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Wednesday 21 December 2011

Christmas away from home

It´s finally December, the end of 2011, and with it marks my daughter and I being away from Malaysia for 10 months altogether. This year, we would be celebrating our first christmas away from what we known all our lives as our home. I wonder what is it like having Christmas in Malaysia this year? I will miss all the merry making from everyone´s houses, the parties, the happy present openings and laughter and the joy of just travelling around to all the malls taking the Christmas decorations. As we continue to embark on the journey of our new lives here in Germany, we face our first Xmas in this cold chilly weather of Winter.


Amelia and myself was hoping we would see a White Christmas actually for our first Christmas here in Germany. We journeyed all the way back to Kiel, Germany - hubby´s hometown - for our first traditional Christmas Celebration with his parents. A 3 hour first class train ride brought us only to Kiel at 6pm in the evening, when all sunlight or even daylight is gone from the skies. The weather here - for winter - is absolutely cold and wet. Skies are gloomy, reminding me of Gloomy London. And the fact that it is even more windy here as it is in the coast and by the sea...... is even colder.


Traditional Christmas here is somewhat different. I guess the Christmas that is normally celebrated in Malaysia is based on the American all time Christmas. Even the Christmas tree decoration doesnt have a star or Angel at the top of the tree. Apparently they don´t put it and according to hubby, the Americans only have such things on it. For Christmas here in Germany, instead of the usual turkey that many eat back home or.... in the US, we have Roasted Goose for dinner.


Mother in Law cooks alot of German dishes, many which I myself haven´t tried or eaten before. It was a good experience for me this Christmas.... both me and Amelia. From eating the various dishes of German food to the traditional ways and methods of celebrating Christmas. It´s a new experience for us both indeed....


But one thing, even I know my daughter definitely agrees with.....


We really miss my mum and dad and the usual Christmas noise we have back home in Malaysia.......

Friday 16 December 2011

Season of goodwill

Season of goodwill

This article that I read in the Star Online webportal is indeed inspiring as it actually shows, although the "minority" is SMALL.... but thank God we have Malaysian muslims that actually have a good head on their shoulder and know how to think properly and logically and not like that ten thousand people who are thinking ironically at the moment in the country of Malaysia. We should have more people like so...... why do Malaysians enjoy behaving like as if they belong in the "cave men" century and is not even modernized with just one bit?

For those of you who can´t go to the link above, enjoy reading the article below :

Sunday January 9, 2011

Season of goodwill

MIND MATTER
By RAJA ZARITH IDRIS


If Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Isa (Jesus), a prophet respected and revered in Islam, is it so wrong to wish a blessed day for those who celebrate it?
DURING the days before Christmas last year, I wished my friends who were celebrating it “Merry Christmas” in much the same way they would wish me “Selamat Hari Raya” or “Happy Eid”.
I find it rather sad that such a simple greeting – one which I grew up with and which I have never regarded as something that would compromise or de-value my own faith – is now regarded as something so religiously incorrect for us Malaysian Muslims.
When I was at boarding school in England, I had to go to church every Sunday because it was part of the rules. My father advised me to consider it as part of my “education” and he had no doubt that the experience would strengthen rather than weaken my own faith.
I was able to see the similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam. I learned more than the average Malaysian Muslim would about Christianity. I learnt that just as we Muslims categorise ourselves according to the four different schools of thoughts of the four Imams (Imam Malik, Imam Al Shafi, Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Ahmad Abn Hambal) and are either Sunnis or Shias, so Christians too are divided into different sects or churches.
Going to church did not make me less of a Muslim when I was a young girl, and neither does saying “Merry Christmas” make me less of a Muslim now. My faith has not been shaken just because I wished some friends a time of joy with their families. Neither will I suddenly suffer from amnesia and forget what my religion is.
What I do not wish to forget, however, is that there are good, kind people who are not of the same faith as me.
As Harun Yahya, the Turkish writer (he was selected last year as one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan) noted: “Islam is a religion of peace, love and tolerance.
Today, however, some circles have been presenting a false image of Islam, as if there were conflict between Islam and the adherents of the two other monotheistic religions. Yet Islam’s view of Jews and Christians, who are named ‘the People of the Book’ in the Quran, is very friendly and tolerant.
“This attitude towards the People of the Book developed during the years of the birth of Islam. At that time, Muslims were a minority, struggling to protect their faith and suffering oppression and torture from the pagans of the city of Mecca. Due to this persecution, some Muslims decided to flee Mecca and shelter in a safe country with a just ruler. The Prophet Muhammad told them to take refuge with King Negus, the Christian king of Ethiopia. The Muslims who followed this advice found a very fair administration that embraced them with love and respect when they went to Ethiopia. King Negus refused the demands of the pagan messengers who asked him to surrender the Muslims to them, and announced that Muslims could live freely in his country.
“Such attitudes of Christian people that are based on the concepts of compassion, mercy, modesty and justice, constitute a fact that God has pointed out in the Quran.”
I do not wish to be a self-centred Muslim who expects friends of other faiths to wish me Selamat Hari Raya or, for those who are not Malaysians and therefore do not know about Hari Raya, a Happy Eid and yet do not return their goodwill when it is Christmas, Chinese New Year, Deepavali or Vesak Day.
Every year, friends who are Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs or those without any faith come to our home to celebrate Hari Raya with us. They do so with sincerity and as a mark of respect for one of the most important days in the Muslim calendar. Why should we not reciprocate their kindness, show them the same mark of respect for their religion and wish them the same joy on their holy days of celebration?
An Islamic scholar and lecturer also reminded me that as Muslims we must remember the importance of both the five Pillars of Islam and in the six Pillars of Iman (Faith), which are:
> Belief in Allah;
> Belief in the angels;
> Belief in the revealed Books (which include the Bible, the Torah and the Holy Quran);
> Belief in the Prophets (May Peace be Upon Them);
> Belief in the Resurrection and the events of Kiamah, the Day of Judgement; and
> Belief in the predestination (Qada’ and Qadar) by Allah in all things.
The prophets include not just Muhammad (May Peace Be Upon Him) as the last prophet and as the Messenger of Islam, but also in the 24 earlier ones who are mentioned in both the Bible and the Quran. Four of them are Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Daud (David), and Isa (Jesus).
So, if Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Isa (Jesus), a prophet respected and revered in Islam, is it so wrong to wish a blessed day for those who celebrate it?
We are now in the second decade of the 21st century. Surely, we should, now more than ever, be far more enlightened at a time when information of any sort and of all kinds are so readily available to us.
What is most important is that we regard one another as fellow citizens and treat each other with respect, regardless of our race or religion.
> The writer is Royal Fellow, School of Language Studies and Linguistics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and holds a BA (Honours) degree in Chinese Studies, University of Oxford.

