28 years ago on the 9th of September, 1993 I boarded a plane
along with 13 other excited girls and one boy. We were 18, we were young and
little did we know that we were about to embark on a journey of a lifetime. I
say that now because I think that’s what 6 years of studying in the UK felt
like. You only get to experience that kind of thing once in your life.
Surrounded by new friends, living on your own and forced to
endure cold and hard winter days. Though I may exaggerate on the weather, I do
recall one freezing day in a rented home I shared with 3 others when our heater
stopped working. The horror! We stayed in bed under our duvet wearing our
winter jackets until it got fixed.
Of course there were summer days that cheered the whole of Britain and made people go round in flip flops while eating ice cream all day. And again, I exaggerate. But it was normal to see people sprawled on the grass having picnics in their sunglasses as they soaked in the sun. Most of us Malaysians just shied away from the heat and made sure we were sitting under some shade of tree while having a picnic. Those were the days. Where I was carefree and sometimes careless. Trials and tribulations faced made me become a better person, a better friend and even a better Malaysian citizen. The latter especially as I learnt that instead of lamenting on the lack of Malaysian food or mood, you conjured something up yourself and made an effort to keep the Malaysian spirit alive. Cook your own rendang, bake your own raya cookies, dance during Malaysian Night kind of thing ;) Living in a foreign country reminded me of the fact that the country I left behind was still very much a part of me and I didn't want to forget that.
I could go on about the whole six
years but it would bore you. Suffice to say I had a blast. Formed friendships
that last to this very day. With wonderful beings who grew up together with me while being miles
and miles away from our family. We were there for each other and we still try to be that way now even if only through phone calls and messages. We cried
and laughed together. We even got scared by unkind people who cared to diss our
religion and the way we dressed. Yet we embraced the culture and to this day, still profess our undying love for England and anything British. Well I know I do. It's probably no surprise that being there made me fall in love
with books at another level and discover places I would still like to go back
and explore. Looking back, I wish I had more money to travel. Or at least saved
enough to travel more. Among my many regrets..
All in all, I will never forget
the experience. Though I am certain my memory has begun to escape me because I
can remember certain events (and people) clearly but have forgotten some
completely. A friend once told me I have selected
amnesia. Perhaps. Or I’m just getting old. When I look at the pictures of
the life I had there, I smile and sigh for the joy I once felt, the innocence I
once had and also the time that has passed me by. It is inevitable that a life
lived does not shy away from ups and downs. But 28 years later I would
like to think that everything that happened when I was studying in the UK, be it the good and the bad, must
have shaped me to be the version that I am today. Most importantly, it turned me into a teacher, a profession I have never regretted getting into and would still do if time permits.
So here’s to the love, friendship, pain, sorrow, joy and lessons of a lifetime ago. Would I do it again? Definitely. But I’d do it better ;)
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