Kampung No More!

When I came here in October 2008, I remember shedding a tear or two when I saw the dirty roads, the collapsed remnants of bridges and the odd pointy nosed people that reminded me...

You're no longer in Kuala Lumpur, let alone Malaysia.

But for the sake of my education, my independence, and my laziness to continue A-Levels in Sunway *GAH, I hate A-Level Chemistry. Die vile thing... DIE!!!*, I decided to suck it up and stay in Mansoura, the town where their favourite words include "Honga bonga", "What is your name?" and "Apa khabar? (Get a thesaurus you douchebags)

But for most, including me, it was the adapting that was pretty difficult. Being in Malaysia for so long, it was the first time I lived in a place without a McDonald's, a CD store, hawker stalls, 24-Hour Mamak restaurants and of course.... Starbucks *Oh, how we love the Bucks of Star*

However, today, after almost of a year of planting my feet onto the soil of Mansoura, I have seen that miracles do come true. Globalization is as it's name suggest, misses no country, no city and no town. This includes the "Kuala Lumpur 70-years-ago and if everyone spoke Arabic and had no fashion sense" Mansoura.

According to a Semester 5 senior, this miracle building was ready about a month ago, a couple of weeks before I arrived. It was like they knew! They knew that I was going to blow my brains out from the lack of technological progress that this country oh-so-needs and they saved me from my impending suicide *this is a joke, just kidding, I'm not at all depressed*

Anyway, wondering what is this sensational miracle I'm talking about?

I give you...

Behold!

Yes, bow to the Awadalla, you mere mortals.

Haha, it's the first large supermarket (or hypermarket) in Mansoura.

I've found my new hangout place :)

*Yes, we are that pathetic*

When Dora and I got there, we were ECSTATIC.

Like how I felt when I saw the snow capped mountains of Kyoto.

Except this was like a liberation from this archaic town that has probably seen it's fair share of history in the making.

So we all entered *after taking pictures like idiots* into the hypermarket, and I literally gasped.

I GASPED.

Ah, so many things.

So properly arranged, so mannered, so bloody unbelievable.

I could feel myself literally swelling up with pride thinking;

"Hey, this dead town still has some life to it"

I bought a piping kit *to make cupcakes* and some other rubbish that swindled more money from me.

We *Dora, Farah, Baby, Fira and me* hung out at the bakery, where the annoying waiter kept trying to convince us that he loves us Malaysians.

Ooh, and we had cheesecakes.*Yes, I know I'm suppose to be on a diet, but you shall not deny yourself fruits of God's miracles! :P*

The place reminds me of Carrefour, the one I use to go to in Wangsa Maju when I was younger. The place where I would scramble to find a baju kurung for Eid cause my mum forgot to send the cloth to the tailor. Good times :)

But seriously...

This is a good step for you Mansoura.

More progress leads to a better global recognition of this small but educationally potent town.

Hopefully one day, we'll come back, old and cracked, to the land of Mansoura...

To see a small, glimmering neon light in green that says.

Pelita Nasi Kandar.

Murder or Martyrdom?

This is what the media (the one that claims to be the alternative media who broadcasts the real news, the non biased "truth") has been promoting for the past God-knows-how-long...

We should counter non-Muslims in the most violent ways possible, kill them or force convert them so that we can eliminate the non-believers and create a utopia of a violent, sexist, anti secularist.

Groups like the Taliban and Jemaah Islamiyah are Islamic movements that defend the foundation of Islam, shielding it from all Zionist movements that threaten the growth of Islam.

Noordin Mat Top, Saddam Hussein and Mohamed Atta were martyrs for willing to die in the name of Islam, to celebrated and honoured as jihadist.

Oh
My
GOD...

Seriously?

One friend was trying justify the actions of the recently deceased Nordin Mat Top just the other day.

"No, what he did was right. He really wanted to kill the non-believers and the ones who have defiled Islam. Sacrifices must be made to do the right thing"

Religion is very sensitive subject, but I really must have my say.

I am a very open person.
You can directly insult me...
And I'll let you have your say cause this is a free world, and what you say, your thoughts are the product of your upbringing and influence.
Denying you that right of expression would be infringing the very right of free speech.

But it's my right as well to have a point of view that is...

I've never heard such bullshit in my life.

Like an excerpt from the The Kite Runner,

"When you kill a man, you steal a life. You steal a wife's right to a husband, rob his children of a father"

There is no reason, absolutely no reason to kill a person, for your own intentions.

You might be disilllusioned by a purer belief and delude others with this so-called genuine motive of yours.

You kill, you destroy and you spread destruction among others and expect for your message of peace and enlightenment to be spread?

