Meela in Vietnam

Dearest Family and Friends,

you may not believe it but it has been a few days and I am now in Vietnam. My family is WONDERFUL!!! I live a bit away from the city and this has only been a few hours into us knowing the family but they seem to be nice and very friendly not to mention WARM!!!

I plan to get to know this family better as this is the BEST FAMILY so far I have encountered in my journey! :) and after this, i am giving a speech at the port before we leave to Brunei! We will be arriving to brunei on the 28th November but will only be going home a few days after that!

You may be wondering how the trip was? Well... It has been interesting. The wether had been rough on the sea and hence, I got really sick. I was ill for 2 days sick in bed... but i hope this to get better on the way home and worse from Philippines to Japan.

Can't be long... just want to drop a word... Will write more when the opportunity arises...

Lots of love,
Meela @Vietname, HO CHI MINH CITY :)

I am in Singapore...

Dearest People...

I left Brunei for the Kapal Belia thing earlier this morning.... I had several PEP talks with different sources.. but the final advice was the same... "have fun"....

I was sick several times in the flight which was normal for me.... and now I am in Singapore airport for transit...

I am leaving for Kuala Lumpur soon.. and will board the ship in only a few hours... STILL... i am hugely over excited... but i am having some fun...

Since my tag board is not working just leave comments *wink*

Lots of love,
Meela @Singapore :)

My maternal grandmother is this very sweet lady, even in old age. When she was younger, all her grandchildren, including myself, fight over who is going to sleep next to her. Usually the fastest and the strongest.... sometimes the best behaved gets the best place... we sleep all over her... beside her.. above her head... at her feet... :) those were my best memories of her... She also used to gives us "shyllings" for good behaviour she said... its not much... usually about 50 cents or 20 cents... but we all waited patiently as she ony gives to the best... (all of us gets it!)

She suffered a stroke last year and all of us were very worried. Her children and grandchildren loved her so much that we all waited and prayed for her health and safety. There had been no quarrel over who is going to look after her.. or who is going to pay for this... or who is going to do what... everyone wants a piece of the action... i supposed i am blessed to be in such a family setting... other families have PROBLEMS... and i see them as part of my job.. its sad...

She was frail and old... but thankfully, even if not 100%, she is doing better than expected... She is not independent... but she tries... her spirit is strong :) and i know i got it from her at least...

She has a few siblings... and one of them is in Kuala Belait, just about 1hr and 30 minutes away from her... as routine, on the second day oh Hari Raya, we always go and visit him.. HUGE group of people... in several cars....

My gran embraced Islam just last year, even though this is her second time celebrating.... the first time didn't count, she was unwell and hasn't really recovered.... so this is really her first year... :) She is more forgetful now... she even forget her children and grandchildren.... but she remembers Hari Raya and its celebration... She insists all her family members get together and didn't have any shut eye while she wait and wait for everyone... she waited for 2 days as we are all over the place... When we did come... she fell asleep... and because i was tored too... i decided to sit near her and i eventually fell asleep as well...

Back to our trip to KB... My gran's brother is old and frail himself. He needs the help of a zimmer frame to walk now... He, himself, had embraced Islam years and years ago... His children and grandchildren are all muslim... He was just very 'emotional' to know his sister had embraced the same faith... on their first raya together, he was able to say assalamualaikum and waited patiently for an answer... it was such an emotional moment... not only for them but for the rest of us as well... tears were locked into my eyes... I had to move away or i would have burst.... Our prayers had been answered... alhamdullilah....