Hear your call.

Just a post to share with you all. You probably know about Pakistan flood disaster. Yes, this is like many others- Katrina, Tsunami, Haiti, China. But i think, the only difference is, its Pakistan, its Ramadhan and most if the victims are celebrating ramadhan in misery. We are truly blessed to celebrate our ramadhan with families and friends and in a very comfortable condition while they are being tested with so many challenges. Now what comes after the flooding? Flood does destroy many things, homes, animals, habitats and etc but after that then what? You have to understand that when a large body of water is still, waterborne disease might spread. Truly there are food shortages and personally i think that would be overcome with the coming of aid from all over the world but what matters the most is the effectiveness of distribution. Regardless of the amount of money donated, if its not distributed properly it would be useless.

Kind of amazing how songs like we are the world for Haiti gets big publicity and this doesn't. Listen to the song by Sami Yusuf- Hear your call.



Taken from his website

Pakistan would face a second wave of deaths from water borne diseases and food shortages unless more aid arrives soon. Please donate by purchasing Sami's latest single 'Hear Your Call' where proceeds will help Save the Children's relief efforts in Pakistan.

Go here to contribute to this cause


Hope Allah keeps their heart strong. And hope all the little "hope" poured by people from all over the world reach the intended destination.

Strong when we're together.

I don't blog about hunger regularly but i kind of feel sad this time knowing that Pakistan is in need for help.Its a muslim country and therefore they do celebrate ramadhan- but this year for them wouldn't be unlike any ramadhan. Its kind of a reminder for muslim to be patient regardless of what trouble comes ahead. Its also a reminder for us Bruneians that Allah has blessed us Bruneians so much just by living in our country though we tend to neglect that fact and keep on spending too much.

What do you do in the afternoon? You went to the stadium or any other gerai ramadhan and buy lots of food? or do you eat out? Either one you chose, there are others who aren't like us. They are stuck in cycle of poverty and lived in hunger. And such hunger can be made worst with natural disasters. After all wars, arguments on the political table, disaster is also a reminder from God almighty that HUMAN is strong when we're together.

Afshan, a 9-day-old baby girl born at a clinic supported by Save the Children in Pakistan's Swat Valley. The baby has an umbilical cord infection and is also suffering from insect bites, the lack of clean water and unhygienic conditions have exasperated both problems.

© Jason Tanner

Donate to WFP

or Brunei Pakistan Humanitarian fund.

(and i feel so weak as blogging and tweeting is as much as i could do to help) Salam.

Unite.

Spend (on charity), O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you. (Hadith Qudsi)

We Bruneians seem to be very busy about Zek to even discuss about such matter such as pakistan flood. While we are enjoying our food and various sungkai dishes, some of our fellow muslims in Pakistan are not as privilage as we are this ramadhan. Even if we aren't of the same race or religion- we all are still human. So even if its a little- lets help our fellow human.


Happy Ramadhan All.

Out of my comfort zone.

My article about my South Thailand community work trip went out last monday. And with all the comments i received, i am actually pleased that the article (though very informal as it was written) was accepted by readers. Even if its just a tiny population out of the whole Brunei and i may not have made news as the prince of the earth (Zek) had, but i am glad that i have atleast made an impact in someone's perspective by sharing my story and my thoughts.

A week in Yala, knowledge of a lifetime by myself.

I should make this my goal- inspire atleast someone in a month. That way, life won't be wasted wouldn't it? Hmm just too bad i am not made a leader. I'd like to think my self as that. I am made a traveller- born to wander, meet people, see places, to forget and be forgotten and play around. I am not one to commit myself entirely to a set of population or one matter just as many leader are doing. Take for instance Iswandy. His dedication to BDAC and youths- i salute but i will not follow.

I do not want to follow in any footsteps- i want to make my own. Maybe in a way less-inspiring or committed than most others but atleast i know that i have lived my life happily. Week 3 is ending and i hope i can achieve my goal this semester and have a great travel at the end of it. =D And i hope i can atleast help one of my student get a B in his olevels and the 4 others a passing mark. Trying really really hard to make biology an easy subject.

Salam.

A new sun.

In response to Linji's blogpost which you can find here Here is a summary of my semester holiday:

Went to Singapore for 2 days and KL for 2 days, backpacking with Fikriyah and met Aloysius and a new friend in KL.

