Chinese New Year & My Chinese Friends

ATTENTION : I never write fully in English for this blog before. And I am trying now. So, don't laugh too much if you find any incorrect usages of English =p Smile, is okay ;)

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Enjoying the peaceful weekend at home is one of the best experiences in the world. And, how can I enjoy my weekends without logging in to Facebook while I have the high speed internet connection, right? So then I read many posts and saw many pictures, and of course, it was a big smile on my face, looking at very happy photos, of my friends. Hurm will you be excited uploading photos with sad or bad feelings? Most of the time, nope! :P At least, for me ;)

There were many posts about... wishing Happy Chinese New Year in Facebook. Yeah. While I write this, it is already the Chinese New Year, the year of dragon.. weeeheee!!! I was so excited looking at my Chinese friends' photos. With dishes, cookies, happy faces, beautiful decoration at houses and streets. Also one of the posts, telling that he is enjoying the firecrackers' sound! Then, I immediately updated my Facebook status,

ala.....!!! nak dengar bunyi mercun Chinese New Year jugak....!!!!!!

It means, I want to listen to the firecracker sounds for Chinese New Year too!!! Yeah, in Malaysia, it is normal to hear the firecrackers' sounds, for many festival. For me, firecracker = enjoyment!

Since now I have more Chinese friends, I can feel the festival more! (even online) But, lonely in my room, abroad (it is my 2nd week here in US), reading the wall posts in Facebook about Chinese New Year, reminds me to few chapters in my life. Including the first Chinese New Year surprise party that I involved in 2008.

It was in Warsaw, Poland. My first year of my Masters with course-mates that came from various background (Malaysia, Poland, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Philippines and China. It was the first time for all of the foreign students in our class going abroad (I think so), far from their homecountries. Celebrating 'Eidul Fitri overseas without family for the first time was not so bad, since I had 3 more Malay girls with me and we opened our room with foods for friends! But thinking about celebrating Chinese New Year alone for one of our friends, then we decided to make something memorable for her. Chinese New Year celebration for our lovely Chinese girl, Tina! And, we had fun!

We made the lantern from red papers. We asked everybody to wear red. We asked Tina's housemate (the Indian and Ethiopia boys) to let Tina stayed in her room. Then when we're ready.. Tadaaaa...!!!! 

You can see the decoration. The Malaysian girls (including me) and the Filipino girl (Pat) made them. Kat was also there, Pat's sister. All of us were so excited! Eerr.. in this photo I look very short, because I was bending my knee. (In fact, Faisal is tall).

Now, boys....! With girls' background. hahaha.. See, Faisal found the jersey to have red. And Damian??? Okay, sorry, forgot to remind you, Damian =P I think, Debu was taking this photo =) All of them learn to greet, GONG XI FA CHAI!

The next day, Tina cooked for us. Lovely! We even made the dumplings together! (my first time making them!) We're so excited and happy!!!! 

*Pat was holding the dough for dumplings. Ah ha.. eye mask!*

*Click for larger image. So then you can see all the dishes in Tina's room! And, yeah, Pat always busy until she cannot look at the camera. Hahaha.. Owh yeah, we had Natalia, from Spain. We met in Polish class*

Tina is one of my close Chinese friends. 

For me, a close friend is when you will share many things with them, including about feelings. About relationship. Hardship. Exciting moments. Play and eat together. Finish or uncompleted our homework together. (Muahaha...!) Like or hate someones together. It is easy to make friends but it is so much harder to forget a close friend. Someone who will cry, hugging you when you are going to leave. 

It is an amazing friendship. Living together only for one year in Warsaw, but I can sense the miracle. Tina is a very good close friend (I don't know what I am for here.. ah ha.. Do I care? hahaha)

 

*My first time ice-skating with Mai, Lala, Husni, Pat, Kat and TINA!*

I have more close friends, but for this time, I write a special post for Tina and my friends I met in Warsaw (also the Mai, Lala and Husni who were together with me going there from Malaysia). Just want to share, how beauty a friendship is.

And, to wish, HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR to all my Chinese friends! 

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Below, I list my Chinese friends. After typed for more that 800 words, I decided to delete it, because, I am afraid if I missed any names. But.. yeah.. I did not. I let this list be here, for those who really have free time to read =p

To all of my Chinese friends, Gong Xi Fa Chai! Wish you an amazing dragon year. All the best! Live with full of enjoyment and love! Muuuuuuaahhhhh!

