Talking about this past 8 months, the greatest value of life I’ve ever learned is maturity. I am still Margaretha people knew before I flew to Malaysia, but I am also the new Margaretha who learn a lot in this neighboring country. I know everyone has their own parameter of maturity, and here is mine.
I had already expected that I could survive here, by myself. And I was right. Okay, slightly right because I still remember I was weeping like a little girl, alone on my bed on the first night I came here. That was the first time I felt far away from home as I went here with my educational agent, but my family. I just realized for the first time I was about 1186.32 km away from my family for the next 4 years. But I promise that was also my last time to cry my eyes out in loneliness.
However living alone is no longer a big deal for me as my parents have been nurturing me to be an independent one since I was young. I was used to go camping, outing, have a religious retreat, and all were for few days and conducted by my school committee. I thank God for this; at least I had collected my guts to live far away from family before I started my college life here.
Yet I would like to stress out a huge point here. All camping, outing, retreat I had before may practice “How to Stand with No Family Beside”, but not the real life. If mum always cooks delicious-healthy food for the whole family every day, from now on I have to manage to buy foods by myself, particularly the healthy one. If dad always gives me pocket money only for purchasing foods at school and entertainment, from now on I have to manage to also buy groceries by myself. If my maid always cleans my room, washes and irons my clothes every day, from now on I have to manage to keep my room clean, clean it weekly, and wash and iron clothes all by myself. All these things are done apart from my study or obstacle I face that I have to wrap up, again by my own self.
I also witness before my eyes how hard my dad works every day to fulfill family needs. As my brother is also pursuing his study in Malaysia, my dad even has to work harder. There is no other choice to thank my parents back besides studying hard and giving my best. I don’t own Blackberry or iPhone whereas (almost) everybody does, I don’t shop branded stuff every week, I don’t have any kind of Apple gadgets, but I’m fine with all that. I have my own way to please myself and it doesn’t always take money to do so. Perhaps it’s different with what other youngsters do; no alcohol, no drugs, no free sex. With all modesty I have, I’m grateful to be here in Malaysia, pursuing my study whereas not everybody is as lucky as I am.
I learn a lot, don’t I?
