Still In Raya Mood October 25, 2008

As Raya is almost reaching its end, more & more open houses were held this weekend. On Thursday nite Mastika & Ahmad had their open house together with Tasha & Daniel’s birthday celebrations. After that we headed to one more open house held by consortium of three couples – Ifwan & Loly, Shahrin & Nadia and Mahadzir & Ju. Held at their compound clubhouse, this was one full open house with familiar as well as unfamiliar faces from all over Qatar.

On Friday, the raya gatherings continued. We left for Al Khor as early as noon together with 6 other cars. Eat, eat and eat, what else, sampai tak larat. By now I can recognize the same faces appearing at the RG houses. The RG compounds in Doha are totally not like the one in Al Khor. Over there, the villas are really huge, with front yard, and back yard, two living rooms, spacious dining area, large kitchens, you name it. Dapat lah bercucuk tanam segala serai, pandan, and etc.

Finally our last destination for the day was our good friends Fasha & Syam, Nani & Syambing and Norma & Iznee’s JV open house. Held at Qatar Airways’ compound, it was unfortunate that tuan rumah could not make it back from his unexpected businss trip on time. Nevertheless, the event was really joyous with Baby Qistina’s 1st birthday party thrown in as well. Poor Qistina who just got back from New York last few days was still jetlag, dozing all the way through her cake cutting ceremony.

Believe it or not, after two whole days of raya house hopping, we still managed to go to the beach on Saturday. I was initially reluctant to go for the beach trip but somehow ‘terjebak’ after being convinced by newcomers Leo & Nanie, who had never been to Sealine Beach since they arrived last couple of months. Enthusiastic with their first picnic outing, they came complete with portable BBQ pit & a tent. Nanie’s mom made bbq chicken & satay while we brought pari & kembung to grill. Other menu include macaroni by Loly & meehoon goreng by Ju which was sorely missed as her container had toppled in the car while crossing a small bumpy section leading to the beach spot. 

As usual, my Sunday morning blues will surely emerge tomorrow morning when the alam clock rings. Belum apa2 hal dah rasa macam nak ponteng dah ni. Hmm kita tengok esok pagi camna…

Sepi… October 21, 2008

It’s been ages since I last watched a Malay movie. Not because I’m not a fan, but simply due to the lack of ’supply’ with this month being my 9th month in Doha. Finally, over the Raya holidays, Loly managed to buy some Malay VCDs to bring back to Doha for me to catch up on. Frankly, I had no idea what the latest movies are back home, so I just told her to get ‘whatever’ movies she could find. 

I could hardly wait for the weekend to come, so today, I started watching the first VCD. ‘Sepi’ is one great movie that I would no doubt recommend if you people have not watched it. Directed by Kabir Bhatia and written my long lost buddy Mira Mustaffa, the story revolves around 3 mini love stories, not unlike the concept of their other hit movie ‘Cinta’. For those who are not quite familiar with the producer-writer couple, they are the creators of the Astro soap opera ‘Idaman’ back in the late 90’s. Mira is an excellent writer and I am fortunate to have known her personally - as a friend, college mate and housemate. It seems decades ago that me and my friends went to cheer and support her very first play staged back in 1995.

Anyways, back to ‘Sepi’. The cinematography is lovely and the soundtrack that went with it is perfect. I am not ashamed to confess how much tears I shed throughout the movie. Typical of me, by the way. Lead actors Afdlin Shauki, Tony Eusoff & Baizura Kahar carried their roles well, in my opinion.

The first ‘lonely’ story is about Adam, a successful chef who gets invited to one wedding after another, but could not find his own life partner. He finally stumbles upon his perfect woman, only to find that she is already taken. 

The second ’lonely’ man is Sufi, a man who lost his wife in an accident. Just when he thought his life was over, he falls in love for the second time. Although she too starts falling for him, fate has it that she could not be his.

The last but not least ’sepi’ story involves Imaan, a college girl who writes for the school theatre. She gets close to the guy that recites her poem in the theatre but finds her boyfriend getting further apart from her.    

As with ‘Cinta’, the three stories weave into one, but each with its own ending. Not all three ends happily. Each has its own unique tale and for that reason I like each and every one of them equally. The messages behind the movie came across clearly. Unless of course if you are the type of person that just cannot read between the lines.

Two thumbs up to ‘Sepi’!

Puisi Sepi

Bisik ku pada bulan
Kembalikan temanku
Kekasihku, syurgaku

Tanpa dia malam menemaniku
Sepi memelukku

Bulan jangan biar siang biar malam ini kelam
Biar ia sepi sepertiku

Paint The Town Red! October 18, 2008

 

Myisha had her 6th birthday party yesterday. It was themed ‘paint the town red’ to add some fun. The official caterer was Mc Donalds, with other kiddies snacks like sausages & sandwiches to munch on. Only close friends were invited to this private pool party to maintain exclusivity

After stuffing ourselves with the fattening double cheeseburgers, chicken burgers & fries, the games began. Unfortunately the designated games coordinator Uncle Own chickened out last minute due to stage fright, so the task was delegated to Uncle Zalman. First game was finding the object where kids were asked to find white hair, belt, left shoe, lipstick & 100 riyal note. Second game was statue dance with stiff competition displayed by the finalists Tisya & Dina. Next, was the ‘mummy returns’ where the mom or dad was to wrap their child with tissue to resemble a ‘mummy’. Lastly, the musical chair, which was won by petite little Una – tak padan dengan kecik.

