When in Bali

Still owe a wedding blog post.

But never mind. Still in the honeymoon story.

One of the highlights of our trip to Bali was a-day trip to Uluwatu and Tanah Lot. Cause we stayed in Kuta and hired a tourist guide to there.

Well, I heard they were beautiful. And they really were! Yes of course the nature lover (who else?) loved it so much, he said, "Alright, give me some me time to just enjoy this view". Duhh, "You can just Youtube this, no need to be so focus". I was right, right? Hahaha.

Okay, so Tanah Lot first. Yes, so nice. Calm. No wonder people would come here to pray and meditate. But I simply can't do that - cause there were a lot of tourist. Hahaha. It was really nice, I lost my words to describe this. Our tourist guide was a kind man, he knew what we needed. What I wanted. He kept telling the whole stories about Bali to us (sometimes I snored away, Ameerul listened to him with a full concentration) but it was interesting.

We stopped by Pandawa Beach and Nusa Dua to pray. And to eat ayam betutuk (not again, thanks) at the famous restaurant there. And what's interesting for me was that mosque in Nusa Dua which was located next to 4 other places of worship (Catholics church, Protestants church, Hindu temple and Buddhist temple).

Anddd to see how the locals processed the Luwak coffee. Nay Nescafe, you shouldn't feel threatened. I'm still gonna choose you over the bitter Luwak coffee. Hahaha. But everyone should see Ameerul's face when he tried ginger coffee cause they also served another 12 cups of variety of coffee. Funnayyy. Not a big problem for me - hot ginger drink is my monthly drink routine.

Oh yes, Uluwatu finally! Much less like Tanah Lot. Cause it's a temple. But the scenery there was totally breathtaking. Couldn't stop taking Boomerang shots and amazed by the beauty of the waves. Awhh. Major love!

And then we moved to see a romantic sunset in New Kuta.

Uluwatu Temple and the head of...some boy.

Hahahaha.

beach boy

Just thought that Ameerul needs his own post on how much he loved nature while we were in Bali. Not just Bali! Well, I deserve a blog post of myself too, since I needed to be with him all the time and sitting next to him accompanying him enjoying the beach breeze. Like what?! Hahaha.

(I'm not a travel blogger, so don't expect anything haha).

So, Kuta Beach. It was nice, but too crowded. Maybe because it was near to Kuta town that it became the easiest access to everyone. It was 10 minutes away by foot from our first hotel. It was nearbyto a mall - Beachwalk Mall I think, Hard Rock too and many more. So it was much less like the hot spot for the tourists. I personally didn't like the idea of staying here for a long time, cause it's too crowded. Literally crowded. Yeah, maybe it was on weekend, but still weekdays also the same. But someone loved it here, so we (I) needed to stay hahaha.

Next, Segara Beach. Niceeee. Much better than Kuta Beach. Actually all beaches look the same to me. With the waves, sand and all. But this one's better because it was a lot less calmer than the previous one. Still, a lot of people came here too, but this one's overlooking a shopping mall. Hahaha so no wonder I gave it a credit lol. I mean, it was a win-win situation right, for both of us. 

And then, my favvvvv beach of all! Pandawa Beach! Wohooo. The best ever. I wish I could swim in here. It was a clean, crystal clear beach. But we can't because we were on our way to Uluwatu, so we just stopped here for a while. I really loved it here. Nice, clean, calm and not crowded. And of course the beach boy loved it so so so much. He told me so many times that he just wanted to stay there for a day. No, we can't dude. Gather your sense. Haha. So he decided to play by the seaside, immersing his both feet for the first time in Bali, guys. Cause it was so tempting and it's just so rude not to do that to the perfect beach. Awhh, even the hate-the-hot-places girl woman like me also wanted one. Hehehe. 

And Dreamland Beach in New Kuta. Not in Kuta but somewhere in a new developing town called New Kuta. Also nice but we were already in love with Pandawa Beach so we felt like nothing left we wanted to see hahaha so useless both of us. We were just here for sunset by the way. 

To be honest, I didn't really like the idea of the beach. Cause it's too sandy hahaha oh my god I'm so spoiled. Yesss, the sand will follow you to the hotel room and you'll just get itchy by that. It sticks to your shawls and clothes. Even your hotel bathroom showers salty water. Hahaha. But yes, you got someone opposite to you. I got Ameerul, the beach lover.

