Academic Writing : Becoming a Member of the Community

A wedding ceremony shows new liability for people to shoulder. Wedding doesn’t mean a burden, but it is a necessity for all people to live. Every culture has different ways in celebrating wedding ceremony. For Malay culture, groom and bride wear wedding suit such as ‘Baju Melayu’ and ‘Baju Kebaya’ then both bride’s and groom’s family will gather in mosque. This ritual can be held at night or day. After that, the leader of the ceremony usually ‘Imam’ of the mosque will call upon the groom for the foremost step which calls ‘Akad Nikah’. The ‘Akad Nikah’ means they are ready to build a family and take their responsibility to the family. After the groom passes the step, he will go to the bride to wear the wedding ring. After that, they will change other wedding suit and the groom will come to the bride’s house with presents also known as ‘Hantaran’. They will sit side by side on a small stage. At this moment, relatives and friends will come forward to the stage to do ‘Tepung Tawar’ then they will get souvenir which call ‘Bunga Telur’. There is also a ‘Silat’ show but it depends on the family to do the show or not. After a while, the bride and groom will eat special dishes while all guests eat ‘Nasi Minyak’. Both families will invite groups of relatives and friends to celebrate the wedding ceremony. After all guests went home, the bride and groom will open the presents that they get from the guests. After the ceremony ends they will continue their life as husband and wife.

Academic Writting : Language Learning

In my opinion, I think the total physical response method is a good way to learn Arabic language. According to Jensen, there is a connection between memory and physical actions. In a TPR class, students have to be very active. They need to respond physically after they heard their teacher’s commands. Students learn the language by listening to commands, and then they have to respond physically by simply moving around the class and try to speak by using the language. They don’t have practise in reading, but they can practise to speak the language with their friends. This is the most suitable method especially for USIM students since Arabic is the second language. The goal is only to listen, respond and speak because everybody here is trying to speak Arabic well.

Academic Writting : Identity and Learning

My aunt was an important influence on me as a child. She was excited in trying anything new and adventure. She enjoyed outdoor activities very much like there were no tomorrow. She proffered to share her experiences with her nieces and nephews. There were lots of activities that she had done, for example, she went to Redang Island for diving and took pictures of sharks and other sea animals. In Bali, she enjoyed surfing and wakeboarding at the Bali beaches. In the Pahang National Park, she enjoy water-rafting. She never forgets to invite me to join her trip and I never miss to join her too. Now, we always share our experiences and enjoy the exciting outdoor activities together.

Characteristics of a rite: New born baby (Kekah)

One of the interesting rituals in Malaysia is 'Kekah'. This ritual is celebrated by Malays.I still remember when I was 10 years old (2000); my mother and my father went to a big cage in Hulu Langat, Selangor to buy a cow. A few days later, all my relatives from Pahang went to our house in Kuala Lumpur, I was very happy but I didn’t know why we gathered. The next day, my mother asked me to wear ‘Baju Kurung’, I saw all of my cousins wore traditional malay clothes. A few minutes later, I saw a group of people came to our house; they also wore traditional malay clothes. I went to the kitchen to ask my mother what happened. Why many people came to our house? She didn’t answer me but she told to sit next to her and kept quite. Then, all the men sit on the floor in the living room while the women helped my aunts to prepare the foods. After a few minutes, my father came in with a baby in his arm (that’s my brother), he put my brother on a small bed besides him. After that, the ‘Imam’ said “Let the ceremony begin,” the group started to read ‘tahlil’ and prays. Then, they stood up and continued reading ‘Marhaban’. Their voices were so loud. There were also no special music but there were ‘selawat’ where muslims praised their prophet. My father took my brother in his arm while my uncle held a tray. In the tray there was a half cut coconut which contained its juice and a scissor. My father went to the ‘Imam’, and then the ‘Imam’ cut my brother’s hair. He put the hair in the coconut shell, a man after him did the same things too and the activities continued until the last man. Finally, after they had finished cutting my brother’s hair, my father invited them to the tent to eat. I asked my father what was the menu. My father said it was a curry meat. Now I understand, that was the cow that my father bought a few days ago. My father said this ceremony was held to celebrate new born baby. Muslims would slaughter animals with four feet only in Islamic way as alms to other people, but the best way is to do it by held a feast.

