?I remember when? I first moved away from home?. Whether to college, living with a friend or family member – what are your memories of the first time you lived away from home? Share them, starting on Sunday, October 5th, at MomOf3Girls.net!

It was more than 4 years ago, end of February 2004 to be exact. I was a 17-going-18 years old teenager whom was so excited to enter the foundation year of college. But, in between the excitement, there was worry and fear. Why? Cause that was my first time moved away from home! I never been away from home for more than 5 days. So, it was a hard time for me.

The canteen in campus

The fears that I had of being far away from home

Of all the courses, I chose to take Graphic Design. And of all colleges and universities in Indonesia, I chose to go to a private college in Malaysia. *looking for trouble* Although it seems that Malaysia has about the same culture with Indonesia, but still, there was some differences (foods, environment, people, etc). That was not my only worry. I was not the socialize type hence I was afraid of not able to get new friends that can get along with me. After all, I went there alone without high school friends. Let’s not count my Mum whom accompanied me during the registration time.

No one to talk from heart to heart

No computer, no internet, only mobile phone. The only thing I could do when I needed someone to talk to was to send sms. That’s why, first week, I used up to RM50. *faint down* That should last for a month but I used it in a week. Blame Maxis that charged RM0.50 for one International sms and my lonely heart itchy fingers.

Everytime I had the time, I would rush to the library and wrote a damn long email to my Mum. I reported almost everything on the class, classmates, housemates, foods, etc.

I miss my own bed

I remembered I had a hard time when it came to college accommodation. There was an apartment for the students, with 3 rooms for every unit. I asked for single room but they ran out of it hence I opted for Master room, sharing with a Malay girl. That was my first time ever sharing room with a stranger! A room mate who made me, this naive kampung girl, shocked. She smoked, she had 2 boyfriends, and.. I’ve forgotten. But, I could get along pretty well with her.

Indomie is much more delicious than Maggie Mie

I thought every instant noodle is the same. At least, it should be the same. But no. I regretted that I didn’t bring more packs of Indomie to there. Not only that, every foods seems to be so expensive and not delicious. I missed home-cooking so much. At home, Mum cooked and I could eat once it was ready. Nothing to be worry about.

While some people were struggling with their weight and opting for diet pills, I got thinner and lost my weight. Not a good news obviously.

I left my keys inside my room

I just stayed in the apartment for a few days and one night when I was going out for dinner with the room mate, I made my first stupidest act. She asked me to bring the keys and I said yes. I went into the bathroom, went out and locked the room’s door. And.. I realizes that I left the keys inside my room, on the table! Say Goodbye to dinner.

The sisterhood

I had a conflict with the previous house mates and decided to move out after less than one month staying with them. It was a complicated time and I was glad to meet these 3 girls, whom became my new housemates and friends. They has lighted up my life when I was down and be there for me. Although the sisterhood didn’t last long, but they crafted a sweet memories in my heart. *so drama*

Switched from Hokkien dialect to English

Yes, the national language of Malaysia is Malay language and it is about the same with Indonesia language. But, most of the people use English. I had a hard time switching from my Hokkien dialect to English. It took me some time to think and speak it out. *sweat* Not only that, the Cantonese dialect that used widely in KL made me sweat too. I didn’t understand it up until now.

I met the love of my life

Nov 2004

Two people from two different countries met at college, on the first week of class, at foundation year. We stick until now.

Conclusion, it’s a good experience to move away from home. By that, I can see more new stuffs and do things on my own.

When we just graduated from high school, we said that we will have our first reunion after 5 years. This June, it will be 5 years. The topic of reunion seems to be forgotten until one of the mates brought it up on yahoo group few weeks ago.

2003. With the Math killer-yet-fun-teacher, Mr.HL.

Now we aim to have it on December this year. Somewhere in between Christmas and New Year when most of the people will have holidays and go back hometown. There were friends who suggested to have it at Padang or even Bali. Whew~! It is already hard to gather 48 people in the hometown, Medan. Going so far away will be a hassle.