 What. A. Luck.

Hahaha. So, wish me luck.

eat, pray, love

Hahahaha.

Naah! Just because we were in Bali. But I swear, we weren't really "eat, pray, love" there. Yeahh, probably putting on "love" element a little bit. But most of the time, we were just... be us. Haha. We fought. We argued. Then only we loved. And the cycle repeated. Hahaha I swear I felt like going on a trip with my best friend. We can just relax, be ourselves, teased each other, wrestled each other (read: tickled my bone cause I'm so skinny I have no fat hahaha). And that's how I dreamed it to be. Not necessary to be in love all the time.

So how was Bali? Bali was sooooo nice. I mean, Bali itself. Minus the people. I don't really prefer crowded (and hot) places (read: Egypt hahaha) but yeah Bali was so beautiful. The beaches, the waterfall, the greens and all. Ameerul loved the beaches so much, I just knew, that he could be there for a long period of time just staring at the waves with a total dont-talk-to-me kind of concentration. Oh god. I thought he must be in a deep thought about something then later he said, "That waves used to be strong a while ago". W.E.I.R.D. I married a weird nature lover. Hehehe. While I am more to a history lover.

We'd been there for 6 days and 5 nights. Not too long but not too short, just nice that we were able to have some good times for ourselves after those tired phase of wedding. Just chilling by the beaches - almost everyday zzz and strolling around Kuta town, by foot that we insisted we were a total tourist we should explored everything by our own hahahaha not funny. Kuta town was near to our hotel by the way. We didn't take any tour to anywhere except to Uluwatu and Tanah Lot.

We learnt a lot about each other throughout this trip. He may not be the same person you've ever knew for 6 years until you live with him. He's normal by the way haha don't worry. It's just that I was able to learn a new side of him that made me fell in love with him even deeper. And also a new side of him that sometimes you just wanted to strangle him hahaha, I did that by the way, literally. And that's when he tickled my rib bone zzz.

And also this would be a very meaningful trip for both of us too. It's our first trip together by the way. We felt rather sad as well because we both knew we didn't have much time left before I flew back to Egypt for another 1 year, so we tried our best to just spend our time wisely together. That's sad. He said this to me when he stared at the waves at the beach then he held my hand while saying, "I'm gonna miss you". God, just thank God. He's normal after all, thinking about me, not only about that freaking waves pattern hahaha.

But anyway, it was just perfect there. With him. And everything.

 Our first hotel.

The truth was; we still felt awkward to hug each other in a photo, publicly hahaha.

Can someone move the woman? Hahaha

In front of our second hotel. 

Short people problem. When you're just as tall as his chest. But my face matters more. Lol.

just married

 17 September 2016.

Still feel like a dream. I finally got married to my fiance (he's been my boyfriend for 6 years by the way - too long that too many things that we've been through together). Definitely one of my accurate decisions in my life, marrying this boy.

Still can't believe that we're both now a husband and a wife. I have a huge hope that he will be able to lead me to the Allah's path. Also, may we both are able to protect our marriage and live happily in dunya and in Jannah as well.

I'm just married, guys! :) *feeling emotional*

More wedding stories coming up! *warning*

dean's list

Ameerul just graduated (not yet having convocation) his Engineering school around last month. I must say, what a perfect ending for him. Cause I know how much he struggled for his degree. And just how many sleepless nights he'd been through. Of course, I'm proud.

Because he got a Dean's List for his final semesterrr! Yayy! How can I not proud?!

I called him one morning, he said, "I'm at the post office right now. I have some good news, I'll call you back".

Oh, okay. I couldn't guess any. I'd genuinely thought it was all about our wedding plan, so I patiently waited. He came home and texted me his result. I stared for a quite some time, switching my eyes between his GPA and his name. Again to his GPA and his name. Okay, this is really his, I said.

Not that I didn't believe him, but yeah couldn't believe my eyes!

My fiance managed to raise his CGPA, as he wished! Wohoo. I was extra happy for him, cause I remember he said he really wanted to do better for his final year. He had a constant aim to raise his CGPA and to get himself a Dean's List (He didn't say it directly, but I understand his target).

All of his efforts are paid off now. He made his dream came true.