Academic writing : Parenting, Gender & Stereotypes

When I was 10 years old, I learned a lesson about being kind to animals from my favourite activity, catching tadpoles and ladybirds. We caught tadpoles in the mud in the playground and we caught ladybirds on the hibiscus tree near the playground. We used jars, nets and spoon to catch them. My friends and I caught the tadpoles and ladybirds together. I was the one who had many jars, so I could kept all the tadpoles and ladybirds that we had caught. It was fun but after a month, unexpecting things happened. I kept the tadpoles and ladybirds as usual, then, my friends made a new deal that who caught the most tadpoles and ladybirds would kept them. When the competition held, we caught as much as we could without any mercy to the animals. Finally, I was the winner because I used my mother’s sieve, so I could caught many tadpoles and ladybirds. After that, I proudly went home with 8 jars in my bag. That night, I had a nightmare that there were many big tadpoles and ladybirds chased me and tried to eat me. I had the nightmare repeatedly in about 3 nights until I had a bad fever. The fourth day, I realized that I did not take the jars out of my bag. When I took the jars out, I saw there were no waters in the tadpoles’ jar and there were also no holes on the ladybirds’ jars. They were all dead.
Then, my father advised me that I could not torture animals like what I just did. After a while, my father and sister accompanied me to the playground. I buried all the animals near the see-saw. From the experience, I learned that if we did bad things to anything or anybody we would get the reciprocation back. So, we must be kind to animals, they are innocent.

The Sweet Memories of Being Taught About Something.

When I was 4 years old, I lived with my mom in Mentakab, Pahang while my father worked in Kuala Lumpur. He went home just about twice a month. However, if he was at home he taught me and my sister a lot of things. The most unforgettable moment was when he taught us how to cook fried rice. That was the first time I was that man can actually cooked. My father taught us how to chop onions, chilies and so on. I was excited because that was the first time I saw my father chopped the onions so fast! I tried to do it too but it became a mess. Then he lighted the fire on the stove and began to cook. He lighted another fire on the stove to cook eggs. He put the oil into both pans and let the oil heated. After that, he put all the chopped onions and chilies into the pan, and he put three eggs into another pan. I was impressed that he could cook two recipes in a time. Then, while waiting the fried rice to cook, my father taught us to wipe the table, make drinks and arrange the dishes. After finished that, we took the fried rice out from the pan into a big bowl. Then, we called our mom to eat breakfast together. That was the very unforgettable moment because we seldom ate together because my father was not at home. The next day, I woke up at 7:00 am because it was the school day. I went to my parent’s bedroom then I realized my father was not there. I began to cry, I knew my father was on his way to Kuala Lumpur to continue his worked.

However, now I don’t have to be sad anymore because we had moved to Kuala Lumpur. My mom was also transferred here. We continue our happy life together, but I miss all my cousin in Mentakab so much!
;p

Academic Writing : Modern Advertising

The television commercial for SN Brussels Airlines is efficient and smart. At the beginning, you see a stewardess is rushing to the information counter. She ask the woman at the information counter about Mr. Smith. Then the woman says that Mr. Smith has just boarded. After a while, she calls the stewards and stewardesses to tell about Mr. Smith news. Next, the other stewards tell the news to the other staffs and they quickly rush to the airbase. Suddenly, the pilot sees all the stewards and stewardesses assemble on the airbase. The pilot makes an announcement to Mr. Smith that there is a message for him outside the window. Then Mr. Smith looks through the window and sees the stewards and the stewardesses are making a form of his name. After a while, they change the form to “It’s a boy”. Finally, Mr. Smith gets the message and he is happy that he gets a son.

Advertisement in the Movies (Product Placement)

What is product placement? Actually I never know that product placement is one of the inexpensive strategies to promote products. It appears in movies, games, TV shows, and music videos.

The first product placement that I realize is in the Malaysian movie, Laila Isabella starring the lovely Nasha Aziz and the handsome Rosyam Noor. In the movie, Nasha Aziz was acting as a tomboy with cute short hair. However, that is not the main point. This movie is the first movie which makes me want to watch it again and again. This is because in this movie, Nasha Aziz wore my favourite brand, Converse. OMG! From cap to shoe all Converse, from the beginning of the movie until the end! Imagine how many fancy shoes, funky clothes, colourful socks and caps that she simply wears. I worked hard to earn money to get a pair of Converse sneaker but she just easily wears many type of Converse’s designs in a movie. Lucky her.

Next, in the movie “Sumolah” starring Afdlin Shauki, Awie, Gurmit Singh and Radhi Khalid shows Ogawa’s product in most scene in the funny movie. Afdlin and his friends were the participants for the Sumo competition. After they finished their hard training they would quickly sat on the Ogawa machine for treatment. In the movie also shows that when the old “tauke” of the Boleh Sushi Restaurant was sad he slowly putted his feet on the Ogawa machine for treatment too.

The latest movie I had watched was Zohan. In the movie, Zohan was an Israelian and he was one of the cruel soldiers. He did not like his job; he wanted to be a famous hairdresser. So he moved to America. When he safely arrived in America, he saw a huge hair saloon belongs to Paul Mitchell, the famous American hairdresser. I think that is not only product can be promote in movies, TV shows, music videos and games, but also boutiques, saloons and designers too. In this matter, the appearance will quickly increase their business and get more popularity.

