Showing posts with label Pengalaman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pengalaman. Show all posts

Friday, July 12, 2013

Swimmer's ear - a gift on the first night of Ramadhan

Before Ramadhan, two weeks to be exact, I got an ear infection due to my frequent swimming workout. Funny thing is, the infection I was getting in the outer ear was known as 'Swimmer's ear'. Or scientifically, otitis externa.

The first days were very painful. I couldn't dive deeper because my right ear felt so painful, it sounded like it was cracking inside. I went to buy earplugs, but kept losing it in the pool whenever I did my flip turn. But the ear became worse. Eventually, in two days, I lost almost 70% of my hearing on the right ear. It was my habit to clean up my ear after a swimming session, but obviously it was not enough. My sleep was interrupted due to sudden surge of pain and constant ringing in my right ear.

I went to the doctor. I took the ear drops and oral antibiotics. What happened was, some water was left near my eardrum, it clogged and made surrounding area suitable for bacteria, hence the infection. My ear canal was swelling, and also my eardrum didn't vibrate the way it should. Even the otoscope almost did not fit into my ear.

So, the days of misery began. I valued music. I listened to the Quran, songs, and music, and I often wondered how beautiful music would be in the Heaven. I was specifically grateful for the hearing that Allah had bestowed upon me, more than any other parts of my body. Then, when my right ear failed to function properly, I somehow freaked out.

My hearing became muffled, I failed to detect where the sound was coming from. And I could hear the sound next to my ear like it was 2 meters away. The ringing was somehow constant and it made me a bit off balanced. The ringing sounded like after you hear the flash bang. The ringing felt so close to my ear. My balance was off. Suddenly, I valued my hearing more than I had ever imagined.

I read the story of Urwah bin Zubair. How when his leg was amputated, his friend said 'Bergembiralah, kerana anggotamu itu telah mendahuluimu ke syurga..'. The last word my right ear listened to was al Mishary just before I went to sleep. So, as to calm myself, I also told myself the same thing. Getting myself prepared just in case I lost my right ear. Allah wanted to test me I thought, and I was going to be ready. To some people, it might not be important. But to me, my hearing is important. Especially when it comes to listening to music. How I appreciate details in the piece. Still, my hearing was from Allah.

I kept snapping and clapping slowly beside my right ear just to know when will my hearing come back. I went to the doctor twice, and the doctor told me that the infection still didn't go away. I got two kinds of ear drops later. More intensive. In one week, if I hadn't got better, he would refer me to an ear specialist. It was very tense. My right ear felt right it got a veil that blocked my hearing. A veil so close to my ear.

I told my mum about it. And I got a lecture on not-to-swim-again. I understood how she felt. Sometimes, when you get older, it was good to hear your mum's lecture. Missing those old days haha. My friends and lecturers were so supportive.

During the last evening of Syaaban, just before Ramadhan, I was at the mosque. Getting ready for the azan of the first night of Ramadhan. I was at the first saf, tilawah. Felt so pumped up. Although my right ear failed to function, it failed to stop my surge of excitement for the Ramadhan. Getting my FB and Twitter deactivated few days prior, I was sure to get a good warm up.

Like a novel, when the digital clock was beeping for Maghrib, I saw the bilal went to the mike. I stood up and felt very excited. 'Allah, here I come' I said. Then, miraculously, when the azan started 'Allahu Akbar!', masya Allah, the veil that had been blocking my right ear seemed to be gone. The hearing was still muffled, but my hearing was coming back! If before I could only hear 20-30%, it became up to 50-70%. I could really feel the difference. My tears broke out, and there I sujud syukur for my hearing in the middle of the azan. It was no coincidence. It was amazing. It felt amazing. It was like the bubble that had been blocking my right ear popped. And then suddenly the sound became much clearer.

Alhamdulillah, I thank Allah for my both ears. For all my parts of body, and family.

Now, I can hear up to 90% Alhamdulillah, no more pain, fever, ringing and off-balance.

1. I learned how to speak more slowly. Try closing both your ears with your fingers, and speak very slowly. You could hear it clearly. When my right ear failed to function properly, I hear what I said louder than normal. So I began to speak more slowly.

