A few weeks ago, I was asked to be the MC for a ministry event involving Malaysian students who were preparing to further their studies overseas, particularly in the Middle East.

Honestly, I was a bit nervous at first. It had been quite some time since I last emceed an event, but after being asked a few times, I thought, why not? Just grab the opportunity and go for it. And I did.

The event went quite well. Of course, there were a few small mistakes here and there. I mispronounced a few names, and the programme changed along the way. But what I was most happy about was how I handled it.

I didn't panic.

I stayed calm, paid attention, adjusted when I needed to and just tried to be as professional as I could.

Maybe it sounds like nothing much, but for me, it was quite meaningful. Sometimes, you don't realise that you've changed until you are put in a situation that used to make you nervous, and suddenly, you're okay. The event eventually ended quite late, around 6.30 pm.

Then, one of the students came back to me. He told me he really admired the way I handled the event, and that he liked my voice.

Just one person. But somehow, that one compliment meant a lot to me.

We often don't know how people see the things we do. We just do our job, try our best and move on. So when someone takes the time to come up to you and say something nice, I think it's worth remembering. To that student, thank you.

I really appreciate it. And I hope you will continue doing the same. If you like something someone does, tell them. A simple compliment might mean much more than you realise. I hope you will be successful in whatever you choose to do.

And for me, I guess this was another little reminder that sometimes, progress isn't about doing something perfectly.

It's about staying calm when things don't go exactly as planned. And sometimes, one compliment is enough to make your day.

P.S. And yes, a little thank you to the AI tools out there too. 😂 I've been using them quite a lot, especially to organise my thoughts and make writing a little easier. Still my thoughts, just with a little help putting them together. 😆 

With people we rarely meet, we choose our words. We are polite. We make an effort.

But with our family, siblings or close friends, maybe because we are too comfortable, we sometimes become rude, impatient or simply careless with our words.

And yes, I am guilty of this too.

Maybe it is because we know these people will still be there. We become comfortable enough to forget that even the people closest to us can still get hurt.

I have felt that way too. Sometimes, when someone I consider close treats me differently, I wonder why they can be so nice to everyone else but somehow not quite the same with me.

But then again, I remind myself that I am human too. Maybe I have made someone feel the same way without realising it.

So, perhaps this is just a reminder to myself: being comfortable with someone should never become an excuse to stop being kind.

It has been more than two months since I joined my new department. Everything felt new at first, but slowly, the people, the routine and the work are becoming familiar.

And I guess that's good.

Life keeps moving. New things become normal. Hopefully, as I settle into this new chapter, I can also become a little better at appreciating the people around me; especially the ones who are closest.

Because sometimes, the people closest to us deserve the nicest version of us too.

P.S. I guess being close to someone means they get to see the real you. Just remember not to make them regret getting that close. 😅

This time my superior let me plan it differently. He trusted me to try something else instead of just talk and speech from us.

Still new in this department. So that trust meant a lot more to me than I expected it to. Not even a month or two in and already being handed a room full of international students and told go ahead, do it your way.

None of it would have come together without the team either. The ones setting up the room, printing the flip charts, making sure everything was in place before the students even walked in. I get to write about the part where I stood at the back and watched, but that only happened because other people were doing the parts that never make it into the story.

So instead of another round of formal Q&A we did a mini workshop. Small groups, one question each to sit with. Questions like what makes a country a good partner in international education, or what one Asia Europe student programme they would design if they could.

I did not expect much honestly. Maybe polite answers, a few sentences, done. But they came out with drawings. Discussions that ran longer than the time we gave them. Points they genuinely wanted to highlight.

Then came the gallery walk. Papers went up on the wall, everyone walked around reading, groups took turns presenting. Even the quieter ones were leaning in, asking questions, adding their own thoughts on the spot.

I stood at the back for most of it and just watched. There is a certain kind of happiness in seeing something you planned actually work.