My grandfather passed away five days after my Singapore/KL trip and 5 days before my next community work trip. May God bless his soul. Prepared english material and other stuff for Thailand community work. Went to Yala, Southern Thailand, through Kedah fearing that i would experience bombings there but i didn't and we all went home safely Alhamdulillah.

Taught in Tamvittaya Multini school, the largest sekolah pondok in Southern Thailand. I met kind people and gained valuable knowledge. Plus: i've been to south Thailand myself- the region being portrayed by media as a dangerous conflicted area. Then, i took a bus from Hatyai to KL alone and met Kak Sofia along the way who brought me to her house (because its dangerous for a girl to be alone at 4am in KL)

Took airasia to Jakarta and met the BJBJ gang. Went to BALI for an awesome holiday. Saw wild dolphins at lovina beach! I have videos of this but i guess i'll post it later. Shopping at Bandung and went to historical Jogjakarta by economy class train. Spent the last few days in Jakarta- met agnes monica!

learnt surfing =D

At paris van java, Bandung

Watching marcell and glenn and FRAU live in a Charity concert in Jogja!

Met Rya- my childhood friend whom i have not met in 10 years!

Went back home and start doing Thailand report and journal. Went to KK with 5 biosci friends!

Otw to manukan

Back home finished report and a 10,100++ fucking words journal. (i impress myself sometimes) 4 kittens almost got blind due to feline chlamydiosis- eye infection. Brought kittens twice a day to the vet for eye drops praying they wouldn't go completely blind. School. Fewh. Start school. Kittens recovering. But another cat got sick- Feline viral tracheitis. I officially hate those little things called virus.




May Semester 5 be an awesome one. And i too have booked a ticket for more travel this end of year. Travelling is still what i am made of. .Salam

Aku mau cuti lagi and gigiku sakit

Hi. I am back from KK and i need to finish my report/Journal about Thailand community work and and and i will TRY to post pictures of my travels on facebook if i;m not too lazy.

AND my jaw and teeth feels sangal. I don't know why maybe its because of the new arrangement of teeth or that my teeth move too much that i have gaps! =/

Look! There's the gap which i previously do not have. If the gap is between the incisors i won't mind, atleast i'd still look like madonna. BUT i don't. can't wait for the next appointment (next week) pasal sangal jaw ku. It feels like its about to fall off if i open my mouth to big.

And it looks like there's going to be a comback for SPECIAL OLYMPICS BRUNEI. talk soon after he replies or the event is confirmed bla bla. tho its at the end of september.

look who we bumped into at senayan city.

Oh yeah. did i mention we took pictures with AGNES MONICA at senayan city? We were mall-ing when she went to the ladies room. Ada orang kesanggupan nunggu dapan jamban and so tarus mengambil gambar with her after she went out of the ladies.

Yeah i cropped the others out of the picture =p

Assalamualaikum

...and that's the common 'hello' for you in Southern Thailand.

For a friend who can't access Facebook in the country she's in. Haha. The quality isn't as good and the photos i've uploaded aren't everything i have so maybe some might be uploaded into my tumblr atiqahrad.tumblr.com (apparently tumblr makes a good photoblog)

Can't say much about my volunteer work in the polictically unstable region of Yala, South Thai. I went back very early from that place for another trip to Indonesia. We went to Songkhla province from kedah or Bukit Kayu Hitam immigration post. unexpected things happened on the way to Kl and Kedah for example our 2 hour flight to KL turns to a 5 hour trip as the plane had to detour due to bad weather. Dugaan kali. Anyway, i was in a group that goes to Yala province, while the others went to Pattani.

Bukit Kayu Hitam

Gate to Kedah Sultan's palace.

First lunch we had in South Thai (and more in the following days there)





Pattani Central Mosque at night.


I was placed in Tamvittaya multini school, apprently the largest school in Southern Thailand. In the morning, they study religious subjects including Arabic and malay language. And in the afternoon they learn what they call "academic" subjects such as English, Thai language, sciences, arts subjects. One aspect i love about that place is that they practice the ukhwah environment. I just knew these students and the next day they greet me even when i'm in the streets.







View from our apartment in the Yala Islamic university hostel.



Awesome friends!

The day before my flight to Indonesia, i took a bus from Hatyai. While there, we were brought to places in Songkhla province: the samila beach and Tang Kuan Hill. The mermaid statue at the Samila beach holds a legend. Legend says that there was once a guy who fell in love with a mermaid and left her. The mermaid sat on the rock at the beach and cried "samila" which means "husband go" until she died. Hence, the name.