2. I couldn't wait to get back into the swimming pool. Missing swimming so much. My doctor refrained me from swimming till the ear infection had gone.

3. Syukur itu lebih tinggi martabatnya dari sabar.

4. Swimmers! Always be ready for this. Get yourself an ear drop to clean your ear after swimming. Maintain the pH of your ear, and avoid over-cleaning.

5. Some of you might wonder how I know that percentage of hearing. Hoho. I test it with my left ear and check the clarity over distance times 100.

6. Our hearing is one of the most amazing mechanism ever existed. It worked simultaneously with our brain. One of it is positioning. Good hearing works with our brain to position and trace where the sound comes from just from its amplitude and frequency. Try this 3d sound, barbershop, and say Alhamdulillah :) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA)

Happy Ramadhan guys!



Saturday, June 8, 2013

Of Butterflies [The Stroke, the Effect and the Monarch]

It's something I believe. That the world holds miraculous wonders, and in it intertwined relations, treasures and beauties. I don't know why they are there for sure, but I always feel like it is for us humans to learn and ponder.

Butterfly Stroke
When I was 8, I was playing in the pool at Ulu Yam with my brother Naim 6 at that time. We had a family day. Out of boredom for the shallow pool, we decided to switch to the higher ground, deeper pool. No one was watching us. The family day was too happening that no one expected us to climb up higher.

The pool we went then was murky. It's not like a swimming pool, it's just a ground digged filled with water. We did not see the real depth of the pool. We jumped straight away in it. Somehow, Naim stepped into the deeper side of the pool. He screamed for help as his feet weren't unable to feel the bottom of the pool. I at that time managed to stand up felt with my foot where the pool got deeper. Naim was screaming and drowning. I was so afraid at that time. I felt like crying. I later felt the steep part, I grabbed the side of the pool while Naim was slowly drifting away from the side and drowning. He struggled so much. I jumped to him with my hand still attached to the side and grabbed him. He was saved. Alhamdulillah.

Today, it's one of my initiatives to teach people how to swim. During a camping or a jaulah, whenever we are in water I often be asked or voluntarily teach people how to swim. Of course, I never have the coach certificate, but I do learn how to swim out of fear that one day when someone needs help as in Naim's case, I might not be able to save the person. And I could never forgive myself for that. Never.

I often ponder why Rasulullah told us to learn swimming(also riding horse and archery). In my opinion, there are a few important values people acquire along their journey to learn swimming. Adapting oneself, courage, freedom, focus and most importantly, appreciation.

Butterfly : Upper body strength is very important to perform this stroke beautifully.
In swimming, there are four main strokes. Freestyle, breastroke, back stroke, and butterfly. The hardest of all these strokes is butterfly and this stroke is usually learned the last of all four. Fluidity, power and rhythm as mentioned by Philip Toriello makes butterfly stroke the most majestic stroke. This stroke is considered the hardest because it requires both hands and legs to move together, not in alternating pattern of right and left like the freestyle, or leg and hand like the breast stroke. Butterfly requires you to move both simultaneously. And compared to other strokes, this stroke stresses the importance of rhytm, without it your butterfly will be inefficient and out of form. I've already started to learn this difficult stroke as the holiday started. A beautiful point I found on the net and deeply significant for me is when learning this stroke, we must learn to appreciate.

As this stroke is very difficult compared to other strokes, we must learn to appreciate every little part of movements involved in the stroke. The push, the pull, the recovery phase, the dolphin kick, the breathing, the energy management. We must learn to aware what movement contributes to what dynamics, what push moves you forward, how to recover effectively, how to dismiss unnecessary movements. The stroke is so tiring you need to really observe your energy management as your energy is limited. Your efficiency in managing your energy by performing the correct technique optimizes your speed and fluidity in water. Otherwise, you would just be splashing water.

If you observe the body performing butterfly from the side, you will see the rhythm of the body somehow mimics the shape of sine graph. If you perform it correctly, you'll understand why people say it's the most beautiful, majestic stroke ever. For butterfly to come to its shape is not easy, it requires hardwork, discipline, respect and appreciation for every minor and major details of the stroke - and from it comes the beauty, power and fluidity of this superb stroke.

