Proud to be one of them.

Assalamualaikum w.b.t (Peace be upon you)

March is back again. In Japan, March is a very significant month to all student, regardless of level of study. Whether you are a college students or a high school student, like it or not, this month is the farewell month for them. Students graduate in this month. Masa ni jugaklah banyak lagu2 di jepun yang bertemakan "graduation". Ramai kan japanese wannabes kat luar sana. So, tak payah la aku mention lagu2 tu.

Frankly speaking, this entry I dedicate to my respected seniors who have just graduated after 4 years striving in Muroran Institute of Technology, Japan's version for MIT. kidding.

As I browse one of my seniors facebook, I stumbled on a photo where new freshies from Malaysia, the graduated senior and almost all Malaysian from my college assembled for snaps of photos. The photo was taken at the New Chitose Airport, one of the gate to Hokkaido, Japan. The photo caption reads, "Proud to be one of them" really gives me a goosebumps. Aku rasa bangga dengan universiti aku tiba2 je. Walaupun takde apa sangat kat Muroran ni. We were fetching the new 'kohais' (juniors) scheduled to arrive from Tokyo. We were all excited to welcome them here. 5 graduated, 6 new freshies will continue fight in this foreign and new country, far different from our motherland.

"Proud to be one of them"

Ramai senior2 aku yang baik. Bertepuk tampar tu perkara biasa. ok, aku tipu. Berani sangat ke aku nak tampar2 senior? Kami bergurau, keluar makan, keluar berjalan bersama2. Itulah kelebihan student2 malaysia di Muroran. Junior rapat dengan senior. Sangat rapat. We care each other. Senior takde masalah tolong masakkan untuk kouhai, of course bukan selalu. compare to other university in other part of japan, hubungan senior-junior terasa ada jurangnya. Ramai yang terperanjat dan kagum dengan keakraban antara senior dan junior di Muroran ni. Ada yang dah berkeluarga, but still sporting macam orang muda, belia I mean. Ada yang tahu serba-serbi tentang kereta dan komputer, ada yang kaki TV, ada yang alim (tapi selalu kena pangkah dengan orang lain) dan macam2 lagi jenis orang di Muroran ni. Whoever they are, I respect them all.

Friendship and respect goes along. You won't get a friend if you don't show any respect. For my seniors, good luck and lead a good and cheerful life in Malaysia. Pray for our success and may we meet again somewhere, sometime in our beloved country Malaysia.

It's true, a lot of people come and go in our life, but it's hard to find a good friend. I'm not a sentimental type, but I'm the kind who appreciates friendship very much. Aku memang suka ingat tarikh lahir orang. Tapi aku tak wish orang camni, "happy BUFday". No, I'm not that kind of bajet2 manja nak wish orang. Susahkan nak taip BIRTHday betul2? Panjang sangat la ayang.... Memang sedih masa menghantar mereka balik di airport. Aku memang tak suka nak berpisah dengan orang yang aku rapat. I hate that feeling, tapi Allah dah janji. Antara 7 golongan yang akan mendapat naungan Allah di padang mahsyar kelak ialah manusia yang bertemu dan berpisah kerana Allah. What does that mean? Go make friends! Life is better with friends around don't you think?

"Proud to be one of them". I won't stop and will carry this pride as Muroranians. Won't feel shy to say them countless time.

I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun.

- Charles R. Swindoll

p/s: Teringat satu babak dalam sebuah drama Jepun, Love Shuffle. Ada 3 P yang penting dalam hidup manusia; PEOPLE, pet and plant (trees etc). ohh, hampir terlupa. Pakcik kat atas tu bukan idola aku.