Mallaca.

Hey guys,

Today morning I woke up with a huge smile on my face, Student welcome tour, yeahhh! :D

So there are 10 of us, new students that are going to Mallaca,

And people usually take pictures and let the sights do the talking but since we are led by Miss Lyeah, Aaliyah (Member of Student Welcome team) and Aiman, the photographer, I've this amazing opportunity to write. 

So there's an amazing photographer for us. 

So no need to tap your fingers too much. 

Its 9:33 AM, SAT, AUG 24, 2013, 

And we're on our way to Mallaca,

Talking about the history of Mallaca, 

The story narrated by Aaliyah gave us the idea that Mallaca was where it all started...  

"

In the 15th century, there once lived a Prince named Parameswara, originally from Sumatera (Indonesia) came to the shore of Malacca. Back then, Malacca was nothing but just an empty land. He sat under a tree, resting, when his dog started to bark. He peered closely and he saw that his dog was barking at a deer. What he saw after that surprised him, his dog barked at the deer and the deer kicked his dog into the river. He then decided, with his royalty instinct, that the land can become a country, and he be the ruler. 

"

And it's said that the tree he sat under was named Malacca. 

So we are taking pictures, taking about our home countries, languages,

Fighting over BlackBerry, Android and iPhone, 

So you get the basic idea about how everyone is mixing up and Miss Lyeah just said I'm the noisiest in the Van . 

So I'll just  shush for now. 

" For those who do not know the past are condemned to repeat it. " ~ George Santayanna. 

So why are you going to Mallaca?

Yasser said -

" Last time I visited as a tourist to some Universities but did not look around, so now I want to go and see where Malaysia originated from. "

Abla said -

"I want to go to Mallaca because its a historic city where i can see how dutch architecture looks like . Furthermore I'd like to know more about the country I've chosen to continue my studies. "

I was going to Malacca, for more or less the same reasons, I like to have an idea about the roots of things,
Miss Lyeah calls me a curious student, I guess that answers your question.

A little after we left there was complete silence, and this is what went through my mind. 

There is silence,

For everything yet to come,

For memories to be made,

And moments to remember. 

There's a calm brushing here,

On the surface of every smile,

There's a secret behind every eye,

A ray of hope, for every crashing dream. 

Smile as much as you can,

And laugh, not many can,

For you're surrounded by people,

You love and people you cherish,

Smile for you're whole,

Smile for those who can't, 

For those who never will. 

~ Yours truly.

----

Malaysian highway is so green on both sides. 

And we're in Malacca now, here the sign boards say Melaka, 

The city is gorgeous and green, the roads are narrower than KL, which pretty much tells you about the historic demeanor of the place. 

And shocking revelation, Malacca has a branch of the Ramada hotel and suites in the heart of the city, just at the beginning of the tourist attractions and the old architecture. 

Which as said by a few of us is also in Abu Dhabi, Jeddah and Muscat. 

At the Christ Church Melaka (Anglican Church) 

Is a marble slab at the side that reads,

"Beneath this stone is interd, 

With her still born infant,

The remains of

Mrs Mary Betty

Who departed this life,

Sept 20th 1800:

Aged 30 years,

Her disconsolate husband,

Has caused this stone to be placed here,

As a snall mark of his regard,

For an amiable and afffectionate wife"

Everything here is preserved.

When you walk along the roads of this city,you feel like you've travelled back in time and are experiencing everything as you read, and say or hear. 

After looking around in the Church and the Dutch graveyard,

We took a tour on the cruise along the lake that was the first International port which the people from Netherlands, Arabs, Portuguese, Chinese, Indians and others used to sail into Malaysia back in the 15th Century. 

Aiman our amazing Photographer felt like Malacca had given us too much so he decided to leave his phone somewhere. 

Our best friend along the entire journey has got to be Haze, who took us from the Dutch Square to the Hang Tuah Plaza where we went crazy karting. 

Not once, twice and almost thrice,

But since we had to leave, we had Mr.Haze, direct us to Kuala Lumpur,

And in a hour and half we'll be there,

So until then,

Let's ask our lovelies what they loved the most about Malacca and this voyage, 

Harry said -

"

I liked melaka with histroical places, I liked the boat trip and, I had a nice time with my best new friends.  

"

Yasser said -

"

I like Malacca because there's a lot to see and learn about the Malaysian history, and ofcourse the Karting was amazing! 