From this stroke, I learn something to relate with my life. I hope I put it out well for you to understand. It's appreciation. Success comes when I acknowledge and appreciate minor and major things in my life, realizing that each of these contributes in my life, one way or another. And to move forward efficiently, dismiss any unneccessary movements that might slow you down or distract you from reaching your dreams. It's so significant for me.

Perhaps because this stroke is very hard and I could only go 25 meters with a nice form. Longer than that my upper body fails to execute the movement really well. And I would telan all the water as my effort to breath also fails. -.-

* It's unlike freestyle or breast stroke where you could go 1-2 kilometers without complete exhaustion, butterfly's a whole different thing. Perhaps it's me only lol. (Here's a video - Olympics Men 4 x 100m Medley Relay where all four strokes in one competition. Watch. It's amazing! Click )


Butterfly Effect
In 1972, Edward Lorenz a mathematician and meteorologist presented a paper titled, "Does the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?". As far-fetched as it sound however, the effect is real. The effect is also called sensitive dependence on initial conditions.

Butterfly effect describes how one small change in a system initially can result in a big difference in the end.  Opposed to common sense that small change would only compensate for small difference. Lorenz realized this when he was keying in data in his weather model. He encountered problems earlier and to save time and space, instead of entering 6 digits data he decided to round-off the decimals to 3 digits assuming that the rounding-off makes no significant change.

What he found was surprising. A very small change had altered the outcome by major difference in his model. Later he realized that long-term weather forecasting is impossible due to the nature of the weather. It's because of this butterfly effect that makes predicting space weather is far more easier than predicting our own weather.

While I am eager to share the mathematical aspect of this effect, I am afraid that what I'm trying to share might not get to you. Picture below is an example of butterfly effect. The instrument is called double pendulum. While it is fairly easy for us to predict the motion of a single pendulum swaying fro and forth, when we add another variable, in this case is another pendulum attached to the original pendulum, the predictability becomes significantly hard and the condition becomes haywire and chaotic it results in a fairly complex condition. Another example is like how Sun and Earth interacts ceteris peribus. You can predict the motion of these two bodies fairly easy if you have enough information. But if you add another body, let's say Mars, it becomes a completely different thing. Predicting it becomes hardly possible and hitherto the solutions aren't completely understood. (Read more : Three body problem)


Here, I am not trying to potray that our life is chaotic and frenzy, no. But I'm trying to show you, in life, every single thing small or big act you do, do have effects in your life. Being more serious, good deeds and sins do affect our life. As good deeds bring blessings and tranquility into life, sins make us less sensitive to people and to God. Although we do know that Allah is al Ghaffar and sins can be erased through repentance, we also should know once we do what we do, the effects are already rippling through life.

In a bigger picture, what we do affect other people. Family, friends, Ummah and humanity. The struggle to appreciate every small things we do, to pay attention to big things and observe the incoming ripples stemmed from our actions is tiring. I assure you. But, Rasulullah taught us to observe minor details, both good and bad. Every bit of positive energy injected in the system and vice versa, we are to observe that and not to take it for granted.

Abu Dzar, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Don’t underestimate any good deed, even meeting your brother with a cheerful face.” (Muslim).

To really realize that every action we make is indeed significant, if not in short-term it will be in a longer term, requires consistent effort. To fill in every little space and hole in our life with deeds, even the smallest of all deeds and to dismiss and consciously deal with bad behaviour or mistakes. Rasulullah also mentioned how we as Muslims should observe and avoid underestimating minor sins.

Rasulullah pbuh said: “Beware of sins which are treated as being minor, just like a people who encamp in the centre of a valley, so someone brings a stick of firewood and someone else brings a stick until they are, therefore, able to bake their bread. Likewise, sins which are treated as being minor, and for which the person is taken to account, will destroy him.” [Ahmad]

The realization of small things do bring significant effects in our life is important as it would allow us to be mindful of Allah, to deal with our own desire justly, to become aware of the cause-effect factor in every thing we do in life. I don't intend to depict that sinning is the end and then we are doomed, no. There is hope. If you have injected negative energy, reinject positive energy so that the net energy in your life is positive. As good deed erases sin :) May we be a servant of Allah who is observant and grateful.

Frodo is small yet he saves the world. Be the change.


