Sunday, March 16, 2025

Make It Home Again

The entire experience of moving from Johor to Perak and settling down at our new rental place in Ipoh has been utterly humbling. On some days we hit milestones and got things set up nicely like fully functional, real adults. On some days we were so frustrated at setback after setback that we wished we had never left Johor.

Noel's integrity and supportive nature were evident throughout the process, and I am deeply grateful for him. With him around, the challenges seemed less daunting. Knowing Noel was by my side gave me the courage to bring my vision to life.

The cross is a gift from Papa Ng and Mama Ng. 
If I understand it correctly, the wood used to be part of a larger cross in St. Theresa Church, Masai, Johor. In a way, we brought a piece of Johor back with us.

Finding a place

Given the tight timeframe we had to move and report for duty at our new schools, the first thing we did after checking in with our administrators was searching for a new rental place in Ipoh. 

Theoretically, Noel and I could temporarily place all our belongings and stay in my dad's house while we searched for the most ideal unit after work. However, I knew that was not a realistic option because of the sheer amount of things Noel and I own and the potential stress of coping with our new schools.

We viewed three units in total, and within 24 hours of receiving our transfer results, we secured a place to live in Ipoh. We had a slight dilemma deciding if we should rent a new, fully furnished apartment or a 40-year-old, unfurnished double-storey terrace house. Both have three bedrooms and two bathrooms. We went with the latter eventually.

Noel favored the apartment for its facilities and the modern toilets, but he agreed to living in the terrace house because of its strategic location and the cheaper rent. Meanwhile, I felt strongly for the terrace house because of the huge space and the liberty to fill the place with pieces that I actually like.

I hated the furniture in the apartment because not only were some of them water-damaged pieces, but some also seemed so out of place, and I couldn't imagine how I would utilize them. The landlord agreed to remove some items, but I would still very much prefer the unit to be as empty as possible. Truth be told, I became accustomed to a very high standard of living after staying eight years in the beautiful and practical units designed by Mr. Cheah, my former landlord in Johor, who is also an interior designer.

In the end, we paid a high price, financially and emotionally, for my stubbornness. Nevertheless, Noel never once complained or questioned our decision with what-ifs. He repeatedly affirmed me, which I really needed to keep going.

The very first piece we purchased when we moved in was this tall towel rack. 
It has been something I wanted to add to our previous apartment for the longest of time because I dislike reusing damp towels left hanging in the bathroom.

Moving our things

Initially, we planned to move our things using only our cars since we did not have any large pieces of furniture such as a bed or a fridge. Moreover, we were intimidated by the quotations offered by the moving companies. Of the four companies I contacted, only two were available, and both quoted a price of RM 2,300. 

We planned to do two trips of two cars. We even borrowed Noel's dad's Toyota Sienta with the goal of transporting our longest pieces, an Ikea office desk and an Ikea metal rack, in it. However, after an entire day of packing and decluttering vigorously, we realized that we couldn't possibly fit everything in the cars even if we did three trips. 

We packed the Sienta with all the recyclables and dropped them off at Ikea recycling center.
The staff even took all the non-recyclables off our hands. Thank God for that!

Feeling burdened and exasperated, we relented and tried to book a Lalamove truck on the app at 11 pm the night before our move. Literally in less than a minute, a truck driver accepted our order. 12 hours later, most of our belongings were loaded in the 10-feet truck, making their way to Ipoh.

The best part was that we paid much less, even after tipping, than we would have if we had hired movers. We only paid RM922 for the transportation and labor cost since we requested for a cargo delivering service instead of a house moving service. We tipped the driver generously because he brought his wife along as a helper. They also handled our items gently. 

Noel still did a second trip down south, accompanied by Papa Ng, to bring back the remaining of his precious gadgets and to hand over the unit to the landlord. But all in all, Lalamove not only delivered our belongings, but it also delivered us from backache of driving multiple long-distance trips and all the loading and unloading.

This picture fails to capture all the things we brought from Johor as some bigger items were set aside to make way for easy access to everything. 
But hopefully it gives you a glimpse of how much things we have.