When you kill others, innocent bystanders, mothers of now orphan children, fathers of a now turmoiled families, and offsprings of now grieving parents, you contradict the basis of this religion who's main message is about unity, harmony and tranquility.

We are so obsessed with "showing the world what we're made of" and "proving our mettle to the West" that we forget the intention of Islam.

Jihad or al-jihad fi sabil Allah (striving in the way of Allah) has been so misconstrued that when people hear Jihad, it strikes a fear in their hearts that takes ages, decades and even centuries to diminish.

Jihad has evoked the image of war, bloodshed, sorrow, grief, anger and hate. Islamophobia is a disease that we ourselves have unintentionally spread with our blatant of use of fear and violence to spread our message.

Action always speaks louder than words, even if you scream Allahu Akhbar or Bismillah over and over again, it is what you do that will be etched in the memory of the world, the cries of innocents, the scars of unhealable wounds, and streams of tears that seem to flow endlessly.

And will anybody remember why you did it?

Of course not.

Like the recent shooting at Fort Hood in Killeen,Texas, perpetrated by a Army doctor, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, a devout Muslim, and allegedly shouted Allahu Akhbar before going on a shooting rampage.

Sometimes, I really am worried about the stupidity of people nowadays.

Here is a man who obviously is very educated, very aware about the prejudice and stigma of being a Muslim in the US and probably hurt the efforts of every other anti-defamation group for the last... millenium?

I do not in any right condone the horrific murders also being committed by Israelites, the massacring of Palestinians or the unlawful killings of Iraq's Shia' population.

But that's just because I do not condone killing. Be it by the Muslims, the Jews, the Christians, etc.

I really hope peace talks between any warring parties will commence as soon as possible because it'll I really cannot bear anymore watching little kids crying and wandering aimlessly, staring upon their dead mothers, then only to be silenced by a stray bullet to the head.

God help us all.

Scholarship Woes.

I arrived to class the other day to this.

"Have you checked your JPA results? I didn't get it"

I fumbled and scoured for my phone, went online, entered my IC number and pressed enter...

A few heartwrenching seconds later...

"Oleh kerana persaingan yang sengit dan bilangan peruntukan yang terhad, dimaklumkan bahawa permohonan saudara/i tidak berjaya."

My initial reaction was probably, shock.

Yes, I didn't get the highest of marks... but I'm still Malaysian.

I'm still a candidate to receive the scholarship.

Granted, MARA has now closed its doors to new applicants and the only choice left is the JPA scholarship, but it still hit as hard, like I failed every exam that I sat for, like all my efforts went down he drain the moment those words registered in my brain

The most mindboggling part is that, other people, more deserving people, also failed to receive the scholarship. (Mythbuster style ;) )

a) Not good enough marks? (debunked cause the mumtaz girl in our class also didn't get it)

b) Not qualified financially?(also debunked cause a guy who's parents are blue collared workers)

c) We live in KL (plausible... half the people who got it did live in KL including the mumtaz girl)

d) I went to a private school (plausible, the mumtaz girl... she was from a private school as well before going to MRSM)

e) We didn't go to a boarding school (debunked, cause another fellow failure went to a prestigious all girl's boarding school in Putrajaya)

So Mr. Malaysian Government, if you're reading this..

Please,

Please tell us what we're doing wrong, so that we can correct ourselves to qualify for a mere dollop of the wealth (which we will eventually have to pay off anyway) that our country is churning.

It's a matter of pride, of financial need and even to a certain extent, filial obligation.

Sex/Promiscuity/Friendship.

In one of the many-I-should-be-studying-but-yet-I'm-here-utilizing-Facebook/MSN/Youtube/YM moments, I was chatting with my friend back in Malaysia and the topic continued to my friend finding one of her friends had already slept with somebody else.

"Yeah..he screws girls but it doesnt make him less of a friend to me =/"

"I rather not be friends with people who take sex so lightly."

"You can possibly tell me that...you treat your guy friends differently after they'd screwed girls?"

It left a mark on me. I thought about it further. Pondering the question in my mind.

Would I treat them any differently?

Sexual intercourse should always be performed when a woman and a man are already under the sanctity of marriage.

Sure, you can say things like "you're so old fashioned" or "there's no harm in sleeping around" but I will not let the depravity of society these days change the very values our forefathers had fought with blood, sweat and tears to instill.

However, would you, totally on the fact that this person has fornicated, cut off ties with a person?

I come from a background where teenage promiscuity run rampant among our peers. I've seen couples kissing, deflowered virgins, guys boasting about their late night conquests, girls crying after being told that their pregnant, etc.

So, I should be okay with it by now right? This nonchalant attitude towards intimacy?

I still surprise myself by the fact that I'm still not comfortable with it.