Monarch Butterfly
At last, here comes the real living butterfly. I think the placement of this wonderful creature as the last of the butterflies is right. I suggest after you read my post, you do further readings on this butterfly. I am afraid that what I am going to share is not sufficient and don't do justice to the monarch butterfly. It's one of the most amazing creatures on Earth, and this is not exaggeration.

Dan Osipov
Why do I say it's an amazing creature? It's because they are the only insect that migrates up to 2500 miles to move to warmer areas! These monarchs migrate to overwintering areas because they could not stand the freezing of winter. Masya Allah. The migration is also caused by the availability of foods for their larvaes, in this case milkweed.

By October or sooner, millions of monarchs will migrate to their overwintering areas. They travel about 25-30 miles per day. Another amazing thing in their migration is, they somehow know where is their overwintering sites. They know where to go.

Apart from that, they also know how to come back when the strangest thing is, it's not the same butterflies that makes the first journey, they are the fourth generation, super grand children of the ones who arrive at the overwintering sites.

Not all of the monarchs are capable to migrate. The first, second, and third generation only live up to six weeks after their metamorphosis. Only the fourth generation live up to six or eight months to enable them to migrate. Allahu Akbar. This generation will embark upon a journey they have never gone before, following only God knows what direction to their away overwintering sites that are thousand miles away. Along with millions of other monarchs, they travel together, struggling through strong winds, bad weather, dangerous and poisonous air, and lastly to adapt when they arrive at their overwintering sites only to know that the sites have been demolished to make way for humans.
Scientists still cannot figure out how the monarchs were able to tell direction. Some postulate that they might have same mechanism as migrating bird, a sensor in their brain to align with the magnetic fields of earth. Some say that they follow the wind. Up till now, no one really knows how these wonderful creature know how to fly thousand miles and end up in the same places as their ancestors were. All Praise to Allah, al Khaliq.

Sadly, many of their sites are now gone. Due to inhuman human activities. The good thing is, citizens of U.S and Mexico are so amazing they decided to start the initiative long time ago, to tag the butterfly and plant milkweed so that these monarchs have a home when they come back.

I'll leave it to you to relate Monarch Butterfly to your life. We are the student of the world, we learn from every thing. And I learn a lot from them.

I am calling all readers to care for our environment. We as a khalifah in this world have a responsible to preserve and care for our forests, animals and other living creatures. I teach Biology and Science at Al-Amin as cikgu ganti, I told my students who are capable, to join a campaign by WWF. You can choose either to adopt a tiger, turtle, orang-utan or a panda. Not more than RM40 a month. You will also get free merchandises and updates of your beloved pet. Most importantly, you save a life. http://www.wwf.org.my/how_you_can_help/donate_main/adopt_a_tiger1.cfm

Start the initiative now! :)
Conclusion

Live your life, learn, and appreciate.

Chase your dreams.

Always be aware of other people's sufferings and hardships.

Have a nice day! :)

p/s Just have a very good night with my family at the Global March to Jerusalem. Pray for me that I'll die there one day, untuk syahid sebenar-benar syahid.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Catatan pengalaman bekerja di MAHA International 2012

* Ini catatan peribadi. Tidak mewakili individu mahupun institusi lain.

Alhamdulillah. Cuti kali ini aku isikan dengan manfaat, insyaAllah. Moga Allah redha. Aku bahagikan masa untuk keluarga aku - duduk rumah, main game dengan adik-adik besar, jalan-jalan dengan adik-adik kecil, malah ketika aku menaip post ini adik-adik kecil sedang bermain basikal di belakang aku. Aku cakap pada adik-adik kecil aku, nak jadi budak sejati kena naik basikal biar jatuh luka berdarah lutut siku berkali-kali. Belajar dari kesilapan. Macam aku dulu. Ceh. Sampai pokok jambu yang tinggi itupun aku panjat buat gaya kelawar kalau jatuh mesti patah tengkuk. Lepas itu balik kena rotan. :)

Masa aku bahagikan juga untuk pergi ke seminar-seminar, majlis ilmu, kuliah dan kursus. Membaca tidak lekang pada malam-malam yang kosong alhamdulillah. Walaupun buku Raheeq Makhtum belum habis baca, sebab terlalu banyak ilmu untuk dicatit dan dihurai dalam buku itu. Aku perlu catit isi-isi penting semasa membaca, termasuk rujukannya. Supaya senang dirujuk suatu hari nanti. Selain itu, aku menulis balik apa yang dah jadi input, supaya lebih memahami untuk amalan. Buku-buku nipis alhamdulillah habis dibaca. Buku yang aku rasa paling memberi impak ialah What I Believe oleh pakcik Tariq Ramadan dan juga Dahsyatnya Ibadah oleh Pak Amr Khalid.

