Monday 23 March 2009

Cambodia: Chapter I


Earlier this month, my parents and I had the chance to visit the city Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I didn’t tell anyone I was going, even those closest to me - hence this entry..

Sebenarnya trip ke Phnom Penh agak tergesa-gesa. Kebetulan Majlis Ketua Kampung Daerah Gombak mengadakan ziarah ke sana, dan bila aku dapat tahu dua minggu sebelumnya, aku sign up on the spot.

Aku kira, aku ada masa, sedikit duit dan kudrat.. bila lagi?

I badly needed this excursion to bring my mind back into focus. I wished I could have gone alone for some solitude and personal space. Apa mahu buat. Aku seorang perempuan.

Banyak yang nak aku cerita, tapi malas nak buat dokumentari perjalanan yang panjang berjela. Jadinya, kita go on a day-to-day basis saja ya!


Hari 1 – Nyaris Ketinggalan

Flight pukul 3 petang. 1 pm aku masih lagi kat KL Sentral. Pasport dan tiket di tangan pakcik Adnan dan 30 orang peserta lain yang dah terlebih dahulu berada di LCCT. Ini perkara biasa dengan family aku. According to my dad, mama aku ada ”internal beeper” di punggungnya yang akan on secara automatik bila nak berjalan jauh. Sebab, bila dah duduk kat kerusi kereta baru la dia nak ingat semua benda!

Tapi Tuhan maha kuasa. Flight kami ditakdirkan lewat sejam! ^^

Rombongan ini disertai lebih 30 peserta, kebanyakannya warga emas, suami isteri. Aku sangat selesa, sebab aku serasi dengan orang tua. Their wisdom and sense of humor is refreshing, dan aku banyak belajar. Plus, for once aku boleh jadi orang muda. And that, my friends, doesn't happen a lot!

Flight Air Asia AK 852 bertolak ke Phnom Penh pukul 4:30 petang. Satu perjalanan yang menyeksakan! Tu la, aku nak sangat window seat. Kononnya nak ambil gambar.. Dah la tempat duduk tiga serangkai, ruang kaki sekangkang kera. Aku dihimpit mama dan abah yang tak kurang besar saiznya dari aku yang memang bersaiz besar. Bila aku nak ambil gambar ke luar tingkap, ada je flight attendant lalu minta aku switch off all electronics. Jadi aku tersepit, terhimpit dan tersekat... adeh!


Dua jam kemudian AK 852 masuk ke ruang udara Kemboja. Dalam kepala, aku bayangkan Phnom Penh satu tanah subur dan hijau. Luar kepala, jauh panggang dari api. Dari udara yang nampak cuma petak-petak tandus. Tak ada gunung ganang, tak ada hutan. Cuma tanah lapang dan pohon-pohon kelapa laut yang tumbuh jarang.

Waktu Kemboja mendahului Malaysia lebih kurang sejam. 6:30 petang sudah pun Maghrib. Selepas flight check-in, kami dibawa terus ke Puncak hotel, which is Malaysian owned. I was a bit disappointed we weren’t being more adventurous and local, but at least I didn’t have to become a vegetarian for the rest of the trip. Kemboja bukan negara Islam. Warganya makan apa saja, and I mean anything! Sekurang-kurangnya di hotel Puncak aku tak perlu risau halal haram.

Malam tu kami bertemu mufti Kemboja. Perjalanan mengambil masa cuma setengah jam, tapi aku dah mula mabuk dengan pemandangan. Serius, aku sangat suka dengan gaya hidup warga Phnom Penh. Mereka sangat santai!

Di bahu-bahu jalan, terutama tempat-tempat yang ada rumput, aku akan lihat orang ramai duduk santai. Mereka bukan lepak buang masa. Ada yang main badminton, menari poco-poco, berbuai dalam hammock yang digantung antara pohon-pohon kemboja.. It was like they were all one community, and the entire city was their front yard.

Bayangkan la kalau kita nak main bola atau pergi dating kat roundabout tengah-tengah KL tu. Buang tebiat namanya..

