Iftar Jamaie with members of Madrasah al-Muhajirin

Last week the father brought the boys to attend an iftar (breaking fast) program held by Farhan's Sunday school. It's for all the pupils and the families. Ainaa and I not attending for the day was so windy. The lil' sweetie always suffers stomach upset and wind lately at night. Maybe because of the cold and wind these days.

Farhan and his friends perform nasyid "wudhu"

Ramadhan

It’s Ramadhan - starting by tomorrow, Thursday 12 August 2010 - the fasting month for Muslims here (http://www.icv.org.au/). Fasting in Malaysia starts today. May we all have the blessing by Allah. A month in a year - always serves as a reminder to our discipline, as a refresher to our soul, as means to strengthen our faith, as an aides-mémoire for thanking for all that we have in life granted to all of us. To all who are so dear to our hearts in our home country, it is also a month that we wish we are closer …

We wish you all a blessed and a holy month. Ramadhan al-Mubarak.

Our school

The golden leaves from the window of our office.

Our school in autumn.

Look more classic in winter.

A note of frustration

Since last March, the fee for Ainaa's child care increased twice. Our application for certain scheme to assist with the fees refused. We were not elligible even - just trying luck for provision of special consideration since there are foreign students approved. And my inquiry to certain officers for certain payment undertaken to be paid, left unanswered.

The kids and the Malay language

The need to preserve native language balanced against the assertion to have mastery of English language shared the concern of many Malaysian parents here. This thought is actually prompted by this article entitled 'Indonesians fear for their language', from the NST http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/16indoo/Article/. Our society faces the same challenge too.

For us, the need to prepare the kids for schools here often sidelines the importance of our own language. Introduction of double languages at the same times may lead to confusion, as happens in many pre-schools and kindergartens in our home country. They kids at the end seem to get nothing especially when it comes to reading and writing. The children, being taught here, picking up the language very fast. The environment gives the necessary support. Even Farhan started to correct my pronunciation when I read books to him every night (mine must be the 'Manglish' :-)

But the concern is, how are they going to adapt the school in the home country later on, which the standard level of starting the primary school for reading and writing is very high by relative. It is worrying indeed when the kids start to read Malay word with English style.

Hope the young generation will continue to be proud of their own native language despite their mastery of other language. It is the most important treasure for our identity. If not the Malay language will be extinct like thousands of many other languages in the world.

Masterchef

Watching the Masterchef finale the other day, I recalled a question given by my teacher of previous school. Eating for life or life for eating? I think from the context of the Masterchef, life must be for eating..

After all, regardless of the critic against the top rating program, it was so tempting that even Farhan said he wanted to be a Chef when he's grown up.

This is a simple example of how media can influence and develop culture.

Thinking about the moral of the story for such a reality program: Do your best in whatever you do.

Snowplay at Lake Mountain Alpine Resort