"

Eldana said -

"

I like Malacca because of the karting and the snake!

"

Sakina said -

"Well, Melaka trip was awesome, for i got a chance to meet new people and enjoyed exploring the sites."

Abla el baroudi said -

"

In my point of view, the trip was all about the people who were in my company, the stuff who took us to diverse places where we can learn about the history of the first city of malaysia. The people were nice, the trip was fabulous and the karting was just awesome. Briefly, that was a wonderful experience. And one more thing the funniest thing is when Saad wore my sunglasses  ;) 

"

And last but not the least,

Student welcome member ~ Aaliyah Hasna said -

"

Malacca has always been my favorite place ever since i was a child. (I'm local so yolo.) The architecture and history has never cease to amaze me, no matter how matter times i've visited that place. With our fast growing technology and fancy buildings evolving in the city, it's nice to fall back into the past for a while. Walking through the narrow streets and old churches and houses really makes me feel like I'm part of a adventurous fairytale. I'm like freaking Merda (Tangled) in Malacca. Its what Malacca has to offer, which is relaxation and magic. If you listen really closely, the walls do speak to you and trees tells you what they have seen. 

I'm secretly a gypsy. I may as well start living in a caravan, read tarot cards, steal people's clothes, drink and dance all day. I love history way too much and I think I was a historian in my past life. Seems legit, doesn't it? :)"

They say there's no story heard best than from those who live it, 

And the 13 of us bring you little bits and pieces in pictures and pages here, of different cultures and various backgrounds, of things we learned from each other, the things we taught each other. 

And the things, together, we learnt. 

Once again, many thanks to the Student Welcome team for organising such an event for the new students, to learn and feel belonged. 

I Am A Writer.

I am a writer,
I cannot make you believe,
But I can make you read,
I can take you to places,
You've never been,
I can take you to places,
That have never been,
I can only show you,
But I cannot create,
For only he can,
Who has created me.


I am a writer,
And I can make you numb,
But I can make you read,
And let you feel again,
Such pain that you've never seen,
Such pain, that has never been,
I can only make you feel,
But I can't write to make you see,
For only he can,
Who has shown me.

The Student Welcome Group at Asia Pacific University.

Before I stepped in the Asia Pacific University, I wasn't sure what I was going to have to do,
I had so many questions in my mind,
And surrounded by faces of complete strangers during my journey to the Uni in the shuttle bus did NOT help one bit..
Until I entered the A.P.U Campus saw a group of smiling faces, greeting me very politely " Are you a new student? "

And you know that feeling when the clock gears fit right into place, and everything starts going how its supposed to,
That happened and I couldn't help but smile, following the group of students wearing a very catchy and attractive Tshirt, that said "Ask Me" at the back and "Student Welcome Team" at the front,

There were all my answers, everything I had been looking for.
I'm a stranger to Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur and Asia Pacific University,
And initially I thought I'd be lost and confused but in my whole entire life, I've never felt so welcome before,
And the entire credit obviously goes to the amazing Student welcome team.

They literally do everything for you, except for your signatures, obviously :| *Bad joke I know, but couldn't resist*

Well, be it student registrations, visa processes, medical check up,
And when I say Medical Check up, they take you to the clinic, submit your passports, fill most of the form out for you, and for someone coming from a thousand miles, far away from home... These tiny gestures are of the most important elements that make you feel less far away from home, in simple words.. Make you feel belonged.

So that's all the paper work and the boring stuff, what else is there?

There's a complimentary tour to Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya city,

There's a tour to Mallaca, Port Dickson the beach, or Genting Highland, the amusement park.

Also...

Drum roll please.


There's a party, its a gorgeous cherry on top.

Again, organized and planned entirely by the Student Welcome group by the lake side campus at the Mines Resort.

If you're an International student like myself, and you're greeted with so much, you are bound to feel overwhelmed.

It makes you want to make extra effort and be the best you can, give the University all that you have to offer.

I'm a Muslim and I've made a mental note that when I go to the Surau (Mosque) for my prayer, I'll make sure I pray two rakahs nafil shukrana, for being so fortunate to have gotten this amazing batch of students to look up to, and to be a Student of Asia Pacific University.

Alhumdulillah (:

I'll be.

