a RoAd cAllEd LiFe...

For those who have been wondering about my raya, here`s how it was.

This year`s raya was my first raya away from family n friends.At the beginning, I couldn`t imagine myself celebrating raya without my family.I kept thinking that I would cry the whole day of raya here.It isn`t raya if there`s no those ketupat, rendang, cakes, biscuits, going for sembahyang raya, having those maaf-bermaafan sesssion, jalan raya, duit raya, watching raya movies on tv, waiting for new raya tv commercials etc, don`t you think so?I always felt like crying when I remembered all those things.To make it worst, having to celebrate raya alone at hostel.I couldn`t imagine that at first.I tried to find out the way not to celebrate raya alone, and i got a few choices.
1.Go to celebrate raya at the Msian embassy in tokyo(canceled after calculating the cost to get there as my place is very far from tokyo)
2.Celebrate raya at Kumamoto, as there are quite a number of Msian students there.(also canceled because I dont really know them)
3.Celebrate raya at Nagasaki University(also quite a number of msian students here.this was my choice because i`ve met a few of them before and there is two guys the same age of me.but the main attraction for me was when they said that there would be sembahyang raya)

But a few days after I`d made my decision, a letter from the school came informing that all the international students would have a class on the 13oct.A japanese language class.reading this, my hearts was just like, shattered.My raya plan is ruined!And because of that, i gave up of having raya this year.I even told my mother not to send the baju melayu and cookies that i`d asked before eventhough I actually really wanted them.I told that to her with tears running down my cheeks.I was very sad at that time.I wouldn`t care that much if I have other companion here, other msian student with me as I can still celebrate with him at the hostel.But the thing is that, I`m the only msian here.Not being able to go to other place to celebrate raya means totally no raya for me, with the japanese class was going to be a whole day.

But one thing happened, which changed my thoughts.One day when I received a package from my family, and it was containing the things that i`d asked my mother to send before.It happened to be that my mother still send those things to me despite me giving up, telling them that i`m not going to celebrate raya and there`s no need to send them.At that time, I was feeling just like want to hug my parents and kiss their cheeks.I was shouting in my heart, "Thanks mom!Thanks dad!".I was very happy and my spirit to celebrate raya came back.Guys, that`s the love of our parents, our family.They would do anything to make you happy.They really understand you, just like my parents,they knew that I actually didn`t really mean it when I said that I don`t want those things.So, guys, one advice I would like to tell you, please appreciate your parents.Love them more than you love yourselves.Never ever hurt them.Never ever disobey them.Your parents really love you eventhough they maybe dont really show it, or maybe you dont realize it.For those who still think that their parents dont love them, as time passes, as you get older, you will realize it.I didn`t realize it from the beginning myself.I took time to realize it.But I thank God that I`ve managed to realize it.

Ok, back to my raya story, after my spirit to celebrate raya came back, I decided that I would celebrate just like everyone else, I would prepare rendang, ketupat and eat them on the raya day even if I`ll be alone.So, thinking of that, I bought some halal meat and chicken from the internet to prepare on raya day.

About a week before raya, I suddenly thought of asking for excuse from the japanese language class, so that I can go to Nagasaki and celebrate raya there.I was quite afraid to asked at the beginning, but for the sake of raya, I forced myself.And know what, I got it!I was really happy and couldnt wait it for raya!

So after the finishing class at 430pm on 12oct, the day before raya, I started packing my bag to go to Nagasaki.I then waited until about 6pm,after breaking fast, and then started to move to the train station.At the station, I asked for a Kamome ticket, an express train to Nagasaki and i was given a Green Ticket, a first class ticket.I didnt know why I was given that, because the price was quite cheap, but hentam sajalah.Rezeki kot.Alhamdulillah...

7.23pm-I boarded the train.

-waiting for the train-

In Nagasaki, I stayed at my senior, Suhaimi`s house who is studying at Nagasaki University.He was once a student at my current college before I came there.

The journey took about 2 hours and it was already about 930 pm when I got there.From the nagasaki station, I took a roumen densha(a local train) to suhaimi`s house.He was waiting for me near the station where i am going to drop off with 2 other malaysians, syahmi and sak, both are as the same age as me.We then went to syahmi and sak`s house first, spend some time there and then to suhaimi`s house.We didnt do much thing that night.Just some chatting, eating and watching movies.We slept at about 3am.

The next day, with the spirit to celebrate raya, I woke up at about 6am.After shower, I changed into baju melayu that my mum sent before.Suhaimi was told that the raya prayer would start at 730am.Thinking that 730 was a gathering time, we decided to start moving from the house around 745am so that when we arrive at the place, it is just the right time they start the prayer.But then, as we were just about to start moving, syahmi called saying that the prayer is already over.And there goes us, missing the raya prayer and me, missing the raya prayer on my first raya in perantauan.But we still went there to join the others for a jamuan.

After the jamuan, we were going for a `jalan raya` at a malaysians house who is working at a shipping company here.We would be moving at around 1030am and while waiting for that time, we played some games.

1030am-After another malaysian, Kismet, a bidayuh sarawakian came, we started to move.

When we arrived there, there were already a few other malaysians there and I found out that almost all of them are working at the same malaysian shipping company, MISC here.

At the house, apart from eating, I managed to get to know to some of the other malaysians who also came.There were also some japanese who are their colleagues coming to join the celebration.We were there till about 430pm.After solat asar , we went back home.And I can say it was also the end of my raya for this year.

That night, I joined the Nagasaki University students at their weekly activity, playing badminton.They were going to a tournament the next day, so they invited me to join them pratice for the tournament.

The next day, I went with them to their badminton tournament.I act as a
supporter that day.The were competing under the Lavender club together with a few japanese.The malaysian had 4 pairs competing consists of the nagasaki university`s students and the malaysians of the shipping company.

One of our pair of Harris and Marzuki from the shipping company emerged as champion in the D-category.

After the tournament, we went to celebrate their win at a restaurant.