Thursday, December 30, 2010

Merindukan tanahair..

Entah kenapa sejak kebelakangan ni terasa rindu yang amat pada tanahair. Terasa ingin segera pulang dan 'settle' di rumah sendiri. Mungkin juga sebab musim sejuk begini aktiviti agak terbatas dan masa banyak dihabiskan utk tidur..arrggghh. Penulisan agak lembap juga dek kerana alasan yang sama *sigh*. Namun semangat sentiasa berkobar-kobar dan yakin bahawa diri sendiri boleh melakukannya dalam tempoh masa yang ditetapkan. Registration dengan universiti tamat pada 31 Disember 2011 namun visa kami tamat lebih awal iaitu pada 30 Oktober 2011. Dua bulan tambahan yang diberikan oleh universiti adalah kerana cuti bersalin yang diambil ketika melahirkan Qais Usaimin tahun lalu. Jadi secara tak langsungnya tempoh 3 tahun di sini akan tamat pada 30 Oktober 2011. Lagi sepuluh bulan..aduh. Kalau diamati chapters yang perlu ditulis tidaklah terasa terlalu banyak. Perbincangan awal dengan supervisor tentang berapa chapters nak ditulis telah menampakkan gambaran yg agak jelas. Mungkin 6 atau 7 chapters sahaja bergantung kepada berapa byk studies yang perlu dilaksanakan. Buat masa ini, 3 studies sedang berlangsung ditambah 1 systematic review (atau literature review?)menjadikan 4 chapters semuanya. Lagi 2 chapters adalah untuk Intro dan jugak conclusion/discussion. Harap2 jumlah chapters ni kekal dan tak perlu untuk membuat study tambahan. Jika keadaan tidak mengizinkan utk selesai dalam tempoh 10 bulan ni, permohonan utk extension perlu dibuat utk tempoh 6 bulan lagi. Jadinya, kami akan berada di bumi sejuk beku ini sehingga April 2012 yang menjadikan tempoh biasiswa yang diberikan ialah 3 tahun setengah. Kalau tak settle jugak kena stay on self support..huhu. Harap2 kami boleh pulang sebelum tempoh itu. Berdoa kepada Tuhan semoga semuanya dipermudahkan. Amin.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Catatan Istanbul & PhD Viva

Dah lama rasanya tidak menjenguk blog sendiri..masa agak terbatas di musim sejuk begini maklum la siang harinya pendek subuh masuk jam 6.10am, syuruk jam 8.15 manakala maghrib pula jam 3.48pm! Terasa sekejap saja masa di school utk membuat kerja2 yang dh bertimbun..malam pula amat susah utk buat kerja apa lagi di rumah di kelilingi oleh anak2 yang mahukan perhatian. Seawal jam 8.30 atau 9.00 malam kami sudah masuk tidur..inilah kelebihan winter..tido yang panjang!

Baru seminggu kembali dari bercuti di Istanbul Turki. Pengalaman berada di Istanbul agak berbeza dengan menjejakkan kaki ke negara orang putih yang lain. Setakat ini kami telah melawat Belgium, Belanda, Jerman dan yang terbaru Turki. Turki kami rasakan yang paling best utk dilawati mungkin kerana tanah Turki pernah didiami oleh para anbiya' dan banyak peninggalan sejarah kebangkitan Islam di sana. Kalau kami ke sana sendirian mungkin perasaan itu tidak sama kerana kami mungkin tidak akan mengetahui sejarah dan latarbelakang sejarah bagi bangunan2 yang kami lawati. Alhamdulillah dengan menggunakan khidmat tour guide Faiz rakyat Malaysia yang sedang belajar di sana membuatkan pengalaman menziarahi Istanbul begitu bermakna sehinggakan kami masih lagi merindukan Istanbul. Benar kata orang bila menziarahi tempat para anbiya' perasaan kita jadi sayu dan hati sentiasa teringat2..kalau ke Mekah apatah lagi..semoga satu hari nanti kami akan dapat menziarahi pula Rumah Allah..Amin.

