Qurban

Qurban roots from the word qarib. Qarib means proximity, something that's close by. From what I understand Qarib means something that's really,really close to you. Orang Melayu kata, isi dengan kuku. So, for me qurban means givng up something that's really close to you in order to achieve something higher.

I have never think about it until one day, a person asked this question ~ why, we never will be able to love our parents, as much as they have been loving us?

It's true, my mother misses me more than I misses her.

I thought about it, and can't fathom, why I can't rival the loves of my parents towards me.

The person told us the answer, which shouts truth in all directions.

Our parents have given up many things for us. Ibu bapa kita telah berkorban banyak perkara untuk kita. And when you sacrifice alot for one thing or one person, the more you are attached to those that you sacrificed for, the more you love that person.

Come to think of it.

My mother carried me for almost 9 months and then went into a life and death situation to deliver me into ths world. She can always choose not to

Sad Day

I had neurology credit test today. It some sort of ticket that you must have in order to sit for final exam. This is the only credit that I feel indifferent about, thanks to neurology final exam preparation. "Rasa macam nak mati" exclaimed a friend. How ironic to think that a fellow student is actually, dying, in about 200m radius from us.

I have never known that fellow. The rumours has it that he's a 3rd year stomatology student, got into a hit and run accident probably around 3am. It's not until few hours after that he's finally found. He's declared having permanent brain damage and the doctors said that he'll not last past this weekend. I shiver to think about it. Probably because we are more or less in the same boat. Our homecountries are on the other side of the world and dare I say, in my early 20's, dying is the last thing I want to experience now.

May Allah give strength to his family to go through this testing time.

Adršpach Rock Formation

I have been to Adršpach thrice already and never regret them. (well you can take that the last time I used different walking trail)

First time there, we missed our connection train and had to wait for the next one for almost 2 hours.

I always go there by train. From Hradec Kralove, we have to catch a connecting train in Trutnov, if I am not mistaken. For verification, kindly use idos.

Connecting train

Disembark at Adršpach train stop (a small hut like) and walk back to the entrances. One entrance is near the sandpit basin/lake, another entrance is a walk away from the sandpit basin entrance.

Entrance is less than 50kc with your ISIC and you get a pamphlet.

The walking and hiking trail is beginner level. Last time I saw an about 4 y.o. climbed the tiny steps down. The paths are well marked and to get lost is a little bit tricky.

When you go in summer, don't forget to go on the boat ride. Follow the sign k lode. There will be a wooden booth selling the ticket. If you never line up on a steep steps fixed in place in between rocks, then here is the place to do it. The oarsman do give eplanation of the figurines erected on the banks and islands and the formation of the tree. It's in Czech but that shouldn't put you off from trying the boatride.

Last time I went there, I was in the hiking trip with the Czechs. We entered from Teplice Nad Metuji entrance. The first hike is 300 steps up the stone and the scenery is priceless. The trees are turning into autumn colour and I get to pick some wild raspberries and learn to identify edible mushroom.

Photos from Niksyu and the Czech student.

PLKN : Night Duty

Every trainee is expected to be on at least one night duty.

Back in 2007, we alternate between company. Say that tonight 6 girls from Alpha will do the rounds. Tomorrow, would be Bravo's turn.

If you have night duty, you are expected to spend the night in your combat suit. You get to sleep for 4 hours in the common room and do the rounds for 2 hours. Ironically, I only noticed the presence of common room when I had my night duty ~ explains how occupied we were. If I'm not mistaken, night duty is the only time you get to use the walkie talkie. Unfortunately, nothing fancy went through ours when we had the walkie talkie with us.

Our job is to make sure that mosquito net is in place (our camp is in the malaria endemic area), bed owner on the bed and take the place of vice commandant alarm clock in the break of dawn. I don't really know how to explain my feeling but you know this person is like this during the day ~ proud, cheerful, annoying, detestable. They are your friends and enemies and now they are sleeping, in many different position, peacefully. Once, I did the round with Adeline and another girl. We had finished rounding on Bravo 1 and were few steps out of the front door when we heard my name being called out. We went in to find if anyone needs any help but everyone seemed to be fast asleep. The girls freaked out enough to not go in again after the second calling. I would like to think of it as someone pulling pranks on me, thank you.

