I have had an incredible opportunity. Something that I will never fully be able to put into words what it means to me, but I will never stop talking or reminiscing about it. My year living in Malaysia and working at MSRI is a story I will tell my future children, my nieces and nephews, and anyone who will stop to listen. It is a story that has impacted me in many ways and contributed to the person I am today.
But now that I am coming toward the last week of this internship, I can’t help but ask myself, “What next?” I think it is really easy to get ahead of ourselves and start to plan the next chapter, chase the next adrenaline rush, get the next job, join a new organization, and travel to the next country. Still, I want to take a moment to appreciate my moment and the memories I am taking with me. Here are things that I will miss dearly and the parts of MSRI that will be with me forever; here are my postcards from Malaysia.
- The most obvious is, of course, the students.
I will miss walking through the school’s hallways, entering classrooms, and being greeted with a “Good Morning, Teacher Faaiza.” Handshaking is a big part of the school’s culture, and every time I walk into Kindergarten, Grade 1, or Grade 2, I make it a point to shake hands with every single child in the classroom. It has become a routine and practice every time I walk through the classrooms. There is something so precious about a five-year-old shaking your hand to greet you. I will miss the crowded hallways and young kids’ loud laughs and screams when they hear the end-of-day bell go off at 12 and 4 p.m. It can be frustrating to walk through; however, I now view this as a reminder that they are kids. Despite the situation that they are in, the memories of leaving their home country they hold and the hardship that is going on at home, they are kids.
I will miss seeing these cheeky kids every single day. Working at MSRI Sahabat School has planted a seed of passion for working with children in me that I will be taking back home. In the past couple of years, I have shied away from working with kids because I figured it is easier to work with adults (not necessarily true). But there is something so meaningful about witnessing a child grow in front of you, seeing them explore aspects of their personality, be themselves, try new things, and say the most out-of-pocket and embarrassing things. I will miss seeing kids learn and be surrounded by the school’s magic.
2. The Rain
I will miss the rain and the reminder it serves to slow down. I think a common observation many interns have of Asia and the heavy rain is how the city seems to stop. It’s like a reminder to stop moving, spend time in the place that you are in and not rush. If I am caught in the rain at school, instead of scrambling to find an umbrella to use to get me back to the office to work on my next task. I’ve learnt to just wait it out. I’ll take that moment to talk to the student who was misbehaving and got sent to the office, organize something in the teacher’s room, or just be in the school ready to help with whatever may happen next. Whether I am assisting a parent in filling out the school registration form, writing school fee receipts or explaining to a student why he needs to listen and behave in class- you can miss a lot when you don’t take a moment to look around you.
We all get caught in the go-go mentality of living in a big city, moving quickly through the different stages of life, and constantly thinking of what is next. But the rain really makes you stop. Now that I am returning to Canada, I want to take more moments to appreciate where I am and the people around me. Reminders of appreciation from the rain.
3. My ladies
I will miss Shift #1 and Shift #2. Both ladies sit outside the office and sell snacks to people walking on the streets and passing by. Every day since my first day at MSRI last year, she has waved and given me the biggest smile when I arrive at work and every time I pass by her. I gave her the biggest hug when I returned to MSRI in May, and she gave me the biggest smile and confused face as to why I came back. Every day, she says good morning and is a little confused when I come to the office on the weekends. I will never forget her warm smile.
I will miss Rahma & Noorjahan, the school cleaners who greet me with the biggest hug daily and the best smiles in the school. Rahma and I are known as the two who do not speak the same language; however, we somehow manage to talk to each other daily. Every conversation includes the Arabic word “Wallah” after every sentence. Despite me not speaking much Arabic and her English not being the best, we still had a good laugh. We somehow managed to tell each other what was happening and enjoyed each other’s company.
All four ladies have shown me that you don’t need to speak the same language to connect with people. Sometimes, simply being there, showing up, and smiling at people goes the farthest. After working through many challenges, including multiple language barriers, I have learned the power of communication outside of speech, which has made me stop relying on Google Translate.
4. Cake Buying
I will miss buying cakes almost every week. We take birthdays, resettlement, and celebrations very seriously here at the school. It has made me realize the importance of celebrating, taking your wins and just appreciating what is in front and around you. There is so much wrong in the world, and a lot of these families are not in a good position as refugees in Malaysia; however, you have to take your small wins and continue to live where you are. Life will not stop or slow down for you, whether you are having a good or bad time. It just keeps moving. And so do we.
5. Henna
I will miss doing henna on everyone. I started doing henna at 13 and taught myself through various YouTube video tutorials. Over the past couple of years, I have fallen out of love with it, but I have rediscovered a new appreciation for it over this internship.
I will miss using henna as a form of fundraising for MSRI. I will miss seeing people’s faces light up when they find out I can do henna. It makes a lot of women feel pretty and puts an extra smile on people’s faces. And for a lot of the women that I have met, they have not done this in a really long time. Henna is usually reserved for special occasions and religious holidays but is not always affordable. So, at any moment when someone has asked me for henna these past six months, it does not matter how tired I am; I will always do it.
Since I got here, I have done henna on many people: moms, students, random children, coworkers, and office staff. And I think I forgot how much fun I had doing it. This internship served as an opportunity to remind myself how much I enjoyed it. I love the intimate moments I spend with someone while doing their henna. Because of this, I have heard many different stories and connected with many people. I have fallen back in love with doing henna so much that I am printing out my business cards in Malaysia so I can return to doing bridal henna when I return to Canada. So, if you ever need your henna done, please message me.
So now it is November. I used to be super nervous about leaving MSRI again; the fear of forgetting memories and stories of the school made me anxious to come back to Canada. But now, after spending a year with the organization, I am not nervous about forgetting MSRI. Because I know that there is a part of MSRI within me that I will be taking with me everywhere and anywhere I go. So, it may seem like this story is coming to an end, but I don’t think it really is. I think I am getting ready for the sequel.
I am leaving MSRI with my heart completely full. I feel so lucky, grateful, and honoured for this opportunity. I have learnt a tremendous amount, grown a lot as a person, built relationships with people, made new friendships, and given it my all. And it is because of my full heart that saying goodbye will be really hard. But these stories, memories, and experiences live within me now, and any fear I had about forgetting has simply drifted away.
On a side note, here is a list of the other random things that I will miss:
- Taco Bell & Subway
- BananaBro
- The Conversion Rate
- Access to fresh fruit 24/7
- J-walking across the highway
- Driving on the right side of the road
- Ampang Point
- My phone plan
Something I will not miss:
- The humidity