Seminggu dua ini juga ramai sahabat di Sheffield ini menghadapi Viva..Alhamdulillah ramai di kalangan mereka berjaya memperolehi PhD tidak kiralah dengan minor atau major correction. Yang penting Viva diharungi dengan jayanya dan anugerah PhD telah dapat dipegang. Namun, tak kurang juga yang kurang bernasib baik..perjalanan Viva beliau tidak semudah yang lain, terpaksa mengharungi viva selama 4 jam dan hasilnya tidak dapat dipastikan sehingga supervisor terpaksa masuk campur di dalam urusan tersebut bersama-sama dengan internal dan external examiner. Tidak pasti samada kesilapan memilih external/internal examiner sehinggakan beliau terpaksa melakukan experiment tambahan dan berkemungkinan untuk re-viva! Berat mata memandang...tp tuan punya badan lagi berat menanggung. Itulah perjalanan PhD.. no two PhDs are the same..ada yang bernasib baik mengharungi PhD tanpa sebarang masalah pada pengajian namun diberi dugaan Tuhan dengan ujian sakit, ada pula yang tidak menghadapi masalah di dalam pengajian tetapi diberi ujian kehilangan barang dan harta benda, tidak kurang pula yang bermasalah dengan supervisor yang tidak ambil endah dengan kerja studentnya dan macam2 karenah dan mehnah sepanjang mengharungi PhD..teringat seorang kakak yang telah berjaya memperolehi PhD beliau awal pertengahan tahun yang lalu..beliau telah berkahwin selama 10 tahun namun tidak dikurniakan zuriat namun sebaik menghabiskan PhD dan kembali bertugas di Malaysia beliau disahkan mengandung..Inilah saat manis dan hasil penat lelah yang telah berbayar..alhamdulillah dan tahniah kepada beliau. Diri sendiri? Lagi setahun dan masih banyak yang perlu dilaksanakan. Semoga Allah mempermudahkan segala urusan sehingga ke akhirnya. Amin.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Tips for presenting

I have to admit that I'm kinda person who hate to become the center of attention. I recall my younger days in school when I used to pray every single day for the teachers to ask me questions. This 'routine' I must say keep continues to my both Uni life and career life. Though I knew that it is something that I couldn't avoid but the nervous and low confidence feelings still remain. What I have been practicing so far is reciting Al-Fatihah as many times as I could. It not only grow the confidence level to me but also give me the calm feeling which is, important when you are about to face the audience.

On top of that, these are a few tips that were given by my office mate who is also a post-doc reseacher, Dr Yael, which I think does make sense and doable.

1. Don't start with something that makes people see your weakness because it only gives people the perception that you don't expert your work. As a result of this, the audience will easily capture your mistakes.
2. Your topic is your expertise. Act as you know everything about what you say even though the fact that you don't. Be confident along the way and you'll realized that you've gained mastery over them.
3. It's fine to memorize a few lines from your slides. But don't go for more than 3 or 4 lines because when you go off the rails and forgot the lines then you'll start to stumble and more 'eemmhhh' and 'erkkk' will come out.
4. What else? Forgotten already heh..will update soon.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

An Anxious Feeling...



In two months time, I will embark on the beginning of another journey. The final part of being a research student - the final year – a year to get into troubles with all the data, writings and deadlines! Having looked at my 'work' so far makes me anxious as to what have I gained and contributed to my learning process within these 2 years?

I still have a couple of things to be accomplished aside from my longitudinal study i.e. Volitional Help Sheet on self-harmed patients and cross-sectional survey of self-harm in Kuala Lumpur, which will be commenced very soon via online survey. I have to work on systematic review that I owed my SV since last year …..*Sigh* I keep on delaying because fearing that focusing on that will put my head off to my other studies which, also needs my urgency.

By end of the year, I aimed to finish the systematic review, cross-sectional survey and hoping to write and finish the first few chapters. But, first I need to struggle against my procrastination. It’s just too difficult to get rid of this tendency when my brain would only function well and better when the deadline is around the corner! May Allah guide me and strengthen me to stay strong to be able to do all these tasks. Ameen.


Monday, September 13, 2010

Salam Aidilfitri



Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri dari kami sekeluarga di Sheffield, United Kingdom. Maaf Zahir & Batin.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Meriahnya Ramadan part 4

Tidak lengkap menyambut Ramadan kalau tak ada majlis Iftar beramai-ramai. Seperti kebiasaannya, Iftar akan diadakan 2 kali iaitu:
1) Mengikut qariah
2) Iftar perdana
Kedua-duanya diadakan di Pakistan Muslim Centre atau glamernya PMC. Iftar peringkat Qariah Darnall telah selamat diadakan pada 21 Ogos 2010 di mana menu yang disediakan secara gotong royong ialah nasi putih, sup kambing, ayam goreng dan sayur campur.