The cake cutting was next. A Hannah Montana cake for Myisha the #1 Hannah Montana fan. I bet she even wished she was Hannah! Kids sang the requisite Sana Helwa i.e. Arabic version of Happy Birthday song and after enjoying the yummy cake, came the moment they were waiting for – swimming!

Myisha loves her presents and thanks every single one of you who came. Roller blades from Mummy & Ayah, Hannah Montana game from Dina & Ikhwan, Fulla camera, Fulla MP3 player, Fulla doll, Fulla prayer set, Disney organizer, Ratatouille puzzle, Hang Man game, clothes, accessories, DIY wind chime, coin teddy box, chocolates, and more!

 

One kecoh party October 16, 2008

I’ve just gotten back from our compound’s inaugural get-together. Using Eid as an excuse to have a party, the RG crowd was so lah the very berkobar with the pre-party organizing. Riuh satu Doha. Bertubi-tubi emails were exchanged on what to eat, how the agenda should go, who to prepare what, and so on.

The main obstacle that almost got the party cancelled was, believe it or not, the menu! And I truly believe that those who did not turn up tonight are those yang tak puas hati with the menu. It all began when the so-called catering committee was formed. Konon nak represent every nationality. Well at least pun, the major nationalities yang present kat compound ni. India being the #1 and Indonesia being #2. Unfortunately, the voice of our neighboring country was not heard by the dominant nationality, hence the chosen menu of largely Indian cuisines, with a touch of Arabic. Actually, the only Arabic dishes I found were the fatoush salad & homous. The organizers insisted that there would be a mixture of varieties – continental la konon. Tapi part mana yang continental nye, I failed to see.

Food aside, I would say the party was pretty successful, thanks to my Hubby, the appointed MC for the night. Walaupun joke2 ada yang tak kene dengan crowd (hehe sori dear..) The crowd were especially receptive to the games. Hubby planned all the games himself – well actually I gave him some of the ideas. Mendapat sambutan hangat lah jugak. Patut la dalam diam2 Hubby ada menyimpan keinginan nak jadi pengacara TV.. Move over, Fahrin!

I’m bored (& exhausted) October 11, 2008

Oh gosh, this past weekend I was bored, but yet so physically & mentally exhausted. On Thursday, we went to (another) raya open house. The host is someone Hubby knew back in Malaysia, a friend of his brother’s and someone who has helped him a lot here in Qatar. He and his wife are really nice people, but to be frank, I’m still having discomforts hanging out with most of the ’senior’ crowds of the so-called ‘cream’ of syarikat2 minyak. Well, I generally  dislike going to functions where I have put on a fake smile, get into conversations that don’t interest me, and be pretentious. But I kinda had some practice in this field, having forced to go to a number of VIP functions back home with my parents when I was younger. I remember how I use to dread having to mingle with the daughters of the Mak Datins, in their bling2 clothes and designer hangbags. I used to feel inferior next to them and could never connect to their world. 

Now, today, I can afford all the designer stuff and so, in reality, no disparities between me and the perasan-mak datins of Qatar. But apparently, according to some friends who have been here much longer than I have, so shallow are these women, that whether or not you are invited or accepted into their circle depends on where your husband works, the type of house you live in, and the type of car you drive! Ada lagi orang camni kat dunia ni eh? As much as I fulfill all their silly criteria, sori la, I will never announce to the whole world all these details for the sake of making new friends. Isn’t it obvious these are not the friends who would stay true to you? Real friends are those who would be there for you through thick and thin. But not the ones who would only judge you from the outside.

Kata orang, berkawan biar ramai. Musuh jangan dicari. As newcomers to the land of Qatar, where thousands of fellow Malaysians are also present, I would think we all have something in common. Untuk mencari rezeki di negeri orang, menimba ilmu & pengalaman baru. Tapi kalau ada yang niat dah terpesong, datang sini nak kehidupan yang mewah dan nak menunjuk2 sesama sendiri, hmm, tak tau la pulak. I guess I can understand how some of them can easily be swayed by the newfound wealth & luxury. To them, bila lagi nak merasa bende2 yang tak mimpi nak rasa kat Malaysia. I can’t resist quoting Dr M – ‘Melayu memang mudah lupa…’      

Ok, now back to my weekend. On Friday, we went to one more open house. On the same nite, taklimat untuk rombongan jemaah haji Malaysia was held at our clubhouse. Unfortunately, Hubby and I will not be part of the rombongan this year, insyaAllah, tahun depan kalau ada rezeki. Then on Saturday, after over one month of restraining ourselves from any outdoor activities, we finally brought the kids to the beach. Bagi chance kat depa mandi laut, main pasir & Hubby nak lepas gian naik dunes sikit2. The beach was very deserted today, as we were there by 8am. Letih la jugak, sampai tak larat nak gi yet another open house invitation today. And now, thinking about all the tasks due this coming week is enough to make me feel even more exhausted. At least there’s Myisha’s birthday to look forward to!

