Comfort Zone

Someone said to me that later
after SPM she want to be like me.
The studying-oversea part I mean.

I don't regret my decision after choosing
"program luar negara" under JPA back then
but do YOU already think about this thing thoroughly?

I remembered the first time I got the offer letter
to study in a boarding school, my first reaction was
"Jauhnya umi. I don't want to study there".
Reality is, it's not that far from my house actually.
(45 minutes journey is considered quite okay right?)
However in the end, I went to that school and spent
5 years full of memorable experiences there.

So back to the main topic,
why do you want to study oversea?
Is it because it look cool?
Cause that is what I used to think before.
Don't get me wrong.
I'm not against the idea of your dream to study oversea.
Just a friendly message from me,
be ready to step out of your comfort zone.

Why earlier i mentioned that i don't want to study
in a boarding school?
Because I'm afraid to get out of my comfort zone.
You know how comfortable it is to live in your own house.
Everything you need is there.
Delicious foods, your own comfort bed, freedom to do
things to your likely and so on.
You know how different it is to live in a hostel.
Everything is just the opposite!

The same thing happen when you go oversea.
You live in a totally different world.
No mom and dad, no nasi lemak for breakfast,
no holidays for Eid, etc.

First thing that surprised me was the people.
Since I'm only 155cm, I think everyone is
very tall and big.
Especially the guys.
At first, I used to be a little scared of people
around me because in my eyes they are all
so tall and scary.
My imagination is doing a very good extra work that time.

One of the unpleasant experience I ever dealt
with was being called a terrorist and being teased as
"Arabic woman" by a group of drunk guys.
I was very scared because I was is a train full of drunk people
(they were celebrating about winning a football game earlier I think)
and some of them even fight among themselves.
Drunk people fighting and screaming in a train is not
something I usually see in my life before I came here.
 In fact I never meet any drunk guy in Malaysia
because being drunk is not something you
can see commonly among Malaysian.
Well at least for me.

Weh berjela dah aku tulis ni.

Lastly, of course there are many good memories
and nice experiences while being here.
But I'm sure you the always-berangan-girls
out there know what it is.
The snow, travelling, yadayada.

My advice is if you want to study oversea,
make sure you are ready mentally
(very important) and physically.
Seriously, be ready to step out from your comfort zone.

#Jasmaitusen.