Manakala Iftar perdana yang menggabungkan 3 qariah-Darnall, Tinsley dan City/Firth Park pula telah diadakan pada 5 September 2010 dengan menunya nasi pilau, ayam masak merah, daging masak hitam (atau rendang? tak pasti tp mmg sedap), dalca dan ayam goreng. Qariah Darnall ditugaskan utk memasak ayam masak merah.






Kredit utk Nasir Muni & Zaki Rozi untuk gambar2 di atas.

Meriahnya Ramadan part 3


Jika para isteri sibuk membuat biskut raya, kaum suami pula ada agenda tersendiri. Pada masa dan tarikh yang sama, para suami sibuk memasak dodol, wajik dan kuih tiram. Konsep tetap sama juga sape yang berminat boleh join dan kutipan duit akan dibuat serta dimasak bersama-sama. Khabarnya kaum suami mula memasak dodol dari jam 9 pagi hingga 9 malam sehingga berbuka puasa pun di tempat kejadian. Dapat juga la kami 6 jenis kuih dan biskut utk Aidilfitri nanti iaitu dodol, wajik, kuih tiram, biskut almond london, biskut suji dan biskut coklat. Alhamdulillah, juadah raya hampir complete cuma tunggu nk masak utk yg berat pula. Menu mengikut Mr hubby katanya nk masak pulut, rendang, nasi himpit & kuah kacang serta nasi dagang lagi kot.



Kredit untuk Nasir Muni yang amik gambar ni.

Meriahnya Ramadan part 2

Dah abis bercerita pasal kuih untuk berbuka puasa, skang tiba pulak aktiviti ke-2 iaitu menyediakan biskut raya. Konsepnya tetap sama macam program mesra kuih jugak. Namun, utk program biskut raya ni tak ramai yang join cuma 11 keluarga sahaja. Setiap kumpulan ada 3 atau 4 ahli dan dikehendaki menentukan jenis biskut yang hendak dibuat utk 11 keluarga tersebut. Kami memilih biskut Almond London memandangkan group kami ni Pn Suria kita memang terer masak biskut ni. Jadi, bertempat di rumah beliau jugak kami menjalankan operasi membuat biskut raya pada 5 September 2010 yang lepas. Mula dalam jam 10 dan siap pada pukul 3.30 petang. Ahli-ahli yang terlibat ialah Yaz, Kak Zurul serta tuan rumah, Suria.


Proses mencelup biskut ke dalam coklat bersama Kak Zurul


Asisstant yang tak bertauliah sibuk nk buat jugak


the gang & biskut yg dh siap


Kak Zurul tgh packing biskut utk 11 keluarga


Ooops, sembang punya sembang xsedar last tray dh hangus..huhu

Kredit utk Suria yang amik pics nih sume.

Meriahnya Ramadan part 1

Ramadan telah masuk hari ke 28 dan Syawal bakal menjelma selang sehari dua lagi. Biarpun kemeriahan Ramadan tidaklah semeriah suasana di Malaysia dengan pelbagai menu dan hidangan yang membuka selera, namun Ramadan di sini memberikan erti yang tersendiri. Alhamdulillah, Ramadan di sini kami tidak pernah membazir. Memasak sekadar apa yang hendak dimakan untuk berbuka dan sedikit untuk bersahur. Tidak ada pasar ramadan yang kami boleh tunjuk2 dan bawa balik yang selalunya bila dah hidang penuh dgn pelbagai makanan yang belum tentu dapat dihabiskan.

Unik juga di sini bila setiap Ramadan (tahun ini kali kedua kami berpuasa di sini), ahli2 kampung Darnall (qariah yang mempunyai masyarakat Malaysia paling ramai di Sheffield) ini akan mengadakan program mesra kuih di mana 3 atau 4 keluarga akan ditugaskan untuk memasak kuih muih tradisional atau moden untuk dibahagikan kepada ahli keluarga yang lain. Tahun ini seramai 24 keluarga turut serta. Maka setiap hujung minggu iaitu hari Sabtu dan Ahad, kami akan mendapat 3 atau 4 jenis kuih muih untuk berbuka puasa. Setiap keluarga cuma perlu menyediakan kuih sekali sahaja untuk 23 keluarga yang lain. Dan kami telah diberikan tugasan pada 29 Ogos 2010. Menu kami tahun ini ialah kuih tradisional kelantan - Butir Nangka.


Gambar ihsan Myresipi. Sendiri punya lupa plak nak amik gambar.