I congratulated him the whole day hahaha cause I knew exactly how much he wanted this, I simply just wanna make him feel appreciated, then he said, "Okay, you may stop now". Hahaha.

Then, I asked, "What do you want for a present?"

He said, "Nothing. Just you."

Me, "Okay, we'll be getting married anyway".

Alright. Easy, right? I didn't have to reward him with anything. Haha.

darah manis

How sweet is my blood right now?

Malay people regards anyone who will get married as darah manis. I've been receiving this a lot lately especially a month before my wedding. And they say, the darah manis people are so fragile; they tend to get sick easily, they will get hurt physically easily, cannot meet the partner too often (I skip this one) and they need to be extra extra extra careful of what they do.

Not sure if Malay people are overthinking hahaha or is it something that we just need to be careful of.

My aunts won't let me do any heavy chores, they worry if I scratch myself. Mak was so worried letting me go on board the plane the other day, she kept saying I was darah manis. Ameerul's mom too said, "Take care, darah manis now".

 Now I feel like I own a new position in society hahaha.

Shushy is cooler about this, she too keeps saying I need to take care of myself but she's pretty cool handling anything that happened to me. I got sick the other day and all that she said was, "It's normal for darah manis people to be sick. You just relax and take Fisherman's Friends".

-____-

Meanwhile my parents are just so cool. They don't have any problem letting me go anywhere. Cause I live with my parents right now, and the only thing that they've concerned so much is my eating pattern. They just want me to eat well so I won't get sick. That's all. (All parents are like that).

Ameerul on the other hand is so gelabah. Hahaha. He keeps worrying about me. I can't move! When I was out, he's just so worried and said, "Take care darah manis". When I coughed, he said, "When will you be fine? We just have 2 weeks to go. Take care darah manis". When I ate, "Eat a lot darah manis".

Zzzz hahaha.Chill okay? You don't have to include darah manis in every sentences!

And speaking about him, he's still sick. And he doesn't like medicine. While I am here already finished my second strips of Panadol because of my I-don't-know-where's-coming-from headache. Sigh. I am too dependent on Panadol everytime I get headache. Ameerul's so worried about my kidney, he said, "You know exactly the side effects of Panadol, right? Remember you are darah manis now". Hahaha now he's all over that again!

solemnization dress

What's so hard to decide about is the colour. All colours are pretty.

I wanted it to be soft yellow, then I thought off white would be nice as well. Then, why not beige?

Ameerul was simple, "I don't really mind, as long as it's not pink". Must be easy being a man.

One morning in last November, his mom sent me a few pictures of a beautiful lacey fabric, she said, "Cantik tak?"

Yes, so cantik. I fell in love with them, I thought to myself that it would have been really nice if I could get that. But I was in Egypt and it's so far away from me, how could I asked her to help me buy that.

But she said, "I already bought them for you two. It's peach."

OH MY GOD. So happpyyyyy!

Hahaha. I instantly imagined how Ameerul would act. Cause I knew he wouldn't agree with this colour. But one thing for sure, he would agree with anything that his parents has decided. Anything.

I asked, "Did Ashraf know about this?"

Her mom said, "No, you tell him".

Hahaha yes. I can't wait. I forwarded him the pictures and asked, "Cantik tak?"

He said, "Cantik sangat sayang".

The climax, "Kan? Your mom already bought them for us. It's in peach".

Silence. 

Hahahaha. 

Then he started to speak, "Why? Why it's peach? I don't want peach."

Me, "I thought u said you are fine with anything except pink."

Him, "Yaaa, pink. And peach".

Lol. So fun seeing him suffer like this.

I said, "So maybe the moral value here is, always get yourself involve with the preparation. Don't just say, I'm fine with anything. Hehehe".

He replied, " Ahhhhh, how now?".

Hahahaha.

Can't stop laughing for 2 days. 

We'll still go with peach. And he started to accept the fact that we would be in peach. So jambu, right? I can't wait.

But now, another headache, what design should I choose? All are pretty, I'm confused.

Bridesmaid

I don’t really have enough time to travel to all places to deliver my wedding invitation cards, cause you know firstly, I come back home quite late, so I really have to spend my time wisely and secondly, my friends are utterly scattered all over Malaysia! It’s impossible to just go to Penang to hand the card to Irfan then go further to Perlis to see Iffa. I mean, you think I own a private jet or what? Hahaha.