Dan lagi sebahagian masa cutiku untuk bekerja. Alhamdulillah, kali ini dapat job di MAHA International 2012. Sebagai crew yang menjaga 'show ground' laman ternakan dan laman jentera, under department Outdoor - Exhibition and Operation - MARDITECH. Aku mendapat seorang partner yang bernama Azizi, seorang guru dan performer Qasidah. Kami mula bekerja 2 hari sebelum MAHA bermula. Aku keluar rumah pada pukul 7.30 (more or less) dan perjalananku di atas motor mengambil masa selama 45 minit tops sebelum aku sampai di tempat aku bekerja. Masa aku bekerja berakhir kebiasaannya pada pukul 11 malam, kalau debrief berjalan lancar.

Laman Ternakan
Alhamdulillah. Tugas aku secara basicnya agak mudah. Meronda dan memantau area ternakan dan machinery, menugaskan kontraktor dan electrician andai terdapat masalah pada wiring dan khemah, menjadi tempat pertanyaan pengunjung andai terdapat apa-apa inquiry atau masalah, dan yang terakhir handle exhibitor dan peniaga secara matang dan berhemah dan membawa perkara berkaitan ke pihak yang berkaitan.

Area ternakan sangatlah luas. Banyak crew lain yang mengatakan area kami terlalu luas hanya untuk kami berdua sahaja cover. Alhamdulillah, dua-dua ada motor. Tak ada masalah sangat. Cuma nak cover area yang perlu berjalan kaki amatlah besar. Terutamanya bila perlu sweep the area every hour or two hours.

Laman ternakan adalah kawasan yang sangat interesting. Terdapat pameran ternakan hidup yang mempamerkan rusa, kambing, ayam, arnab dan juga lembu. Dalam dewan pameran ternakan pula ada burung-burung dan ayam-ayam yang sangat cantik, dan harganya sangat mind-blowing. Fasa kedua pameran juga ada pameran kucing. Meluangkan masa selama hampir dua minggu di area ternakan, aku sudah mula mengenali manakah lembu yang baik bakanya, manakah baka pedaging dan baka tenusu. Aku mula mengenali Charolaise, juga baka Limousine. Aku mula menyayangi baka Brahman. Aku mengagumi baka baru yang dibangunkan oleh MARDI iaitu Brakmas. Saban pagi sewaktu membuat rondaan pagiku pergi dari satu pameran ke satu pameran bertanyakan apakah masalah yang ingin dilontarkan dan diselesaikan, aku mengisi sela-sela masaku dengan membelai-belai lembu-lembu itu. Sangatlah besar lembu-lembu yang berada di situ, ada yang menyamai ketinggianku. Aku juga mula mengenali kambing Boer yang membawa baka yang sangat bernilai. Kambing African Dwarf yang saban hari akan ada pengunjung yang bertanya dimanakah dapat mereka membeli kambing itu. Sempat juga aku bermain-main dengan arnab - Teddy Bear, juga Holand Hop, dan Red Eye. Pada waktu petang, aku akan membaca ma'thurat di sebelah kawanan rusa jinak. Kali pertama aku mendengar bunyi rusa merengek. Sepanjang 21 tahun aku hidup, tidak pernah sekali pun aku mendengar rusa bersuara, tapi Alhamdulillah aku mendengar suara itu semasa aku bekerja di situ. Di situlah aku tahu betapa bernilainya tanduk rusa, Velvet.

Tidak lupa juga kepada binatang yang sangat comel dan setia kepada tuannya, sugar glider. Binatang ini dia akan setia sampai dia mati. Selalu je nampak orang jalan-jalan sambil sugar glider ini duduk atas bahu tuan dia. Tanpa diikat. Harga asas RM200. Perrh.. Terbatuk-batuk masa first time dengar. Tapi masih tak boleh lawan harga ayam dan burung [RM 500-3000], kambing dan lembu.

