eid 2016

Selamat Hari Raya. Maaf Zahir & Batin!

My first eid in Egypt, ever! So many new things happened and I learned a lot from this. And it was so so fun actually.

The night of 1st Syawal, we all gathered at the Malaysian Hall for a free iftar (simply because it's free haha), and for Eid takbir. It reminded me of home, seriously. Cause that's what I usually listen to at the night of Syawal at home, so I had to play tough here. But it wasn't bad after all.

We didn't prepare much for the 1st Syawal. Except for the new outfit, that I once told you before about this one uncle who sews so well and I am his regular customer for the three consecutive years already. For the meal, nayy. Cause we got a lot of open house invitations which was so happy of me haha.

Earlier at the morning:

We slept quite late at 3 am cause Fajr got early now that we spent the night by preparing for our outfits and just enjoying raya songs. It was quite different this time that I wasn't really busy at the night of 1st Syawal, because usually in Malaysia, my mom and I would basically just sleeping in the kitchen hahaha kidding but sort of true. I need to make sure that everyone gets their outfits neat and arranged, I clean up the whole house, rearrange few stuffs in the house and I have to do so many more chores!

It gets different this year, I was one happy free kid. Hahaha.

Since Fajr was early, our Eid prayer started at 530 am. We got ready at 5am to rush for a prayer. All set up and happy. I managed to make a video call to my family in Malaysia to maaf zahir batin everyone and of course asking for duit raya hahaha. Quite disappointed when my duit raya was being postponed till next year.

Still got ones from dad and fiance by the way (happy kid I am).

Eid here was quite fun actually, when we had to do everything by ourselves, it's totally a new experience for me.

Syawal 1st to 6th were fulfilled by open house invitations. We held one on 5th Syawal. Gonna blog about that real soon.

Anyways, Eid Mubarak everybody. May Allah accepts our good deeds. I apologize to everyone if I ever hurt you intentionally/unintentionally. Let this Eid makes us a better person than before.

ramadan 2016

Done. Alhamdulillah.

Everything was so smooth. It's my first time ever to spend the whole Ramadan in Egypt and it wasn't all that bad. First three weeks of Ramadan were great. Despite of having final exams and all, I still managed to juggle them all. Forth week, I got all tired and exhausted. Maybe because I got all the exams done, I just wanted to relieve myself. I slept a lot. I have no appetite at all. Even after 16 hours of fasting and I was fine with having a glass of water for a break fast. #skeletoninthemaking

So, I'm on a multivitamin supplement therapy now to make everything balance back.

I told you guys before how amazing Ramadan here was. It turned to be extra amazing this year when we got a lot of free iftar invitation outside haha. Of course we loved it, even though it was all Egyptian foods (some that I couldn't really eat - plus I am not really a big eater) but the idea of having it free was just great hahaha.

We got a few iftar invitations from the campus, from our Dean, from our beloved Pharmacology lecturers, from Dr Afaf (Pharmacognosy lecturer who gives us free iftar every year without fail!).

And we had this one uncle living in the same neighborhood as us who cook for us EVERYDAY! So every evening before an iftar, he would gave us loads of foods with so many side dishes, fruits, juice and all. Crazyyy. We were so happy actually and we're just so excited to see what's coming on to us on the day. 

After a month of eating Egyptian cuisine, I am now totally look like an Egyptian already haha.

I know! I missed Malaysian foods so so so much. Sometimes we cook another Malaysian side dishes too, cause the stomach just kind of missed the chilli paste. Sigh. You really have no idea how much I missed those Malay foods. *cries* *reminds myself it's only a few months left*

Okay, done talking about food hahaha.

I told you before about my Ramadan goals. Alhamdulillah, I'm really happy to get all that fulfilled. I mean not 100%, I still feel like I'm lacking here and there. 

We managed to khatam the whole Quran and even made a small khatam Quran ceremony hehehe. I missed terawikh prayers too sometimes, but usually we all would prayed terawikh together at the living room. And sometimes just by myself. 

On the last day of Ramadan, I thought to myself about how happy I was to celebrate Ramadan this time and it was so meaningful. I learned a lot too! And my health just amazingly cooperate haha alhamdulillah.

My last Ramadan as a single lady, by the way. I'm happy I made it this way. May Allah bless us all. 

