Ahlan ya Ramadhan

Alhamdulillah, I am grateful that Allah has blessed me with another chance of meeting Ramadhan this year.

Muslims in Brisbane will start fasting on Monday, but people back in Malaysia has started their fast today. The moon was not sighted last night, so the muslim board has decided that fasting will start on Monday. Read the article about a united Ramadhan here. Although it would be desirable if everyone in the world could fast at the same time, for me, I'll follow what has been determined by the governing Muslim body in the country I am currently residing. Since Muslims are living in different parts of the world, I think adherence to the regulations set by the local Muslim authority is important for unity. There's nothing more harmful than a divided Muslim ummah.

Yesterday, my friend Zulfa and I went to an open market called the Davis market in West End. Love the place!!! It's like pasar tani in Malaysia with cheap fruits and vegetables compared to those sold in supermarkets. I also bought shrimps and squids. I was also so tempted to buy a red snapper (jenahak) there, but the fish was too big. Besides, it'll be only me eating the fish. Anyway, I cooked sambal tumis sotong last night for dinner, yummy! It's funny because the other day I was talking to my husband and he said he was in kampung (my parents-in-law house) and he bought some squids/sotong. My sis-is-law Along was actually cooking sambal tumis sotong as I was talking to my husband. I told him how I missed that dish because I couldn't find a 'decent' looking sotong (the ones I found in the Valley were not fresh and already purplish black in color). And hey, alhamdulillah, I found sotong yesterday. So, I was enjoying a made in Taringa sambal tumis sotong yesterday night. Balas dendam nih, ehehehe!

I am alone in the house currently since my two housemates are in Cairns for the mid semester break. Lucky them eh? But I am saving money since I'm going back for Raya/Eid this year. I have bought some souvenirs at the Valley to bring home. Can't wait to go home... and I can't say those words without a voice in my head reminding me to work harder too either. However, I sometimes think I've been working too hard too for the past four years. My job, though flexible as it was, was also continously draining my energy. Up to the last week when I was in Malaysia before coming to Brisbane, I had been so busy. Now, I find myself gaining up speed so very slowly in my work progress. I am not sure if I am just tired because my previous work cycle had just abruptly stopped and changed, or am I still adjusting to the new environment in Brisbane?

So, another Ramadhan in another country. Have I become a better Muslim, the same as before or worse???!!! Humans are forgetful creatures who need reminders from time to time (I am one for sure!).

On today's date last year, I met my husband for the first time. We had been corresponding through SMSes, thanks to the introduction by my cousin's wife who was also a teacher in his school. We wanted to meet at the famous Kueteow Doli in Taiping but it was closed that day. So we decided to meet at KFC instead, ehehehe... I was so nervous. I remember that I didn't reply to his SMS asking me what my car's color and plate numbers were because I wanted to be the one who arrived first. I can get extremely nervous if I know someone is watching me. That's why I still have stage fright even though I've been teaching for four years. Anyway, alhamdulillah things went well after the first meeting and we got married in February this year.

So this Ramadhan means a whole lot more to me. I have become someone's wife and have become a student again, which means I have much bigger responsibilities. I pray that Allah will make things easy for me and my family, accept our deeds and du'a, and also make us better Muslims. I find the surah Alam Nashrah to be so reviving and refreshing when faced with difficulties....Indeed with difficulty, there is ease.