2003. Classmates with the class’ T-shirt.

After seeing replies from some of the classmates, the topic seems to be stuck there. The people who replies is those few people only. Funny thing is, those who used to be the active spoken people in class and always reply in Yahoo groups don’t voice out this time. Well, a few of them did reply though. Those who used to read and never bother to reply, do reply this time, including me.

2003. Classmates & Principal with class’ costume.

It is just March going to April. Everyone still not sure of their schedule, whether they can take leave or not, where is their location on December, and so on. We are scattering around now; around the world and around the provinces in Indonesia. I can count with my fingernails the people that confirmed can participate in the upcoming reunion.

I’m not sure where will I be and what will I be in December. Maybe freelance in Medan, looking for job in Singapore, backpacking with the boyfriend around Malaysia, or working in KL. But I think sparing one day for reunion in the hometown is done-able.

Let’s see whether it’s just hot for a while (panas – panas taik ayam) or there is a commitment there to make it done.

I was sitting in the RapidKL bus to Putrajaya Sentral while my handphone ring. I picked it up with no clue of whose number is that.

“Can you please clean the round thing that you put around the cats after you come back home? Because it’s not good for the cats.”

Aha. It’s the housemate. “But it’s so smelly.. I don’t know it harms the cats.”

“I know. I have no time to clean it up yesterday. I will clean it on weekend. Please clean the thing cos it can cause bla bla bla…” I didn’t hear it clearly as the bus was so noisy and I’m not in the mood to listen to someone’s lecture early in the morning.

So, this thing has cause him scare like sai. If it’s that dangerous for the cats then why didn’t he clean that thing away and let me know when we all at home tonight? He got so many don’t-do-this-that list. Isshh..

Anyway, the round thing is the one that ppl usually put in the cupboard, wardrobe to prevent smell sth like that. I forget what’s that call already, not even in Bahasa. Si lo…Tonight my phone rang again. Unknown number. His boyfriend asked me to open the door for the housemate because he forgets to bring his key.

The housemate saw my boy and thank him for opening the door. So damn sopan man!

Apa harus aku bertindak kejam baru dia mau toleransi? Orang aneh..

Since last Saturday, I cannot blog! I cannot check emails! I cannot watch Heroes! I cannot read ppl’s blogs! I cannot looking for jobs! I cannot learn Autcad! I cannot download stuffs! I cannot chat thru msn! I cannot cannot CANNOT ONLINE!

I have scared that this day gonna come AGAIN! Since the latest bill for Streamyx is almost RM500 and before that Streamyx sent a warning letter sth like that. Damn it! We sms the housemate and he came back to us with a lame answer SERVER DOWN. Oho.. Fine. We waited and waited till monday. We contacted him again, either sms or call. He saw us at home on Monday and said nothing. Tuesday we contacted him again and he came back home told us another lame answer ~ Because no one use the internet, only you and your girlfriend, so I cut it lo.

Wtf?!? Last saturday he said server down, monday no reaction and now he cut already. He cannot afford to pay, say la. So damn want to save the face. I so wanted to know how he settle the bill in order to cut the streamyx. Last month he asked my boy whether we still want to use the internet or not because he thought of terminate it for he and the other one seldom use. But if we still want, it’s not a problem for them too, it’s only RM19.25 per person. And now he said only two of us use it. Wtf?!? Like the house has 5 ppl or more, don’t count the cats ok. It’s 2 – 2 now. Not 3 say don’t want, 2 say want. Stupid so unfair.

I speculate that he saw the internet kena cut AGAIN (the 3rd time in 6 months!), the bill is so high almost RM500 belum lagi water and electric, we gonna move out mid of May (the rental start from mid of this month to mid of next month), plus he seldom use internet at home, so he thought of leave it like that, cut mah cut lo. Cos if he wants to activate it again, he needs to pay not a small amount of money, plus the activation fee or whatever charge it is. Then after we move out, he not gonna use it anymore. So, leave it there, find some stupid acceptable reason, see when have money then only slowly slowly pay la.