And yes thank god we have Facebook now (Mark Zuckerberg really helps in all way!) that I can just send them the invitation online. How easy the life is! But since they’ve limited the number of guests, now up to 500 guests only zzz, so I need to go through all my friends properly and select the suitable ones.

Mark needs to understand, we Malay people just need to invite all the friends as a sign of a common courtesy. Of course, not everyone could come. They may have their own priority, but dear Mark, we just gotta invite them okay.

So I thought I made a perfect decision, until…

Two goons appeared.

Shushy commented on the invitation page wall saying she couldn’t come. While inserting her ‘emotion’ as sad, she said she’s too getting married on the same day as mine.

Guys, she’s totally single and not interested in marriage, until now. She’s really bored and tried being playful here. I played along, of course.

I said, “Yeah, feel sad too. It’s okay, we can exchange the door gifts later”.

Then another goon, Syad came. She added, “Me too. Not sure if I could come. We’ll see”.

Hahaha.

Ladies and gentlemen, those goons are happened to be my bridesmaids. And they always think they’re funny – which I don’t get them sometimes.

But for sure, these people surely had so much time.

Oh yes, I had some leisure time too, so I said, “ Don’t come you people, not gonna be enough rice”.

So now, I am their goon.

 Hahaha.

braces update

When I told my dentist that I’m getting married this summer break, he paused for a few minutes, pouting his lips, his hand on chin while staring deeply into his clinic wall, he continued “I don’t think we can get your teeth done before that”.

I know it! “Told ya already but you still procrastinating!” – I said in my heart.

Okay, keep calm Qissy. You are just a patient, not a dentist! Hahaha.

Anyway, it wasn’t a surprise. I’ve expected it to be like this and I’m ready to just carry these metals along with me on the pelamin.

All that he did was fixing my braces tightly, because I will be away from him for 2 months. And of course, the colour of my rubber!

That was tough. But thank god Dr Ahmed wasn’t like any other typical man who would just simply give up with the women being all fussy about the colours.

When he put the wire over my teeth, I noticed he tried to take a pink rubber to seal the wire. I was freak out! Cause it wasn’t a normal pink guys, it was a bright pink. Very bright. I hate to admit, my teeth are slightly yellowish now since I’m wearing braces for almost a year already. So, naah. Bright pink rubber and off white teeth = contraindicated!

When he tried to put the pink rubber, I was kinda afraid to say no. I wasn’t that friendly with Dr Ahmed. He’s my new orthodontist by the way. My former one was Dr Mahmoud – wonder where he went. But this is my future, I said in my heart. This pink colour will stay forever in my wedding pictures.

I tried to be brave, with my mouth wide open since I still had a long wire lining on my upper teeth waiting to be sealed with that rubbers, I raised my hand and waved it, “La’a”. It means no in Arabic.

He looked confused. I added, “I don’t want pink. Can I have a dark colour?”

Now he understand. He replied, “Uh oh. You want this?”, showing me bright blue.

“No”, I replied. Oh my god, I didn’t want to be so fussy. But I said, “Maybe maroon?”

“Hahahaha”, he laughed. Oh god, thank god he laughed. It meant we weren’t really in a tense. He’s friendly anyway, he’s not like what I thought about him. Now I liked him, my new orthodontist. How could I ever think of him as a no-fun dentist? Bad me! And now I could be fussy, perhaps? Hahaha.

Then he said, “Alright. I will put all different colours on you and then you can choose”.

See? Isn’t his wife so lucky? Must be so cool having him as a shopping companion. Oh by the way, my old dentist also was so cool too. Dr Mahmoud gave me a box of full of different colour of rubbers for me to choose while he fixed my teeth. Yes on that bloody chair. So u can imagine me lying down on the dental chair, opening my mouth while holding the box up in the air thinking what colour to choose. Lol. Totally understand how to deal with female patients.

So anyway, Dr Ahmed put a black rubber, next to that bright pink and then an orange rubber.  He added, "You don't like pink? I think this pink's nice". Nayy, bad taste you Doctor. Just stay cool there and don't try to choose that pink again - you're gonna lose your coolness. Then he asked his assistant to bring me a mirror for me to see my teeth on that.

