Malaysia

It was a 26 hour journey from MSP to KUL, and because I sort of didn't sleep through any of them (I find it difficult to sleep on planes), I made it through with 8 cups of coffee. This, of course included the $8 one purchased in Amsterdam. It's rather ironic cause only a year ago, I wouldn't even drink coffee. My Amsterdam airport adventure continued with me starting a conversation with a guy from Switzerland and we hit it off almost instantly. Another woman from Berlin joined our conversation a little later and that made my 5 hour layover in Schiphol that much easier. Phew.

Once I got back home, I was of course greeted my my mom, who I could tell was overjoyed, dad and younger siblings. I told them I needed to get a cappuccino before we left the airport and we did exactly that. Since I arrived in the wee hours of the morning, we got some breakfast before heading home. I wasn't really jet-lagged (at least I think I wasn't) and on the first day I arrived, I did the one thing I wanted to do for the past 10 months. Drive. Yeah, simple as it may sound but driving is just one of those few things which actually makes me happy. So I did that almost immediately after reaching home and ladies and gentlemen, I still have it in me. The ability to drive well of course.

In the 4 days I've been home, I have done a lot. I feel like I compressed too much in too little time and today, I sort of crashed. I was rather tired and decided it would be a perfect day to stay in. So what I ended up doing was start - and finish - a new book I got off my Kindle. Score. So far this summer, I have finished 7 books since school was done in May. Quite a feat I think. Hopefully this summer reading will continue. I honestly don't know what else I will be doing this week, but hopefully I could meet up with at least one of my friends to catch up. We'll see.

Till the next time.

Here We Go

It was a rather busy week for me. Having to run a few last-minute errands for the family surely was tiring. But thankfully the shopping has been done and also everything ordered online has arrived. Now I guess all I need to do left is pack. I have to say I don't enjoy packing. If my stuff could pack themselves I would be forever grateful. Unfortunately life isn't easy. Well, a couple more days before I'm off. Here we go!

Currently playing Mat Kearney on repeat. Gosh I love this dude.

10 Months

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. - Neale Donald Walsh

August 20th 2011. That was the day my life changed, forever. It was the day I headed to the USA (again) to continue my college career, and as timid as I was, I put on my brave face and went. Albeit a taxing first week here in Minnesota, it was all for the better. I found myself living with 2 other great roommates and one not-so-great roommate. Well, what can I say, we can't have it all, right? It was a risk worth taking to have not contact anybody here before coming. It was a test to myself to put myself out there and hey, guess what? I did good. Of course taking the easy route of giving people here a heads up before I came would have made my life 9543208 easier, but that was just, too simple. I like being independent and that was just not my style. 

Like the quote above, it is true in so many ways. Life does begin at the end of your comfort zone. Sure, you may think that you are living life, but can you say that you are actually living life? Ask yourself, how may times have you stepped outside of your zone? You know those times where you did something that you never thought you could do? Those times where you did something outside of the norm? If you did stop to think and came up with nothing, then I suggest you try something you never would have thought of doing soon. It may seem hard cause of that cushion of comfort of life as you have it now, but why play it safe all the time? Risks are, at times, meant to be taken and you know what? It may also be the one thing that may or may not change you life forever. Remember life it short so make the most of it while you still can. You don't want to be that 'damn, I should have...' old man or woman 50 years down the road.

Minnesota was so intimidating for me at first and never in a million years would I have thought I'd be where I am today. For that, I forever thankful and grateful to Him for guiding me down this path to this life I have now. Alhamdulillah. It wasn't that I didn't believe in myself, but I was a timid young man, starting a new chapter his life. I was about to have an experience not many would be fortunate enough to have. And, I did want to make the most of this experience. I feel like after adjusting myself to the Minnesotan way here, I got more comfortable in my own skin and I worked wonders. Classes went well, I made friends easily and 10 months later, well, I am still alive and kicking right? Getting to this point in life I am now didn't come without it's struggles of course, but I have to say, it was all worth it. I won't know what will happen in the future, but I will be optimistic and hope for more great things to come my way. 

Now that I have endured 3 different semesters here, it is time for me to head home for the summer. I am extremely excited to be heading home, but part of me will miss this place. I know I will be heading back here, but still, 2 months away from this place I have called home for the past 10 months, will perhaps be rather bittersweet for me. I hope to be able to live here for an extended period of time but like I said, I am making the most of my time here now and of course I'll work my ass off to try to get a job here after school and if it was in the books for me to stay, then I will. The experience I have had here has been bittersweet nonetheless, but along the way, I learned a lot about myself and also grown and matured into a better me. So if I had to do it all over again would I have done it any different? Absolutely not.

Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. – Mark Twain

It's Happening

As I Skype with my mom, I can't believe how close we are to actually talking face to face, breathing the same air and of course, standing on the same ground, the ground I call home. In less than a month, I will be heading on home and truth be told, I am actually kind of nervous to go back. I don't know, the prospect of being scrutinized by traditional family members is imminent and I don't know how I will be able to handle that. Of course over the past year, I have changed, but I believe I have changed for the better. Yes, I am still that same old Faiz, who laughs at practically anything and everything, but perhaps this version of me coming home will be one who has aged and matured and perhaps a little more 'Americanized' in culture. But that isn't a bad thing (I think). I feel like over the past 9.5 months or so, I have learned so much about myself, and done things I wouldn't have thought possible. Besides that, I have made wonderful friends who, I think makes my stay here that much more enjoyable.

Now, all that is left in these 2.5 weeks before I head home is to buy goodies for the family to bring home. Of course since everything here (branded goods) are so much cheaper, I am assigned the task of being a shopper to hunt for great deals on things my family back home wants. And boy, that list is rather long. But it's OK, cause I do enjoy shopping and if it would make them happy, it would make me happy. So until then, I will enjoy the little bit of summer here just chilling and reading, lunch with friends, movies and of course shopping. Malaysia, I can almost smell you right now. I'll see you soon!

:)