Hamner Springs

Here I am back in Timaru... Had my Monday blues as usual especially after the fun weekend. Hamner Springs was really great, and it's such a beautiful tiny town. We stayed at a brand new motel for a night, bathed in the hot pools (we got the private pools), had a few treatments such as facial, massage and steam. I didn't get photos inside the pools area but here are a few pics of the town...

Dah ada plan for this weekend... ;)

In my earlier post today I was whinning a bit on how bored I am today, and whether I should go to Christchurch, Dunedin or just stay here this weekend. Well, Zanna solved the problem for me heheh ;) She rang me this afternoon telling me that I should come to Christchurch this weekend and join them for the trip to Hamner Spring! Hamner Spring is one of the main attractions in the South Island of NZ with its hot water spring. I'm soooo excited ;) InsyaAllah I'll post a few pics from the trip here next week.

April's almost over

Then comes May... Anything interesting going on in May?? Emm... Suhaimi's birthday... heheh but I've celebrated this with him well in advanced when I was still in Brunei a couple of weeks ago. I'm glad for that coz on the exact birthday date I'll be doing my weekend shift, probably just have time to drop off an sms +/- email. Miss u sangat :)
Then a week after that will be Naz's birthday... I'll probably come up to Christchurch to celebrate that with her and the other girls.

Apart from that, May will probably just be another month for me here. I'm really bored. This weekend, shall I come up to Christchurch or go down to Dunedin?? or just stay here in Timaru...
7 months in counting before I go home for good. There are pros and cons of going home for good of course but the most important thing is my loved ones are there.
Today is a public holiday here, I'm glad for the break in the middle of the week. Yesterday I was nearly over the moon when I got the official letter telling that I could reside at my current flat until the end of the contract + an apology from the hospital management.

Hikmah Ayat Al-Kursi

1) Barang siapa membaca ayat Al-Kursi apabila berbaring di tempat tidurnya, Allah SWT
mewakilkan dua orang Malaikat memeliharanya hingga subuh.

2) Barang siapa membaca ayat Al-Kursi di akhir setiap sembahyang Fardhu, dia akan berada dlm lindungan Allah SWT hingga sembahyang yang lain.

3) Barang siapa membaca ayat Al-Kursi di akhir tiap sembahyang,tidak menegah akan dia daripada masuk syurga kecuali maut dan barang siapa membacanya ketika hendak tidur, Allah SWT memelihara akan dia ke atas rumahnya, rumah jirannya dan ahli rumah-rumah disekitarnya.

4) Barang siapa membaca ayat Al-Kursi di akhir tiap2 sembahyang fardhu, Allah SWT menganugerahkan dia setiap hati orang yg bersyukur,setiap perbuatan orang yg benar,pahala nabi2 serta Allah melimpahkan padanya rahmat.

5) Barang siapa membaca ayat Al-Kursi sebelum keluar rumahnya, maka Allah SWT mengutuskan 70,000 Malaikat kepadanya – mereka semua memohon keampunan dan mendoakan baginya.

6) Barang siapa membaca ayat Al-Kursi di akhir sembahyang Allah SWT akan mengendalikan pengambilan rohnya dan dia adalah seperti orang yang berperang bersama Nabi Allah sehingga mati syahid.

7) Barang siapa yang membaca ayat Al-Kursi ketika dalam kesempitan nescaya Allah SWT berkenan memberi pertolongan kepadanya.

Dari Abdullah bin 'Amr r.a., Rasulullah S.A.W. bersabda, Sampaikanlah pesanku biarpun satu ayat..."

My little ordeal... I nearly lost my flat!!

I've just come back for work from my 2.5 weeks break, first day at work on Wednesday and everything was fine, not too busy... just right to help me picked up my pace again. That evening after dinner, Erica knocked on my door to give me all my accumulated mails. One of them was a letter from the hospital management telling me "due to a change in circumstances, it is necessary for you to move out from your current flat." My reaction? Of course I was appalled! They gave me a six weeks notice from the date of the letter and since I was on holiday, I only had 3 weeks left. That letter also told me that they're relocating me to another flat along with my furniture.

The thing that upset me the most was that I have settled down in my current flat... I love this flat so much... it is so comfortable and the flat they're about to relocate me to is sub-standard to this. That flat is very old and bound to be extremely cold in winter no matter how much heating you use. Furthermore it is a hassle to move in the middle of the year, to unpack and move, and to adapt to a new environment again. I remember how stressful it was to move from Dunedin to Timaru in November last year and now that I've settled down here, it's a big thing for me emotionally, physically, and psychologically to move to a new flat again.

After receiving that letter, I tried to calm myself down and reasoned with it. My plan was to see the management and asked for consideration for me to stay in this flat until end of this year as stated in the contract/lease signed previously. If that can't be done then I told myself to accept ' dengan redha', maybe this is a test from Allah for me. I called my special one and my dad for advice and both of them told me to talk to management and ask for consideration. Babah said he would pray for me.

