22 Days of Absence

After my last post, I had been trying to find time to blog. Unfortunately when I got some time, facebook took it away. It is really addictive, I can tell you that. Fortunately I am out of the Farm Town and am not into other games anymore.

1 June 2009

Halimahtun's Visit - Rotterdam

Early June, we´ve got a guest from Kuala Lumpur. Upon arrival, she stored her luggage at Schipol Airport and went on tour on her own to Amsterdam. In the evening, she came to Rotterdam and I met her at the Central Station. It was wonderful to see a fellow Malaysian girl with a “tudung” again.   The city had just closed the Europe´s Roparun event: running all the way from Paris to Rotterdam in 2 days. Since it was a public holiday, we just went sightseeing in the city. I showed her part of the city I normally show other guests. The joy in her face and her character made me laughed when she saw there was a Malaysian flag among other flags in the city.

Tun stayed a night with us and left to Amsterdam and then to Groningen on the next day. We enjoyed having Tun at our house and hope to see her again in KL or when she decides to take up her PHD course in UK.

The papers I did in early June was going smoothly. Although I was busy with the month-end close activities, I could manage with my examinations. I just hope to have good results in the summer so I don´t have to resit them.

4 June 2009

My mind was rushing since everything seemed to be slow with the close. Although not the close coordinator, I tried to help my colleagues to get things done. Luckily I got to get out of the mess that evening and joined my other colleagues for a farewell party of a colleague from another group (Internal Auditor).

5 June 2009

Desmond's birthday - the last people

On June 5th, after the busy day at work and the farewell party of a colleague, Financial Analyst (Accounting team), I reached home a bit late. I took a quick shower and left home with Wil to go to Eindhoven to celebrate the birthday party of our Malaysian friend. It took us 1.5 hour to reach their place. We met lots of fellow Malaysians (Chinese community and 1 Indian) who are expats in this country and some are PHD students. Unfortunately we almost missed the “nasi lemak” cooked by our girlfriend because we were late.

6 June 2009

It was Malaysian´s Agung birthday celebration at the Matrade in Rotterdam. Our Malaysian Ambassador in The Netherlands, Dato’ Dr Fauziah Mohamad Taib gave speech. She closed it with a Malay “pantun” which was so lovely. A prayer was followed after the speech and then it was time for “MAKAN”. The food was delicious. All Malay cuisine with “kuih-muih” such as “karipap, kuih seri muka and kuih lapis” which was fantastico. I enjoyed the food and the company with my Sabah friends Liz and Denna and hubbies. I also met “old” friends and fellow Malaysians from the embassy and the MA-NL Association.

I found it interesting to have spoken with the new Ambassador. She is such a loving and friendly lady. Although she helds the title of Dato’, she insists we drop the title when calling her. I believe our hubbies owe her a story for her upcoming book.

Speech by Dato' Dr Fauziah

Makan time with Dr Fauziah

Dennis, Denna, Liz and Jenn at the Matrade eating home-cooked food.

The Pantomime started at 4.00pm which was presented by the Malaysian-Dutch kids was also a fun thing to watch. Sitting next to the Ambassador, I managed to make some photos of the show.

10 June 2009

I worked half day and had a half day off. It was my Europe manager´s farewell party that evening but I couldn´t make it so I went to him to ask about my pending status that he still had to arrange. We had a very long talk and I was glad to hear more of him.

The Malaysian ladies at E&F's wedding

Reaching home in the afternoon, I had half an hour to get ready for the wedding party. Since the dress code was “beach formal”, I put on a very simple outfit with RED as my theme. So my top, shoes, bag, lips, even my umbrella were all red. Unfortunately it was raining that day and my poor Ralph Lauren 4 inches shoes were wet in the sand.

Wil sent me to Kijkduin and he had to leave again to the south to arrange some personal matter. Then he came back at the end of the reception and it was about to have dinner.

This was my dear fellow Chinese Malaysian girlfriend´s wedding. I have known her for about 7 or 8 years and although we seldom met, we did have a good contact even after she moved to work to Denmark. Most of the Malaysian guests were our “old” Malaysian friends in the Netherlands. The reception started at 4:00pm, followed by dinner and then party and we ended up leaving the place after midnight.

11 June 2009

The next morning of the getting-up episode was totally a disaster but I managed. The moment I reached my office with all close colleagues asking me, it was a huge laughter scene. Did I show how I walk in the rain with my high-heels red open shoes? When I started with the pole dancing talk AND the show, I guess the juices made a good kick at me. (No, I didn´t take any alcohol at the party, I was behaving FOR myself. LOL)… It was indeed an energetic morning.

That afternoon, I went to my manager to thank him for all the work (although in such a very short period time) he had done for me. He is a German young guy and I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours in the Netherlands. It was nice talking to him.

14 June 2009

Got up early in the morning to do some last minute preparation. About 10am I went to Rotterdam to pick up my Sabahan friends who came from Paris, France. Unfortunately they experienced a broken down train from Paris in Belgium. Took another train and had to change to a bus to the Netherlands. They finally reached our home in the afternoon.

About 3.30pm, our guests started to arrive. We had a Malaysian Spring BBQ at home in Sabah style, meaning the food consists of satay, fish, meat, brinjal, mango salad with shrimp paste, cucumber-pineapple salad, sambal belacan, hot chillie sambal, fried mee hun, rice, lontong, etc. Sis Maggie Becker and daughter Natty came all the way from Belgium Germany with their delicious baked cakes. Friends were bringing something for the party which was great. Of course we had some hidden talents from the group who gave the sunny day more sunshine. We’ve got cocktails and we’ve got Karaoke. We ate, drank and then we sang.

It was a complete gathering with the West Malaysians and East Malaysians (both from Sabah and Sarawak) and from all background: Malay, Chinese, Indian, Sabahans and Sarawakian. West met East!

Makan time

Some of the Malaysian folks

15 June 2009

Priscilla and Melissa left for France. Maggie and Natty left for Germany. I was left alone and spent the rest of the day sleeping instead of going to the Embassy for the Malaysian Food Fair.

16 June 2009

Imsonia the night before.. and the result, half day off.

19 June 2009

I had a day off today. Spent most of the morning in bed, sleeping and reading. Later in the late morning, I left home to go to Rotterdam, did some shopping for gifts and left the city to Schipol Airport. There I met Mary (of Sarawak) and before going to her place, we went to Amstelveen city to buy another sort gifts. At her home, we had rendang and “mangga kerabu” with rice as lunch. It was delicious.

Later that evening, Mary and Peter sent me to Haarlem. It was Mami Molly´s birthday and all the family members were there including some friends. Wil came a bit later since he had to work this weekend. There was so much food and so much fun. We watched the DVD of sis My´s wedding reception in Ranau, Sabah, Malaysia and I was just so glad that they did have some memories to bring back here for DH and me who couldn´t go back home in May. 

20 June 2009

Another BBQ party but a smaller version for some non-Malaysian friends. We had too much food. I guess we have to stop having parties for a week or two. A friend from the south stayed overnight at our place.

21 June 2009

The photo-shooting today was cancelled since the girl was down with fever. So, I spent the rest of the day at home cleaning and sleeping.

Today is the longest day of the year. We enjoy the daylight till about 10.30pm. Starting from tomorrow, the day will be shorter daily till winter.