Hari Raya Celebrations

To make it short: Hari Raya celebrations are mostly about family and makan (=food/eating).

But to make the story a little longer here is selection of glimpses of my first Hari Raya experience. During the 1st day of Hari Raya we went to Hisham's parents house. While eating and chatting for hours many relatives and friends passed by for a short meal.

The hosts and guests were dressed in traditionally Malay muslim costumes.

I didn't yet have a local dress to wear so I just put long sleeve outfit on.

Between meals different kinds of cookies, cakes and chips were served.

2nd house:

More cookies and more family.

Children of the house playing badminton. At least until I came interrupt them with my camera.

On the 4th day we left to Johor Bahru(state in the South of Malaysia) from where Hisham's family is originally from to visit more relatives.

1st Aunties house. New selection of cookies was served.

This cute fellow was so very energetic running and jumping over the room. I was pleased he stopped for a second so I was able to capture him. Smile!

Once again I was so warmly welcomed. When the meal they served included meat, they felt so sorry for me not to be able to eat it, they send the maid to shop vegetarian option for me. To every home I was greeted not like an outside intruder but like a special guest and agreeable addition to the family.

2nd house. This home belong to a uncle we visited in the hospital. He was told to be a very social guy who would have told me many stories about world war 2 if he would have been in better condition. Now lying in the hospital bed, surrounded by many generations of his family, he whispered to her daughters to keep me entertained.

Her wife (the lady in mint green dress)made sure that we arrived to their beautiful house for a proper meal. It was already the second dinner of the evening.

3rd house. The house of the daughter of the previous uncle (don't be offended if I remember wrong). The lord of the house was this smiling doctor in the picture. Conversation continued about the gossips and health of the relatives, complicated politics of Malaysia and food, food, food. Finnish = finished, joke was of course mentioned once again.

The ladies of the house kept remembering I was from Sweden because I reminded them of Agnetha of Abba.

Rojak: fresh vegetables served with spicy peanut sauce, is one of my favorite dishes. But when eating the dinner number 3 of the night it's not as easy to have a big plate. It is considered rude, like an insult, not eat the food that the host have prepared so of course I did confront the plate number three with healthy appetite.

This random dried tiny fish was already server earlier at the buffet lunch. Isn't it just cute!

Next day was time to visit the members of the family who had already left this world behind. It was my first time in the muslim grave yard. Notice the position of the graves. The bodies lay sideways facing the direction of Mecca. I was warned taking photographs in the graveyard cause I might also catch spirits to my film. If you notice some paranormal in these photos let me know (I think it would be super cool!).

The male ancestors have these 3D statues on their grave...

...when females have these more flat-design ones. This grave was particularly touching with its mom-children aspect.

On all 4 graves we visited Hisham and his mom made prayers and poured water.

When I asked from Hisham what the water signify, he told me "Well. Just think how hot it must be there buried in the middle of earth. So the corps are sweating a lot. This is their morning shower!" Puh! I can only tell you what I'm told and this is often as close the truth I get. I should collect a book of the stories Hisham is telling me.

The graveyard was covered with these trees. I heard is the common thing to have. The trees were full of loud birds and crickets. Hisham said to be scared of those sounds from the early childhood cause it is the sound of the graves - and so - sound of the dead.

For the last but not the least I want to show you that now I am too a proud owner of traditional Malay dress, thanks to Hisham. The jacket needs little adjustment cause it is a bit too big but otherwise the dress fits me very well. For next celebrations I can dress like a proper local. Yey!

Terima Kasih! It was one beautiful (cantik) Hari Raya!

Selamat Hari Raya!

Ramadan is ending and the celebration starting. Selamat Hari Raya everybody!

Evening Snack at the Office

Too bad I have only the the photo-eye of my macbook here at the office to share with you this extraordinary drink color: it truly is the same shade as the neon green on those highlight markers we all know. The drink itself was not bad at all, quite sweet and fulfilling. But we'll see if I'll turn into a Hulk by tomorrow, as Clayton suggested... 

The color of photo has not been adjusted or photoshopped in any way!

I Believe I Am

The volunteer orientation in PT Foundation started a week ago. The sessions held during weekdays deal with the facts about HIV/AIDS, other STIs, statistics, cures, treatments and safe-sex. Lot of essential information.

But during weekend sessions the participants are invited to take a look at themselves: why in this time in their life they wish to be counselors. Expectations of the organization and the volunteer need to confront each other. Last Saturday, with lady Navam and the group, we had good discussion about counseling-versus-advising-what-to-do, self-rated-morals and about life paths that can take surprising turns. Universal knowledge of how to treat life. Simple facts that we do know but often forget while living the everyday. 