I'll be your world,
If you let me,
I will be your soul,
And I will shine through your eyes,
For your lover to love,
I will be soft and serene.
I can be beautiful, if I am you,
And for your smiles, I'll be weak.
I can be your world,
Or anything you ever want,
But like everything you've loved,
Will you hurt me too?

When the sun goes down,
I can keep you warm,
And in the heat,
I will make you shiver,
I can close your eyes,
And hold you tight,
For when you can't sleep at night,
I can read your eyes,
And never let you speak,
For when you cry,
I can be your weep.
But when the time comes,
Will I have to weep?
Will I need to cry?
When the times comes,
Will you hurt me too?

Unheard and Unnoticed.

Can we just run a few countries away?
Hide in everything we've never seen,
Hear the words we've never heard before,
And we'll live by our eyes, and words we'll scream,
Unheard and unnoticed,
We can be all we've ever wanted,
And no one will ever know.
No fingers will ever close our eyes,
Or tear our hearts apart,
Worlds away, we can live our world,
And everything we've ever wanted,
Can be ours..
Everything we've ever wanted,
Can be ours, in a few words,
Words that we'll never understand,
Words we've never say.

Guess I'm wishing my life away,
With these things I'll never say.

Coming out.

I know how you feel,
I know for I've been there,
I've burned the pages too,
And buried the ashes deepest possible,
Covered my hands, and smiles as much,
And I too, have cried and felt nothing,
I know you're lost and searching,
I know, cause I'm lost too.

I've been at your door step,
And I can see the shadows,
Even in the bright light,
There's so much darkness,
So much pain, and I sit and wait,
I'm counting on this nothingness,
The same nothingness that got me,
Opening my door, and coming out.

So I sit at your porch,
For the day when it all changed for me,
And I can't speak anymore,
I'm too scared to express,
For the time I felt the light,
And I squinted my eyes so hard,
I can't see anymore,
I can't feel but I'm here,
For when you open the door,
And peak into your porch,
I'll hold you,
I'll hug you,
So you can feel again...

We're beautiful

You're beautiful,

Those eyes on the corridor,

Or the number under your smiles,

On pages and papers will never really help,

The bills between your diaries,

Fortunes to be someone you're not,

Won't make you who you are,

Head to toe, we're all the same,

Sometimes we find it hard to believe,

But in moments of darkness,

When there is nothing but voice,

Of your thoughts,

Of who you are and all you want to be, 

Why do we feel belonged?

When there are no faces?

Or numbers to remind us of atrocities, 

We feel belonged and we smile,

With no eyes to see,

Thats when we are all beautiful,

In moments of darkness,

When we open ourselfs,

With no one to see, but to hear,

To feel and to belong. 

We're beautiful. 

Dream again

Look how far we've come,

We've just opened our eyes,

And we wake up to crying hearts,

Smudged eyes and torn sheets,

Are we too old to be young?

Do we know how lost we would be?

If we were wiser than this,

With more to say,

Than feel and keep inside,

For nights to cry and when the time comes,

To die alone. 

Look how far we've come,

Right here, last year,

We shared words, what today would be like,

Right here, last yeat,

We smashed bottles and rubbed our blood,

Together we sat and said,

"Together, forever"

And look at us now, 

Grey and old, in 52 weeks,

We've grown 52 and we're so tired,

To ever dream again, 

To ever need again,

Its too hard and too late,

We're too tired to dream again, 

If we were wiser than this, 

And wake up with dreams to remember,

Look towards the nights, not for tears or pain,

To dream again, before we die. 

Just to dream. 

Leaves

I knew this day would come,

All of these days,

One by one the leaves of my tree,

That family I made,

Here in this city,

They're letting go,

Its like fall,

And they're falling in different trees,

They're making room for new branches,

But I'm still here,

Waiting for my brances to grow,

And I'm looking down at all I've lost,

I knew this day would come,

Pieces of my being,

Still do smell of me,

In their new homes and places,

They remember be,

Like I write of them,

Here, giving fruits of tears,

Reminding all of you, that I too was a lot,

I had all my leaves making me who I am,

And with the fall, I'm changing,

But I'll be here, my leaves will leave,

But I'll be here, 

Someday they'll fall on me. 

And we'll be us again. 

Flashed life

In that moment,

When life has flashed infront of your eyes,

You're in tears and the truth goes by,

Regrets ate highlighted with the blood on the floor,

And your dreams are in rubble,

Beneathe all this fire. 