Alhamdulillah, walaupun first time buat kuih ni namun menjadi jugak. Rupanya takde la susah sgt nk masak kuih ni. Ada jugak la mereka yang tak pernah rasa kuih ni dan suka pada rasanya. Boleh jugak promote masakan kelantan kan..hehe..Di sepanjang bulan Ramadan ni pelbagai kuih telah dirasa termasuk la bubur jagung, roti jala, apam, puding jagung, nasi lemak, bubur kacang, buah melaka, keria dan sebagainya. Semoga tahun depan program ni diteruskan lagi.

Back to School


The autumn term school has started yesterday. I bought Qistina new school uniforms - a pinafore and pant - and also black shoes. She went to school with a mixed feelings after spending a long holiday at home. Qistina is now in Year 1 Class 3 with Mrs Hunston in Phillimore school. She was about to cry when I was leaving. It was like being to school on the first time again. And poor Qaisara that she will be watching Upin & Ipin and singing Alif Ba Taa song alone at home.




Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Baju Melayu RM360


Ini lah rupanya baju melayu raya Qais yg harganya RM360.. mak aih, mahalnya! tgk rupa mcm biasa je.. cerita di sebaliknya begini.. Ibu mintak tlg Cikna belikan baju melayu utk Qais utk pakai time raya nanti.. kt jalan TAR byk so mintak tlg Cikna belikan yg murah2 je sebab nanti Qais pakai kejap je..budak2 tgh membesar kan..lepas tu mintak Cikna tlg pos laju melalui udara sebab kalau shipping mau raya haji nanti baru sampai baju tu.. selang 2,3 hari Cikna bgtau dh beli baju utk Qais siap dengan songkok dan sampin harganya cuma RM60.. Ibu kata oklah tu tak mahal sgt lgpun Ibu bajet dlm RM100..Selang 2,3 hari plak Ibu call Cikna tanya dh pos blom? Cikna kata dh pos pakai pos ekspress 4 hari sampai la baju tu..Ibu kata oooo ok pastu tanya brapa kos pos tu? Cikna kata 1kg RM300.. Ibu: Hah! RM300!!! mahalnya!! Apsal mahal sgt? Selalu Ma anta brg 7-8kg baru RM200++..pakai pos apa ni? Cikna kata pakai pos ekspres..patutla..lupa plak nk pesan soh guna pos laju pos Malaysia..jadinya, bila tgk baju melayu Qais ni mula la rasa mcm menyesal pun ada gak sebab mcm dh buang duit sebab nanti pakainya kejap je..apa2 pun tima kasih la Cikna tlg belikan baju tu..huhu

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

**Them at 1 year old**

Just wanted to see how similar the 3Qs when they were 1 year old. Qistina and Qaisara are very much alike when they were at the same age. The only difference was Qaisara is much fairer to her elder sister. While Qais is unique in his own way but somehow still got the look of his 2 sisters.

Qistina Batrisyia

Qaisara Syaza

Qais Usaimin

Thank you Allah for blessing me with them. Could not imagine how life would be without them. True enough to know that how much I love them is that I struggle every single day going out and leave them at home. I would rather stay and be with them 24/7 if it is possible...

Monday, August 16, 2010

Qais Usaimin is ONE!

Qais Usaimin was born on 15 August 2009 at Jessop Wing Hospital Sheffield. Reminiscing the time knowing that I was pregnant in my first month of arrival in Sheffield was both a joyful and anxious feelings. With so many things to settle down as we just moved into a totally new and stranger place for all of us, it was just not the perfect time I thought. The PhD was just started and I was having a difficult time to really grasp and understand what this PhD was about! But somehow we accepted the fact that there is always a reason behind what Allah has planned for us.


A year goes by and my lil boy has turned ONE! How time flies that it feels like it was just yesterday that I gave birth to him. I could still remember when I couldn't sleep in the nights and waiting for the 'show' to come. Nights after nights I waited but nothing showed on. Due to that, he was born through an induction as my pregnancy went overdue. Few days after the due had passed, an internal examination was done by a midwife to see if the cervix feels ‘ripe’ for labour. ‘Stretch and sweep’ was done i.e. sweeping her fingers around my cervix to separate the membranes from the uterine wall. It was hoping to stimulates the cervix and help to speed up the show of labour. According to the midwife, I would be experiencing cramps and a show and, if the sweep is effective, labour normally starts within 48 hours. Two days passed by and nothing happens *sigh*


During the next meeting with the midwife, I was given an appointment with Jessop Wing Hospital for an induction. I was admitted on 14 August 2009 at 11 am. At 12 pm I was given the 'Pessaries'. Pessaries containing prostaglandins (hormones that encourage the cervix to ripen and dilate) was then placed in my vagina. The baby’s heartbeat was monitored at first to ensure that he’s coping. The pessaries was left inside for the period of 12 hours. It might take more than one dose of pessaries to get labour going, and they only work for around 50 per cent of women. The other half will need additional help - hey I was one of them!