Lagi satu aku rasa nak tabik dengan Phnom Penh ialah sistem pengangkutan. Tak ada sistem! Motor, tuk-tuk dan basikal bersimpang siur antara lori, bas dan SUV. Motorist tak mencilok a la Malaysia. Kalau mahu minta lalu mereka akan memicit hon perlahan dua kali. Everyone will give way. The traffic moves at a relaxed speed of 60 kph. No rush, no road rage, no jams, no accidents. Not even one road kill.

Heaven on earth.

Setengah jam dalam bas baru tahu kami dah terlepas pejabat Mufti. Dalam kepala, aku bayang bangunan korporat, dewan besar dan refreshments. Luar kepala, pejabat mufti berupa rumah dua tingkat yang malap dan berbau reban ayam. Kami dibawa ke belakang rumah, ke sebuah dewan yang langitnya dah setengah runtuh. Meja conference kami dilitupi kain hijau lusuh dan kami dihidangkan air mineral; yang terbaik dapat mereka berikan buat saudara dari jauh.


Namun perbincangan malam tu aku tak boleh lupa. Mufti bercerita tentang Islam dan Kemboja; tentang pertalian orang Campa dan orang Melayu; tentang bahasa; tentang kemiskinan yang sampai sekarang tak dapat mereka hindari. Kemiskinan yang selama ini aku dengarkan, malam itu terpampang di depan mata. Dengan terbuka mereka meminta bantuan atas nama saudara seagama.

Dalam perjalanan pulang aku berfikir; adakah lawatan kecil kami ini akan dapat memanfaatkan mereka? Atau sekadar melepaskan batuk di tangga? Apa sebenarnya tujuan aku ke sini? Aku tak nafikan, tujuan asal hanyalah untuk suka-suka. Tak ada misi sebenar untuk membantu.

Aku rasa sangat malu.

But for the first time since my arrival in Cambodia, I truly felt thankful to be there.

Wednesday 18 March 2009

Personality

Hello peeps! I know it's been ages since you guys have seen an entry here. There will be other close entries after this one, but.. for now, enjoy this filler and tell me what you think!

My mom encouraged me to take this personality test, just to see if mine matched hers. I was skeptical at first; I have my reservations for personality surveys, mainly because they never seem to work.. but this one is an exception. Take the test here to find out..

This test is called the Jung-Myers-Briggs typology test, or Jungian for short. Briefly, there are sixteen personality categories altogether, all of which fall into one of these four temperaments - Protectors (SJ), Creators (ST), Intellectuals (NT), and Visionaries (NF). Anyway, after taking the ten minute questionnaire, this is what the test has to say about my personality:

Temperament: NF
Personality: ENFP - Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Percieving.

ENFPs are also known as The Advocate. Here's a run down of ENFPs by various experts in this field:


They can't bear to miss out on what is going on around them; they must experience, first hand, all the significant social events that affect our lives.


ENFPs are warm, enthusiastic people, typically very bright and full of potential. They live in the world of possibilities, and can become very passionate and excited about things. Their enthusiasm lends them the ability to inspire and motivate others, more so than we see in other types. They can talk their way in or out of anything. They love life, seeing it as a special gift, and strive to make the most out of it.
Portrait of an ENFP (The Personality Page)


Friends are what life is about to ENFPs, more so even than the other NFs. They hold up their end of the relationship, sometimes being victimized by less caring individuals. ENFPs are energized by being around people. Some have real difficulty being alone, especially on a regular basis.
ENFP Profile (TypeLogic)


Outgoing, social, disorganized, easily talked into doing silly things, spontaneous, wild and crazy, acts without thinking...
ENFP Jung Type Descriptions (similarminds.com)


ENFPs are energetic and enthusiastic leaders who are likely to take charge when a new endeavor needs a visionary spokesperson. ENFPs are values-oriented people who become champions of causes and services relating to human needs and dreams. Their leadership style is one of soliciting and recognizing others' contributions and of evaluating the personal needs of their followers. ENFPs are often charismatic leaders who are able to help people see the possibilities beyond themselves and their current realities. They function as catalysts.


Ranked 1st of all 16 types in using social and emotional coping resources and 2nd in using cognitive resources.
ENFP Facts (discoveryourpersonality.com)


Hm, I don't really like the last comment.. but, you'd have to take in the good along with the bad in everything, no? Come, tell me if this test has accurately described me. I am very much the advocate for beauty is in the eye of the beholder, not the one beheld ^.~