Travellingbie : Week 7 Survival – Packing for Hawaii

The last week in Brunei has been hectic. With all the due date for few assignments, packing and preparing for travelling and other unforeseen events have made us super duper busy. However, the sad feeling of having to leave Brunei were filled in all of our heart besides the excitement of reaching Hawaii, the most remote island from the any mainland. 

Hawaii…wait for us. 

Our final presentation has been successfully delivered though there are many series of unfortunate events happened before the presentation and during the presentation. However, all went well and i'm glad that we are working together to make is successful. We can’t wait to finish our assignments and by the end of the day in Brunei…all the assignments have been handed to the lecturers. 

The farewell potluck has been successfully organized and there were a lot and a lot of food provided especially from our Bruneian friends…thank you all. 

Our luggage has been packed and most of our Muslims friends have been busy packing food to survive in Hawaii. We were told that food are extremely expensive in Hawaii and we expect to spend more on food than anything else. I want to bring more food in my luggage, but….the beg itself is already heavy and I carefully packed my things inside the bag so that, there will be no over-charged on the excess baggage. I've decided to bring only a few to survive and hoping that I’ll be slimming down within 4 weeks in Hawaii. :)

Hawaii....here we come

Brunei...wait for our return on the last day of the course :)

Travellingbie : Week 6 Survival - Meeting the Majesty Queen of Brunei :-)

Week 6 might be the most interesting week. Besides of all the assignments and presentations and group discussions, we have an interesting moments within the week ~ Meeting the Majesty Queen of Brunei and Trip to Temburong (Canopy Walk at Ulu Temburong National Park and A night stay at Longhouse)

The dinner with the Majesty Queen, though we are not officially invited to the dinner, our presence at the dinner was unexpected by the Queen. The dinner was held in International Convention Centre and it was held by Women Association in Brunei (tak ingat nama penuh :-) ).  We only have to pay for B$20.00 to attend the dinner. It was unplanned dinner as one of our Brunei friend ask us if we want to celebrate the Majesty Queen's birthday on Tuesday night. Well, why not...since this is the opportunity to see and meet the Queen eye to eye :-)

At that night, everyone was dressed with their national attire. However, not every female participants attended the event as we have to pay for B$20.00 for that night. We are seated at one of the female association's table that has been booked for us. The food was OK. Various performance from various associations has been presented to the Majesty Queen as well as the birthday present. Our group has bought a card signed by all of us who attended the dinner and we gave to the Queen while shaking hands with her and other royal families including her daughters  after the event. She was surprised and happy to see us celebrating her birthday. :-)

Before the queen leave the hall, one of the participant asked permission from her, if we are allowed to take pictures with her. And again...surprisingly, she stand next to us and ask where's the photographer. It was one of the surprising moment for us and we are too excited that we almost forgot the protocol. It's a rare situation in my country where people get so close to the majesty queen and yet, the majesty queen of Brunei, was very humble while meeting the 'rakyat'. 

There goes our memorable night, for us who rarely meet so close with the queen, it was an interesting and memorable night for. Everyone was smiling all the way back to the hostel.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "God has revealed to me that you must be humble, so that no one oppresses another and boasts over another." - Sunan of Abu-Dawood, Hadith 2294

"(O Prophet Muhammad) give good news to the humble, whose hearts tremble with awe at the mention of God, who endure adversity with patience, who establish regular prayer, and who spend in charity out of what we have given them." - The Holy Quran, 22:34-35

To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.
~ Benjamin Franklin

Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.
~Camille Pissarro