Currently writing on the plane. Bound to Johor Bahru from Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam.
The last time I board on a plane for international departure was almost 6 months ago, during my last farewell for Jordan. (God. It has been 6 months since I've graduated? It takes just another half a year to complete a cycle. God. How fast. Time, you're an Olympic sprinter athlete or what)
A short tour around Banking University, Ho Chi Minh
(so educational lah kan my trip ni luls)
My trip to HCM was uncalled for. Dad has been suggesting me to follow him since 2 months back. However Mom took control over the suggestion and told me to just stay at home. My life is like that. My Mom's say is always a verdict. Even Dad agrees, ahead of him is always another beuracratical procedure to get through. The Mommies Appeal Court. Haha.
The plot changed just 3 days before the flight date. Dad's HCM work trip talks come floating again and cutting the story short, Mom suddenly concedes to the idea of me following Dad for work. Hehe. You know, I sometimes find pleasure in dealing with this kind of Court and Council. Because unpredictable events always come abound. You can never tell what lies ahead for you. Just like life. Aaah. You know, my Mom perhaps attempting to teach me some life advises through this subtle message. Lol.
Where am I now?
Okay.
Dad is attending ASEAN Educational Meeting with other representatives from several ASEAN countries eg Thailand, Philipines, Switzerland and Indonesia. So since it is Ho Chi Minh that the meeting is being held, to tail around is always a thing I look forward to. HCM is a shopping haven for specifically Malaysian. It stores various kind of kain, baju kurung, Viet Nam Silk, up-to-date fashion started there too. Many of the famous hijab fashion brand in Malaysia now tailored their products here in HCM. Economically, the labour and production cost are relatively cheaper here so they can hit a higher marginal profit. Even you can drive the bargain in Ringgit Malaysia and not VietNam Dóng!
So this is the typical womenly part of me. Shopping. Haha. Glad I do have this kind of trait running in my vein.
Anyway. Should I or Shouldnt I be grateful for that? Haha
THE MOUNTAIN OF KAIN!
1) "Thank you Nadiya, you're a great company"
During the first day of the meeting, my initial plan was to go for shopping on my own. I've surveyed some items with Dad the day before so it wouldnt be hard since I already have set in mind what to buy, on certain prices that I've already brilliantly (cewah perasan) compared. However, the plot changed. No, I'm not going to say that I splurged on excessive shopping spree. You expect that coming aite? Haha. It is, I had to escort the wife of other representative and be her loyal company for the shopping day. (Yeah, since her husband is working, just like my Dad). It was an inadvertent moment that I agreed.
So guys. There goes my nearly sprained ankle susceptible to overdoing my walking routine. I think this is prerogative to the unusual habit. Meh. Mana aku biasa jalan masuk setiap kedai dan kiosk effortlessly macam tegur makcik makcik kat kenduri kahwin je gayanya.
But the day wraped up well when the wife I escorted said good things about me of being a great company. It is a relief to hear her genuinely saying that, because if not, aku gunting handbag baru dia. I nearly hurt my ankle and get sunburnt kot! Ok. Being normal again. We talked about everything under the sun, we even ventured into topics that are unlikely for me to opinion about. It is in the parallel universe I would ever talk about the different taste of Mango Smoothies and Coconut Shake that her sons prefer to binge on. What should I care, right? But I just did guys. I DID.
Well, should I include this. Haha. Her son is at the same age of me. Regardless anything else, this is the most tiring part for me. The match-making part; "Anak Aunty handsome tau Nadiya"; everytime I got this from any aunties, I shrugged and stiffed. So I gave her my usual obligatory reply and selalu dalam hati aku, Alhamdulillah aunty haza min fadhli rabbi maka nikmat Tuhanmu yang manakah kamu dustakan. Ramai jugak aunties yg selalu puji anak dia handsome. Pernah tak umi puji ktorang lawa? Hahahahha kay.
I hope not.
Viet Nam is a busy and loud city. You can barely see any cars and 4-tyres vehicles on the road. The motorcycles dominates the way.
This is Ho Chi Minh. The Father of Independence of Viet Nam. Which is later Saigon City to be named after this guy
2) ASEAN Representatives.
The most interesting part of the trip, apart from getting to shop without taking out money from my own purse, I also made new friends. They are academia from various international institution and coming from diverse backgrounds. Maybe I can say that I'm close to the Philipines delegates. They are joyful! Haha so funny somemore. I almost punctured my laughing tyres for excessive punchlines they made. Joyce, one of the Philipinos is a lady full with wise words to share. I didnt get to talk much to the Thailand rep, as they're plenty of them from several universities so they are among themselves most of the times, with their own language of course.
Nota tak berapa penting:
This one Thai guy caught my attention for it made me wonder, is he a Malay? Why he's talking in Thai? He seems so young to attend this meeting. I even asked my dad. "Ada university yang bawak students dia ke?" As I pointed to him, my dad replied "taklah, itu staff dia" I terkejut kejap. Not until he was with the table eating Bacon that I knew other than not bleeeding Malaya, he's also a non Muslim. Then I decided to move on.
3) Father
There's a man in the group is a Father. Head of priest at his place in Philipines. It is new to me that in certain countries, the government certifies this Head of Priest and entitled them as (Fr). Like Dato, Tan Sri we have in Malaysia. I had fun talking to him, he's a man with wise words to utter, well-versed about life and soft-spoken guy. Seeing it in another metric, I believe this is the quality a preacher should acquire. Or, a sound human in general. We didnt venture into any religious topics, let alone any missionary moves. We talked about life, struggles and of course, me, having to listen about the meeting and any educational blueprint that they wish to spearhead for the ASEAN community specifically in the socio-economic projects.
The father and the Father. Hehe
4) War remnants.
Yeah. I know Melee said in their lyrics that we never know peace without a fight. Viet Nam is a struggling country. The encapsulated past history of it intertwined well with the World War tales, and also the US Attack back in 1960s. Viet Nam came together as a notion, to eventually dethrone US from basking in pride of their parade of being proud to conquer. US got defeated and Viet Nam is what we can see today. I dont know. Everytime I read regarding the past wars, and even the wars raging on in today's world, I always feel unsettled and unrest. In the realm of politics, war can impose either a good notion or a bad one. But you tell me now. It is always in the expense of other's sacrifice. Always. One feels smothered, another one bears the pain.
The guide who I had a struggle to grasp his pronunciation. Nonetheless with a good English
Just a fader and doter kind of selfie
The host from Banking University, Ho Chi Minh City took us to the Cu Chi Tunnel where the Vietnamese back then build a tunnel and underground bunker to survive the war. It really denotes their remarkable strength to fight the US Army. Here, abah cakap, "kat Malaysia mesti ada jugak ni, cuma tak jadi tempat tourist attraction je. takkan lah Communist boleh duduk dalam hutan lama-lama"
Rahmat dan ampunan Tuhan buat manusia di seluruh dunia, yang harapnya semua yang terjadi hanyalah mimpi, yang duganya segala yang hilang akan kembali.
There's still plenty to be written, but I think I'll settle it to this.
The Host.
I'm back in JB Alhamdulillah, so much on the plate that I decided to just sleep (for today). Haha. Back to commitment now k.
Till then!