1. My first Chinese friend in my life, Ker Li! My classmate during secondary school. She even made a free-of-charge Mandarin class for my friends and I. And from my secondary school also, I know Helena!
2. My Chinese course mates during my Bachelor study were Ah Woon, Lew, QQ.. always my group-mates for assignments. Few times, Ah Woon came in to the lecture hall with a helmet on his head haha..
3. Then in Poland, I have Tina as my friend, as mentioned before in this post.
4. During my second year of Masters study in Holland, I had Mourish, a genius Chinese guy who always helpful and skillful in the laboratory.
5. In Holand also, I met Kevin, from Taiwan. Can I categorize you as my Chinese friend also? Hehehe..  Who love numbers a lot, made I believe you more than others when we were travelling to St Gallen, Switzerland. (about train schedule, distances, maps..)
6. After coming back to UTM to work, I met Wong, a cute Chinese research officer. We enjoyed working together, eat together, gossiping together.. and sing!
7. I also have Dr Ei Leen, one of the UTM's lecturers. Having her in my group during the Kursus Induksi in UTM brought a lot of fun! She is sooooo cute! 
8. In the same course, same group, we had Dr Tan, who has many harmonica and played his harmonica for us too! 
9. Mr Lim, we enjoyed KFC together. I remember when he passed me the chicken wing I love. So sweet. hahaha.. We met and became friends after cooperating in motivational camps for students attending his tuition center.
10. Onn always a guy who is fun to talk with. I remember a serious discussion with him, about his opinion to human clonning.. the conclusion ".. buat apa penat-penat fikir pasal human clonning maaa...!!" hehehe...
11. Then my big group of Chinese friends, from Toastmasters International clubs! Names? Okay, take a deep breath Ain... deeper... start! :
1. Meng Hock, also a tutor in Physics department and we met in UTM's toastmasters meeting. A nerd and kind guy hehehe.
2. Tey, the president of Johor Jaya toastmasters club. I enjoy his motivational and inspiring speeches in every toastmasters meeting, and I am happy for introducing him to my friends, "My friend, Tey, is the author of this book.." while showing the Life Beyond the Comfort Zone. I am proud. hehehe..
3. Nikki, one of the lovely lady, not Lady Gaga, but Lady Nana. Love camera too, like me! Don't want to tell more, it is secret hahaha..
4. Terrance Gan, who is known as, handsome, young and energetic Terrance Gan! 
5. I love enjoying dinner with Timothy at the same table during the Toastmasters Convention in Melaka. Make me eat more without any guilty feelings :D
6. QJ, the cutest guy in our club. Even he told me that cute means a little ugly, I don't care, because it is not true for me..! Wrestling always remind me to him!
7. Andrew, the senior member of the club, his enthusiastic in doing his speeches always inspired me.
8. Alicia, what I can about her, she is pretty! Love seeing her face after Jackle comes! (Because she response to my exciting facial expression)
9. Haa.. Jackle is the new member of the club, and, yeah, I love enjoying beautiful creatures =P
10. Hui Shyan, she is cute! No wonder why people want to cubit you.
11. Soo Hia, always funny with her Laughter Yoga. My first speech evaluator in the club.
12. Terrance, another one Terrance, he was my hero when I lost the way for coming to the meeting place, by my own for the first time (I did my Project 1 that evening)
13. Charlotte, my Chinese kakak! The first sentence she said directly to me was... "sengal punya budak!" where we're stucked at a door. Then I realized, she is fun, not as fierce as her face when first I saw her. I become closer to her when I come to US,  she advised me many things for living abroad alone, including writing a recipe for me!
14. I met Eng Suan during my first visit in Johor Jaya Toastmasters club, at that time, I did not have any conversation with him because he looked like a very formal visitor with his toastmasters-uniform (daaaa~) but one thing I found at that evening was, he laughs sincerely! Like this, HAHAHAHAHA....!
15. Cindy has very sweet smile and I love listening to her, a softspoken lady, another one of my Chinese friend who inspired me very much in Toastmasters. My favorite speech of hers was about "How to Tackle Table Topics"
16. First time I met Yvonne, she was the general evaluator for the same meeting. She made me really lalalalala.. when she quoted my sentence, ".. I love discovering myself.." something like that. Wah! Make me always love to ask for her advice because I will feel like... flying... :D
    
17. Kit, the Toastmaster of The Evening when I delivered my Project 2 in Sacred Heart toastmasters club. She was so welcoming and nice. Cute. I love when she talks, especially when it is come to the humorous speech.
18. Benard, I only meet him once, when he evaluated my Project 2. He even called me before the meeting and advice me with guides. Thank you!

I met many more Chinese friends especially in Toastmasters events. I cannot name all for now. I hope, no bad-feeling for not listing all the names.  I know, even without me, you still really enjoy your Chinese new year maaa... heheheh..

Happy!! Happy!! Happy Chinese New Year! =)

Thanks for being my friends =)