So, to all product makers, producers, company managers or anybody who want to promote their product out there, product placement is the best way to make people quickly notice about your product. Besides that, it is an inexpensive way too.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The End...;p

My Experience with Flow

Flow? What is the meaning of it? Most people might think that it is river which it moves smoothly and easily down a mountain, through a forest, to the ocean. This time in my journal I am going to write about flow which has almost the same meaning with the river.
The flow that I mean is the happiness which comes just in a few minutes or just in a moment. Sometimes we realize it but sometimes we don’t. People who love their work or anything they do experience the flow more often.

I experience the flow often when I worked as a part time promoter in Isetan, KLCC. I was so bored which after SPM exam, I just stayed at home and doing nothing. Besides, all of my friends were already looked for a part time work to earn extra income. After a week I had already finished my SPM exam, my aunt called me, she offered me a job at the 1st floor in Isetan.

Without any approval from my parents, I just went to see my aunt in the next day. The boss didn’t trust any Malay girls or boys. But, luckily that I was my aunt nephew so he was agree to give me the job. I was wondering why the boss didn’t trust anybody to do the work especially teenagers?? I wonder... I wonder...

The next day, I came there at 10 o’clock in the morning. (My mom already knew about this and she said “just do whatever you like~” haha! That’s my mom!) The boss said “this is your 1st day in working and I dare you to sell at least 1 shoe. Here is your blazer.” Plus he also said that I have to study about the entire shoe. (Here we only sold men shoes). So I think it’s not that difficult just study and sell only 1 shoe. It’s easy!

My aunt took me to the store and gave me a very thick book. I wonder what the book is about. I opened the book and it was about the entire shoe that we sold. It was made in Italy and the brands were A.Testoni, Bruno Magli, Fratteli Rossetti and Stema. I never heard all the brands before! My boss said that the shoes that we sell, not all people can wear it. Only people like YB, PM or any upper class people willing to wear the shoes. I looked at all the shoes’ prices. I was very shocked that the lowest price is RM999 and the highest is RM6000.Who’s going to buy these shoes?? Aarrgghhh!!

It was already 1:30 o’clock in the evening. I was starving but I can’t go anywhere, not before I finished studied. Suddenly a boy came into the store, he just watched me studied the big book. Then he went to my aunt and asked her permission to treat me at this lunch time. I was so surprise. We went for lunch together. The boy’s name was Farris. He’s cute. He said that he was sorry to see me studied in the small room in the store so he took me for lunch. He teaches me a lot in serving the customer.

After we finished lunch, my boss asked me to stop reading because it was my aunt turn to go for lunch. Here it begins. My boss asked me to relax and served the customer with a smile. I failed for the 1st time. My boss asked me to try harder he said good luck to me because he wanted to go home. It was already 7 o’clock pm. Oh my god! I didn’t sell anything yet! My aunt’s was ready to go home. It is my turn to handle the work until 10 o’clock. I was too bored. Farris came to me he gave me confident to continue my work.

Suddenly, a Japanese man came to look at the shoes. As usual, I served him with a smile asked him if there was anything that I can help. He looked at me seriously, and then he said “are you new here? Do you know anything about these shoes?” I was nervous then I told him as much information I knew about the shoes. Now I know why I had to study the book. The man was interested to heard me and he asked me to find either I had the size 7 ½ or not. I quickly looked in my catalog and there were finished! “OMG! I think I’m going to lose him.” I told him that we didn’t have that size for that shoe but we have for other design. I showed him the latest design we had. Luckily he was interested. I took him he 7 ½ size and it was fit with him. I was so happy!. He decided to buy it. I helped him paid the shoe at the counter. After he finished paying his shoe, I asked for his name card. If we had any promotion we would sms them.

Before he left, he told me to stay worked here and he was going to be my personal customer. Wow! This means he only buy shoes with me. That is the happiest day in my life. The next day, I went to worked as usual, my boss decided to keep me as a part time permanent which means my salary was higher than the part time worker. I am so glad to work with him. Then, day after day, I worked as usual sometimes I felt bored especially when there were no customer and sales at all and sometimes I felt happy when I sell for just only a shoe for a day.

Actually, what I mean is the happy feeling that I feel when I sold those shoes is flow. It comes only in few minutes after you will feel bored again. I often experience the flow because I love my job so much! Now, I continue study marketing in USIM. I share all my experience with all my friends and I miss that time so much.

Academic writing : Deciding on a Career

My idea of the perfect career is in business. I'm going to become an organizer or a party planner just like my idol David Tutera, for three reasons. First, I enjoy meeting people, and prefer to work with people than things. Second, I'm fascinated in design. Design involves creating a new creative design which suitable with the condition. Design is just like a mind challenge game. Third, I'm so excited in business. Business involves to deal with people. I'm going to own a boutique which include providing services in designs, ceremonies, parties and more. Moreover, if I be an organizer or a party planner, I can design the theme of the ceremony, meeting people and deal with them at the same time. Nowadays, many people are already involves in this career. However, I'm ready to compete them and face the risks.