“Ahhh… few minutes more!”I kept saying it while tossing and playing with my pencil over and over again.

I keep glancing my eyes at the clock stated at the centre of the examination hall.

I, Sofea Azreen,a Form 5 student at SMK Tarcisian Convent finally going to finish my SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia), a public examination in Malaysia in just a few minutes.

Tic…toc…tic…toc…

“Okay,students! You have about 1 minute left. Please check your answer on your answer sheets. Please make sure all your personal information were written on the paper without fail.” Blabbered the teachers who were assigned to be the prefect of the examination.

I just can’t keep my excitement anymore! I smiled to my friends around me and grinning to them. I bet they have the same feeling like me too.

“Put down your pencils now. We will be collecting your LAST paper.Be quiet!”said the teacher.

As soon as the teacher allows us to leave the examination hall,all Form 5 students cheers including me!

“Ahh,finally! I’m free! I can do whatever I want from now on!”I monologued.

I pack up my things and heads to the badminton court where I placed my bag there.

I called out my friends at the end of the badminton court. They were busying chatting and joking around. Well, examinations were over. We will own most of the time just for fun!

“So,Ainina.What is your plan today?” I asked one of my bestfriends.

“I guess,nothing to do.By the way,I have something to catch up later on with my mom.So, I’ll be a bit busy later,”Ainina replied.

Ala,(AISHI in Malay) no chance of hang out with her.

“I think I’m free today. Wanna hang out ?”Ameera said in instance.

“I dunno. I will call you later!”I said.

We reached at our school gate and I spotted my black BMW car behind a red Hyundai car.

“See you soon! Call me if there’s anything !” I said farewell to my two bestfriends and hugged them instantly. It’s good to be with your friends all the time. Their hugs can bring me happiness and comfortness to me.

I hurried my steps to the black BMW car. I opened the door and slipped into the car.

“Assalamualaikum,Pa”(It’s a greet that Muslim always greet each other & Pa is the short call of Papa)

“Waalaikumussalam,Kak Su,” Papa replied back. “We will be going to grab our lunch now.What do you want to eat?”

“I would like to eat some Malay Traditional food,Pa. Such as Tempoyak,IkanBakar  (Barbequed Fish) & so on.” I listed. Since I’m a Malaysian. We always eat white rice with some dishes. It is great to eat it during lunch. I am dying in hunger after hours of squeezing my mind just to write in black & white on a piece of paper.

Papa drove us to a popular restaurant at the central of Ipoh. There were so many people here. Since it’s  lunch time for officers & workers.

After we selected our dishes,we settled down at a table near the entrance of the restaurant.

We ate in silence for a few minutes, Pa started to ask me questions regarding my last paper today.

“I know you can achieve staright A’s,Kak Su,” Papa chuckled a bit & smiled at me.

I send him back a smile and said “I think I can,Pa. Besides,I am so worried about my Additional Mathematics result. I didn’t master on that subject,” I sighed.

“It’s okay,Kak Su. I know you’ve done your best shot for SPM,” Papa was trying to console me. And all I did is just listened to him and nodded slowly.

“Kak Su,I have something to tell you,” Papa said. I lifted up my head to show him my interest on the conversation.

“What is it?” My eyes trying to make a contact with him. But failed in the end.

“I believe we must wait ‘till we reach home. It’s the best to say it to you as Abang Long,Kak Ngah & the rest of the family are there,” Papa replied.

By the reply he gave me,I am so sure that something big is going to happen. I leaned my head at the window and watched the cars passing by. Some triggers me inside. It’ll not something BAD going to happen. My heart said it will be something GOOD happen.

Not wanting to give more headache, I drifted to sleep instantly as I closed my eyes.

ß----------------------------------------

I felt someone was shaking me.

“Uhhhh! Why now? Can I just sleep peacefully?” I monlogued.

Then,I opened my eyes and found out that Papa was trying to wake me up.