Hmmm. So hard, I know. This couldn’t be done in minutes. The image of my wedding dress appeared. Then the pelamin. Oh god. Give me the whole day please? Hahaha #overacting

Alright. “I want this”, showing the emerald green rubbers in the box.

“Hahahaha. This?”. God! He laughed again. Now we’re friends! Hahaha. “Okay”.

So yes, emerald green for my 2-months braces rubber. I like it, it isn’t that obvious but it won’t get stained easily. Plus I couldn’t find any dental clinic here that can fix my braces. So, let’s just play it safe.

Teeth update: My teeth moved. Slightly. Only.

Sigh.

Bridal shower

I sensed something strange was happening around when my cousin, Ina kept texting me even before I touched down to Malaysia from Egypt. She needed the exact date on when I would be free and she said she really needed to see me. Guys, Ina is someone who always has something going on on her mind, she’s like the natural event planner. I knowwww. She did the same during my other cousin’s wedding. And now, it’s my turn.

She would gather all of my friends, I didn’t know since when. But one time, when she called me to ask me about tonight’s dinner, she said, “Can you pass the phone to Ameerul?”. They talked for quite some time then I asked Ameerul, “Are you planning a bridal shower for me?”

Ameerul be like, “Errr.. what’s that? No lah”.

Guys, it meant yes. I know my man.

He never succeeds on making any surprise on me. I always got to know everything ahead.

(He forgot my middle name, FBI)

But I needed to know what’s going to happen tonight. I said to him “I’m not going there tonight.” He said, “But we promised them”.

Okay. I told my Mak again, “Don’t feel like going there tonight”. Mak really had no choice so she spilled all the secrets. Mak and Ameerul warned me to not tell Ina about this hahaha. It was so funny seeing how hard they tried to persuade me to join them. It was so funny. Okay guys, I actually really wanted to go to the dinner. I just teased them okay, but I’d never knew Mak and Ameerul were so afraid until they spilled all the secrets hahaha.

So we promised to meet at 8 pm. I knew Shushy would be there as well. And it was the first time Shushy and the other Dolls met my cousins (Ina and Baby), so you can see now how diligent Ina was haha. Ameerul picked me up at 8.30 pm and he said, “Please don’t let them know that I’ve told you everything”. Babe, he can’t be a special force agent, failed! Haha.

When I reached there, I sneaked through the door for quite some time. And those people just didn’t realize. Oh god, look at them playing with my balloons. Taking my crown and wore it. Posing some selfies with my crown some more. So rude, no self control these people! Hahaha.

I entered the café silently and went straight to the table. Yes, they were all so surprised hahaha. They really had no choice but to just laugh! Failed, you guys. Now you know why I am the real FBI agent hahaha.

I made the entrance again and now we were all seated just to find another surprise for me and Ameerul. Cakes, balloons and all.

We just laughed and laughed until midnight. Shushy slept over at my Mak’s house with me, it was so long since we both catch up with each other’s stories.

That night, it means a lot to me. I'm blessed. :)

Feverish and flu

A week after I touch down to Malaysia, I feel uneasy. My body aches here and there. My nose is running heavily (yuck). Don’t mention my throat, ahhh so painful. Everything seems so hard to be swallowed. I feel like there’s a huge stone that blocks my throat from everything. Oh yes, don’t forget my best friends, ulcers who suddenly grow everywhere.

My body temperature rises a little bit. I don’t really have the appetite to eat now. Cause the more you eat, the more painful you get. My ulcers really take a long time to heal.

Ulcers are normal for me. But having a fever, hmm… Not really. I don’t usually have flu, fever or cough. That’s why I don’t keep any cold medications. But Panadol is compulsory.

Ameerul is feverish as well now. When I call him, he sounds so ill. I can tell that his nose is so full with snot hahaha. Euww. But that’s how I am too.

He sent me off to the airport the other day on my way back to Kelantan then he said, “We both are really meant for each other right? When I sick, you also sick”.

Hahaha. Oh my god, what kind of a pick u line is this early in the morning?

And Shushy on the other note is so bored now, she keeps texting me everyday telling me to get well again. Cause she’s afraid I may look ugly on my wedding day if I keep being sick like this. She tried to calm me down that it’s normal for the people who wants to get married to be feverish. Really? Is she crazy or is it a true fact? She keeps complaining too that I am so so skinny. I’m struggling now to gain some weight. And it’s really hard!