After 12 hours of waiting with no show of labour, midwife came and checked my progress. It was only 4cm opening but she told me that I could be transferred to the labour room for the next process. Phew..what a tiring and anxious moment to gave birth to him. But I was excited as I was closer to meet my baby! All the fears have gone. The labour process started with breaking the waters (artificial rupture of the membranes). The midwife used a long hook to gently burst the bag of waters and this often stimulates the onset of strong labour. As soon as the waters was broken, the contraction pain was getting so intense.

I didn't cried when giving birth to my 2 daughters, but this time I cried in pain as the pain was so intense that I could not bear. Felt like double the pain when I gave birth to my daughters. I had been struggling for the period of 4 hours before he was born naturally with no tear at all. Alhamdulillah, what a relief that I won't be experiencing that stitches again! I guessed the midwife really helps. I was listening to her advise when to push and when to stop and pant, and allow myself to open up gradually. Not to forget the use of breathing exercises to help in this process.


It was 6.40pm on 15 August 2009 that Qais Usaimin came to this world. He brings so much happiness to both me and hubby and also both the girls. Happy Birthday Qais Usaimin! We love you.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Lunch Treat at Babylon Restaurant


Last 2 weeks lepas balik ber'carboot' di Oldcotes, singgah makan di Babylon Restaurant yang terletak di Firth Park tak jauh dari kedai Hussein yang selalu kitorang beli lauk. Dapat recommendation dari kawan yang penah makan kat sini so nk try jugak..kami mmg jarang mkn kat luar apa lg lunch..rasanya this is the first time kitorg lunch kt luar since dok kt Sheffield nih. Sampai dalam kol 1pm, restoren pun baru bukak..we were the first customer for today. Bila masuk agak terpesona dgn decor restoren ni..





Style arab dan siap ada ruang utk bersimpuh..so apa lgi kami anak beranak dok bersimpuh kt situ. Food boleh tahan especially for me yang suka nasi arab@nasi berempah tambah plak tgh lapar. Kami order Lamb & Chicken Briyani, nugget & chips, satu lagi lupa plak namanya Zarbugi ke apa ntah basically nasi arab la tu nama je pelik2 dan juga mango lassi..total bill was £20. Kalo kt Mesia makan camni mau ratus dah..apa2 pun food nice and bleh datang lagi lenkali. Thanks to Mr Hubby for this treat!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

The Journey of Life



Life is but a stopping place,
A pause in what's to be,
A resting place along the road,
to sweet eternity.
We all have different journeys,
Different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things,
but never meant to stay...

Our destination is a place,
Far greater than we know.
For some the journey's quicker,
For some the journey's slow.
And when the journey finally ends,
We'll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
Together with the Almighty.

http://capeverde-islands.com/station.html



Saturday, July 17, 2010

Abi & His New Hobby



Diam tak diam dah hampir dua tahun kami berada di bumi Sheffield ni..Ibu macam biasa sibuk ngan kerja rumah yang tak penah habis i.e. kemas rumah, basuh kain, lipat kain, masak etc sambil ber'perang' dgn karenah 3Q, keje skolah yang selalu dilambat2kan..(sedar tp mmg suka buat last minute..huhu..) dan lain-lain aktiviti yang kena jugak di'ada'kan mcm holiday, cuci mata @ shopping outlet, carbooting etc..hmmm Abi pulak dah makin selesa tinggal di sini..iya lah mana taknya, keje cuma 2 jam sehari..masa mmg banyak..so banyak jugaklah aktiviti baru yang Abi dah ceburi sejak ada di sini..
dulu main bola, main tenis, gi mancing jek..skang nih plak dah pandai main golf..dah macam2 barang golf yang dibelinya dari ebay dan jugak outlet..dari golf club, golf bag, accessories, trolly sampai ke outfit..sume dah ada, beratus ££ jugak la abih dgn hobi barunya nih..Ibu xde nak larang pun asal Abi happy cuma kalau Abi dh belanja such an amount utk golf, jgn pulak komplen Ibu nk spend on benda2 yang Ibu suka..fair la kan? hehe..