More than a year ago, Joe and I came home from work, exhausted. While we rested Joe suddenly turned and said to me ‘Let’s go back to your first kampung (hometown) for your birthday’. Shocked, I said ‘Hah, you nak balik Kota Bharu?’

‘Perth la’, Joe replied ‘My birthday present for your next year’. When you book tickets a year in advanced, of course if felt forever waiting for the day to come. Before I knew it we were packing and ready to go!

This trip was a bit different, it was our first overseas trip with just the three of us. Rauf was recovering, he was hospitalized literally a week before so we packed an entire pharmacy and warned his pediatrician to expect messages from me in case anything happened.

Off we went, back to the land that taught me so much.

I didn’t want to make the same mistake as I did in London, so our plan was pretty much carefree, I basically wrote a few places I knew I had to take Joe and Rauf and the rest was pretty spontaneous. I kept in mind that as long as we’re safe and together there really isn’t any need to rush or stress about anything. It was a holiday after all.

We ate…

Went to the petting zoo and bonded with so many animals…

Chilled in the park

Ate some more…

Visited my University! Went through the whole campus, pretty sure Joe blocked out half of the stories I told him. Seeing the room that used to be the CBSPlus office meant so much to me because I met so many amazing people there!

Met up with a few familiar faces…

Went to Rockingham and Swan Valley!

Money went flying in Pottery Barn kids (I hyperventilated when I saw this). SALE some more.

After 5 amazing days just chilling in Perth, I made a request to drive by the place where I lived for 4 years. I didn’t expect to feel so emotional when we got there.

It didn’t use to have a tree in front of it, which made it easy for our friends to peek in to see if we were in the house. Standing in front of the house, I felt like all the memories just came back. I saw where the cars used to be parked, the lane we used to walk back home from uni and the store, the post office where I used to pick up the beautiful letters my mother sent me. I also saw the lane that led to one of my friend’s house at the back. I remember going to his house was the most comforting thing ever because there were always many people chilling there, there was always someone I could talk to every time I went there. I don’t think I have enough fingers to count how many times we ate and fought over playing monopoly deals in that house.

Once, my beautiful housemates came up with a brilliant idea with starting a Kuih business. We baked traditional delights and sold them to our friends. It was called ‘KoolWeyh’ as in ‘Kuih’ but it sounds like ‘Cool wei’ haha omg I can’t. We stayed up till 3 am to make kuih keria and so much more. We did so well that we used the money to pay for all the bills for months. The angels I once lived with inspired me to be open minded, to always, always, try and to be entrepreneurial.

But the house, my house, had the biggest impact of all. Fights, broken hearts, who didn’t clean this and that, singing, birthdays and lots of laughter, we grew up a lot in there. Most of us are married with kids now. We still keep in touch, but obviously we weren’t as close as before.

Before this trip, I realized that I probably won’t grow old with some of the people I thought I would. Up until I saw that house then I realized it’s okay to let some people go in your life. Maybe they’re meant to be around just for a while, but I wish them all the best and no hard feelings.  As I sat in front of the land was my home for 4 amazing years, I also realized that people come and go, but what’s important is that you make beautiful memories with what you have now.

Thank you for everything, Perth. You gave me everything you could have whilst I was there. Whatever you couldn’t was waiting for me back at home.

For me to come home with my husband and son was something I never thought would happen. Till we meet again, soon.