But it’s really true! I look so ugly now, cause I’m sick. My face is so pale. My lips are dry. I look haggard. Shouldn’t I be glowing right now? Hahaha.

I remember when I needed to catch an early morning flight the other day, I really look bad. I asked Ameerul to get me a face mask. Cause I really felt ugly. I kept sneezing every other minute too! And to make it worst, I needed to sit next to a pregnant lady in the plane. Awhh, I felt so bad she kept clutching her tummy, as if protecting her baby from my germs hahaha. I slept with my shades on, with a tissue on my hand, with a Strepsils in my mouth.

I take Chlorampheniramine (antihistamine – you can get it OTC) for now, which is quite drowsy. I choose the drowsy med, so I can sleep. And now I’m just the ugly-sleepyhead-sick lady.

When will this ends?

*cough* *wipes snots*

wedding card

As I'm writing you this, I am 60 days prior to my wedding.

So,

Pelamin - checked
Bridesmaids - checked
Photographer - checked
Henna booking - checked
Cake - checked. (Oh, just my sister the bakery girl gonna do it)
Catering & Canopy - mom probably has checked these
Wedding card - just checked

Just checked?! Yea, 2 months before the wedding and I only rushed to look for a card designer, online to be specific. Lol. I had the whole plan in my head already about the card. I want it to be like this, like that, this colour, this design but I just had no time.

So now I'm done with the exams and okay, I surveyed this online. Thank god we have it all online now. Some refused to do it because they are afraid of not getting it done within the given time. I was quite frustrated cause there was this one site who got me all crazy over her designs but she won't take any orders anymore. Arghhh.

Can I just write the invitation on the piece of leaf or something? I'm inviting you guys sincerely okay but no printing company would take me anymore! Hahaha.

(Note to self: Last minute preparation isn't always good)

But thank god, I found another site which having much less the same design as the previous one. She told me to place the orders quickly, yeaaa I understand we are late! Okay, okay.

She works fast. I got the design of my card for my final evaluation in 2 days after I made the order.

All good, so she printed them.

Showed it to Ameerul, he said "Can't believe my name is there, finally (inserting love-eyed emoticon)".

Can't believe it too. You are not alone.

*inserting love-eyed emoticon too*

choosing the date

Whoa I'd never really thought preparing for a wedding would be this huge of a headache. Choosing a date is already painful haha. Because the big issue here is I'm absent in my country, the place where the wedding would take place.

So everybody just have to wait for me to come back, of course. But apparently I am not the main issue here. It seems like everybody wants to go to my wedding, but they are going to get engaged with another things as well and we have to make a slight change on the tentative. Basically, me as a bride, my schedule doesn't really matter here haha.

I received a few request from relatives and friends to choose a proper date so everybody could attend. Well, of course I want everyone to come. Especially those close relatives and friends that are so dear to my life. One problem with me, sometimes I try to fulfill everything that people request from me, when actually I need to focus more on me, myself.

But I loveeeeee these people, I want them to come.

So, my last resort was to let my dad decided. Dad has this power that no one dares to defy. Dad made a discussion with Ameerul's parents and they have set a date! Easy!

Ameerul and I will just go with anything that our parents has decided. Speaking about wedding preparation, Ameerul is a simple guy (or lazy?). He'll just agree with anything, rarely complain, and so fast in running any errands. The only thing that he would disagree is, a pink colour outfit. He trusts my choices, I know! Of course, after I convince him about how good I am as an event planner (which he doesn't really buy but I still want what I've planned haha).

Oh my god. It's a really long journey for us. Even though we'd never had any slightest idea that we would get married this year, I think Allah has made is easy for us and everybody.

Hope this will last forever (despite of how I behave hahaha), In shaa Allah.

virtual preparation

For wedding receptions, we are all agreed to make one on my side this year, and one on his side next year. I'm truly happy with this decision. Cause it feels like you are getting married twice hahaha regardless with the same person, but never mind, still gonna love him next year though. Lol.

So I'm only focusing on the reception on my side which happen to be on the same day as my solemnization. I thought of making a solemnization at night, so that we could have a lot of free time in the morning to prepare for the reception in the afternoon. But dad says so, so okay. Hahaha.

