a rewind: 2011 in a nutshell

Mr. Blog dearie,

2011 had taught me a lot of things. many things had been going on in my life that year. some are good, some are bad. here are only some of them that i can remember and that i wish to jot down.

january-february

was quite struggling to cope with my life because i was having... err, let's call it emotional breakdown, something i brought from the end of the year before. was a bad one and went on for quite some time.

march-may

gradually, alhamdulillah, i managed to take control of my life again. felt so stupid for letting it affected me so much before, to be honest. i learned what should be on my priority and what was not. i became happier and life got better since then. i become closer to Him and the ones around me alhamdulillah. i managed to focus more on my studies.

i started eBay selling, out of interest and longing for extra money. love everything about it except the making-the-listing part.

a peek at my listing heheh.

went to Clarks village. shopping time!

june-july

i became happier and happier, alhamdulillah. why? let's just say, i found another piece of my life puzzle. teehee, pardon the metaphor (;

summer break came. i went back to malaysia. hoyeah, home! it was so exciting to meet the dear family again, after a year away from them. it was such a lovely feeling to get to spend my holiday home, to be with them.

the king and queen of my heart (:

mama and adek.

with kayra.

with adek, who apparently looks like my kakak T_T

tatih-ing iris.

being silly with sis hahah.

got to say 'hi' to Malaysian food again.

introducing, laksa Sarawak with udang galah. noms!

steamboat with loves.

my favourite Thai restaurant.

makan2 masa Kuching blackout.

on my birthday, i went back kampong. it was just for a week. it was reallyyyy fun but i'm sad i didn't managed to meet everyone ): ate lots of durian. nomnom. now why did i write about durians? i want one now! oh and it was my first time going to the orchard. fun time it was.

me being excited on my first time being in the orchard.

and look at what we got :O

celebrated my bday at kampung, with my Chessu's fiance (then-boyfriend) named Farid,

hence the "2F"

some of my dear relatives (:

came back home a week after.

august-september

Marhaban ya Ramadhan (:

our family was tested. it was a hard time for all of us. there was not a dry eye in the house. but Allah is always there. so we turn to Him.

Eid Ul-Fitr came. as happy as we were to welcome the blessed days and the Sarawak layer cakes and raya cookies, it was the most heart-touching Eid ever.

family portrait (:

salam menyalam.

kueh raya. we made it together.

went ziarah.

summer holiday came to an end. i had to fly back to the UK )’: it was hard to leave the family that time. in fact, i felt like i wanted to stay. but i know i can’t.

it's hard to leave them. and the one behind this pic.

and them. and the one behind this pic too.

so im back to marjons. once arrived, i had homesick. thank God, dear friends are there. they are the only ones that made me look forward to go back to marjons.

i had some serious jet-lagged moments. serious, serious ones. never before i had jet lag that bad. and that was how my third year of degree began.

october

classes again! was quite blur after 3-month break and the subjects were quite 'thrilling'. Materials and Methodology II, we have to analyse coursebooks and stuff. and LED, study the educational policies of some countries. Then, an elective on Shakespearean Drama. i think that was the elective that i enjoyed most. i love the peculiarity of his plays, what with the horror and terror and weird comedy stuff.

then came the least favourite part, dissertation! gahhhh makes me dizzy.

had swimming classes! well, sort of. iylia was the swimming teacher. i think i was her worst student. i just can't float. I only managed to (slowly) swim after several visits to the pool with dear friends. Alhamdulillah. but i still don't think that i can really float enough. weird eh? haha.

then the allowance was in. at the same time, the house rent payment naik! sad, sad ):

i was terribly homesick. i missed my loved ones in malaysia. was worried sick about what was going on at home ):

got a new housemate from Nigeria.

got good news from Roisin: quite good marks last term Alhamdulillah ((:

then, came the reading week. so my friends and i made use of the time to read books wander around warrington, liverpool and manchester and london! teehee...

the gang.

dapat cert wooo...

i love the view here.                                      

Old Trafford yaw.

with the girls at the boys' favourite place.

count how many smiles in this pic. haha.

 met Obama too! :O

november

Eid Ul-Adha came. was a bit homesick because I was away from home to celebrate it with my darling family but not so much because dear friends over here are such sweethearts (: we cooked some dishes and celebrated it together till I didn’t realised that it really feels like I’m in Malaysia.

the juadah. noms.

 here's the desserts plak. noms some more.

 the girls yg ayu ayunya pun.

with lovely roommies ((:

taught some british students to speak basic Malay language in a short ‘lesson’, together with clare, ain, and farah. such an invaluable experience.

Went back to school for another school-based experience. All I can say is that it was my worst experience of SBE.

had a getaway to mount edgecombe. Such a beautiful scenery! insyaAllah we’re planning to go back there some time later, when winter is finally over.

on the way to the island.

Subhanallah... wonderful scenery, no?

green is beautiful.

i love garden maze!

 teehee.

 who needs picture frame now?

december

december was lame. not much was going on. sure, i was on christmas holiday and yes, i was happy there were no classes. but the holiday was no longer a holiday because of the assignments and dissy. gahh.

the only event that was fun is boxing day. oh. and the makan-makan for new year. that's it, i think.

and back home, things got a little better. all praises to Him.

yes, many things had been going on in my life last year. some good, some bad. but because of that, it was a year that makes me feel like I'm almost a grown up. and i thank God for that. i thank God for 2011.

Post Scriptum: some pictures courtesy of dear friends.