RAMADHAN, THE MONTH OF GIVING (PART 2)

friends of SMK Taman Universiti

7th JUNE 2018 ~ One day before the school break was the time to get all the goodies for Eid delivered. I must say I was lucky to have many friends who have the hearts of gold and I was glad to receive their gifts in the month of Ramadhan. This has been already like a tradition among us.

Mr. Lim, a friend of SMK Mutiara Rini

ex-student cum colleague of SMK Dato' Jaafar

Thanks again to all the gifts and I cannot thank all of you enough. Only God may repay all your kind deeds.

"It is the heart that does the giving,

the fingers only let go."

~ Nigerian Proverb ~

BREAKING FAST AT SELASIH RESTAURANT

I finally had to break fast outside this year. Breaking fast in school should not be counted as it was a formal event which teachers' attendance was somewhat compulsory.

I was invited by Mr. Syazwan Shavarein [SMKTUN's ex-student of SPM batch 2013] and his family again, and finding an excuse not to accept the invitation was not an easy thing to do.

This was my second time at Selasih Restaurant. I was here for a wedding reception the first time.

MY VERDICT: Good food  which should be reasonable with the price charged. However, the sad thing was they did not replenish some drinks like the honey dew juice and "teh tarik" [tea with milk]. They should know fasting people really drink a lot and it was quite frustrating not  to be able to refill our glasses again.

Thanks again Mr. Syazwan, as well as to both his parents, for the invitation. Only Allah may repay your generosity.

EID UL-FITR PHOTOSHOOT FOR THE SCHOOL'S TEACHERS AND STAFF

The arrival of Eid is something everybody is highly anticipating, and not just only the Muslims staff and teachers. One reason: it comes together with the 2-week mid year school holiday. For the SMK Dato' Jaafar Eid photo shoot session, everybody had been asked to wear anything RED or any colours of its shades.

It is quite obvious the festive mood was already in the air even though the photos were taken on the second week of Ramadhan.

Mid year school break - one more day.

TIK TOK TIK TOK TIK TOK ...

PENANG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT A GLANCE

25th MARCH 2018 ~ Penang International Airport should be the second busiest airport in the country after KLIA. It is much bigger than Senai Airport in Johor Bahru. This place witnesses many international flights going into and out of the country.

I was lucky as my ex-student of SMKTUN, Mr. Mohd. Syukor Ismail (and his family), drove me all the way to the airport from Kulim. Therefore, I had to skip the "amazing race" kind of adventure trying to get to the airport on time.

It was finally time to actually bid farewell to Penang, and Kulim too. I hope I can pay another visit to the island and other places nearby some other time in the future, and plan for more reunions.

THE 3000th BLOG POST - RAMADHAN, THE MONTH OF GIVING

"The meaning of life is to find your gift.

The purpose of life is to give it away."

~ PABLO PICASSO ~

My Eid cookies arrived already at the office in school and this should be a sign that the big day is approaching. I must be lucky to have colleagues/friends who are thoughtful and generous. 

Eid ul-Fitr - 10 more days.

Mid Year School Break - 3 more days....

TIK TOK TIK TOK TIK TOK....

TRAVELING ON THE FAMOUS PENANG BRIDGE

25th MARCH 2018 ~ Penang Bridge should be one of the prominent landmarks in the country. In fact it should be considered as a mega project which had changed the lives of many people.

And I had the chance to travel on Penang Bridge only after 33 years it was operational. It is better late than never.

I was heading to Penang Island, to get to the airport. The traffic was quite heavy at that time and I was afraid that I would be late, but then the vehicles were still moving at slow speed.

NEXT THING TO DO: Traveling on Penang Bridge 2 - another newer bridge linking Penang Island to the mainland but it is longer than the first one.

A SERIES OF REUNION IN KULIM

25th MARCH 2018 ~  The first reunion was not planned, it just happened when an ex-student of SMKTUN (SPM batch 1998), Mr. Mohd. Syukor Ismail, saw my check-in on Facebook at Penang Hill and initiated a get together in Kulim. His mother, Puan Aisyah Sadon, was also a pioneering teacher of SMK Taman Universiti back in December 1994, before moving back to Kedah. So it was like a bigger reunion with an ex-student and an ex-colleague, after not seeing each other for like almost 20 years (or more).

lunch served Kulim style

There was also another reunion sessions with my cousin and her daughters who are now residing in Kulim. I had been planning to visit her since Kulim is just a 30-minute drive away from Penang (the ferry terminal of Seberang Perai to be exact).

I spent the whole day in Kulim and it was worth all the time and effort. They were all asking me to come back to get to know the town better and I am already considering.