Setback 1

A problem we encountered when we first moved in was that the electric gate responded very poorly to the remote controls. The remote's sensitivity was so poor that we had to be within a meter and aim it perfectly straight at the control box for it to work. We had to get off the car and attempt various Jojo poses every time we wanted to open or close the gate, which completely defeated the purpose of having an electric gate. The frequent rain in Ipoh and the busy road our house was at aggravated our inconvenience.

After a week of misaligned schedules, the technician finally found the right time to visit our house. He changed the remote controls and adjusted the frequency. Since then, we have been enjoying the luxury of entering and leaving the house at the click of a button.

Milestone 1

The first area that we completed was the dressing room. As much as living out of a suitcase sounds romantic, Noel and I have lots of clothes and bags and blankets and just soft things that readily collect dust. I urgently needed to tug them away so that they were not sitting on the floor blocking our access to our daily clothes.

Noel and I assembled the wardrobe together, and it was one of the easier pieces we worked with.

Since we go through all our work outfits regularly and we're always rushing in the morning to get ready, I opt for an open wardrobe and some plastic drawers to store our frequently worn clothes.


These two pieces are both from Johor. The white Ikea five-tier rack has been with me since I was living with the girls. I am so glad that it survived the truck ride with only a few scratches. 


A special shoutout to my ex-colleagues from the English Panel for gifting us a three-tier plastic drawer. And a big thank you to Shahana and Kak Yani for the portable wardrobe with dust cover. It's perfect to keep all the clothes and items that we seldom use.

The hanging rack with wheels has two purposes. On normal days Noel and I hang clothes we want to re-wear there. When there're guests staying over, they can use the rack to hang their stuff.

Completing the dressing room gave me the adrenaline boost to hang on as we battled the second setback, which was something that had plagued us for days.

Setback 2

The day we moved in, I took a dump in our toilet upstairs. Soon, Noel realized that the toilet was clogged. We tried the DIY pipe clog-free cleaner but to no avail. The first plumber I contacted stood us up twice. The second plumber who came to inspect the situation regrettably informed us that the old, metal sewage pipe was so rusted that waste could not pass through.


In order to properly diagnose the cause, the second plumber pried open the sewage pipe in the kitchen that connected the toilet upstairs to the sewage storage tank underground. They collected most of the waste in a bucket to avoid creating a mess, but still some wastewater overflowed and gushed down from the pipe opening to the floor in a projectile motion.

As I watched to the side, I questioned my existence and the possibility to burn down the house. Of course, I eventually regained my sanity and cleaned up the place after the plumbing team left.

We contacted the landlord, and he sent his contractor over to decide on the next step. The next step was to get Indah Water staff to come over for desludging. Since this is an old house, the waste is stored in the sewage storage tank underground instead of being sent to the treatment plant via the common tunnel. 


After the staff did their job, they told me that the tank was almost filled to the brim before this. Thank you, but I would rather not learn about previous tenants' shit, literally.

After that, the contractor and his men came on the weekend for a two-day renovation. They changed the entire metal pipe to a PVC pipe. The process was noisy and dusty since they had to remove some tiles in order to access the pipe underground.


At night, as I stood in the kitchen waiting for my water bottle to be filled, I felt incredibly overwhelmed. The smell of urine, concrete, and prawns* coalesced into a distinct stench, searing the smell of defeat into my memory.

*Our neighbor is a prawn mee vendor, so the smell of prawns is a staple in some parts of our house now.

Another shoutout to Noel for seeing things through after I mentally shut down. He liaised with the contractor while I focused on organizing the rest of the house.

The renovation was definitely a blessing in disguise though. Now, not only can we use the toilets at ease, but the bathroom upstairs is also much more pleasing to the eye with the PVC pipe instead of the dark, rusty metal pipe. It's something I appreciate since that's one of the first things I see when I wake up every day due to the way the two rooms are located.

Milestone 2

I had a clear goal of how I wanted to furnish the living room, and seeing my vision came to life was gratifying. Welcome to our living room, or more accurately, our largest storage space and my home office.


I wanted affordable yet durable pieces that could hold many large and heavy items. The best option was none other than heavy duty boltless racks made of metals and MDF boards. They are relatively lightweight, easy to assemble, and come in various lengths, heights, and widths.