Call me narrow minded, conservative, prude, whatever, but at the end of the day, my morals still are as concrete as the day my mum told me about the God's wrath towards adulterers.

My friend recently told me that he wasn't a virgin. He had slept with one of the many whores in his college.

I continued to entertain the whole conversation, laughing and making jokes when secretly, I felt sad that this friend that I trust had decided not the give himself to only one person, the one who he will marry.

Will I treat him differently?

Absolutely not.

Perhaps one of the reason is because I've accepted the fact that he's not a religious person early in the friendship and I already half suspected him of being a person who views sex as a casual activity.

However, it's the least suspecting people, the mummy's boys, the sweethearts, the angelic stereotypes that have imprinted themselves in your mind that will shake the very foundation of what you believe in.

I was also told recently that one my childhood friends had slept with her boyfriend whom she is now no longer with.

This girl was one of the sweetest, most delicate things I've ever known and to imagine her being this carnal lolita between the sheets is simply mindboggling.

I was genuinely disheartened for her, a feeling still lingering until today.

Had I been there, could've I stopped her?

Could've I been a better friend, a better role model?

Friends come and go. It's the things we do that will keep our memory alive among everyone we know. Do we really need them to remember us as the "whore", the "slut", the "player?"

So,

Will I avoid my non virgin friends? No.

Will I love them less? Perhaps.

Will I be hurt by their actions? Most definitely.

Will I pray for these people who have wronged God and themselves?

InsyaAllah.

Sumoh-king.

I just got back from my presentation today.
The same presentation which had my knees buckled, my palms damp and lower lip quivering.

But it was

... Awesome

I honestly was euphoric after the whole presentation.

It was like waving the flag of victory after a war, like receiving a Nobel prize, like thrusting your hand in the air, declaring freedom for a generation.

Pure elation.

I can't thank my groupmates Muaz (who kept coming late :P) and Dina (who did most of the slides) more.

We did a good job and here's my standing ovation for you.

*stands up and claps*

And thank you to Aizat, Atiq, Azam and Aceng for letting me use your photos.
Everyone got a good kick from it,

You're all celebrities now...

Lagi la laku dengan juniors.

By the way, for those who wonder. First...

• No, it's not an made up accent. That's just how I speak.
• Sorry for not being very fluent and eloquent. I was rather nervous due to the lack of practice, but I hope my redemption comes from my (gila) expressive face and hand gestures.
• Sumoh-king is officially my new favourite word.

Oh, and thank you to Pika and Dora for recording the whole thing

Dora, you did a good job as well, my hat's off to you.

Thank you to all who wished me luck and congratulated me after.
I really appreciate all the kind words.

A warm smile is so hard to get by nowadays.

Now back to the real life, PBL's to complete and notes to copy.

I have a LOT of work. See you all very soon.

Sumoh-King Hot Loves,
Naz.

20 Reasons Why I Love Mansoura.

I've officially beaten my past record of three weeks NOT updating.

...to A MONTH.

*cheers*

Procrastionation is a very intricate process, filled with thourough thinking and the ability to just sleep for hours.

I applaud myself :).

You know what, I've been concentrating too much on politics, race relations, etc. and I forget what I'm really here for,

PUBLICITY.

or to have fun, that's good too.

To those who might not know, this is my first EVER being away from home, I've never been to a boarding school (cause my parents disallowed me, not because I wasn't qualified, to you snide asses), never been away more than two weeks away from my parents and never done so without calling or texting them.


So being here in Egypt, for nine months, with horrendous internet connection is real challenge for me.

Even though this will be my second year in medical school, the strain of being away from everyone I love, my family, my friends and even my cats... it' still very strong may it be the first year or the last year of university.

However, when looking at the lack of filial presence around me, I've learned to be independent, socially adaptable and .

Back home, I have a maid that waits on me hand and foot.

When I say hand and foot, to the extent of each time I leave my room to go to the bathroom,
I come back and see that the bed's already made.

Bik, kalau baca ni Bik. Tolong bakarkan poster Cristiano Ronaldo saya Bik. Dua-dua, Tiga-tiga, yang di frame itu jugak. Tak guna punya Portugis.

Anyway, I was basically a very pampered child with no domestic skills, people skills, speaking skills and was probably the laziest person ever to have made a habitat of the sofa and the television.

I've decided to compile a list of all the the things that I have learned, what I have discovered and what I always look forward to when returning to the ravines of Mansoura.

20 Things Why Being A Student in Mansoura is Awesome

1) We have KFC

A little dry, a no butter bun, or chilli sauce, but chicken is chicken

2) We have a cinema!

That screens only Arab movies but hey, beggars can't be choosers

3) With all the derelict, you appreciate the little things in life

I was excited finding clean clothing today

4) Everything is cheap

5) The abundance of Arab food has forced me to learn how to cook

Yes Future Husband, you don't have to live off Maggie!

