2017 in a post

If there was a colour to describe the year of 2017, it's definitely red. There have been many things happened to me in 2017 that relates to the colour red. Let's start from the early of the year.

8 February 2017

This day was the day I came back from Japan after spending a full five months there as an exchange student. I was given the opportunity to follow this exchange programme following the unjust selection of students to another exchange programme to Padova, Italy. The reason of why I wasn't selected by the VC was never disclosed, but it would seemed that my skin colour had something to do with it. Nevertheless, I can proudly say that that decision turned out to be life-changing for me. 

Following the exchange programme allowed me to realize my dream of going to Japan and experiencing the culture there. It was my first time experiencing fall/autumn and winter. Spending months there in dry and cold weather makes you appreciate the hot and humid weather here in Malaysia. Still, I'd like to go back just to see my breath in the cold weather. 

I also had met a bunch of amazing, funny, brilliant and sporting friends. Knowing them and spending time with them changed my perception a lot. I began to enjoy more of what is happening in the 'now'. I'll never forget the days I spent making curry, drinking and skating in the park late at a freezing night. It was fun times, really fun times. The sad thing is when you realized that you can never bring those times back. The squad won't be the same because everyone else is from a different timezone. However, the memories of it was what made it sweet. Deep down, I know that I will meet this bunch someday. 

I miss Japan a lot. The streets. The people. Ramen. Oh my god, the delicious hot ramen on a cold night. The university. Simply walking down the streets late afternoon to take the train back to the dorm is what I missed the most. I can enjoy being with myself, listening to my Spotify, looking at stores as I walk by, waiting for the train, strolling through the park. That's pure bliss that I did learn to enjoy back then. I was always glad that I can walk back to the dorm peacefully by myself. I do hope that I can go back into doing that again. 

20 July 2017

I was at the office where I was interning. I remember it was around 10am when I received the news that I pass Stage 4 of my cadet pilot programme. Stage 4 was the most crucial stage because its the last (before medical and loan) and the hardest out of all. I remember my hand shakes when I opened the email to check if I really did pass. I whatsapped my parents and told them to prepare the money for my flight school to indicate that I've passed Stage 4. I was happy beyond words at this point. When I returned to my seat, I told my colleagues about it and they congratulated me and asked more questions about what's gonna happen after this et cetera. 

16 August 2017

After passing my medical, we went to Asian Aviation Centre of Excellence (AACE) which is the training grounds for AirAsia's Allstars for a loan briefing. I couldn't believe that it was happening. I thought of it, dreamt of it, wonder about it and now it's finally happening in front of my eyes. When we arrived, there was a queue already waiting to have their names called in front of the hall. I greeted some of my friends, waited and then my name was called. They gave me one AirAsia's signature red cap and an AirAsia Allstar's file containing my offer letter inside. At this point, I know this is real although its still very hard to believe. I checked again the content twice to make sure the name and address are mine. It was a day worth remembering. 

31 August 2017

That morning I went to Dataran Merdeka to watch my very first Merdeka parade. I've never been into any parade before partly because my parents were never really into these patriotic stuffs. I remember when I was there I received an email which I thought was another promotional email from one of the newsletter I subscribed to. To my surprise, it was an email from TEDx saying that my license to host a TEDx event has been approved! I was so happy because this meant a lot to me. I tried applying once before but was unsuccessful. This time I gathered a team of brilliant minds to brainstorm together with me and boy did it bear good fruit. I quickly spill the beans to my team members and I remember one of my friend was in disbelief simply because we were under the impression that we need an interview prior to license approval. That was how it went the first time. I guess this time our application was very strong that they saw we are serious about this? 

This meant that we have more work to be done moving forward and work we did. We go full throttle when the semester came up. This was a first for all of us and we realized that there were many guidelines and rules and regulations that we need to read, understand and adhere. We need to keep both TEDx and UMP side in line with what we want to do and most importantly can do. 

Many people didn't know, but I had the notion of organizing an TEDx event in UMP long ago. Probably when I was in my 1st or 2nd year in degree (that's back in 2014 and 2015). I wanted to bring the TED experience to the students here in UMP. I want them to feel what I felt when I went to my first TEDx event. I know that most of the students here couldn't go to a TEDx event partly due to location and budget constraints. This is why I poured my efforts into bridging that gap. I organized and co-organized trips to two TEDx events in KL, trying to bring students there to experience it. Now, I can finally bring the experience to them. I also wanted to encourage students to think bigger by introducing speakers with ideas worth spreading. When I attend TEDx events, I am exposed to all these great people that have all these great ideas. All these great people are actually just normal people like me. This made me realized that someone as normal (or not normal, haha) as me can achieve something as big as them. It shifted my perspective a lot. Anyone can do anything if they put their mind and heart into it. 

16 September 2017

Our team had our first physical meeting on this day as it was a Saturday, plus it was a holiday. The meeting was to start at 330pm but I remember we started a little early because everyone arrived early. We went through what we had to talk, planned out what we need to do and distributed tasks to each member. It went very smooth and towards the end of the meeting I could see this working very well. Too damn well. We went to grab dinner after the meeting because it was a good opportunity to bond with everyone as some of them are meeting for the first time. It was a chill dinner and we talked and laughed. When the dinner was over, I looked over my watch and thought we probably should go already because it's an hour drive back to my campus. I was also somewhat anxious to go back because I was kind of exhausted already. I called the shot to leave and everyone moved to the counter to pay. 

When it was time to part ways, we said goodbye to two of my friends as they were driving back the another campus which was 5 mins away. Little did I know, for one of my friends it was goodbye for good. I regret that I was not thoughtful and observant enough. There were many 'if onlys' after this accident but nothing said could have changed what happened that night. It will forever be my biggest regret. 

8 October 2017

This day was the day, I was given the opportunity to love someone. We had went through a lot to come to this stage and that whatever happens going forward, I think we are able to go through things together. We were close prior to being in a relationship together and I believe this had helped us a lot in the transition. Switching from a single life to now a couple life do have some adjusting to do. There isn't just 'you' to think of when deciding certain things, its 'us' now. More responsibility to bear (not that I am complaining at all). Making more time for each other. Understanding one another even more. Love is great when times are easy but what tests you and your partner is when times get hard. It is happy when things are at its peak, but when things plummet down to the drain, it is a test to see how much you love one another. And this is what I hope to be able to go through these series of endless tests with her.


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Now, being a less than 12 hours away till 2018, I wonder what 2018 holds for me? I hope to enter the Malaysian Flying  Academy (MFA) in the July intake. That will be my biggest wish for 2018. I can finish my degree in June and have a short break before enrolling in MFA. I am really really really looking forward to it. Until then, I am just gonna concentrate of all the things I need to complete.

Okay so how all these relate to the colour red? If you think about it, all of them does. Japan has the red sun in the middle of the flag. Airasia's theme colour is red. TED's colour is also red. Blood is red. Love is red as well. I wonder what colour I could relate to next year...

Till then, thanks 2017. It's really been a roller coaster ride.