To be honest, it is a major headache. Not as fun as you girls imagine it to be. Not gonna sugarcoat it - I'm going to be honest here. You got to deal with a lot or organizers just to confirm about a single thing, like henna. And my biggest weakness is that, I want to do everything by myself. Not that kind of a perfectionist or what, but I'd prefer to do it myself, so that I'm satisfied! Not that I don't trust anyone, but yeah I trust myself more hahaha.

Sometimes I would send  lot of pictures about wedding dresses to my girls (Shushy and Syad, mostly) to ask them for their opinion, but really, I have this weakness to not listen/listen too much to what people say and end up being confused.

So, it's tiring. Someday, you just want to forget about all these things and wish that it's possible to hire someone that would think the same way as you do.

But thank god that I'm living in a developing-technology era that things just get easier now. I'm half way done with the preparations, just by WhatsApp. Easy. I'm not usually this simple, but then I realize I really have no choice but to make everything done before I get back to my country, one month before the real ceremony starts!

Which is also another headache.

My mom has this constant worries if we can't get anything ready before the date. Shushy keeps whatsapping me asking for update, she's worried sick.

I know this is not right. Preparing for a wedding is supposed to be fun.

I'm having fun here. Hahaha but I'm feeling the pressure too. Because I'm doing everything here alone, away from the place where I'm gonna get married at.

I talked about this to Ameerul's mom and she's being so positive that she said, "Not everyone go through what we go through. This is a new experience for you. A valuable experience".

She's right.

Who else having a summer training at the hospital watching people seeking for a medical treatment while thinking about the wedding dress that I still have no idea about hahaha.

Just one thing, please make me beautiful on that day, dear Allah.

Hahaha.

I'm serious.

engagement

Right. I'm engaged. On 21 August 2015.

I'd never thought that I would coming back to Malaysia last summer break for an engagement of mine!

I mean, of course I realize I'll be graduating on 2017 (which means 27 year-really-old Qistina haha), like come on, I think I've told you that I dreamed of a wedding at a young age, simply because I wanted to see my children grow up. But I have to wait for me to graduate first.

But I know thing isn't going so well on me that I have no choice but to wait until I'm 27. And my partner (Ameerul) is also 27.

It happened when my dad kept asking me “How about you getting married next year?”. I said nothing. Sometimes I just nodded. Because he repeatedly asking the same question to me. Or sometimes it went like, “Have you tell Ameerul about you guys are getting married next year? Or “You’re going to graduate with a degree and a grandchild for me”.

I don’t know if I have to agree or not with this, cause I’d never plan anything ahead regarding a wedding in the nearest time except after my graduation. Okay, actually I started this first hahaha I joked around telling him that how about next year would be my turn to get married. I’d never know dad would take this seriously. I believe this is a huge decision of his life; I know I’m his favorite child, so obvious. *smirk*

So I told Ameerul about this, then Ameerul conveyed this message to his parents few days after that, surprisingly his mom responded, “Okay we are going to Kelantan next week to merisik”.

*speechless*

His mom always had this intention to make this relationship official between me and his son. Not necessary to engage or get married or something. Just parents-parents kind of thing with a ring and all – basically to agree that our kids are seeing each other, let’s make it official for them. She told me every time we met, I noticed. But everything is up to my dad. If he agrees, then I agree. Right, must be so hard letting go his first precious daughter.

Plus our families know about us and Ameerul has met our family several times and so do I. We’ve been together for more than 6 years now. He’d been there in every moments of my life; graduation, working, departure for my degree, wedding of my family members and all.

And me, personally I’m still so surprise. It happens so fast.

Truthfully, Ameerul and I hadn’t involved much in this. His dad called my dad to discuss about this. My mom with his mom. Me and Ameerul were more like mannequins here, all that we said was, “Are we dreaming?” “This ceremony is about us, right?” – to double check with each other hahaha.

So in a week, both families were prepared for this merisik thingy. His mom texted me that she’s going to find a ring for me and asked me about what kind of ring that I wanted. I said, anything. I don’t mind. I was going to love whatever she has chosen, I said. So the ring was a surprise, I didn’t get to see the ring till the merisik day.

We didn’t prepare a ring for Ameerul, cause it’s only merisik.

And then on 21st August's morning,

His family including Ameerul arrived and my other relatives started to gather at my house, they were eating, chatting, resting (cause they came all the way from Seremban via early morning flight). Then the real ceremony started after Jumaat prayer.

