For those feeling helpless and lost.

I've had my moments too: feeling frustrated and helpless, not being able to see anything beyond tomorrow.. Time and patience, prayers and lots of unrelated-cheerful conversations with parents and friends made them bearable. People do say we need to face up to our problems, but I think we don't have to rush.. It's not about trying not to think about them, it's about not dwelling on them. Whoever said I need to feel sad and depressed all the time?? I'll deal with them when the time comes, in the meanwhile I'll hold my head up, smile and just do my best :)

A nice song, like the lyrics..
Mariah Carey's Through the Rain



When you get caught in the rain
With nowhere to run
When you're distraught and in pain without anyone
When you keep crying out to be saved

But nobody comes and you feel so far away
That you just can't find your way home
You can get there alone
It's okay, what you say is

I can make it through the rain, I can stand up once again on my own
And I know that I`m strong enough to mend
And every time I feel afraid I hold tighter to my faith
And I live one more day and I make it through the rain

And if you keep falling down, don't you dare give in
You will arise safe and sound, so keep pressing on steadfastly
And you'll find what you need to prevail
What you say is

I can make it through the rain, I can stand up once again on my own
And I know that I'm strong enough to mend
And every time I feel afraid I hold tighter to my faith
And I live one more day and I make it through the rain

And when the rain blows, as shadows grow close
Don't be afraid, there's nothing you can't face
And should they tell you, you'll never pull through
Don't hesitate, stay tall and say

I can make it through the rain, I can stand up once again on my own
And I know that I'm strong enough to mend
And every time I feel afraid I hold tighter to my faith
And I live one more day and I make it through the rain

I can make it through the rain
As stand up once again
And I live one more day
And I can make it through the rain
Yes, you can
You're gonna make it through the rain


**************
Don't let your problems pull you down yeah?
Take care and put faith in God.

Raya celebrations d Jepun

Ah, yes, Syawal is almost over.. Even though I couldn't go home for Raya this year (again) the festivities can still be felt, thanks to the embassy and fellow Bruneians in Japan :D Thank you everyone!!

Raya at the Bruneian embassy, Shinagawa

At Halen's apartment, Tokyo

The embassy gave us free food in the form of buffet catering from Rasa restaurant in Ginza. As for the 2nd raya gathering at Halen's apartment we made our own foods, and brought along cakes sent from home. It was fun, got to meet new and long-time-no-see people :)

Where will my Raya be next year? ehehe :D

Japan: Towards free education and a more practical teacher training

Only one month since the elections in Japan, and already many influential proposals brought up..

Among those particularly of (my) interest:
1. free-of-charge high school education in Japan by April 2010
2. extending practical teacher training from current 2-4 weeks to 1 year

Was surprised to know that up till now to-be teachers only had one month of practical training; that's really short! Making school fees FOC all of a sudden is, well, great news, but one has to wonder how the government's going to pay the schools, or whether they're going to implement that proposal after all. Let's wait and see..



> Schools for foreigners, technical colleges included in DPJ's free high school lesson plan - Mainichi Japan, Oct 14, 2009
> Teacher training to be extended to 6 years under DPJ plans - Mainichi Japan, Oct15, 2009

Why do some people fight?

*BTW, it's Mahatma Gandhi's birthday today :) I'm not actually clear on what kind of person he is (I know he did a controvesial yet peaceful demonstration back in India); I'll have to read up about that :)

Indeed, mutual understanding is a difficult thing. Just imagine how the world can be a much better, more peaceful place without all the misunderstandings.

-From Brunei Times
ONCE there were two boys who were great friends and determined to remain that way forever. When they grew up and got married, they built their houses facing one another. There was a small path that formed a border between their farms.

One day, a trickster from the village decided to play a trick on them. He dressed himself in a two-colour coat that was divided down the middle. So, one side of the coat was red, and the other side was blue. The trickster wore this coat and walked along the narrow path between the houses of the two friends. They were each working opposite each other in their fields. The trickster made enough noise as he passed them to make sure that each of them would look up and see him passing.

At the end of the day, one friend said to the other,
"Wasn't that a beautiful red coat that man was wearing today?"
"No", the other replied. "It was a blue coat."
They started arguing heatedly and eventually began to beat each other.

Just then, the trickster returned and faced the two men, who were punching and kicking each other and shouting, "Our friendship is OVER!" The trickster showed them his coat. He laughed at their silly fight. The two friends stopped fighting and screamed at the trickster saying, "We have lived side by side like brothers all our lives. Now you have started a war between us."

"Don't blame me for the battle," replied the trickster.
"I did not make you fight. Both of you are wrong, and both of you are right. Yes, what each one saw was true. You are fighting because you only looked at my coat from your own point of view."

I can imagine several international conflicts arising from such misunderstandings *sigh* Do I personally know someone who have had fights due to something similar? I hope not :)

Peace and understanding everyone :)

「空気人形」 - a movie

Oh come on..
Look past the maid uniform, and ignore the nuance behind the term "空気人形" will you? ;p

Seems like an interesting movie; of course there's the sad romantic plot, but I'm more interested on how they're going to portray a world with life-like dolls replacing people and the other characters in the story. Maybe something worthwhile for people who like 'people-observation' (like myself).


And yeah, Odagiri Jyo's in the movie too eheh :D

Progress at Anesthesiology department ❤

One more day till the rotation's over; it's been a short one week :) I can't say I've enjoyed everything there though ..

Displeasures:
1. having to arrive at uni, change into operating room(OR) scrubs and be seated at the AN conference room by 8am
2. standing for hours during a surgery just watching (doing nothing)
3. seeing disgruntled people (luckily only one lady doctor i saw was)

Pleasures:
1. sometimes the tutor of the day actually lets me do "stuff" hehehe
2. i witnessed the delivery of a baby, my first ever!!! :D (caesaeran section)
3. kind tutor goes out of her way to drill me w questions (which was partly uncomfortable ahah) and make me understand what's going on

Sure, it was tiring and sleepy at times, but all in all I had a fulfilling week :) Nothing can replace the sense of joy felt when everything finally makes sense; it's like the world opened up a little more!

Bersyukur tah kitani semua..

Yahoo.com - Ketsana leaves more than 360 dead across SE Asia
Yahoo.com - Strong Indonesia quake kills hundreds, traps more

These past few days have seen several natural disasters hitting the southern hemisphere, especially in South East Asia. Typhoon Ketsana in the Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia, and the 7.8 Ricther scale earthquake in Sumatra Indonesia, both claiming hundreds (maybe even thousands?) of lives, causing widespread damage and panic within the affected areas.

Luckily for Brunei we're just barely out of range to feel anything, and the Malaysian peninsula protected us from direct influences from tsunamis. Typhoons have never put us in their path. Surely we've had cases of haze and rainstorms causing flashfloods, but face it, these are nothing compared to what damage these natural disasters wreak.

Brunei is very lucky (maybe too lucky?)
Let's not take our lifes for-granted.

Count your blessings, learn from the past, be prepared for anything.

Mudah-mudahan dijauhkan dari timpa bala, Amin..

P.S> remember this story? we're not that immune u know.