Discrete Travel Plan

During the last MLM class, those who had come back from the EFCC Conference 2009 in Penang blessed us with a lot of refreshing sharing. I wished I had joined them but I had been scheduled to be in Japan.

Besides my coordinator and the administrative staff, I had personally told about my trip to only three colleagues and three Calvarites, who were directly related to me in my job or my duty of the ministry at CLA, before my flight. It was not my usual practice to inform my surroundings in advance when I travelled outstation or overseas, let alone this season of economic downturn and H1N1 flu pandemic.

Since the semester break had started, some colleagues had been asking me if I would spend my holidays in France again. Less than ten days before my departure, a caring elderly lady told me she had failed to dissuade another sister from flying to Hong Kong where the outbreak of the disease was in the TV news everyday. I also learned that my colleague AG had cancelled four air tickets to Europe after the nagging of her mother-in-law. To avoid these troubles of explaining why I was going to Japan by all means despite the fact that the exchange rate of the Yen to Ringgit was very high and hundreds of domestic infection cases were confirmed in the Archipelago, I preferred to remain as discrete as possible.

The reason of my trip to this country was simply because of my turn to visit Ah Yu's family. Two years ago, it was Ping who had first seen the newly born nephew with Mum and Seng. As God always chooses the right time for me to reach out to the right people, I was also carrying a mission to Japan this time.

When I was filling in the health declaration form for the Japan Ministry of Health, there was a question "Did you have such a symptom as fever or coughing within the past ten days before today?". Having just recovered from a cough about two weeks earlier, I did not have to struggle to give an honest answer and no further medical check-up was imposed to me. Since I returned to Malaysia this Sunday, I do not carry any obvious symptoms of the Influenza A. I thank God for that.

The sister who had stayed in Hong Kong for a month was having a slight flu upon her arrival at KLIA. Thus, she was quarantined at the hospital and missed to attend the same conference. Later, she was cleared of being affected by the H1N1 virus. It became a story to amuse us during the MLM class.

Next year, I will try to make myself available for the EFCC Conference 2010, and the mouth-watering food in Penang!

Japan: Give Me What I Want

If the adults give me what I want to eat, instead of what they want me to eat, I'll definitely yawn less,

frown less,

choke less,

and smile more!

Japan: Eating Ice-Cream

I wonder why the adults call it local speciality

when they don't want to miss tasting the ice-cream.

But when they see that I enjoy the same ice-cream

and don't want to miss any lick of it,

they start to call it junk food.

Japan: Drinking More Water

I wonder why the adults always try to make me drink a lot of water when I don't really feel thirsty:

whether with a straw,

with a spoon,

or directly from a cup.

Every time I finish my water, these adults will give me compliments.

But I think they should drink more water, because they talk a lot!

Japan: Let's Take Care Of Each Other

When I am tired, Grandma pushes me with a trolley.

When she is tired, I shall already be strong enough to push the trolley on my own.

When I am hungry, Grandma shares her "ramen" with me,

When she is hungry, I shall share my "mirin" snack with her.

Japan: Why Do You Appear Here Tonight?

After spending two and a half hours in the taxi, two hours at KLIA,

seven hours in the aeroplane, half an hour at Narita airport,

and one and a half hours in Ah Yu's car, we finally got to see this confused face

as if asking us, "Why do you appear here tonight instead of the computer screen?"

Can't Wait To Hug You Again

After my brother Ah Yu's family went back to Japan last August, he continues to appear with his son in front of the Skype webcam almost every day to chat with those who are around in Batu Pahat.

I see Yuri's cute face more often through pictures that Ah Yu sends via email. He has been growing up so much since his birth!

Big aunt can't wait to hug you again, my little nephew!