After a month...

I left IIC last month and last 16th July was my first month celebration with MMU. Nothing much to be shared. But I feel like I already here for years!. The environment is definitely different with IIC environment. I spend my time mostly in my office, surfing and reading. My roommate, Kak Ayu motivates me to start my research and PHD ASAP. She is very hardworking woman. She brings all her three sons with her while her husband still managing his business in JB. Forgot to tell you guys, she is also reported for duty on the same day with me. She was the one who asked so many questions to me before the interview in Cyberjaya. Never thought that we will be closed like sisters as today.

My three housemates - Zakiah (Zack) from Terengganu, Nadia from Shah Alam (Nadia is doing her masters in MMU) and Yuzi from JB (Yuzi was my classmate during my master in UTM). Zack and Yuzi are also lecturers here. I don't feel weird having another Zakiah in the house bcoz I used to have roommate named Kak Zakiah when I was in SMAKJ and Maahad Johor.

One of the big changes in my life here is I walk from my house to the office everyday. It takes only five minutes to reach my office from my house. I even can see the building from my room. I tried to drive once but feel very stupid bcoz I hardly searched for parking space. I end up walked to the office which took longer time than walking from my house. The lesson learnt is just park your car at home and let the petrol dehydrated. At the same time, I can appreciate the little bit 'Kampung' environment around my house with Pokok Durians, Rambutans, Mangga and Angsana along the walkway.

Nightime and weekends are the most boring. Malacca is very quiet. It was seldom to me to stay at home at night when I was in KL. I normally busy with debate training or my social activities with friends and students. Or at least I left office after maghrib. Here.. just accept the fact that I will not be outside of my house except accompanied by my housemates. I still have no confidence driving alone in Malacca which for some of my friends who knew me - zkea is being unusual.

I got a few calls this week from a few IIC friends who still working there. There are a lot of hot stories including the decision to delay the 4th convocation to November. That's not important for me anymore even though I still feel the sense of belonging to IIC convocation. But the point is, the same stories were told. People were scolded by the boss almost everyday for the problems that they have to face to run the ceremony. Tell me people.. or tell me boss.. in which part of this earth that we won't face any problem? So that nobody else will be scolded or called as 'stupid', 'bodoh' etc. anymore.

At the end of the day, even though I miss the cheerful offices that I previously belong to with all the kakak, adik and friends, I should be very happy today that I already leave the place that had made my life miserable. I should be more focus on what I should achieve here. I just started to crawl the ladder of success as an academician – the career that I chose full heartedly after my first tried being a tutor in OUM. Thanks for everyone’s support and of course, the miserable life that I went through when I was with IIC. It taught me a lot to be thankful with whatever I have now, to be strong to face all the challenges in my life now and in the future.

Be strong all my friends… the day will come for everybody who never gives up.