They definitely make the room look like a warehouse. I prefer this industrial aesthetic though since I value functionality and tidiness over conventional interior design.

Noel and I had fun putting together these racks, and he also got one to put in his study. A big thank you to Papa Tan for giving us the table, which we have had for a long time. It has taken on many roles over the years, such as my sister's study desk and my family's dining table. I'll continue to use it and treasure it.

Setback 3

This will probably be something interesting or baffling for many of you. 

A few years ago, the Ipoh City Council distributed free green trash bins to every household with the aim of making the city cleaner. However, many refused the bins, worrying that the bins would be stolen. Some just preferred the old way of doing things, hanging bags of trash outside the kitchen window with a hook. This house was one of the many houses which did not have a bin.

I certainly did not have the patience and acrobatic skill to balance multiple bags of 10-liter trash on a tiny hook. I made a few calls and got in touch with the right person in the public office to get this house a free bin. Later, when I went to the garbage management facility to collect the bin, I was disappointed to find out that I couldn't get one because of an address discrepancy.

The facility's records listed my house address as Z, which is also the address used by delivery services. However, the electricity bill I presented listed the address as X, and the water bill listed it as Y. Therefore, none of my documents matched the address they had on file. 

I'm not sure if this problem is unique to my neighborhood or the city. Or perhaps it's a common problem many Malaysians across the country face as our areas undergo various developments. My dad's house has similar issue too. The address we grew up using is not the same address delivery services use nowadays.

In the end, all is well with the right amount of wealth. I purchased a similar green bin online for RM120. The landlord eventually sent me the Indah Water bill, which listed the correct house address. By then, I have been happily dumping bags of trash into my new bin for a week or so. 

Milestone 3

Let's look at the dining room now. I love it too.

The white cabinet was a pain to assemble. Noel did a wonderful job. 

The table was new, but the two rattan chairs were taken from Papa Tan's house. Noel and I had been talking about inheriting them every time we went back for holidays. Now, the rattan chairs are being used frequently once again. They are also the statement pieces for this area.

Milestone 4  

The next room that we put together was our bedroom. Noel and I had agreed very early on that we would get a king-size bed because we enjoy our personal space very much. The mattress we ordered arrived on the third day we moved in, and we had been sleeping with the mattress on the floor.

However, my hair, the dust, and the small insects soon agitated me. The thought of all of them accumulating under the mattress drove me nuts. I searched everywhere on the Internet for a durable yet relatively cheap and lightweight bed frame. After comparing prices, Ikea bed frame won. I suppose it's no surprise to anyone.

The room does not have any air-conditioner. 
So, aside from the ceiling fan, Noel and I each has a standing fan.

Behind the scenes

As usual, I didn't take any pictures of Noel's study since that's his personal space. So far, he has a rack, a 1.8-meter desk, and an office chair in his room. We ended up leaving his old Ikea office desk in Johor because it was too much of a hassle to transport it to Ipoh. He had used that desk for 6 years. That's good enough. He still has some things in his study he has yet to unpack, but I doubt those items would ever emerge from the suitcase.

The kitchen is still a work in progress. I didn't want to buy many things right off the bat. I wanted to experience cooking in the kitchen a few times first so that I could streamline my workflow and determine what I need and where the items should be placed.

Appreciation

There are truly many people we need to thank for this relocating journey. First of all, thank you to all our friends and ex-colleagues for the practical gifts.
 
Thank you, Papa Ng, for lending us the Sienta and following Noel to Johor for the second trip. Thank you, Mama Ng, for the oven, the floormats, and all the curtains in the house. Noel and I felt pampered to have the both of you coming down to Ipoh for two consecutive weekends even though you were busy with assorted matters yourselves.

Thank you, Papa Tan, for the table, the chairs, the fans, and many smaller items I just took from the house. Now, I have the best local guide telling me where to go whenever I need something really niche. Thank you, Mama Tan, for the inheritance. Because of that, Noel and I were able to relocate and furnish the house without stressing over money.