6) They have this night boat ride here, where a beat up boat takes a few passengars across the Nile

Pretty neat if you want to see Mansoura with all it's majestic dirt disguised in the dark

7) No nightclubs

So that you can STUDY! ...seriously

8) People are really friendly

..borderline harrassment! :D

9) You have a lot of fodder to laugh about

Arabs are just really funny people and they don't even realize it. For example, they see you and they say "Honga Bonga"

HAHAHAHAHA.

...our country's richer and more advanced than yours.

10) Weddings only take place at night

Cause they enjoy spreading the festivities by honking the night away not care if you have to study for the finals

11) Ruz Bilaban Ammu

Means Uncle's Rice and Milk Pudding. I would literally run from the 5th floor if I hear him coming.

That's how I appreciate my ruz bilaban.

12) Two gineh taxis

Compulsory walking is a thing of the past

13) Cheap medication

Doctors cannot dispense medicine here, so pharmacies are saturated in this area

14) People here knows MALAYSIA but not SINGAPORE!

Victory is OURS!

15) Nobody actually hates Americans

But maybe I'm just in the wrong Arab country

16) Roadside snacks are the size of a normal Malaysian meal

They're just really large people

17) The eclectic fashion

Let's just say there won't be a Mansoura Fashion Week anytime soon

18) They still sell sugar cane juice during hot days

Reminds of me the days when Mr. Yap would give us sugar cane sticks to bite on during primary school

19) Everyone is just so beautiful

Mansoura specifically had a very high Italian and French population back in the day. Most girls here have green eyes and blonde hair... but it's covered by their hijab of course

20) Malaysians... memang laku!

Despite how you look like, they have this weird fetish/obsession with Malaysian girls.

Believe me, you will get hit on.

That's all I have. I guess I have the most material to write when I'm digressing from studying.

See, one procrastinating sessions leads to awesome blog material.

See ya on another procrastination laden time.

Love,

Naz. <3

Nazeera's Guide to Ignorance and Stupidity.

Hello,

If you had attended the protest at Seksyen 22 Shah Alam, you've come to the right place.

This is a special post is dedicated to the very essense that leads to the destruction of everything mankinds holds near and dear.

Ignorance and Stupidity.

I will be writing a step by step guide on how to become an elite group of pure idiocracy and insensitivity.

Now, you silly protestors, read closely and slowly, I'm scared you might lose your way through my eloquent words.

There's no shame in reading it twice... or another twenty times.

We're not judgemental like you :).

Nazeera's Official Guide to

Ignorance

and

Stupidity

Step 1.

Take a cow's ( means LEMBU, if I'm going too fast, do read it again) head as shown and sever it off.

You can purchase one at your local market for few ringgit and you can save one after Raya Korban.

Warning, the latter might accumulate some rather interesting smells and textures after being kept for so long.

Step 2.

Find an issue that has NOTHING to do with you.

Nothing at all.

I'll give you an example, let's say...

The building of a Hindu temple in a Malay populated area.

But hey, that's just my suggestion.

Step 3.

Express yourself. Go crazy. Let yourself go.

Hey, forget about human rights!

Oh, just kick "racial sensitivity" the curb,

Tell yourself "SCREW ALL THE EFFORT WE MADE TO MEND RACIAL RELATIONS",

Keep on shouting "KAMI CABAR *insert name of who's causing you all this distress*

.......

Oh, and of course.

Spit and kick the cow's head you had oh-so-diligently brought :).

Step 4.

March down a populated road to show that you are taking a stand for this thing that you are so passionate about.

Call the media, what's a protest without a little attention eh?

State to them your purpose of having this protest*which again has NOTHING to do with you and will not bother you in any way possible*

And blame your insolence and anguish on the MP's in your area.

Cause hey, they didn't do what you wanted them for you, right Your Majesty?

Step 5.

...And if the media starts asking questions like

"Kenapa bawak kepala lembu ini?"..

Deny, deny, DENY!

But hey, it's not YOUR fault. Right?

I mean...

The big bad government people had to built a place of worship for another religion and despite the incessant complaints we have filed, they're still not budging.

Desperate times calls for desperate measures right?

Blame them! Never admit guilt!

Cause you know, you guys are just normal people protesting with a cow's head with obvious knowledge that the cow's a sacred animal to the Hindus.

But again, not your fault :).

Step 6.

Watch the country crumbling down slowly into an oblivion of derelict and disaster.

...................................................

That is all.

Hope you enjoyed the step by step guide to IGNORANCE and STUPIDITY.

I shall stop here.

No need to unnecessarily exhaust the brains for the transformed followers of these steps :)