After that we walked them over to the KPT library, did the usual photo session. But the part that stayed with me was earlier, the students hunched over flip chart paper, figuring out what to draw.

Small session. But I think I will remember this one for a while.

P.S. still finding my feet in this new office. Days like this help. Haha. 

I always seem to write about things a little later. Maybe I need some time to actually understand what happened before I can write about it. So, here I am, almost one month after starting my new journey at the Ministry of Higher Education, in the International Relations Division.

One month already.

Honestly, I am still learning. Not just about the work, but also about adjusting myself back into life in Malaysia and working in Malaysia again. I know it sounds a bit funny to say that I need to adjust after only being away for two years. But I think those two years changed me quite a lot.

In Perth, I had a different kind of working life. I had quite a lot of autonomy. I was leading things on my own, making decisions, solving problems and figuring things out as I went along. Sometimes I had to make a decision because there was simply nobody else there to make it for me. Haha.

Now, I am back in Malaysia. And yes, things are different. There is a structure. There is a hierarchy. There are processes. There are people to consult and things that need to go through the proper channels. Some of the work itself feels familiar because I am still working around international engagement, education and people. But the way things are done can be very different.

I guess that is part of what I need to relearn. It is not about saying one way is better than the other. It is just different. And maybe this is one of the biggest lessons from the first month.

You need to be a fast learner.

You need to be ready.

You need to listen, observe and understand before you start thinking that you already know everything.

I have also realised that the experience in Perth did not really end when I left Perth. Some of the things I learned there are still with me. The confidence, the ability to communicate with different people, the experience of dealing with different situations and the networks that I built. They are still part of me.

I think I have changed too.

I feel more relaxed now.

Maybe because I have discovered more about myself in the last two years. I met so many different people. I made some wonderful friendships. I experienced trust, disappointment, kindness, support and all the complicated things that come with human relationships. And I think my understanding of friendship has changed.

The way I trust people has changed.

The way I look at people and relationships has changed.

Maybe I am not as quick to give everything to everyone anymore. But at the same time, I have also learned to appreciate the people who genuinely show up for me.

I think that is growth too.

Coming back to Malaysia feels a little strange sometimes. Everything is familiar, but I am not exactly the same person who left two years ago. Maybe that is why this adjustment takes some time.

I am learning the new environment.

I am learning the work.

I am learning the system.

And, somehow, I am still learning myself.

One month is probably too early to say where this journey is going to take me.

So for now, I will just keep learning, keep adapting and do my best.

Let’s see what happens next.

P.S. One month only and I already have so many things to learn. Haha. I guess that is not a bad thing after all. :)

I wrote this in July last year and never got around to posting it. Reading it again now I realise it still holds, so here it is, a little late.

July is finally coming to an end and it feels like I have lived several different lives in just one month. It began with the MALEAD programme where MASCA student leaders from all over Australia gathered together. There is something about being around young leaders that leaves me inspired. They come with stories, ideas and an energy that fills the room. Watching them connect and share reminded me why I do this work and why these moments matter.

From there I flew to Brisbane for the Muafakat Games and it was a completely different experience. The energy was louder, brighter, full of cheers and laughter echoing across the fields and halls. Seeing everyone come together like that made me feel like I was part of a much bigger family, far from home but still somehow at home. I caught myself smiling in between the busy moments, soaking in the warmth of that community.

Then came the official visit to Darwin with Her Excellency and Hawa. The pace shifted. The air felt calmer and the days were more reflective. There were official meetings and duties to carry out but in between them were small pauses where I realised how unusual and meaningful this life has become. Traveling for work can be tiring but it also leaves you with moments that stay in your memory long after the schedules are done.

I returned to Perth briefly, long enough to sink back into regular work. The desk, the emails, the familiar rhythm of the office all felt grounding after weeks of moving around. It did not last long. Soon I was back in the air again, this time to Sydney for team building and strategic planning with the rest of the team.

