Turning 2.0 Season 2 : Chapter 1 First Day Of My Life (Melanie Chisholm)

Previously
This year, around March I put up 4 chapters of Turning 2.0. I know the ending was abrupt but that was because there was actually a second part to Turning 2.0. And this is the second part. In the first two chapters, we will look back on what has happened over the past two years. This will eventually extablish a starting point for Chapter 3.

31st August 2005, Kuala Lumpur

“The truth can become a lie in a matter of seconds. When that happens and your whole world comes crashing down, what do you do? Do you accept the new truth and try and adjust your life to the new information that you just found out? Or do you simply discard the new piece of information and pretend like nothing ever happened? Either way, life will never be the same again”

As we walked past by the Golden Triangle in KL after witnessing the beautiful fireworks at the Kuala Lumpur Twin Towers, I began to reminisce on the life I used to live. A year ago, I would be all alone, sitting at home. I might be out with friends, but my state of mind will still be empty. A year ago I would have been completely numb and unable to feel. In fact, to come to think of it, it was only two months ago, I finally had a new beginning and for the very first time, could come to terms with my past and what my future may be.

In May 2005, I feared for my future and what may become of it. I am not of a wealthy family and I know I only have one chance to fly to another country. And that is now or never. Despite getting straight A1s for my general examination, there was still that fear that I might not be what they were looking for. As days passed by, I hoped but at the same time, I was being very cautious. My mum said that if I want to, she would fork out every single penny she had to send me overseas, but I couldn’t accept it. I myself saw the pain she had been through over the years. How could I ask her to suffer more?

But I guessed God had plans for me. By the time June came, I found out I received the Petronas scholarship and was offered the opportunity to study in Japan. And by the time 21st June was here, I was at the airport already. My mum was crying and so were my two other siblings. But it wasn’t that bad, cause they knew I was still going to be near to them. I was after all, only going to KL to do my three months language course. I, however, never thought in a million years that those three months would change my life for good.

Upon arrival at KL, I was excited. I didn’t know what was coming my way but I was almost certain it would be something great. I couldn’t put my finger on it but I could feel it. After arriving at the INTEC, the place where I was supposed to do my language center, I went to my shared house to meet my new housemates. I expected my housemates to be dry and boring people. But I was wrong. I had two Chinese and one Indian for my housemates. As days passed by, we bonded and soon enough, we were playing pranks on each other.

It was during three months language course that I met Muzzani, Ihsan, Iman, Ina and Fatimah. Let me start with the latter four first. The five of us are in the same program. We all received the same scholarship and were all going to fly to Japan. So after fooling around for three hours, learning Japanese language, every Thursday afternoon, we have this so called religious class. Since there were only five of us, the teacher didn’t bother teaching. It was story telling session every time. One day, surprisingly, she came in to the class without a story to tell. So she suggested that we watch a video. While we were watching the video, she asked me a simple question. She wanted to know about my family. Now, under normal circumstances, I would have made a lie up and gave her the simplest version of things. Instead, perhaps due the holy power she had over me, it was either that or the fact that I ate something wrong during lunch; I began to spill the beans on my life. I told her about my family and how my father was irresponsible and how my mother was the sole provider of the house. I told her about the few things I have been through over the years. I, of course, didn’t tell her everything. That was my very first time. The very first time I had ever told anyone the truth. And that triggered a whole new Naza. I never knew telling the truth was that easy. I always thought that it was the hardest thing to do.

Since then, I no longer put my past in the closet. I brought it all out. There were no more lies. Okay, fine, there were still lies but not that much. Okay, fine. There are still lots of lies but there is also plenty of truth. Perhaps this was why I find it easier to make friends. True friends. Within these three months, I made friends with a lot of people. One of them was Muzzani. Like Dominic, he is one of the few people that judges others. He takes people for who they are. Not only the attributes, he accepts the bad and the ugly too. And that allowed me to feel comfortable with my past.

Looking back now, I began to realize how much easy it would have been to just tell my friends everything last time. But perhaps it was best that I kept it all inside of me first at that time. Perhaps there was a reason. As I continued to walk along the road, I realized I was walking too fast ahead already. Muzzani and his girlfriend were being left behind. I told Muzzani not to bring her along. But no, he had to bring her. It was supposed to be a guys night out. So far for the past two hours we’ve been walking, all I hear is whining about how her legs are tired already (Amy, you know I love you. And I love your whining too). In the end, to shut her up (sorry, Amy), we found a place to sit. We sat there and talk for the entire night until morning came and we took the train home.