I had the opportunity to be the alarm clock once. I don't remember if the boys were into it as well but anyway, to be the alarm clock, you need to line up in front of the vice commandant's chalet at the break of dawn and sing on top of you lung the National Service 'anthem' until he opens the door. I don't know why we didn't recite talkin instead. That would have been phenomenal and if he's sensitive enough, he would wake in no time.

Bee Who?

Bee, is an insect. An exceptional one, may I add.

In the Holy Quran, there's a surah named an-Nahl, translated as, the honey bee. Such a significance of this creature.

I'm very lucky to have been told a few things about the bee.

Bee only goes to the good place and doesn't do damage to whichever place it goes to. Instead it helps in pollination. Now, this is mutualism.

It takes the best and in doing so, produces also only the best.

Bee's saliva is propolis, which has antimicrobial property and do you know that bee use this antimicrobial propolis in addition to beeswax to build their hive. It shows that bee is hygienic.

It doesn't stop at that. when bee hatches, it cleans up the place afterward for future use. *run and declutter my messy desk*

And as most of us know, bee produces honey, from their belly! They have no stool *awe*. It's long known that honey has many health benefit and hold a certain respectable place in many civilisations.

And once after the bee stung, it dies.

Conclusion is, there's a reason why a husband is fondly called bee and the wife's called honey.

Bee does only the best, from building the shelter to finding food. Excellent honey is made from nectar by the bee.

Honey bee, thanks for making me reflects upon myself.

P/S : don't handle honey with metal.

Open Mouth, Insert Foot

When we stop for the first time en route to Denizli, we chatted with this fellow traveller.

We were both amazed at Turkish long distance bus and he even pointed out that the 'steward' is even wearing a bowtie (so that u know, we were on an overnight bus and it was 1 in the morning).

I am studying in Czech Republic and is a Malaysian. And no, I don't study art and have never imagined myself having any talent that meet art school requirement.

He is an American and having been to India.

To him, India is incredible and he had difficulty finding word to express it.

He talked about India train system with enthusiasm.

I know India's train system is a class on its own.

But I also proceed to tell him on the train condition which I read out of a travel blogger blogpost

~ railwaysellers

~ the non transparent window where the thoughtful husband went out when the train stopped in one station and wiped it clean so that his wife can see the view after she wakes up

Have you been to Ladakh?

He said no with the reason that it's too expensive.

How long were you in India?

2 years.

That's long.

I worked there.

Why would you want to work in India? *insert my sceptical face*(I genuinely want to know and I didn't think that the question sounds stupid. Now I do)

India is my origin.

Oh yeah?My grandfather hailed from India.

Really?

And it's not until tomorrow afternoon that I realised what I really said. Open mouth, insert foot!

Hemodialysis

Do you know that one session of dialysis costs 3000kc, takes on average 3 hours and you have to do it three times a week?

On top of it, you need to watch your water consumption, cut off the fruits and vege that u eat and be aware of the phosphorus content of your food.

But, it's a torture to refrain from fruits and vege so one alternative is to soak them n water for some hours, throw away the water and resoak the fruit/boil the potatoes in new clean water

Honey Coated Words, No!

I'm afraid that I've, once again, offended someone.

Blame the foot in mouth syndrome.

I'm not the type to churn out honey coated words when it comes to truth.

To some people, I'm plain honest to the point of cruelty.

So, just a warning, my statements most of the time will not be very diplomatic but there's a catch. They are, more often than not, accurate.

You just have to take me with a pince of salt.

Misunderstanding

I went to ICU today. My group has 6 med students altogether which is a lot for an excursion around the ICU, obviously. The ICU was rather noisy this morning with the beeping from disattached oximetry and the sound of the staff going about their jobs.

On the first patient who's quarantined in the unlit room, I heard that he has some problem in the nights. He sought out for medical help last Sunday for it. That's why he's in the dark because they are running some tests for him because they don't really know what's going on in him. They use some alkali for it.

When actually the doctor told us that the patient had woken up in the night thirsty. So he went to the kitchen, didn't bother to switch on the lamp and grabbed and gobbled down a bottle of alkali instead of water. They have taken appropriate measures eversince he was admitted last Sunday and they are monitoring him to see if there's any bowel perforation.

I learned to

- stand directly in front of the doctor to avoid such huge misunderstanding

- always lit up the kitchen when I want to get something from there

- put away any alkali in the store