Last but not least, thank you once again to Noel. Your presence kept this entire experience fun. Now, we can pat ourselves on the back for surviving not just the relocation, but the deflated tire, the multiple laundry runs before our washing machine arrived, and the hospital runs while Papa Tan was hospitalized.

Allow me to digress. 
I strongly recommend every driver to keep a pumping machine like this in your car. 
Instead of changing to the spare tire, which was a labor intense effort, I used Mama Tan's machine to inflate my punctured tire temporarily so that I could drive to the nearest mechanic. It was a hassle-free and man-free process.

Now, if you need me, you can find me in my bedroom catching up on some much-needed sleep. 


Saturday, March 8, 2025

Johor, that's a wrap!

In my brain I have rehearsed this countless times over the years, and finally I can now say, "Thank you, Johor. That's a wrap. I'm leaving for good."

The view outside my apartment window.
When I first came to Johor, the condominiums and the rows of houses behind the factories did not exist.

After my mom's passing, I had a strong intuition that Noel and I would get transferred back to Ipoh. That would be her last gift for me. To my great disappointment, we didn't get our transfer on our last day of 2024/25 school year in January.

On the night of February 7th, while Noel and I were in Ipoh, I got a message from Amanda, asking if we had checked our transfer result. I was befuddled since I didn't even know that there was a second round of transfer result announced. Noel and I checked the result while we were in the car waiting for the traffic light, and we had mixed feelings when we found out that our transfer had been approved.

Alas. God works in mysterious ways at His perfect timing.

I'm excited to share about my current rental house in Ipoh since Noel and I furnished it ourselves, but I think it's only fair for me to first dedicate a post to thank all my friends, colleagues, and family members in Johor. All of you played a crucial role in making my life in Johor colorful.

1. Amanda, Grace, and Siew Ting

TFM cohort mates, ex-housemates, bible study groupmates, marking buddies...... Over the years, we have worn many different hats to support each other. You girls have been a safe space for me to rant and also voices of reason to help me process my emotions and analyze my situations. All three of you have inspired me in the ways you approach relationships and family, your work styles, and your servitude to God.

We went from living together to meeting once a week for bible study to gathering only five times a year for birthday celebrations. And now that Noel and I are miles away, we might not meet in person unless there's some special occasions. However, I am certain that with the help of social media, our friendships will last for years to come.

2025
My belated birthday celebration
Johor Bahru

2024
Luna Lights Wonderland
Kulai

2023
Siew Ting and Nathan's wedding
Seremban

This blog post would be infinitely long if I were to include all the pictures we have taken together over the past eight years. Thankfully (or not), whatever we posted online is always here to remind us of our good old times. So, here are the links to the blog posts I wrote and the videos I edited about some of our adventures together:






2. Kak Nazatul, Shahana, and my fellow colleagues from STAND

Despite the inconvenience and culture shock I'm facing in my current school, I have no regrets leaving my former school. As my first workplace, STAND did its job nurturing me. I believe I had poured out all I could throughout my service there too. Unfortunately, I was no longer as enthusiastic about the facilities and the community as I used to be. The only thing I was reluctant to part with was undoubtedly my amazing colleagues.

I'm beyond thankful to have Kak Nazatul, Shahana, Kak Yani, and Atiqah as my office mates. Your presence made every mundane workday feel worthwhile. You listened to all my rant and shared interesting stories with me. You fed me well. You showered me with gifts. You showed me the ropes. You shared teaching resources with me. I will forever remember the laughter and tears we shared in the language lab. Thank you.

2024 
Jamuan Kebirus

2024
Staycation with ex-STAND members

2022
Teachers' Day Celebration

Of course, my years in STAND would be incomplete and helpless without the tutelage of some of the most selfless senior colleagues I have met. At the top of my head, I have Kak Aida, Kak Norly, Kak Marlina, Kak Aizah, Kak Azmira, Kak Zuraini, Kak Zaza, Kak Ummu, Kak Ziha, Kak Mazidah, Kak Rosmawati, and Cg Zul. You will most likely never come across this post, but I would still like to mention your name here so that I will always remember you and recall the moments we shared whenever I visit this post.