That trip carried a weight I did not feel before. It finally sank in that Hawa and Kak Dayang have finished their term. The next time I come to Sydney they will not be there anymore. The laughter, the small moments over coffee, the warmth they brought to every visit are now just memories. I am happy for them and proud of what they have done but I cannot help feeling the quiet sadness of this chapter closing. Sydney will never feel quite the same again.

July has been a whirlwind of airports, hotel rooms, meetings and memories. I am exhausted but also deeply grateful. If this month has taught me anything it is that life moves fast and some moments only happen once. The people we meet along the way leave their mark and even when the journey continues they stay in our story.

P.S. Already missing Hawa and Kak Dayang and carrying the soft echo of July with me into August.

A few months already since I came back to Malaysia. Time really flies. It feels like only yesterday I was still in Perth, packing things, trying to settle everything before leaving and now I am already back in Malaysia.

A lot of things have happened since then. My things have arrived. I have my house. I have my car. Slowly, life is starting to feel a bit more settled again. Technically, I think most of the things are already in place for me to start my life here again.

But then again, life is never really that simple. There is always something else to try. Recently, I tried for another opportunity to continue my studies. I started preparing quite early this time and I think that was already a good thing for me. At least I had enough time to prepare myself and think about what I wanted to say.

But after the interview, honestly, I didn’t really feel that this would be my time. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was right. I don’t know. But this time, I am okay with it.

I think I learned something from the experience. Not everything we try will happen immediately and maybe that is okay too. I still want to continue studying, and I am still looking for the opportunity to do so. I guess I just need to keep trying.

Work has also been quite interesting since I came back. Things move quite fast and I think I need to run a little faster too. There are many new things to learn, many things to understand and sometimes I feel like I am trying to catch up with everything at the same time.

But things are good. I have a good boss who is very much into teaching and guiding. I really appreciate that because there are so many things that I don’t know yet. So, I am trying my best to keep up and learn as much as I can.

I think being open is important. Open to new experiences. Open to learning new things. Open to new skills and knowledge. After being in Perth for almost two years, coming back here is another kind of learning experience. Different place, different people, different work environment and different expectations.

And I guess that is what keeps things interesting.

I also miss home. Funny, right? I am already back in Malaysia but I haven’t really had much time to go back to Kedah. Since coming back, there have always been things to settle and work has been moving quite quickly. Hopefully next week I can finally make the journey back.

I want to see my mom and dad. I want to see my family. I just want to be there for a while.

Sometimes, you don’t really realise how much you miss home until you haven’t been there for a while.

So, here I am. Back in Malaysia. Still trying to figure things out. Still learning. Still looking for the next opportunity. But this time, I think I am a little more relaxed about where things are going.

Maybe I don’t need to have everything figured out just yet.

Settling in, again.

PS: Kedah, I am coming home. Yeeha! 😆

2025 feels so fast. But then again, I say this every year.

Still, when I pause and really think about it, 2025 was full in ways I didn’t expect. I crossed a new boundary last year, one that I honestly never thought I was capable of. Being in Perth pushed me, especially socially. I showed up to events, some by instruction, some by choice. I learned that growth often begins with discomfort and confidence is something you build by doing, not waiting.

Work in 2025 gave me space to contribute beyond my comfort zone. Collaborations, engagements and relationships slowly took shape. November stood out — helping to introduce the first Malaysia festival in Perth, Journey to Malaysia, felt surreal. At the same time, being involved with Malaysia Fest in Sydney and Colours of Malaysia in Melbourne reminded me how meaningful it is to see ideas turn into something real, shared and celebrated.

And now, 2026 is here.

This year somehow feels the same as any other day. Quiet. Normal. Less about proving and more about understanding. I feel like I’m entering 2026 with better awareness of my limits, my strengths and the pace that truly works for me. I’ve learned that not everything needs to be rushed and not every opportunity needs to be taken at once.

I hope time will allow me to work with more clarity, manage my energy better and build relationships that are not just wide, but deep.

P.S. Finally, I visited Paris and it really was magical.