Still Experimenting… October 6, 2008

Hubby recently got himself a new toy. Camera idaman kalbu – Nikon DSLR. To tell you the truth, he had always been an avid fan of canggih cameras. When we were still studying, my chokia Yashica compact camera which cost hardly a couple of hundred ringgits in those days, stayed loyal to me and produced my best memories while studying abroad. Banyak tempat camera tu dah sampai. But Hubby, at that time, was already carrying an SLR camera. Manual, of course. Time tu belum digital era lagi. Errr, that explains how old we both are. Anyway, nak jadi cerita, camera SLR kesayangannya hilang dicuri orang one not-so-fine day when our apartment in Pandan Mewah was robbed in broad daylight. So furious was he that another SLR camera was immediately purchased to replace the stolen one. This second SLR somehow finally rosak, tak ingat dah sebab apa. So we moved on the world of digital cameras. Tak yah pakai filem dah. Anyway, enough with the flashback of Hubby and his SLRs…

Hubby’s love for SLR – now the DSLR – was rekindled after admiring with envy the fabulous pics taken by some of our good friends. The compact camera just won’t do. So after extensive researching and getting tips from our very talented photographer friend in Abu Dhabi during our last trip there, Hubby pun teruja, terus order kat member tolong belikan kat Malaysia. And walla, a couple of weeks before Eid, the camera was hand delivered to us by our friend who just came to Doha from Malaysia. Selamat duit shipping. And never buy DSLR kat Doha, the same model cost much more here.

It’s been less than a month, so tak sempat lagi nak explore the full functions of this new gadget. Baru nak trial and error. Nak baca manual pun tak sempat. Apa2 pun, tak sabar nak buat photo shoot, bole la perasan jadi malaysian top model jap. Anyone care to join?

Our Raya Open House October 2, 2008

2nd day of Raya – our turn to have guests over to our home for our Open House. The menu was mee udang, nasi impit, rendang daging, kuah kacang, made-from-scratch lemang and my mum’s special recipe macaroni bakar. Also carrot cake and marble jelly pencuci mulut. I have managed to make only 2 types of biskut raya, but hey, ni dah kira pecah rekod for me!

Our guests arrived as early as 1 pm although invitation was for 3-7pm. Apa lagi, kelam kabut la bersiap. At first the crowd was manageable. But as with every open house, mesti ada the peak timing. Tak menang tangan dibuatnya berulang alik ke dapur refill food. Hopefully everyone enjoyed the food and company. Buat open house memang letih tapi seronok bila orang ramai datang, meriah!

When the day turned into night, kids finally had a chance to main bunga api. Jangan main2, kat Doha ni pun ada supplier bunga api jugak tau. Teringat pulak kat my best friend tokey bunga api kat FCN, agak2nya dia berniaga bunga api lagi ke atau makcik dah kayo sekarang ni..?!

Salam Aidilfitri Dari Doha October 2, 2008

1 Syawal 1429 jatuh pada hari Selasa 30 September 2008 here in Qatar as well as most other GCC countries. Somewhat unexpected but then this was exactly the case last year, I was told. After the announcement was made, sempat lagi ke Carrefour for some last minute shopping. Plan nak bukak posa and main bunga api kat rumah Mastika & Ahmad on the last day of puasa terus terbantut due to the early news of hari raya. Nasib baik I had decided to start cooking the rendang early.

Pagi raya started with solat Raya di Malaysian Embassy Qatar. The premise was full of Malaysians, suasana raya mula terasa. After solat, photo session dulu after moving on to Dato Ambassador’s open house at his official residence – Rumah Malaysia . The food served at the Ambassador’s residence was delightful. Nasi minyak, nasi lemak, lontong, bakso, rendang, pulut, kek lapis, all sorts of Malay kuih, biskut raya - macam2 ada. After stuffing ourselves, we proceeded to Al Khor to another open house and back to Doha for a few more invitations. 5 houses all together today. Letih but fun meeting new people and not mentioning food, food and more food.

Aidilfitri di Doha memang exciting. But nothing beats Raya at our home country. Kalau kat Malaysia, 1st Raya for me & family is fairly predictable. Pagi raya without fail we will first go to Istana Bukit Kayangan and normally we will spend a couple of hours there. Everyone that matters will be there. Then, to my aunt’s house which is near the Istana. And on the night of first raya, all my cousins and aunt will come over to my mum’s house in Klang. Today I saw the pics of 1st raya on my cousin Emmi’s FB and I was so sebak…  It made me realize how much I miss everyone back home…

Last but not least, sempena hari raya yang mulia ini, I would like to take the opportunity to wish everyone Selamat Hari Raya, maaf zahir batin. Most importantly, mohon maaf jika ada salah dan silap. 0-0 ok..