Melody's Kingdom

Why is the end of the fourth month, 17th of June, significant enough to write a post? Most people would pick the third, sixth or even a year. The story begins like this… When I came here, I met an education agent from Philippines who told me research proves that it takes four months for an international student to settle in completely, for the homesickness to run its full course. So, this is me praying hard that I have settled in and handled the struggles of an international student somewhat competently. The first month, I was living with my Filipino homestay host and I still felt like I had a shoulder to lean on when I get tired of being an adult. I never had to worry about meals and she’d make sure I had food to eat and she gave me complete freedom, though I was ridden by homesickness to actually enjoy it completely and became withdrawn from her and her partner. There were dinner nights I was forced to socialize when all I ever wanted to do then was to shut myself in the room and c...

When I came to Australia, my mum packed pictures of Hindu God and Shirdi baba. I chose to bring a copy of my prayer book, with hopes that I never have to use it in the event of someone’s passing. Today I prayed in the name of Nhaveen and I really needed my release of emotions with regards to this matter. I don’t remember the exact face of the boy, I remember his mother’s face clearly. They’d come over to my neighbour’s house and I used to think the boy’s mother is really pretty. Over time we shifted house and lost contact with some neighbours. Since I came to Brisbane, I haven’t been keeping track of events in Malaysia unless my mother updates me. I did save an article from Facebook about the boy in the hospital; however, I never got to read it. Then, the next day, my mother called me and told me about the boy. Neither could I recall the boy’s face nor his mother’s face. I didn’t know who they were but I felt the boy’s pain. I felt so much anger on the culprits. Nhaveen could have...