Aku juga sempat berjumpa dengan ayam yang sangat besar, Giant Coachin, hampir sama tinggi dengan pinggang Saif. Juga ayam-ayam yang tak pernah aku nampak seumur hidupku. Aku tak nak belai-belai ayam. Sebab dulu selalu kena kejar dengan ibu ayam masa kecil. Aku berpeluang duduk bersama-sama volunteers dan veterinars yang meluangkan masa untuk berjuang demi binatang-binatang. Aku berjumpa dengan pelajar-pelajar yang menjadi rescue team untuk anjing dan kucing semasa masa lapang mereka. Terima kasih aku ucapkan pada Save A Stray Malaysia dan Scratch(Kucing Terbiar Anjing Jalanan) sebab memberi aku peluang untuk duduk bersama-sama dan menimba ilmu. Hari pertama aku berjumpa mereka, aku terus bertanya, macam mana mereka beroperasi. Aku meminta kad untuk dihubungi dan aku memberitahu mereka, aku ingin membuka satu pusat perlindungan binatang bila aku besar nanti. Sebelum tiba masa itu, aku ingin belajar sebanyak-banyaknya dengan mereka. Terlalu banyak kezaliman dan ketidakadilan terhadap binatang yang telah berlaku. Dan aku membenci setiap saat apabila aku tak berdaya untuk membantu dan hanya mampu untuk berdoa.

Laman Jentera
Berada di dalam bidang kejuruteraan berasaskan elektrik, tidaklah susah untuk aku menghargai betapa bernilainya jentera-jentera yang dipamerkan. MasyaAllah, yang dipamerkan lebih 90 peratus produk tempatan. Seperti mesin mengupas buah kelapa, buah rambutan malah buah durian! Macam-macam mesin dan jentera ada. Jawatanku sebagai crew yang memantau area jentera memudahkan aku untuk berjumpa sendiri manager-manager pameran dan bertanyakan mengenai inovasi produk, kolaborasi dan kerjasama, malah peluang pekerjaan. Saat itu, aku berasa bangga menjadi warga Malaysia.

Electricians dan aku
Alhamdulillah, kebanyakan masa aku bekerja, aku meluangkan masa untuk belajar mengenai asas-asas power dan elektrik. Aku pergi berjumpa bos electrician meminta izin supaya dapat ikut sama-sama dan memerhati kerja-kerja yang dilakukan. Antara sebab utama mengapa kulit aku rentung di bahagian lengan dan muka adalah disebabkan aku berada di lapangan tak kira masa hujan atau panas. Sebab kuasa elektrik sangat penting untuk pameran dan maintenance, jadi keutamaan adalah untuk mengembalikan kuasa elektrik kepada dewan, exhibitor dan peniaga. Asalnya tugas aku hanyalah memaklumkan pada kontraktor di mana tempat bermasalah, tapi alang-alang dah ada peluang, apa lah sangat kotorkan seluar baju berpanas dan berhujan nak dibandingkan dengan pengalaman yang dapat. Ada 3 technicians Bangla, seorang Indonesia, dan seorang Melayu. Merekalah kawan-kawan aku semasa aku bekerja di sana. Mereka sering dimarahi dan dimaki oleh exhibitor dan peniaga bila ketiadaan power, dan akulah yang akan berada di sana untuk meredakan keadaan, dan kadang-kadang bila hilang sabar, exhibitor pula akan dapat lecture aku mengenai basic consumption of power. Orang kita ini pelik, khemah dipower untuk kegunaan pameran. Jadi bila mereka pasang dua tiga extension untuk charge laptop, handphone, tambah lampu, tambah freezer tambah kipas kaki, laptop pula kalau boleh satu khemah itu nak lima laptop. Kemudian bila wayar terbakar, connector cair, plug meletup mula nak mengamuk. Kalau marah itu normal, tapi bila yang dihambur adalah maki hamun sumpah seranah, aku rasa kasihan pada electricians ini.