The next day, I went to the accommodation department and the person in-charge was on leave so I called HR (human resources) instead. HR told me I should talk to the Head of Facilities, the person who probably had made this decision. I rang him and he told me they would want to turn my flat into an office space!! That was so selfish and unreasonable of him especially when someone is still staying in the flat. I was really upset! I asked him if the change could be delayed until end of this year and he said no! He told me since I had been on leave he would extend the date until end of May and no later. He also said that I could bring all the furniture in the flat I want and they would assist me in the moving process and this is not to put me into any disadvantage. How dare him say that when he perfectly knew well that the flat they were about to move me into was very much sub-standard to the current flat... And to move me when my 12 months period is not over, of course I am at a disadvantage no matter how much assistance they give.

My friends heard of this and they too thought this was ridiculous and one of them 'Mark' (Mark, I owe you one), told me to review the contract again and he insisted to see the Head of Facilities with me and gave management 'a piece of his mind'. He came in very strong I thought with his point and the Head of Facilities was rather 'pissed off' ;). The Head of Facilities then told us he would ask for a legal opinion on my contract and told me not to do anything before he contacted me again. Mark told me to contact NZ Resident Doctors' Association of which I am a member of. Members of this association are able to get free legal advice if they encounter any problems related to our employment. I think since this flat is hospital accommodation and hence is part of the District Health Board, they are able to help me. I talked to the representative of this assc. and faxed him all the details/documents. He then asked my contract to be read by their lawyers perhaps and that afternoon itself he rang to tell me that he would contact the Head of Facilities. The representative said the hospital management couldn't force me to move out until after the 12 months period is over or they have to pay the previous 5 months worth of rent back to me if they insisted as this was against the contract. He called me again that same afternoon telling me the good news that I could stay in the flat until the contract period is over. I was so happy. I fought for it and I won. Alhamdulillah!!!!

What I learned from this ordeal is that with prayers and effort, it can be done! When initially I told myself to accept and be 'redha', I don't think it was giving up. I think of it as 'menerima segala dugaan' and maybe 'ada hikmah di sebaliknya'. Cannot 'putus asa jua', keep on praying 'supaya Allah memudahkan segala urusan' plus put in a good effort, and for me in this case Allah has answered my prayers, He opened the way for me Alhamdulillah.

Long time no see...

Assalamualaikum...

Wahh it's been very long rupanya since i've updated this blog. More than 2 months ago tsk tsk... I'd just come back from 2 weeks vacation in Brunei. What a wonderful break!! I really had fun... There are many trips that people make around the globe... business trip, education, work, conference, shopping, holiday... but for me the best trip of all is definitely holiday at home!!! Really refreshing...

But of course being me... it took a while before i recover from my holiday mood. It used to be really long, the homesickness went on and on and on... but Alhamdulillah nowadays I'm getting better in controlling my emotions... Dah banyak kali practice... of course la i'm bound to get better :P I did cry sekejap tadi but biasa saja... lagipun there were lots of sweet memories in Brunei for me to reminisce ;)

I can't wait to be home for good and be with my loved ones. I tell you dear readers both of my parents even took holidays off work just for me... Love u mama and babah... Ejah, how's the drama? Went well? I heard u tertinggal one of your bags di rumah on the real drama day ;) Haru lahh :P To my bombastic 3 brothers adip, hafiz and rafie - stay cool :P hafiz n rafie, nanti kak balik we go jogging lagi di pantai ah with babah... Belumba? heheh Adip... balik from MTSSR tu lalu jalan highway saja laa... Mana cool lalu jalan kampong... If u do please be careful lah ah... U had so many close encounters already!!

Apart from my fantastic, sporting-to-the-max immediate family, I also had the chance to meet my extended family briefly, from my nini laki and nini bini to the latest cousin and niece. We celebrated the 55th birthday of my eldest uncle in a majlis doa kesyukuran. Lots of laughter in the family, I'm so glad i'm part of this amazing family Alhamdulillah.

This holiday I also had the chance to catch up with my bestfriend Imah... It had been nearly 2 years we nda jumpa so I'm glad we manage to catch up this time around. Fizan and Imah are still the same Fizan and Imah 11 years ago when together :P Still 'selahau' haha.
I also met my longtime chatter/friend briefly. Thanks for the kueh teaw... ;) and also for the help and support u've given me through the years.

Another best part of my holiday was when i had the chance to catch up with my special someone ;) Ahah... heheh U're very busy with work but still managed to find the time... I really appreciate that. This person accepts me for who I am... trusts me with all his heart and this person selalu teased me to the max hahah... really happy... membari kecarian your antiques atu :P In fact today I was thinking of what you said last time about brown sugar giving tea the special umph~ when I 'dengan angau'nya put 2 teaspoons of salt into my tea. I really thought i was putting sugar until i took my first sip of that horribly salty tea haha... I really appreciate your advice, support and understanding... thanks for the wonderful time in Brunei...