When you open your eyes,

And this calm passes over,

When everything sinks in,

And you're in the moment again,

Back in your body, 

Will you run and hide?

Or will you run and cry,

Tell them you love them, 

Everytime could be the last time, 

And every word could be the last, 

Will you call all truces?

And bury all guns. 

Do you want harsh words, 

And jibes and stabs?

To be the last of everything?

Don't you want to bury all hatchets? 

Will you wonder how this cruelty found you?

Will this darkness have a name?

Will you be okay with opening your eyes,

And find some of your grudges,

Gone forever with their lives flashed and forgotten,

Does this darkness have a name today?

Is it your name?

Some

Some will watch you fall,

Some will stand and frown,

Some might run around, be restless even,

But when you fall down,

I'll be there,

Before you, 

To make you feel like home. 

Some will make noise, 

When they watch you stride,

Some will point and maybe smile,

Some could turn around, and even swear,

And I do too,

I swear to you,

When my eyes fall on you,

I'll be there, right next to yours,

To stop mine from drowning me. 

Some will be under the cloaks,

When your fire works,

Some will be hiding in the dark,

There could be love in their eyes,

Maybe, maybe until they're hands are full,

And they'll leave your side,

And I will too,

But I promise,

I'll be there, lighting the fireworks,

Burning for you. 

Shooting stars

We'll be somewhere,

Where the stars fade,

We'll live long enough,

To watch them grow again, 

Like stars we'll walk under them, 

In flashes and false smiles,

For tomorrows pages and papers,

In moments we'll change our lives,

And strangers will make our days,

With what they feel, 

What we're afraid to say, 

We haven't winced or cried,

For broken promises and hearts,

Healing wounds and times. 

And on the way, like along the skies,

Some stars explode, someday they will,

On us. 

But since our time is yet to come,

They brush past us,

Like shooting stars, making us wish for more. 

Find me pages

Find me pages,

And love poems,

Read me words,

And written fate. 

Maybe I'll live again..

Give me reasons, to stay,

I'm about stand and walk away,

But every step,

Hurts a little more. 

If you give me pain,

I'll write again..

In my heart,

I'll scratch again and maybe,

This time I'll bleed. 

Stillness and falseness.

So today was the 3rd of August, wasn't it?

Yes, so it just another day, and I did everything I do, almost every other day.

I was breathing, I ate, and I felt fat.
I walked out on an argument, I won one, and I lost all the rest.
It was just another day, but everything felt different,
There was stillness everywhere, before I walked into the Gym..
Into the burst of adrenaline, familiar faces, and my trainer staring right at me,
He eyes read "Shoulders? Chest? Bi and tri? Back or Legs? What is it today son?"
But I motioned to him, with my goggles, that I'd swim this one out.

Although there were screams, and shouts, of everyone I've broken cells with, running that extra mile, figuratively, I heard nothing.

I changed into my swimming shorts whilst greeting those familiar faces again, in the changing room,
Talking of things unheard by me.

I was still engulfed in this silence I was trying to figure out.

I was scared as I shelter an ear problem, I was worried.
But I could listen to each and every word, I just couldn't hear it...

With these thoughts brushed off, I walked out into the open,
Next to the swimming pool, with the humid air that blew by, over the still water.

Yes, the swimming pool was still, there was no one, but soon that changed.

I jumped in, and I swam around for a while, then I heard it,
What this silence was all about, I heard my heart pounding,
My paused, and my limbs froze, I was in the middle of the pool, at the deep end and I saw the water pound,
And I could feel my pulse deep in my brain, more and more as I tried to pin point where it came from,

I closed my eyes and I tried to breathe, inside the water, yes, I tried breathing.
I was probably choking by now but my mind and my heart was in my heartbeat,
I kept trying to feel it, with my arms stretched out, trying to reach for something,
That could take me where I want to be,
And then I felt it fade, my eyes shot open,
This was my heartbeat, I had found it, and it was fading, slowing down.
It was inside me, and so was the water right now,
And this chlorinated water was winning, as I felt, heard and even saw my heartbeat fade,
With everything inside me burning, there was no more stillness,
There was no more confusion.
Everything started moving again, I saw people jump into the pool, I felt waves from their hands fogging my goggles,
And I felt someone hand pulling me outside,
I remember vomiting out the water, and breathing again, the air this time,
And there it was again, the stillness,
No sign of life, just stillness.