Tapi exhibitor macam itu tak semua. Ramai sahaja yang bila dah setel masalah, bagi kami susu free, daging kambing free dan macam-macam lagi. Pada hari terakhir, aku belanja mereka makan dan aku salam dan peluk mereka. Rasa sedih juga nak berpisah. Ceh. Tacing pulak.

Ada juga DJ yang tak reti nak perlahankan volume masa azan. Siap karaoke lagi. Aku cakap elok-elok tiga kali sepanjang dua minggu aku bekerja. Pada hari kedua terakhir, masa azan Maghrib berkumandang, mereka berkaraoke dengan sangat kuat. Sebenarnya ramai exhibitor dan visitor yang complain, tapi sebab DJ tersebut ada di situ melalui 'orang atas', bila ditegur jadi tak lut. Masa itu, aku terus melangkah dengan perasaan yang meluat, aku naik stage pergi pada PA system, aku cakap "Abang-abang kakak-kakak sekalian, saya ini student power engineering. Setakat saya nak short-circuitkan PA abang ni sekejap je saya boleh buat, abang nak saya bagi port dekat speaker abang terbakar pun saya boleh buat, tu semua basic bagi saya. Sekarang ni tengah azan, saya minta tolong hormat. Tutup karaoke, kalau tak nak tutup alih speaker tempat lain jangan sampai saya dengar. Kita orang Islam, tolong hormat. Terima kasih." Dan aku berlalu pergi. Masa itu marah sangat. Di area ternakan dan machinery, ada 3 DJ. Lagi dua DJ siap pasang azan lagi. DJ satu ini aku pun tak faham kenapa tak boleh hormat. Walhal orang Islam.
Kismot, Sulaiman, Salman dan An.

An dan Ijal

Bharat
Yang semua di atas ini group pertama. Mereka handle khemah punya electrical component dan wiring, generator dan distribution box. Ada lagi satu group electricians, under company 2J handle bahagian lain. Dengan kedua-dua group ini lah aku bersama sepanjang MAHA. Macam-macam aku belajar. Daripada troubleshoot problems sehingga merasa kena renjatan sampai sakit jari masa hujan. Pengalaman yang amat bernilai.

Bosses
Aku ada tiga boss atas aku. Boss under Outdoor, namanya Firdaus aka Fida. Dia seorang yang sangat sempoi, muda dan belum berkahwin. Sporting dan masuk dengan orang-orang muda. Sebab dia pun muda. Daripada dia aku belajar pengurusan dan PR yang baik.  Atas Fida, namanya tak nak aku sebutkan. Sebab dia seorang yang sombong. Atasnya lagi merupakan manager MAHA, namanya Encik Joehan. Kami panggil Encik Joe. Walaupun agak tua, tapi punya lah humble dan 'rock' kalau perkataan ini sesuai. Walaupun first day ada staff dah kena tengking, kami crew Operation alhamdulillah dia kamceng.

Tertinggal topi aku atas motor dia pula.
Nak ceritanya, tiap-tiap hari masa aku check in, di HQ Operation and Exhibition, ada motor Harley Davidson. Sampainya lagi awal dari kami, crew Operation, perginya lagi lewat dari kami. Jadi kami tak tahu siapa tuan dia. Sampai hari ketiga terakhir, baru kami tahu itu motor Encik Joe. Aku ini faham-faham lah macam mana. Kalau nampak motor macam ini, mulalah excited. CC motor ini 883.