Next week : A year since August 2005, has things improved or worsened? Can the past really be forgotten?

August Smile

For the first 10 days of August, I must admit that I have been having nothing but fun. I laughed every single day and enjoyed myself so much I could officially declare the first two weeks of August as one of the main highlights in my life.

August once again proves to me that it is not what you do but rather who you spend your time with. In the first week of August, I had tutorial session with two of my juniors (Nadia and Husna...yes, Nadiah, I debuted your name) and we spent a lot of time laughing. Everything was so spontaneous and everything was so entertaining. WE laughed at every single mistake and perhaps, that is how education is supposed to be. Rather than feeling sad about every little mistakes, we should just take a moment and laugh about it. But don't get me wrong though, we laughed a lot but we studied quite a bit as well (but Nadiah and Husna, you girls have to buckle up. You girls could rock this coming exam if you step it up).

Then starting Monday this week, Petronas branch in Japan, Mitco Japan organized this Educational Summer Programme for us. It might sound boring but heck, it is so damn exciting. Perhaps it is the 9 other colleagues (5 juniors and 4 other friends from the same batch) or perhaps it is just me getting high from inhailing too much oxygen. One way or the other, I laughed the whole week. Not even a single family problem could bring me down. Well, it did but I got so frustrated I took a walk to the convenient store which was a few minutes away and by the time I came back, I realized I am not here to save everyone but here to save myself. And if I can do that and laugh the whole way, I am satisfied.

So on Monday, we went to the office and had this briefing about what the Petronas operations in Japan are all about. We met the replacement General Manager for the first time, and boy was he friendly. Don't get me wrong, I won't attempt to step on his head anytime soon but he sure is a friendly guy. For the whole day, we laughed over every single thing. Including the fact that Nor, Ihsan, Iman and I were swindled by a ticket agent (who used to be under scholarship but was dropped after failing his classes) and we lost about RM 1500. Sure, we're frustrated about it but once the lesson is learnt, we move on and laugh about it over lunch on Monday. To come to think of it, boy were we fools.

On Tuesday, we went for this cool boat ride at the Yokohama port. It was the most luxurious thing I've been on. We took millions of pictures (many of which I would put up on my Friendster soon) and it was so damn exciting. There were so many funny photos as well (if we were to put captions on each of the photo, we'll get a 19 year old pregnant teenager, two gay men holding hands and a lady cheating on her boyfriend....heheh lawak kan iman?). On that afternoon, we went for lunch nearby the port. There Ihsan and I learnt a very important lesson. Just because someone else is paying for it, it doesn't mean you should order the most expensive thing. Especially when it is the last thing to arrive and everyone just realized you order the most expensive thing on the menu. Lesson learnt. It was embarassing but once again, it's funny. We were laughed at by the managers, our remaining 8 colleagues (jaga ko orang...akan aku revenge wahahaha) and even by ourselves (cant help it...too funny).

Oooh then we went to this sugar factory where we were told how sugar is refined to be what it is. For the first time in my life, I learnt that they actually use cow bones to extract dirt from liquid sugar (if i hear correctly. I am sure I heard cow bones are used but for what, I am not 100 percent sure. Japanese still crappy, I guess). Tuesday was exciting cause we took the train, we rode a boat and we took a taxi all in the same day. Speaking of travelling, I hope we get to get on a private jet plane next year (if we do, I'll laugh my head off)

On Wednesday, we went to this steel factory. Gosh...watching how the steel was made was like watching a documentary on Discovery Channel. It was surreal (and so hot and man, I don't look cool in uniform at all. Note to self : study hard to avoid working in a factory). Then that afternoon, we went to this Mitsubishi Minatomirai Industrial Museum. I never like museum but if I were to say one thing I like about museums is that they have games to cater to the interest of young kids and me. And I played all the games. It was fun, but compared to the boat ride, I prefer the boat ride better. LOL. But we still laughed a lot at the museum. That evening after the program ended, we returned to the mitco japan's office in sakuragichou and were briefed about the next day's safety measures. We were also told off by the managers regarding our attitude during lunch. NO NO no 1 don't order more than the managers. NO NO no 2 don't choose your food . I shall remember both NO NOs.

