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.