Eid post coming up!

ramadan kareem 2016

As I grow older (plus as I stay longer in Egypt) I realize just how exciting Ramadan is compared to Syawal. I used to be so worried of being not able to drink for 13 hours straight due to my UTI. But the childish me knew nothing. I've reminded myself every year that how amazing Ramadan is when Allah doubles your rewards and so many great things we would receive throughout this holy month that we wish it would be Ramadan the whole year.

I've got to spend my whole Ramadan here in Egypt this year. And Syawal too! Cause Ramadan gets earlier by year, now it clashes with my final exams and summer time too, so yeah. Basically it's 16 hours of fasting with the outside temperature of 40+ degree Celsius. Just wow hahaha. But Allah understands what we've gone through, He knows how we feel. I believe He has His special way to reward us on this.

Ramadan here is pretty exciting. People here celebrate it tremendously compared to Eid. They start to decorate their houses with fanous. The roads are just lighten up with decorations. A few days prior to Ramadan, you've got to see people would give away the foods/raw materials to those who need it. Numerous open invitation to free break fast. People/strangers happily wish you a good Ramadan. Isn't that exciting? The exciting part is the discount you'd get in supermarket hahaha most items are sold on low prices.

My first day of Ramadan went so well. We gathered at my house and prepared for suhoor and break fast together. We would stay up till fajr, so that no one would miss her suhoor (Fajr is at 3 am). Break fast is the exciting part, we cook so many things cause we want to eat so many things hahaha. Our first day of Ramadan just filled with silly conversations pretending we were in Malaysia. I wished we could go to bazaar to buy my fav murtabak. Shela wished she could go to Kedai 1Malaysia near to her house to buy her jajan. Mannn, can't believe I wouldn't be able to go to any bazaar in Malaysia this year.

This is my very first time to spend my whole Ramadan away from home. But it still fells like home anyway when you're surrounded by good companions. That always reminds you to be better,

One of our Ramadan goals is to khatam the al-Quran together. So we've decided to take part of reciting the divided juzuk for each of us.

My personal Ramadan goals are just want to khatam the al-Quran, perform terawikh every night (usually only at home so far) and just do many little things that Allah loves His servant to do. In shaa Allah.

Ramadan Kareem my brothers and sisters.

Ramadan Kareem

Just finished with final exams for semester 6. I don't know if it's just me, but I really feel like this is the longest semester ever. Feels like years long! Anyhow, everything just come to its end, am so happy, literally. Although I didn't really do well this time, a little malas this semester compared to the previous ones.

And Ramadan started just a day after my last final exam paper. My first Ramadan went well alhamdulillah. Because we went shopping in Cairo and had char kuey teow for break fast just beside the small field near to Masjid Hussein. Cairo is really hot, really. Bless you sweat glands for working so hard. Hahaha.

Guess what, I developed a few canker sore (mouth ulcers) just a few day before exam and last until now. Oh my god, how will I describe this pain - especially when you wake up from sleep, it's all dry and painful. Also when you eat, when you talk, when you brush your teeth, when you swallow your own saliva, when you do everything. It hurts! Also, I'm on an orthodontics treatment now (I'm wearing braces now), you see, the bracket makes some friction with the ulcer! I swear if I'm not being patient enough, I would probably climb up to the rooftop and scream at the top of my lung to tell the world to stop pissing me off and be nice while I'm in pain. Hahahah #drama

Am counting days now to go back to my country. So now I'm just killing some times at home, sorting out what to pack, what souvenir to give to my family in Malaysia, what to cook for break fast, you know.. things your moms usually do. Hahaha.

Of course I'm excited to go back, specially when it's Ramadan now. The image of bazaar ramadan near to my house has always popped out in my head. The smell of mutabak. The sour taste of somtam. My mom's chili prawns, the coldness of laicikang, the durians after break fast. Basically it's all about food okayyy!

Well, the upside of fasting here, I'm happy to witness how people are really looking forward to Ramadan. They are welcoming Ramadan so much it feels so different here. People are giving away foods and goods. They start to decorate their buildings and street and hanging lanterns everywhere. You can see colourful lights afar off. It's just amazing.

Much less like in Malaysia, everybody is spending more time with Al Quran.

