the place before the sky got dark but we will get back here one fine day for another reason. Thanks Haiqal for introducing to me this place so now I have a new place to take other people for "teh tarik" and fried banana.

COFFEE TIME AT IKEA TEBRAU AFTER SCHOOL

Initially it was a plan of having coffee at IKEA Tebrau for two. However, suddenly they were three more familiar faces appearing out of nowhere. The more the merrier - and I was glad I could meet these ex-students of SMK Taman Universiti from SPM batch 2016.

It was just a short session over coffee and carbonated drinks (and of course other IKEA's food at the food court) with Mr. Haiqal, Mr. Firash, Mr. Syazwan and Mr. Faiz but it was good to be reunited once in a while. They will soon return to campus once their break is over. Good luck to everyone who is still pursuing their studies at tertiary level and hope we will meet again some other time.

NEW YEAR IS THE TIME TO GET REUNITED

The first reunion meeting was with Mr. Ng Cheng Khai, ex-SMKTUN of SPM batch 2013. This should be some sort of our annual gathering in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration. We met at KFC Taman Universiti for less than an hour but that should be good enough to catch up lost time.

Next, I made a house visit to see another ex-student of SMKTUN, Miss Ng Lee Lan of SPM batch 2003. The last time I saw her was many years ago when she gave me a dinner treat, with another teacher friend. She is staying in Taman Universiti with both her parents, and too bad her other sisters who are also my ex-students were not at home.

The last gathering was more of early dinner kind of thing with Mr. Haiqal Johari (SMKTUN SPM batch 2016) who were back for the long weekends break. We settled for pizza at AEON Bukit Indah. There were actually a lot of people at the mall. Shouldn't this people be staying at home with their family members on the first day of new year?

So that was how I spent the first day of the Chinese New Year. It was much better (and more meaningful) than sleeping at home in the afternoon. :)

THE 14TH DAY OF EID 1438H

A group of students who are the members of the Angklung Group of SMK Taman Universiti came did their Eid visit today. There were also three ex-students/ex-group members who have already left school to join the fun, one from SPM batch 2014 and the other two from SPM batch 2016.

Some group members could not make it this time which should be a blessing in disguise but with 13 people in the house, it was already a joyous 2-hour of my life. We did take a lot of photos and by looking at them, I am quite sure they must have enjoyed their outing far away from home.

THE 4TH DAY OF EID 1438H

28th JUNE 2017 ~ The visiting  activities continued today and I received the first visitors, Mr. Sharmin Mazlan with his wife and daughters. Working and residing now in Kuala Lumpur, he is an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti from SPM batch 2002. I am glad he came visiting again after a long time and this time with more kids tagging along.

The next group of visitors were the ex-students from SPM batch 2009. The boys had been here many times but as for the girls, it was their first Eid visit. Four are already working and the other two are yet to finish their post-graduate studies.

The last group of students to arrive later in the evening were people from SPM batch 2006, one of them from batch 2012 and another one from batch 2016, who happen to be the younger siblings of people from the big group. One of the group members also had his wife and daughter together to join in the crowd. They are here almost every year and the group has grown smaller each year.

someone's getting married - the  handing over of
the invitation card ceremony :)

Today I received my very first Eid money packet [Chinese: "ang pau"]from one of my ex-students. I think I have reached the age when I am already eligible for this but I am not complaining. To the kindhearted person, you should know who you are, thanks a lot and only Allah may repay your kind thought and generosity.