3. My godparents - Aunt Maria and Uncle Sit

Well, technically I will still see the two of you regularly. Nevertheless, I want to especially thank the two of you for making Johor feel like home. Thank you for welcoming us into your house, bringing us along for dinners at Aunt Cecelia's place, and meeting up with us for meals after church. 

Because of you, Noel and I felt at ease staying in Johor knowing that we have relatives to fall back on in case something terrible happens. I hope that you will continue to enjoy your semi-retired life in Johor. Noel and I will meet you in Penang from now on :D


4. My former landlord - Mr. Cheah

He's the best landlord one could ask for. Because of his two fully furnished units well-equipped with air-conditioners and ample storage space, we were able to live comfortably for the past eight years. May God grant him and his family good health and wealth.
 
Last but not least, some of the food I will miss in Masai, Johor:

 

 

 


Noel and I were in Johor from December 2016 to January 2025. We spent around 1.5 years single, 4.5 years dating, and 2 years married. Johor will always hold a special place in our heart. 

For now, we are just happy that we no longer need to drive 6.5 or 8 hours one way to visit our family members. 


Wednesday, January 1, 2025

新年新人类

 大家好。2025新年贵安。

新年新景象,恭祝大家身体健康、心想事成、常蒙主恩。

自恋的我汇集了自己18岁至31岁的个人照,本想趁去年31岁生日发一篇回顾特辑,无奈去年杪实在提不起劲来编写任何东西。没关系,美照什么时候发都不算迟。今天就让我们一边回顾我中学毕业之后的改变,一边展望新年。

拍摄地点:某卡拉OK

十八岁,卜卜脆!这张照片的亮点其实是我的头发。脱离小学只能留齐装短发和中学长期扎高马尾的日子后我第一次去时髦的美发店烫发。这柔顺的黑长直,明亮的眼睛,水嫩的肌肤,灿烂的笑容,洁白的牙齿和白衬衫,无需怀疑!我就是白月光——隔壁的白炽灯!

拍摄地点:森美兰波德申某民宿 (大学基督团契避静营)

我到底当时在想什么?这个藐视众生的表情和略带霸道的坐势是什么回事儿?不过我很喜欢这张照片因为拍摄角度显我腿长。

拍摄地点:科罗拉多州某湖边

我人生第一次经历冬天!光看这张照片你就能充分感受到那瞬间我有多开心多享受当下。而且这个背景真的百看不厌。以后有机会我还想去看看其他国家的冬天,享受刺骨冷空气和玩雪的恣意。


拍摄地点:印第安纳州某滑雪场

嘿嘿,2015年最爱的照片还是冬天的欢乐回忆。比起滑雪,像我这种肢体不甚协调的运动小白更喜欢雪地滑雪胎!唯一小小的遗憾大概是这张和上一张照片的略高清原版已经找不回了,我只有朋友上传脸书之后的压缩版。不过不打紧,朦胧也是一种美。

延伸阅读:BISM Ski Trip 2016

拍摄地点:威斯康星州恶魔湖

大学毕业加入职前培训,2016年算是我人生中的里程碑吧。离开美国前的最后一个冬天,旅游景点依然首选好山好水。

延伸阅读:美国感恩节游湖

拍摄地点:印第安纳大学某活动室(大马毕业生欢送会)

这是我人生至今身材最苗条的时期。看看那无害的笑容,啧啧。蜈蚣先生说他刚认识我时我就像照片里面一样开朗甜美。这几年的我变成一个又负面又易怒的照骗。唉!毕竟我也是带了好几届毕业生的职场老油条了。新一年,我尽量调整心态保持正面!


