Happy Anniversary to MYSELF...

Today marked the 1 year anniversary of me living in Cambridge. A year ago exactly on this date, I arrived at Heathrow airport all on my own in somewhat seems sooo unbelievable then. I still remember feeling extremeeely nervous (and excited at one point) and too alert about everything around me. My bags, passport, documents, reading all signboards, which bus to take, and asking people for directions and the list goes on...Hectic sunggoh time itu...Not a chaotic kind of way, but I remember being careless about the condition of my tudung then. Hahah. Muka dah penat semacam but still tak pedulik...Get the picture??

A piece of advice from my dad (who also set foot in England for the first time on his own at 18) -just be calm, if you penat, you duduk and think. You tak tau, you tanye orang and the signs are everywhere to guide you. He is so right. Being me (yang agak cepat panick at times), I tend to get lost easily. LOST is like my middle name. Hihihi So yup, I did exactly that. I asked people (at the airport) just to make sure I got the right bus or taking the right exits, carefully reading the directions and signboards, all at the same time keeping guard of my huge-heavy-bulky luggage. Bukannya apa, kalau kat Malaysia kan kita drive..kalau silap pun U-turn je lah. But in this case, the coach ticket price was 33pound (if I remember correctly), so kalau silap takkan soka hati je nak suruh bus stop kan. Plus, damn damn expensive! Well anyway, it was a success to reach cambridge

Fast forward I year later, here I am, at the end of my MPhil... God knows how much I've cherished (and mourned) my life in Cambridge. It's a lifetime experience (as far as I am concerned). Independent sunggoh!

Here are collections of pictures to bring you on a journey of Miss J from Klang all the way to Cambridge the magnificente!!

Snapshots with Fac. Biotech staffs, students, plus messing with Rauda in her lab. Can't remember when exactly. I guess this was 1 week before leaving

Farewell lunch : A treat from Prof. Latiff with Fac. Biotech staffs and Research Assistants

There was a makan-makan (or was it kenduri) at my house two days before departure. All staffs of Biotech Fac. were invited and these were the people who turned up. Memang terharu sebab they arrived in 3-4 cars. And this is Selvi and her hand-made gift for me. It's a calendar of 2008 containing pictures of me, her, fahmie, and many more. How toughtful of her. Apart from the bulky-ness I compressed it into my luggage so that I can bring it along to England. Now it's in my college room ;) That's Fahmie and Er also RAs in the faculty.

Ini adalah barisan lecturer dan staff faculty yang sudi datang. I hope the food was good. Can hardly remember now. On the same day, they presented me a pink winter jacket as a departing gift. I tried it on instantly to show how I appreciate it. Mind you, it was bloody HOT on that day. But I dont have any pictures of it. Now I remember, Dr. Yap had an entry about this. When I read it again now. I can only say sigh (in grateful)......cepat btul masa berlalu and how I am blessed. So, bersyukur lah Miss J oii..kala susah dan senang...


During the night of the same day, as usual my family suke je ada karaoke lah, persembahan lah. Memang meriah.. Oh, I used to love all the fame and limelight. Masa kecik2 la..sekarang tidak lagi. If not, sure I dah sign up for AF7! Muahaha Anyway, these are my lil cousins who performed a tradisional dance. And then they sang a song originally called 'Bila Rindu' by VE but modified the lyrics. It's funny to read it again. Later I'll show you. They are truly adorable, me cousins...

And there I was.....the long-awaited day had finally come...3rd November in KLIA. My flight was at 11.55 I think. So technically, on 4th November sharp I'm off from KL..

Atok and Ibu

me and my lil brother (who flew in from Christchurch just 2 days before I left)...There was a surprise he made..long story, but grateful he was there to send me off

With abang and Along (and Mikayo inside)

With Abang again and Angah


Family picture


Friends who came to send me off...thanks guys. Yayy we'll meet real soon


Final family picture before I cried my heart out. Muahaha Sudah terasa sebak2 time ni...All the way to the gate I was praying silently. Memang nervous habis lah. But my mind was realy focus then.. I was sad to leave my family behind, but far more excited to start on a new journey.


About an hour after saying goodbyes, I'm already in the plane enjoying the business class treatment by the cabin crew. Muahaha..(oh, made a call to Asraf in the waiting room). Special thanks to my cousin brother, Abg Awie who made sure I get in on time and my seat was secured and for carrying the bags and so on. You are super-duber talented ;)

I think I watched series of movies for 3 hours, slept for 3 hours and then continue with movie marathon. I was reading some books as well I think. Then uncle yang duduk sebelah I (not seen in picture) was super-nice. He's a jet-fighter (I think!) and gave me advice on stuffs. Thanks pakcik..wherever you are now

Alhamdulillah...sudah sampai heathrow....But this is outside heathrow, at the coach station where I have to take a national express bus to cambridge. I didn't know which stop to wait at first, so I asked the pekerja. He made a joke i think, but I responded like 10 seconds later to digest the information I just received from him. owh owh..he was trying to be funny...Susah nak paham okayyy. But then it was all right ;)

See the penat face. And told ya, the tudung was just disasterous. Haha Plus, it wasnt so called on that day. I only put on a thin jacket. Jacket baru kaler pink itu saya pegang sahaja..

Apepun, alhamdulillah sudah setahun di sini and still alive (literally and metaphorically) as life has been tough in cambridge. Nonetheless, I would not exchange my life for anything in the world. Because there were equally pleasure memories that I treasure here. Thanks to my family who has been supporting me all the way, with motivation and prayers. Friends back home and here in cambridge who has also been a wonderful group of support. I owe this to all of you.

*emo seketika*

Pray for the V day people..and then, mission accomplished