Thursday 8 December 2011

You´re an Energizer!

So I found this interesting quiz which is all based on photograph selection of various questions. You can check it out here if you want to.


Am amazed with what it wrote for me :) Somewhat most of it is quite accurate and right - in my opinion of myself :) Wanted to "print screen" and then have it here, but then, needed to manually edit each and everyone of it, hence I decided to copy and paste all that was written :)


Spirit
You're an Energizer. You're a real people person and thrive on social interaction. Generous and caring, you have a strong vocation to help others and get lots of satisfaction from being able to make a difference to their lives. It takes a lot to stress you out and throw you off balance. You seem pretty centred and organized right now. Give yourself a pat on the back! When it comes to bringing positive change to your life, don't try to move mountains. Baby steps are definitely the way forward. For example, if you'd like to lose weight, don't set yourself up to fail with unrealistic goals. Be kind to yourself and remember that slow and steady wins the race. You really enjoy the buzz you get from feeling connected to others. And no more so than with your partner. A loving relationship is a huge source of strength and support for you in life.


Relationship
You have a very traditional view of building a home and family and believe in making strong commitments. As a Rock Steady, it's important to you that your relationship feels secure. You tend to be realistic about what makes a lifelong relationship work and understand the value of forging a love based on friendship and respect. You believe that a true partnership is about sharing responsibility and being able to count on one another through whatever life throws at you. This feeling has probably grown even more since the kids arrived. Creating a true sense of honesty and support means your love will grow as the years go by.

Relationship tips:

So you're a Rock Steady but what tips can we give for keeping the magic alive in your relationship?
  1. Rekindle the romance. Get up with the lark and meet at a local market to buy beautiful flowers and feast on a yummy breakfast
  2. Do something different. Take a cocktail-making class together at a local bar. It'll be lots of fun with plenty of tasting to be done!
  3. Take it easy. Imagine you're on holiday in your own city. Do the fun things tourists would do and capture it all on film with a disposable camera.
  4. Let your inhibitions go. If it rains, grab the chance to run wild in the puddles and have lots of fun getting soaked to the skin and then warming up afterwards!

Money
You're a techie, and you love to have the best new gadgets. You like your technology sleek and fast, so would love to be able to upgrade to the newest models whenever possible. The true mark of success for you is a happy home. It is the main focus of your life and the center of all your aspirations. You're happiest when you feel settled and comfortable. True fulfillment for you is in having strong, loving relationships with family and friends. If they're healthy and happy, that's all that matters to you

Health
You're on the right track with your health. You love feeling rejuvenated after a good night's sleep. You're an endorphin junkie, and nothing beats exercise to make you look and feel fantastic. You have excellent reserves of energy and live life at a fast pace. Anything else would feel like slow motion. You probably grab every opportunity to do a little extra exercise - walking up escalators, jogging home from the store. And if you don't get your heart rate up regularly, you can end up feeling like a bit of a slob. Just be careful that you don't get too obsessed. No one wants to hear how many sit-ups you've done!

Home
If you were given the opportunity to live your dream life, chances are you'd feel more at home settled in a cute country cottage than living it up in a mansion. Your low-key attitude means you'd prefer to get away from the stresses of city life and take it easy, perhaps spending your time in a colorful garden. Fresh air, birds chirping and home-grown veggies for dinner...what's not to like?

Entertainment
Asking about the latest book you're reading is probably the best way to get you talking! What better way to chill out and unwind than a good book that takes you faraway from everyday life? Escapism at its best!

Style
You like to take things easy. Life's busy enough without having to worry about getting dressed up every day. It's about maximum comfort with a splash of style, so it's hard to beat your favorite pair of jeans. But don't forget how good it can feel to give yourself a makeover every now and then. It can work wonders for your self-esteem to refresh your wardrobe, spruce up your hair and put on a great dress. So make sure you schedule a shopping trip and pampering session every few months. You deserve it!

Travel
You're open-minded and a positive thinker, so when you get the chance to go traveling, you love to head somewhere exotic and off the beaten track. For you, escapism is the ultimate in relaxation. It's the perfect antidote to the stress of everyday life. You love the feel of the sun and sea on your skin, so your perfect vacation would definitely include a beach. Even better if it's secluded and undiscovered by hordes of tourists!