拍摄地点:怡保某摄影室

我的大学毕业照其实是回国后在怡保摆拍的。比起专注地拍毕业照,那次摄影更是为了拍我们的合家福。虽然摄影师后期帮我们精修到根本不认得照片里的人是谁,可是那过程是个美好的回忆。

延伸阅读:窗口内的景色

拍摄地点:某学校走廊 (教学实习)

这张照片是TFM请专人为我们每位教师拍摄的。除了我的头发我的笑容我的身材我的性格,我最满意的地方就是我的衣服。马币50块,穿到现在依然合身、布料光鲜,验证了 “一衣传三代,人走衣还在” 的网络名梗。


拍摄地点:霹雳州凯莉古堡

2018年是极具意义的一年。疯狂地办各种校内校外的活动之余,我和朋友也趁着学校假期师范毕业典礼期间游玩了西马好几个城市。凯莉古堡是其中一个我愿意重游的旅游景点。旧时代的红砖建筑经历了风吹雨打后别有一番风味。

拍摄地点:曼谷某酒吧

2019年最美好的回忆莫过于和家人去曼谷旅行。整段旅程让我印象最深刻的是姐姐和小鸭烫帖的安排。有街头小吃有高级餐厅体验有话剧有购物有参观建筑有按摩有泳池,完美照顾每个人的喜好和需求。虽然完美的旅程有赖于天时地利人和,可是我真的很佩服姐姐和小鸭。我一直坚信能面面俱到的人就算没有取得大成功,也一定会比一般人走得远走得无悔。


拍摄地点:我工作的学校

2020年和2021年大部分时间我都在家办公,成日油头垢面不修边幅,这是少数我能拿出手的照片。在家办公好处多多,最显然的改变是皮肤变好了。看看那光滑的额头和双颊。今年我和蜈蚣先生的其中一个共同目标就是要改善皮肤!我们要美美哒~!


拍摄地点:基督教长老会新山圣光堂(结婚注册仪式)

感谢吴爸爸吴妈妈、吴氏兄弟和弟妹、吴姑姐一家和教母一家出席仪式。让我们感受到满满的爱,也为我们拍摄了很多美美的照片留作纪念。虽然陈家和朋友无法出席,但他们以另外一种方式永存在这张照片中。感谢奶奶和妈妈送的项链,小鸭和姐姐送的白裙,还有朋友送的针织太阳花。




拍摄地点:槟城CBride摄影棚和植物园

这个大美女是谁呀?是我!嘻嘻。用大自然衬托素颜入镜的照片非常酷,但是化了精致妆面在摄影棚摆拍的照片也有独特的优势。每件事都有正反两面,每项选择都各有千秋。希望新的一年我居安思危之余不忘常常发掘身边值得感恩的瞬间。


拍摄地点:吉隆坡某酒店

感谢闺蜜让我抱大腿,让我有机会入住吉隆坡高级酒店,在众网红酷爱的景点打卡。

工作之后我从E人变大I人,相当抗拒和旧朋友或是非同行联系。主要是我退化了,丧失了聊天的能力,因为我已经好久好久没有和同行或学生以外的生物交流过。除非朋友愿意主动分享自己的近况,否则我就是一个只会埋怨教育界的怨妇。我的闺蜜W小姐是我唯一还有常联系的旧人,她的存在某种程度上是我除了家人和学校之外,和世界的唯一一个纽带。希望今年我和她有机会一起出国玩。

拍摄地点:槟城某民宿(2023年农历新年)

拍摄地点:新山某宴客厅(副校长荣休宴)

我好像得了一个穿遍各民族传统服装的瘾,嘿嘿嘿。30岁了,更想趁还健康的时候多尝试新的东西挑战自己的可塑性。

拍摄地点:云顶山腰某民宿

2024年和妈妈最后一次全家出游去云顶。照片中我穿的洋裙恰巧是几年前妈妈在云顶的outlet买给我的。

比起发文悼念妈妈自我感动,我更想继承她的意志。她在生命的最后几个月,没有任何埋怨诉苦,很积极地过好每一天,很认真地回应每一次的我爱你。如果我有孩子,我希望成为像我妈妈一样的妈妈。某层面上我其实也很开心她回天家了。摆脱一切烦心事 peace out!

拍摄地点:京都祇园

2024年我和蜈蚣先生的高光时刻莫过于去日本旅游。嘿嘿嘿,今年也要去玩,去见世面,去感受不同的风土人情。

延伸阅读:(1) A Lovely Japan Trip (2) Kimono Photoshoot

最后的最后,附赠一张我潇洒的丑照。愿我自己能重拾勇气去尝试新东西,大胆放手让天主来。当然我也想重拾这个身材哈哈哈。加油!