Lady Navam is seen as a spiritual leader by many. She has been counseling new counselors for different communal organizations for decades. In PT only she has been participating probably longer than I've lived. I admire her not only because of the wisdom she has but her way of spreading her knowledge. She doesn't see herself as a "leader" or teacher who knows how the world works. She has the gift of making people really listen, hear her and question themselves. Rarely have I encountered comparable silence like the silence when we are all waiting for her to speak. Such a charismatic and inspirational lady.

We were given some handouts at the Saturday session and I made some `scrap-art´ out of them:

Fast One More Time

I went back following the religious diet for couple of days more. Reasons for continuing the experience weren't holy at all but more about vanity. A Finnish photojournalist friend of mine Veera had a muslim friend who was very excited of us both fasting as western girls without being muslims. She wanted to know our reasons and feelings about Ramadan. And cause she is radio reporter in Radio 24 she wanted to do a interview of us for the Buka Puasa (=breaking the fast) show. She even made us sing Hari Raya songs in Malay!

Exotic Love Affair

Mom! You can breath! In spite of the title I haven't encountered a local prince charming. I just want to declare my love for the variety of exotic fruits available here. 

This green Hulk-looking fruit is called guava. It can be eaten like an apple. The taste is bit more sour than a pear but very fresh.

Dragon Fruit is a beautiful and tasty creature that deserves it's fairy tail name. The whole package looks like it has come from out of space. The insides are bright pink with black polka dots. I must say who ever designed this fruit had a really funky style!

Mangosteen is one of my absolutely favorites. It looks like a child has molded it from playdough. The little pieces of fruit inside the thick but soft zest melts on your tongue with a heavenly sweet taste.

I'm not sure what this tiny thing is called but it is easy to peal and the taste is very nice. 

Rambutan is a hairy fellow from the outside but smooth and juicy inside.

There is many more fruits still to be mentioned: the soft creamy papaya, the green mountain oranges and small bananas for example but I hope you got already some sort of tasting of the Malaysian fruit salad. For your information there is also apples available and my well known addiction to them hasn't disappeared anywhere even with this selection of fruits to choose from.

Cats Eat When They Are Hungry

It was a rainy friday and my mind wondered far away and everywhere. I felt little homesick and nostalgia. The hungry stomach did not help the sad undertone of my being and when a friend from office offered me some cake I decided to Buka Puasa (break my fast) for good. After that I pampered myself by eating three apples in one go and drawing kittens.

Pink Volunteers

Orientation for new PT volunteers is just about to start. Next Monday is the first meeting. I will attend myself some of the sessions to learn more about issues we are dealing with. Most excited I am about the lessons when an Indian lady Navam comes to speak about what makes a good counselor and "how you must know who you are yourself truly before you can listen to issues of other people" .

My pink-smiley-face-cloud was thought to be a bit girly design but it passed the selective jury of PT's cast and I'm happy about it because my personal name tag makes me smile.

Papaya Pie

I decided to bake a Papaya Pie with the recipe of Finnish Blueberry Pie from my friend Rinna.

In our apartment we have a beautiful kitchen with nice stove and large oven. It is dreamy kitchen for making food. Little I knew that the oven had never been used before during its 5 year old history. When Raymond and Hisham came back from work they laughed "Oh! You took the virginity of our oven!". 

After the Papaya pie there was so much of the dough left I also did a apple and mango pie at the same go.

The Fasting Experience So Far

I have quite contradictory feelings about the fasting so far. The hunger itself is not unbearable but what I hate is the fact that I'm turning into semi-zombie. My brain is turning rather dim during the fasting hours. Like last Saturday in our theatre session the lines of Shakespeare remained behind a foggy cloud for the whole time. It was impossible to learn anything new or memorize even a word. My brain was asleep.  I do also enjoy the calmness of the body and mind but only when I'm not in a situations that somewhat fluent brainwork would be preferred.

Then again we have been feasting with food for so many nights now Im glad I've skipped the lunches so that I've been able to stuff myself with so many different delicious dishes at evening time. There was Hisham's birthday, Merdeka Day, JiaJun's farewell together...etc. There is always a lot to eat after 7pm. 

One more thing that the fasting has done is the fact that I'm thinking about FOOD so much. I've started collecting receipts from friends that I would finally/once again start cooking food! And I do also appreciate the food so very much these days. It is not only a necessity but a luxury of life. And as we know "hunger is the best spice" so when the sun finally sets and the food is served it tastes completely divine!