The famous mermaid statue.



View from Tang Kuan Hill.



Royal pavilion


The legend of Tang Kuan Hill goes like this: There was once a cat, mouse and dog travelling on a chinese ship and they try to steal a crystal. While swimming to the shore, the cat and the mouse drowned with the crystal and became two islands and sandy beaches. While the dog reached the shore and died to become Tang Kuan Hill. impossible story. But that's why they call it a legend.




Hatyai.

In Hatyai, i met an amazing family from pattani which took me to their care.I arrived at 4am in KL and that is a dangerous hour for a girl to be alone. They brought me to their daughter's rent house in Cyberjaya and took care of me until i went to kl central by train.

There were a few difficulties i encountered during the whole trip such as the strong islamic culture and not going out at night but hmm, i met kind people and they have helped me go through those times. Southern Thailand, despite what the media says, has a lot of kind people and i was treated very very well there. It makes you forget the instability that media is trying to promote. Islam has indeed brought harmony to the community in south thailand.


Maybe someday i'll go back to that place and learn to be a harmonious person. Now, i don't tihink i'm ready yet. Will blog about Indonesia trip to Bali, Bandung, Jogja and jakarta some other time.

Espana

I don't actually intend to put this in a blog but i am so happy right now.

Spain is in the finals finally! Octopus or not, i support spain all the way. Haha well i actually had pictures of Spain-German UEFA finals in my old blog but haha since i deleted that blog so.. This FIFA Spain-German semi final is also a goog game though. Anyways, of the players, i support Casillas the most. haha i don't know why but its been that way since skulah ugama dulu masa sanggup meliat japan/korea world cup and skip class. you've got to admit it, he's been building up quite a reputation. HAHA and my brother is annoyed with casillas haha because he supports german.


In summary, aku sangat gembira. Win or lose in the final, i don't care. Asal masuk final. Asal aku masih liat casillas main Okay. Salam

Travelling doesn't mean you have to be rich

Yes i am back from an amazing trip in Indonesia which actually starts with southern Thailand.

You know the word travelling is always associated with the following sentence "kaya ko ani. you got money wah to spend" It doesn't have to be! true i spent a lot this time but honestly, i've been saving up since last year. I told a few people how much i've been saving up every month and its actually more than 70% of my allowance everymonth. I've still got my $58 transport allowances and my salary for daily living. I don't shop for clothes or unecessary stuff which i have already. Well i do spend a handsome amount of food and dvd. Travelling doesn;t mean you're rich but it means you love it. thats why you are willing to put every penny into a must-not touch account. and when you travel, make the most out of it. because its your money that you spend. That's why when i travel i feel soo upset if we can't make the most out of it or travel and see new places.

you live only once and the world is a big place to discover. You can't go to the same place everytime. And on a side note, you know how scary the air asia landing is? landing and take offs- always reminds me of my temporary life in this world and how i have not made the most of it.


My savings -tabung bejaur- for this trip is thinning. Its time for a new tabung. Tabung scuba diving lah ;D or maybe should start my tabung UK soon sal i should go there while my friends are still there. but i am short of money seriously. May it shower money tomorrow.

Salam.

Bali

It has been an interesting experience. I have no time to explain perhaps i will upload some pictures by the end of this trip. Internet connection has been difficult for me in Yala, South Thailand. and the ride from Hatyai to Kl and KL to jakarta had tested my patienc (delays. hmm airasia indonesia has problems in keeping on time)

Currently in Kuta Bali. Hope to actually see more attractions here since its not always that i go to Bali. First impression honestly, Bali is like a beautiful island raped by globalisation. Sometimes i think its beauty has been taken away by tourism. haha nevertheless the beaches are lovely.

Hope results would turn out fine amin.

Yala South Thailand

Reached here last saturday.

A place in the sun, we're going.

"Ya Allah, jagalah kami dengan mata-Mu yang tidak pernah tidur dan lindungilah kami dengan lindungan-Mu yang tidak pernah habis. Kasihanilah kami dengan kekuasaan-Mu terhadap kami, dan janganlah kami hancur sedangkan Engkau adalah harapan kami."


Flying to KL and through kedah to south Thailand for community work. And then Indonesia (Bali, bandung jogja jakarta) for vacation. Pray for our safety. Loves. Salam

Nini Nonol.

