1 day to go...

I will see D tomorrow. 23.15 US time. I don't even want to think about converting that into actual hours, as my math skills are non-existent. Now I know why they have those maths problems...if you are on plane heading to NY at a gazillion kilometres an hour and NY is heading in your direction at whatever miles per hour, how much time would you have to wash and blow your hair before your boyfriend reaches JFK? All I know and care about at this moment is that I will see D tomorrow.

I spoke to him this morning, to give him my flight details. I will be arriving much earlier, but I think he needs to know which flight I am on. Just in case. Like if a jet engine sucks in an eagle. I am morbid, I know. Told him about my brother's friend. A bit difficult though as I had to explain what a baju kurung and tudung is. I then had to explain why I do not wear these items of clothing. As these things go, we then got on to the topic of polygamy. I have told him that only Malaysian born Muslims can marry more than 1 wife. Converts and especially foreign converts have no such right. It is in fact an offence under the penal code (which is unfortunately only in Malay). Regardless of what any Malaysian man he will meet says. They just want to see more foreigners in jail. Do not listen to them. And yes, maggi mee is staple food in Malaysia.

I don't think I will have a problem, as he recently asked me what the difference is between Islam and Muslim. The man thought they were 2 different religions. I think I shall tell him that all new converts have to have their new name chosen by the wife. I am thinking ... Joaquim.

We will be visiting D's dad next week. It is -26 celcius in his hometown. Wonder if they walk around in snowsuits there...

How to irritate a sister from across the seas...

Call her at 3am KL time to ask her if you could have white rice at her wedding reception. Remind her how opposed you are to having nuts and raisins amongst the rice..oooh, and request that the colour pink not be chosen as the family theme colour. Then tell her you wish you could be there to help out with the arrangements. Then hang up.

Insaf

2 weeks ago, as I was lying spread eagle on the marble living room floor at home trying to cool off, irritating my brother by jokingly asking him, over and over again, "Why is your country so hot??!!" (I add jokingly before some nationalist lambasts me with comments), he told me a story about a friend of his. He is a transvestite. Not my brother. His friend, F. They have been friends for a long time, and my brother, the kindest most giving person you will ever know, provides his strong shoulders for F to cry on after each failed love affair. They lost touch after the last doomed and tragic affair but recently, he received a call from F. F wanted to touch base, and to inform my brother that "I dah insaf" (I have repented) and he has found the path he is meant to take, he has renewed his faith. My brother was happy for him and suggested they meet up for coffee. Nothing stronger in view of his born again status. F turned up at Alexis wearing a baju kurung and a tudung.

Berlin in 6 hours

I was in Berlin yesterday. Missed Karnivale here becuase I needed to get a visa for Canada, pronto. Note to travellers: If you are not carrying a Dutch passport, but need to travel to Canada from NL, you will need to get a visa from Berlin. I tried to courier my application on Saturday, only to be told by nice postmaster that because of the Karnivale, nothing would be leaving the post office until Monday morning. Checked flights: Cost of last minute ticket same as cost of my flight to NY. I had no choice but to take the last train out to Berlin on Sunday, check myself into a hotel and be at the embassy at 9am on Monday. Only to be told that my passport would be ready at 3pm. So there I was, freezing my buns off, trying to figure out how to kill 6 hours. How much coffee would I have to consume?

What do I do? Get on a hop-on-hop-off bus of course. Did Berlin in a few hours. Spent a bit more time at Checkpoint Charlie. Still trying to figure out what that Dome is famous for because I had to interrupt my taped tour to reassure D over the phone that it is OK to eat a steak he had defrosted on Saturday, but stuck back in the freezer.




Berlin is a beautiful city, still retaining its remaining historical buildings. As usual, any remnants of communism is now fully commercialised, but hey, isn't that why we fight for democracy. It does make you think though as the bus brings you along one of the few remaining parts of the wall still standing. A city divided.

At 3pm, I picked up my now even more valuable passport (that sticker cost me Euro 200 in total!) and headed home.

Just as I am getting use to the weather here, I have to figure out how to pack for a weekend in NY and a week in the wilds of Canada. I sometimes wish time would just stand still for me to catch my breath.

NL sure is cold

The ironic thing about maintaining a blog is that when there is so much to write about, there is never any time to write. Since my last lament about KF's absence, she came home the day before I left, I left KL, am back in NL, and have spent the last few days reading massive amounts of snail mail, starting a research project, applying for both a US and Canadian visa in a week, and getting use to the cold and dreary weather again.

The last few days in KL were hectic. Spending days trying to get knick knacks for housemates, colleagues and secretaries (Tip: Be nicer to the secretaries than your bosses). Eating as much as my tummy could possibly handle ("Yes Mama, I know that Laksa Penang, Mee Goreng and Sashimi do not sit well together in one meal, but I only have 2 days!!") and saying my goodbyes to close friends (Thanks ever so much for accommodating me, meeting up with me at a stranger's house and coming over to mine as I packed). Finally, it was time for me to head out, my last supper at KLIA (Can you believe that a teh tarik is RM5.20!!) enjoyed with my Daddy, Ayah, Mama and siblings. As usual, arriving in Schipol in darkness, with 40 kilos of luggage (minus 10 kilo handbag..why can I never travel light??) just highlighted what I left behind.

I was dreading the trip back home. Even on the plane, as I watched movie after movie, visions of dragging my luggage on and off the trains, down and up staircases and escalators as I catch connecting trains, kept me awake. But life holds plenty of surprises. I arrived in time to catch a train with only one connection needed, and that from the same platform. As I arrived at my own station, someone asked me if he could help carry my luggage. Bless him. My housemate offered to make tea as I got ready for my meeting (Did I mention that I had a meeting the morning of my arrival?), and after the meeting, as I dragged myself home and up to my room, my landlady informed me that she had bought me groceries and flowers for my room as she figured I would be too tired to go grocery shopping. I felt so touched, and so blessed by such thoughtfulness.


But just as I am trying to acclimatise myself to my surroundings, I may be off again. I have to be in NY by the 11th of Feb to meet D as our paper will be presented at a University upstate. We will then head out to Canada to see my future Daddy-in-law and head back out a few days later. Have you ever tried to apply for both a US and a Canadian visa within a week?? I am in the process of doing this, and I shall tell you what happens. Fingers crossed. Oooh, may I add that Canada does not have visa services in NL and that I need to apply in Germany? Toes crossed.

I am stressed. But if all goes well, I will be in the big apple, get nookie and see D next Friday. Hmm, maybe I should have placed "see D" second...or first..