On Thursday, we went onboard a ship. It was this huge LNG ship that just arrived at the Negishi port. We were shown around by the engineers and it was really really cool. The lunch was cool as well. We were served Malaysian food. Even thinking about it makes me hungry all over again. I drank rootbeer for the first time in 16 months. I ate guava for the first time in 16 months. I ate Yong Tau Fu for the first time in 16 months. Somehow, after the lunch, I lost all purpose to go back to Malaysia next week already. Who am I kidding, I still miss laksa sarawak. Hehehe.....and I miss someone as well...you know who you are....hehe...

So after the boarding the ship, we head off to the station to say bye bye to each other but before splitting up, we sat down to discuss the newsletter that we were told to do. Okay, fine, we weren't asked to do a newsletter, we were just asked to write a 5 to 6 pages article about what we've done the past four days. But since the past four days was so amazing, there is no way I am going to let it go down in history as a long essay. It has to be more than that, so as the editor of the article (yeah...my first publication as an editor. i sense many more great things to come...this is when the crowd throws eggs and tomatoes at me), I decided that we do a newsletter. The discussion didn't go down very well though as tempers fly and one of my juniors stormed off in rage. Although that happened, I am still confident we can pull it off at the 11th hour. Or else I'm doomed. Hehehe...

Okay, I need to start writing my mandatory report about what we've learnt for the past four days and also start writing my portion of the newsletter already...What a great first 10 days of August I had. And owh did I mention, I receive free tickets for two (sorry Iman and Nor, aku ajak Ihsan. dia beria ia nak tengok. If you girls want to go, you can but you need to see from behind lah. the tickets for reserved seats. sorry eh) to watch a fireworks display in Tokyo Bay this Saturday from a student who I am teaching English to. Okay so I need to start writing my article already....okay maybe after doing this weeks chart...heheh

My Superpower In My Dream

So you know how when people dream, they usually dream of themselves being this greater than life kind of superhero. Well, last year, I had one of those dreams. It was the first in a very long time since I had such a dream. The last time I dreamt of something like that was when I was around 7 or 8, I dreamt that I was part of the Power Rangers and that the house next door was under attack by some kungfu ninjas (it was either ninjas or monsters. it might be monsters though. owh give me a break. i was just 7 or 8. how can i remember so specifically). And since then I continued to fool myself into believing that that wasnt a dream and that it was a prophecy. The fact that we played power ranger in the school grounds did not help much with snapping me out of fantasy land as well. But eventually as I begin to grow up, I begin to forget that I was a power ranger. Instead, I start to perspire to become a ballet dancer. Well, that is a completely different story.

SO back to this dream I had last year. I was walking in the park opposite my language school and the next thing I know, after jumping a little, I realized that my legs were like springs and that I could jump high into the sky. Yeap, imagine that. My superpower was merely the ability to jump like a spring. So unfair. Why cant I be something cooler like maybe a superman or batman or at least a psychic. Geez. That was after all my dream. And the worse part of the dream was I kept getting caught up in the electric cables that was hanging from one pole to the other. I remember cause I thought to myself what a crappy plot for a superhero dream.

So after waking up, I decided that I was not satisfied with the dream. So I went back to sleep. And the next thing I know, I am running down the staircase of my language school. We were being under attack by some invaders ( i am not sure if they were human or aliens or ninjas (what's the deal with me and ninjas) ). And we were completely surrounded and there was no way to escape.

The only thing left to do was to climb out through the window and escape by jumping off a three floor building. But lucky for me, I had the springy jumpy superpower so I could save a few of my classmates. After that, I cant remember what happened. Everything was rather blurry.

When I woke up, I realized I was late again for class. How typical. And the dream wasn't even worth being late for class. Well, at least, there was a happy ending. Sort of.

Let The Past Be Forgotten

All the previous blogs have been deleted to make way for brand new blogs. This is how I do my cleaning as well. Rather drastic, huh. I know. At least, I don't apply the same concept with people though. I keep people. Old or new.