So here's the story. Sunday: Went to volunteer for Ripas charity Carnival AT 7.30am till 2.30pm+. Slept till evening due to my medications. Nini went to hospital by ambulance. (not the first time) We all went hospital and kissed him. Passed at half past midnight. (monday)

That's just how my sunday goes. The most common thing said to me yesterday was "bek jua ya meninggal before ika belayar/lapas balik belayar". my next trip for community work (hopefully jadi) is this friday actually. Then sambung to Indonesia and i'll be back almost a month later. That's what they have been saying. I haven't packed or anything like that nor is there time to do so at this point. Although everyone is willing about his passing as he has been ill for so long, i kind of feel that the house is a little quiet without his normal coughing in the living room. I wished i could have been a better grandchild.


Nevertheless, passed yet another great man in our lives. When he still could walk his favourite meal was maggi and he filled the quietness with verses of Quran. He would read verses when we were sick and blow them to our forehead until we healed. When he was paralysed, he filled the quietness with coughing and wheezing. May Allah bless him with eternal happiness on the other side. Amin.


Al fatihah

4 days in enough to strengthen friendship and form new ones.

Like i said, i just decided last minute to join my friend fikriyah from Indonesia. We stayed at a backpacker hostel ABC backpackers at Jala Kubor (near bugis area) for just $21 pernight. cheap right? plus the toilets clean and internet is free. Love that place. With only under $200 we went jalan-jalan to free places. haha so NO universal studios or the new casino or singapore flyer. Went for the first time to China town,ittle india, botanic garden (where aloysius from spore has his internship) and Marina barrage. Aloysius was awesome, he was kind enough to bring us everywhere till late night. had so much fun even for such short visit.

And the view was GOOD. we spent sunset at marina barrage looking at this view. So money spent!

China town in Singapore where the stuffs are cheap. and thats the tourist attraction the million-dollar worth of temple. Aloy told me that they spent million dollars to built that temple for tourist to see. but he feels that the authenticity and the value of the temple has been lost due to its purpose as mostly for tourist attraction.

Then we were off to Johor bahru late actually so we didn't get to see around JB so we took bus to KL which arrived at 1am. Hoai's friend, Kak Syafinie pick us up at Bukit jalil and we stayed at her place at Serdang for that 2 nights. They're very very kind! her friends, Kak haley and kan nani brought us around university putra malaysia campus since they are UPM grad student doing masters in Forestry/ agriculture etc. and then to putrajaya. never thought its a nice place.

At putrajaya. it was windy and gloomy. but we managed to run around and take pictures before the heavy rain.

And the next day to KL.

and home. just short visit but did saw new places and learn new things.Plus i got my backpack for trip to indonesia soon. And i am staring to replace my tuition clases for this june- one month class into two weeks! Tmorrow will have briefing for RIPAS charity carnival and the charity carnival will happen on 6th june and saturday will have a teaching crash course for our community work at a place which has some instability. hopefully we'll be going (if ubd gave green light. so far its sill yellow) and 8th will have party organised by Thai embassy for our hardwork and passion in somtam dance during the culture week =ppp HAHA. and 11th will be off to malaysia and alor setar. Hmm I just realise i have so many things to do this time round and so little time. btw i have a picture blog. possibly making it my travel blog too. its still new but pictures are worth thousand words. and Tumblr is really good for uploading pics. seriously its awesome for picture

atiqahrad.tumblr.com

See you next time. Pray for our safety. as of now (if this thing is going to happen and uni has given green light) i would be posted at a place where bomb has recently exploded haha but nevertheless just have to be careful. don't worry. I don't want to be someone who is forever sheltered in our little abode of peace. If we're always afraid, we can never experience so i'm taking this chance to learn more and to be a person more than i am now.

Salam

attention Bazilah Zahari.

happy gawai. haha. Happy Birthday!! 21st?? uh ohh. hehe. kan msg u but my sim is hotlink sim abis contact number ku arh easi ku. but Happy birthday and may Allah bless you with happiness.

So smile and everything will be fine.


Love Atiqah rad.

Roar.

Had to pull a few strings, faces and money before reaching singapore. Had to land in KL even before reaching singapore =// Its 3 days holiday for Brunei and everyone (i assumed everyone since all flights are full and brunei has only 400000 people)is going out of the country. and now i am here at ABC backpackers at jalan Kubor. The shower's clean, the breakfast is free and internet is free. all is worth it for $21 per night. Loving this place. Yes i'm saving up for indonesia so my intentions in singapore are purely for jalan jalan.