Plus it's summer in here and the day is much longer than the night. I tell you, it's really hot here, I'm sometimes proud of myself that I actually unconsciously able to bear 2 hours of sweating whilst traveling in a public transport here. I can even fast asleep like that. You see, you'll get used to it. You have no choice hahah.

Everything that comes from Allah is all nice, by the way.

Enjoy your Ramadan brothers and sisters.

(picture from.. obviously google.com)

Arrival

8 hours on the plane. 5 hours transit in Kuwait. 2 hours journey to Cairo. 24 hours crying. Seriously, I cried a lot on the plane. Immersed my face into the shawl that I put on my head and sobbing non-stop. And I got an attention of a person who sat next to me. She asked me then, "Are you okay?". I said, "I'm sad. Don't you feel sad?"

Pffft. I hate myself. When I still want to be friendly even though I was not in the good mood. And I looked like stupid then when asking such stupid question. Never mind then. My sadness took its tool on me. 

(That girl is now my classmate and we are okay).

You know, I shed tears almost all the time. Didn't care how big the eyebags would came next. 

Anyhow, I tried to motivate myself that I come here to study. Pharmacist, yes. Pharmacist, yes. Then I cried again. Oh pleaseeee. A lot of dramas.

And sitting for hours in a plane actually bored me. I was thinking about Mini Shopaholic novel that Shushy has promised to give me, but she never give me, Janji Melayu ever. Then I remember about Shushy, how close we were and I sobbed again. Haaah, so fragile then.

Okay. This is Suez Canal. Godddd, very beautiful view. And someone told me that long, small white dots were the ships. Oh right, History subject, Form 2. Right. Now I knew.

Egypt. Pastel buildings' colour. Sandy. Dusty. One week here and I still got cough.

My ex diploma coursemate, Rab, she told me to be good here, to study well here, bla bla bla heheh and I was touched when she said, always be careful of what you say and do. This is bumi barakah. She made me ponder for minutes. She's right. I should behave. You can't find wacky Qistina in Egypt, but honestly, I'm in the process of being a good person. I learn new things every day. So yes, please guy, just pray for my best. 

:)

Ramadhan

Ramadhan comes again. Shouldn't feel any more grateful and blessed for being given a chance to meet Ramadhan again. They say all our pahala will be double. Thus everybody know this is a really good time to make more of good deeds. 

(Photo from Tumblr)

Happy Ramadhan guys. No backbitting, no? Haha. :)

Eid 2011

My lilttle sister and I in one of candid pictures.

Alhamdulillah, 30 days of Ramadhan flew leaving me as a strong servant to Allah. And today's first Syawal, the day that we celebrate the victory of us Moslems as we managed to survive a month of Ramadhan, the month that encourages us to against and control our lust. Alhamdulillah. Mine was being all well.

Praise to Allah.

Selamat Hari Raya Aildilfitri. Maaf zahir & batin guys. Have a blast one.

Went all green. This wasn't my plan at all. But what do you expect with so much little time? Wear all that you have! Haha.

This is Nik Damia. My cousin's baby girl. She's the princess of the day and her eyes were really big. I was feeding her with some biscuit while whispered something to that food praying that my daughter will pop out to be this cute. Hehe. *touching the womb.

Ramadhan

Do’a Malaikat Jibril Menjelang Ramadhan,
Ya Allah tolong abaikan puasa ummat Muhammad,apabila sebelum memasuki bulan Ramadhan dia tidak melakukan berikut:

Tidak mohon maaf dahulu kepada kedua org tuanya,
Tidak bermaafan dahulu antara suami isteri,
Tidak bermaafan dahulu dgn org sekitarnya.
Maka Rasulullah mengatakan Amiin sebanyak 3 kali.

I read this somewhere and I realized that I've sinned a lot. I might take things for granted before. Being far from my parents actually connects us more often. So I texted Mama and Papa wishing them for fasting and asked for their forgiveness. I was crying you see. I miss them. Papa that I've known, he loves spreading advice. He told me to not miss my prayer, be good in KL and he said that he missed me. Oh my, I was crying.

Mama as always, she keep telling me to always wake up for sahur and always take a good care of my health. She knows me well, bacteria loves me much.

Selamat menyambut bulan Ramadhan, guys. May Allah will always leads us to His path. Amin.