Hari terakhir aku berjumpa dengan seorang bro. Masa kami lunch di HQ, dia duduk bersama-sama kami. Sambil open kotak rokoknya, dia bercakap "Bro, aku masa muda dulu macam engkorang lah jugak. Tapi aku sesat jalan, Tuhan balas". Dia berkongsi macam-macam dengan kami. Dia berasal dari keluarga miskin, jual karipap sahaja. Dia berpesan, bila dapat duit yang penting sekali bagi pada parents dan family. Itu mesti utamakan. Dalam apa-apa hal. Yang kedua, jangan tikam belakang bila buat bisnes. Yang ketiga, nak cari partner, isteri atau kawan, cari yang sanggup susah sekali sama-sama. Yang terakhir, jangan sombong di dunia ini, dengan Tuhan dan manusia. Dia berkongsi mengenai bisnes, dari macam mana mula dengan korporat enterprise dan SDN BHD, kepada networking, kepada retails punya strategy dan marketing. Macam-macam juga aku tanya. Masa itu kami tak tahu siapa dia. Tapi dia pakai baju korporat. Boss kepada Fida masuk masa kami tengah makan sama-sama, dia kata pada bro itu, "Boss, kenapa duduk sekali dengan diorang ni?". Bro itu jawab "Asal, aku lepak sekali salah ke?". Boss kepada Fida jawab "Mana boleh. Diorang tak layak duduk sekali dengan boss. Lain taraf". Berdesing telinga aku dengar. Aku tak terasa langsung, tapi masa itu Fida yang merupakan staff ada sekali dengan staff-staff lain. Aku volunteer, memang tak terasa. Bro itu pun diam je. Bro itu pesan last sekali, "Ingat, bro jangan sombong. Kita ini bukan tuhan". Masa itu dia keluar, ada budak (visitor) tanya public phone di mana. Visitor itu cari parents dia. Bro itu ambil HP dia, tak fikir dua kali terus bagi visitor itu suruh call parents dia. Bila dia keluar HQ, itu dia, motor dia lagi tak boleh belah. Harley Davidson 1700 CC. Aku minta kad dia, dia bagi. Aku gelak seorang-seorang. Aku duduk lepak dengan electricians 2J, bro ini boss company ini rupanya. Company yang supply beratus-ratus khemah untuk MAHA 2012. MasyaAllah, moga Allah berkati bro ini.
Fida dan motor.
Ini semua boss under department aku. Sepanjang MAHA, ada je kes boss-boss bertumbuk. Ganas betul dunia pekerjaan ini. Bertumbuk betul-betul, sebab tension mungkin.

Colleagues


Mereka semua some of my colleagues under department kami. My good friends. Walaupun ada droput college, ada yang jenis merempit semua, tapi mereka ada taman dalam hati. Ada yang tak solat, tapi marah kalau orang yang solat lewat solat. Despite what people think, I choose to think good of them. Aku cuma sempat berborak, mengenali mereka dengan lebih dalam, dan berharap satu hari nanti Allah akan membantu mereka menjadi muslim yang lebih baik, kerana mereka orang baik-baik. Banyak aku belajar, moga Allah pelihara aku daripada ilmu tak bermanfaat. Apa-apa pun, aku rasa gembira dengan mereka sepanjang MAHA.

People
Kalau masa hujan, tak ada kes, aku akan duduk bawah bus stop. Tranportation di MAHA guna bus, trem dan trak. Jadi, akan ada ramai yang rehat-rehat bawah bus stop. Aku jumpa macam-macam orang di sini. Daripada acik microbiologist, abang tatoo, mak nyah peserta pertandingan kucing cantik, kepada pakcik tasawuf. Aku belajar dan timba pengalaman.

Paling seronok, bila ada seorang orang Arab datang, tunjuk "this, bus stop?". Aku faham dia kurang fluent dalam English, terus aku speak arabic. Walaupun kurang fluent, tapi dia faham. Paling bahagia bila dia cakap moga Allah berkati aku sebab bercakap dalam bahasa al Quran. Tacing kot, dah lah hujan masa itu, lagilah sentimental. Agaknya dapat tak jumpa Nabi masa di telaga kauthar nanti?

Aku rasa kita rakyat Malaysia, masih racism. Kita masih pilih nak hormat orang ikut bangsa. Kita treat bangla dan indon macam second class. I don't know about you, but I don't agree about this.

Conclusion
Alhamdulillah, Allah kurniakan aku peluang ini. Aku rasa puas, aku manfaatkan cuti kali ini without any regrets. Aku berpeluang belajar dari pelbagai lapisan orang. Now, it's time to focus untuk universiti pula.

p/s - awak, saya dah pergi HOM dah. Tapi tak sempat pergi STS sebab dah mula kerja, ingat nak sambung di Penang nanti :)
p/s 2 - kulit sudah rentung. Angkat lengan terus Ayaz dan Saif "Huyyoo!" sebab nampak jelas sempadan kulit terbakar dan kulit biasa. Iman balik rumah pun kata, kulit muka dah terbakar! :)