“Kak Su,we’re already home.Please wake up now.I am sorry,I know you’re tired,” Papa soothing voice makes me wake up. I love to hear how daring his voice are.

I quickly gathered up my things and entered the house.

My house is just an ordinary bungalow house that stated in some random place.

I hurried to my mom and salam (a Malay Tradition when you meet each other, you will shake his/her hands while giving “Asslamualaikum”).

She kissed me on my lips. The most sweetable kiss ever that I received in my 17 years of living. I smiled brightly at her and hugged her tightly.

My brother & sisters came to the living room together with my younger twin brother and sister. We looked like a very happy family when we gathred together.

I always love this kind of moments where we will sit together at a place and start talking about life & what is happening in your life. It is fun,indeed.

They all settled themselves at a chair each. While me ,standing there gazing at them and quickly find my self heading towards an empty chair beside my mom.

“So,what this all about?” I asked finally. As I am the one who was breaking the 5 minute silence.

“I have decided to…” Papa continued to say as me stared in horror to him.

“I have decided to send you to Korea.Well, you will be living with your Uncle Jeffrey during your 3 months break.I know you might want it and might not want it but I think if you go it will be the best for you,”The words glued at my mind just like that. And I still can’t believe the words.

“What? Send me to Korea? Are you kidding me ? I’m like …. WHY  ?”I thought to myself.

“Well, why Papa ? Why you want to send me there?” I asked. This time I didn’t gave the o___O look. Instead, I stared at him in some manner so that he would not thought that I hate this idea or something.

YES! I didn’t hate this idea. Instead,I just curious. WHY ? For my curiosity, he answered back “Take this chance to travel. I’m giving you chance. I know you are independent enough to live on your own. But, I want you to open up your mind and get to know the people out there! Gain your knowledge as much as you can. I want you to make benefit from it. Let your camera captures the moments where you find that you don’t wanna miss it. Live your life happily. Hope by travelling to another country, you will be inspired to make you life better,”

I put my head down. My brother said to me “I think this is the best thing for you. It is awesome though to go to other country and live there for a few months. Like Papa said, you can gain knowledge & let it inspires your life so you can lead your life better. Like me, I remember Papa send me to United Kingdom to stay with Aunt Nina. While Kak Ngah was send to Paris to live with Uncle Latiff. It sometimes motivates us to be like we are now. We get to know the citizens and get along with them well. Don’t you think this as a tiket on your next chapter of life? You are not a high school student now. So grow up!”

By listening to his words. I felt courageful. He had a lot of experiences than me. So, I know that his words are all TRUE and UNDENIABLE. Maybe, living at a totally strange place will not be a bad thing at all. It is just like “a tiket to my new chapter of life” or the chapter after being a high school student.

WOW, I’d never thought opportunities like this will come this fast. How could I not say no since this is a good thing ? I shall thanks my father if I did get something that benefits my entire life. Afterall, I know my father wants the best for me. I will always love him no matter what. Thank you,Papa !

“I guess, I couldn’t say no since you guys had waste too many words & saliva for convicing me,” I smiled and my whole family bursts into laughter.

Papa told me that I will leave the country in 3 days time. So I have enough time to pack my things for a 3 months time. My SPM result will out 3 months time from now. So he said that I will be back from my long stay in Korea when I will be getting my result.

I smiled in happiness as I got in bed that night. Decision had been made by me. I am going to Korea anyways. Ahh, I thought of the consequences, the MIGHT’s & the MAYBE’s when I’m in Korea. As soon as I closed my eyes, I wished that something good will happen to me when I’m in Korea. A life partner I guess? 

• Abang Long - is the name we address for eldest son in family
• Kak Ngah - is for the eldest daughter in family
• SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) - is like our very own public examination that will answer our future.
• any inquiries ? just ask below ! 
• about the Malay food i will try to take pictures of it :) It is yummy !