When should i go back home ah? haven't decided yet,.

A jewel we so often neglect and undervalue.

A ten days of memories. I miss ASEM. And this video really gave that ASEM biodiversity workshop feel. Miss doing the things with them and listen to things related to biodiversity of brunei. I've been emailing them and keeping update and some of them has continued their phd (especially the two chinese) some are continuing masters in solar energy,politics and etc. Sometimes it made me feel like "so where does that leave me?" haha honestly i am not a very dicsciplined biologist. I don't read books that often. I have my own way to deal with things. i play alot. Not a good thing but i hope this is the path i shall continue till the end and i hope i will not regret it. for it has been enjoyable so far.







Tho i will go to Kuala belalong field centre again at the end of my third year with my awesome course mates this time. Looking forward to it! they're crazy fun. You just can't imagine. haha. Exam finished in just 6 days. I HOPE i will pass all of my subjects this time and get an okay grade AMIN. I am very not confident.

This past few days after the exam, we've becamse research assistants helping Fandi's sis collect data for her PHD research. Quite enlightening. We gained insight on the plight of Brunei fishing resources. we always talk about tunas in Japan and whales. But infact, our own coasts is being depleted of resources. Most had complained that some commercial trawlers are "mengikis" the coast of fishes and that in their 20-60 years of fishing experience, the number of fish caught has a huge decrease since then.


And yet when people start talking about plastics, forest, energy they think they're being Green and environmental. Think again. There are more to environmental sustanaibility than just using plastic (for a day) or asking people to save energy.

Brunei is more than just oil and gas.

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei has the potential to become a model country with regards to disability development and to achieve this, the country just needs community-based policies in place as well as facilitation and implementation."I thought that Brunei's main resource is oil but I found a resource that is bigger - the cornmunity and the family," said Akiie Ninomiya, the executive director of Asia-Pacific Development Centre on Disability (APCD) which is based in Bangkok, Thailand.

Read more here.

Last week i went to Animal shelter charity bazaar and in one booth they sold paintings. I adore paintings and have quite a collection hanging in my small room. Haha But these paintings sold in the bazaar are rather special. Because it was painted by Orphaned/disabled children of Cambodia. The association is called Orphan and disabled arts association and currently houses around 20+ orphans in Siem Riep Cambodia. It was founded by Leng Touch, also an orphan and an accomplished artist. He passed his knowledge to these kids and these kids and with this knowledge and aqcuired talent, they sell paintings. These money from the paintings support them, hence they do not need to beg. Some of the postcard sized paintings are only sold for 1US which is around 1.50 BND .I find it amazing.

I attended a public lecture on Poverty in Brunei last few weeks (which is a part of the Poverty Project UVC is doing) and a lecturer have said that "We need to be cruel to be kind, not kind to be kind". Interestingly, Bruneians have always been kind to be kind, giving gifts without anything in return. But maybe if we can incorporate this "cruelty" and help those who only wished to help themselves out of poverty cycle/miserable situation, it'd be better. This is what ODA is doing. Children have to learn to do it on their own, feel miserable while studying but in the end, this acquired knowledge is what that can bring them out of their situation and rebuilt lives.

http://orphansdisabledcambodia.org/

As Akiie Nomiya has said, we have the potential to use our Community network. Why not use it to motivate the underprevilage in Brunei (regardless whether it is for disability or poverty)?

Just a thought. Its exam week and i am thinking things which are exam-non-related. LOL Struggling to keep up with exams. The past papers are terrible but nvm. I wish there is some miracle that can lift my geo and math marks. I hope i can pass all and get a better result than last sem though. AMIN. last sem's result was aweful.

exam heat

The pressure of getting a passing grade and excellent grade is upon us.

And i've been thinking, when i tot hassanal's hair is hotness, Safwan of UBDFM hair is more! like punk rock style, i dig it. Hahaha now for the 3 month hols i want to "change" hahahahaha. in other words, i suppress my self in school, doesn't mean i can't have fun when i am not in school. SOOO. I have been suggested to shave numbur 1. like wat daaaa. AS plang banar. hmm liat la. i love my hair but maybe its time for change. tapi aku malas beusai wah selalu which makes it difficult for me to style up my hair.


Hyper.