Every 2 months we paid him, but I didn’t see the evidence of him paying it. Never had I saw there is 0 (read: Zero) tunggakan at the bill. Never! There is always quite a number of money at tunggakan there. At least RM100, ditumpuk-tumpuk lama-lama jadi bukit, until 300-400 for each water, electric and streamyx. If I count it, at least 5 months for each. Last 2 months when he gave me the bill statement, I saw he marked the other fella not yet paid since April 2006 for the water bill! Wtf?!? 10 months already.

He only paid when the house has no water for it has been cut. He just wrote a note for us and stick it on the fridge that he called the ppl already and will settle the bill, asked us to save the water as much as we can. Wtf?!? Not even called us and talked to us directly. He didn’t pay all for this. Then here comes no electric, suddenly everything off. Again, he didn’t pay all. Streamyx, already twice and now is the third one. Before this, he never paid all also. Not even half. Wtf?!? Is he a psycho who likes to owe money and sekali pays like thousand ringgit? Is he so damn no money to pay the bill but care to buy lotsa foods and stuffs for the cats? I feel like korek his brain and his heart, see what is he thinking of actually.

The only thing that he never forget to pay, not even late, and always asked us to pay fast fast is the rental. For he said before that the house owner is very strict. Aha.. I see. If only the water, electric, streamyx is that strict and can make him scare. What makes me curious is how can he owe water bill until hundreds while every month is about RM20sth only. That’s like a year of never paid?

Fucker. I won’t let him go. He wanna play this game, Fine. I’m gonna continue with him.It’s my last month staying here and I’m gonna use the time wisely, let him ‘die’ slowly. I don’t wanna harm the cats but I’m definitely gonna do something with the computer, TV, PS, fridge, and so on. Let him feel what he said and did to us, all turning back to him.

*Evil mode on*

I waited and took T43 from KJ to Putrajaya Sentral, waited again and took 429 to HSBC Cyberjaya and waited again for 428. I asked one of the Abang from RapidKL at the bus stop there and he told me 428 just came 4 minutes before I get there. -__-” Yeah great. 45 minutes later it came with a bunch of black people. Never had I seen such a lot of them in the public bus before. Alrite, this bus is heading to Limkokwing what.I went to student service. Waiting and folding my leg. Then I felt something unusual with my sandal. I took a look at it. Great. Now, one of the tali already broken alias putus. Damn it! I always face this kind of thing in an inappropriate time. Where am I gonna get a new sandal? I settle my stuff there and walk while dragging my right foot and sandal to artshop, hoping to get UHU or something to glue or stick it.

No UHU but UHU stick. -__-” I go through the look-so-empty-artshop-compare-to-last-time until I saw my life saver, Faber Castell Tack It. RM 2.80 gone. I walk to the courtyard and apply the Tack It to my sandal hoping no one pay attention to me. Voila! The tali can stick to the sole, only that I can see there is a green thing on my sandal. Whatever la, how many stupid fella walk while look at your shoes / sandals one.

I walked to the bursary while accidentally slipped at this celaka place. Having no one walk beside me, I have no place to catch and hold on. I landed my butt on the floor with my hands at the side try to hold on the floor which cause a fatal effect on my left hand. I sprain my arm. Damn so pain. The moment I slip, I thought my leg gonna kena and it will be a ‘perfect’ day for me. Thanks God it’s only the hand though I still need some time to sit down and make myself fully present at that place.

When I went back to Putrajaya Sentral, I saw T43 left. Damn it! Got to wait for another 30minutes. Patient was tested for today, well everyday perhaps. And to take my time, think clearly, be fully present on the place.