A HI-TEA GATHERING AT THISTLE HOTEL, JOHOR BAHRU

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy.

They are the charming gardeners that make our souls blossom."

~ Marcel Proust ~

26th September 2014 ~ Some friends from my former school, SMK Taman Universiti, decided to throw a hi-tea gathering at Thistle Hotel, Johor Bahru, for me. I had actually told them many times before that it was not necessary to do this but they insisted which left me with no choice. 

Some came with their kids, two ladies came with their husbands, and three happily retired friends were also there to join in the fun.

the early birds and the prayer reciter

I have not even opened all the presents given to me in school a month ago and I was given more. I really did not know how to express my appreciation for all the things that they had done for me.

The food was good but the best of all things was to be surrounded by people who were once and still are my dear friends whom I will never forget. THANK YOU SO MUCH for everything and hopefully this will not be the last gathering where we will see each other, to share the joy and laughter, and to gossip a bit. Only God may repay all your kindness. *tears*

"So long as the memory of certain beloved

friends lives in my heart,

I shall say that life is good."

~ Hellen Keller ~

GETTING UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH DATO' SITI NURHALIZA

26th SEPTEMBER 2014 ~ I was at Thistle Hotel, Johor Bahru, waiting for my friends to arrive and an event to start. Suddenly I saw a group of people gathered outside the hotel lobby. A friend told me the night before that Malaysia's number one superstar was staying at that hotel and my instinct told me that should be her. There were only a few people around, all females, and busy taking photographs. So I joined the small crowd and pretended to take their photograph too. However, when they were done, I braved myself and asked for her permission to get a photograph of us together.

I was ready for her to turn down my request and walk away.

Krik krik krik...

And she smiled and nodded, and I had a photo with Dato' Siti Nurhaliza Taruddin. And everything lasted like only for 10 seconds. Nevertheless, that should be one of the most memorable 10-second of my life.

You have to be either her die-hard fan and a member of her die-hard fan club, or buy her CD, get her poster autographed and you get photographed together with Malaysia's number one superstar. I guess I was just lucky - to be there at the right moment. 

When was the last time I smiled before going to bed? I couldn't even remember. Now I know why they call you Malaysia's number one pop star.

ATTENDING TUAN HAJI KAMARUDDIN'S RETIREMENT EVENT

25th September 2014 ~ I received a card and was personally invited but I was also representing my Principal to bid farewell to the retiring Principal of SMK Mutiara Rini 2. Tuan Haji Kamaruddin Sa'ayun was no stranger to me. When I was first posted to SMK Gelang Patah back in 1993, he was the Senior Assistant there and we "migrated" to SMK Taman Universiti when it was first opened in 1994. However, he was transferred to other school a few months after that.

There were a few things that I learned from him especially when we were working at the earlier stage of opening the new school. After all the hard work, the time has come for Tuan Haji Kamaruddin to enjoy the fruits of his labour.

I was also happy to meet a few old friends from SMK Taman Universiti who had transferred to other schools. Two of them were representing their principals while the other three are teaching in the school hosting the event.

I still have a long way to go before my retirement event can be carried out. *sigh*

JAKARTA DAY 2 - MINI INDONESIA [PART TWO]

[CONTINUATION OF PART 1]

The exploration in Mini Indonesia continued...

More houses to visit, more things to see, more knowledge to discover...

For each province, there were people to give us more information of the place and they really came from the place they were put on duty - meaning that, there were not from Jakarta.

We were given books for the school library.

Rano Karno who was once a top Indonesian actor
of the 80's, now a governor

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART THREE...

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