Me? I was more like a headless chicken. Been here and there, serving foods, most of the time doing dishes, serving foods again. You know, things your mother-in-law would probably look into every daughter-in-law hahaha.

They seemed to have a very relaxing discussion at the living hall, I heard people laugh sometimes, I could hear his father muttering some words cause he’s being the spokesperson for the ceremony then my aunt asked me to join them. I crouch down there politely and suddenly I became the center of attention, my aunt whispered “They wanna know if you’re already taken?”

“What?!” – I said in my heart.

This is funny okay. You know I’m always a drama queen but this is beyond my ability, in front of my own family members some more hahaha. So I said half shyly while spontaneously covering my face with a shawl that I wore, “Not yet”.

And all the uncles there cheered in a high pitched voice and laughed (to celebrate me for still being single – at 25 year old I would add hahaha).

They discussed a few things more then the only thing I knew was his mum giving me a ring. It was beautiful, I swear. Love at the first sight!

Then, we sat on a long chair, his mom shoved the ring gently into one of my fingers. People surrounded us to take good pictures of us. I couldn’t describe the feeling. Felt like dreaming. It’s true because I’d never imagine to come back to Malaysia for my summer break to finally engaged. We didn’t plan anything!

I thought we agreed on having an engagement next year, just a couple of hours before solemnization. But my dad wanted to make things easy for everyone, “Let’s just consider this as engagement. We want to make things simpler”, he said.

"Like really dad? You like him that much?" - I said to myself.

No, actually, dad wanted to make things simpler. Less is more. (Dad's first law)

But everyone agreed, to my surprise.

Yes, I was surprised.

Because, 1) If I knew this would be an engagement, I swear I would dress nicely. 2) I would definitely dress nicely! 3) I hate the outfit that I wore on that day. Sometimes, I wonder just how stupid I can be? Hahaha.

But I know Ameerul was so relieved. Speaking of him, he was there. He was joining the conversation all along and acting like a matured man. He barely looking at me (he insisted he played a professional here, but I think he was playing safe) and we didn’t really talk to each other.

Truthfully, I didn’t really know every bits of matters of discussion cause I barely presented there. I knew this from Ameerul, who sat next to his father and once everyone agreed with the decision, he shook everyone’s hands.

“Right. My fiancé”, I said to myself.

We send them back to the airport for a late night flight back to Kuala Lumpur.

I came back to home, lying down on my bed, just staring at my ring.

Still felt like a dream.

Then I said to myself, "Wait, I'm getting married next year? I haven't get my teeth done yet! Omagod!"

summer hospital training

Going back to Malaysia in 2 days wohoo. Of course, I'm all excited. Should've have been feeling this earlier but I told you we all had a hospital training to attend, I postponed my holiday for a month zzz.

When my dad asked me about this, I said, "It's bored. We listened to lectures and seeing patients, that's all". But honestly, I learned a lot of things through this.

So now it's all over. 4 weeks of hospital training had over. And also we'd done with the final presentation. Truth be told, it wasn't all that bad. I had fun, really. Even though I had to go to the hospital everyday seeing the patients, attending the lectures for hours, in the hot summer - to be added. But never mind - it's all ended now. Hahaha.

And so we had a presentation to finish this. Supposedly the presentation would be after we finished with all the training, which means it's gonna be soooo late. We (ie: I) were running out of time! We desperately wanted to end this early, I even spoke to one of the coordinators to make everything so fast. She asked me why? I really have no choice but to answer, "I have to get married in Malaysia this summer break" hahaha.

(My apologize to any Egyptian colleagues who are happen to be reading this. Trust me, we aren't selfish. But we really have to back to Malaysia. We have to book the plane ticket early - so it won't be too expensive. And the time is very limited. Hahaha).

So yeah, she made it early, in the middle of the training. We had one day off of the training just for the presentation. She said "I made this for you. You Malaysian people are always polite". Yes of course, I was flattered. How could I respond to her kindness. Awhh. Bless her.

My team

And then like the usual annual routine, we had a class photo shoot. Everyone agreed to wear all green, so that's the theme of our class portrait for semester 8.

And so, we've done with Year 4 officially. 

See you guys again for Year 5, our final year. Seriously, can't wait to end this.