Today marks my Two Years Anniversary of my relationship with...

*rolls drum*

*rolls drum-harder*

...

..

the-jungle-dot-com

Talk about ‘power girls’ for both Pearl & I – not the super power power-puff girls, mind you!

*grins*

‘Power Girls’ title is not an easy title to earn. As featured on the employee’s newsletter back cover, the word CHALLENGE is indeed spelt in capital letters for the entire 2 years!

CHALLENGES ;

#First - The environment.

1. Restricted communication

Looking back to the day when I first landed in Miri, no -rewind a bit ; when I was told that I’d be posted to a ‘remote’ area, I thought, ‘Okay, how remote it can be’ and it struck me that remote is indeed REMOTE when the reverts I got from colleagues were ‘bad enough’ that they actually ‘bet’ that we’d leave on the very 1^st month!  They described to us per like below;

remote=jungle=no hp/internet access

of which being the brought-up-princess-attitude in me 10 years ago, I would have most probably just jumped into the ravines and die . Yet somehow, out of God-knows-what-miracle, I began to adapt on the challenges installed in the jungle for me.

2. Dialects & Language

What was worst for me - Sarawakians speak in dialects of Fuchow/Hokkien/Hakka etc OR Mandarin with you if you cannot speak dialects. And my dear friends out there, I believe you all know low my mandarin level was when I left JB ; thus I had trouble communicating. Back in UTM, from day one itself, I have declared that I couldn’t speak a single bit of mandarin and from then, my friends transformed into auto-set-mode to English whenever they needed to converse with me, until somehow only-God-knows how I was turned into an English walking dictionary to them !

#Second - The travelling

We travel up and down so much and we found trouble settling down especially in Miri. Miri is big, to be exact, 'long' city. Development only took place along the seaside, unlike Bintulu where development is evenly scattered  on land. Imagine, you need to drive 30 minutes on a straight road (mind you, at certain areas, the road is bumpy – unlike roads @ west M’sia )just to reach our once called temporary-home, until we just couldn’t stand it anymore the distance from town. We then decided to rent a room in town, of which the superb location did us well. I only need to walk 20 steps out from my room and I’d reach restaurants/cafes/the nearest supermarket/and what is best -the fruit stall! Not only that, our once transportation-desperation which was terrible enough was solved when finally Pearl brought her mouse deer from the City of Cats, and from there, she became the saviour of my life.

Most of the time, I'd fly back home , to be with dearest family & friends and...read on HERE (someone took my luggage my accident)

#Third - My health

1. Food – Before I start my story, let me assure you that I am most grateful to have people to cook my meals etc... BUT, perhaps that is not heaven to me after all. The food cooked here is either deep fried or stir fried with a thick layer of greasy & sinfully layer of oil. You’d be shock to see the dishes served with 0.5mm thick of oil ??? And there are no such thing as fresh markets here to buy what you call raw ingredients to cook my own meals, what more to buy fruits to detox & avoid constipation. So, it resulted in my soar of cholesterol level & me having constipation problems.

2. Exercise – Input without output is bad. For a regular exerciser like me, no exercise = brain moves slower. I’ve developed a habit of exercise during my Uni days but I stopped upon landing in the jungle as there wasn’t a slightest chance of doing so. My 12 hours of working hours daily does not permit me to do so of which at that time, no badminton court/soccer without-grass field/volleyball court was built yet.

#Forth -Friendship bonds

Being in the jungle with restricted communication access did limit communication with outside world. Especially when I couldn’t be there with friends to share their happy moments (I missed 90% of the wedding invitations I got) and also I couldn’t be there during their saddest moments. It struck me that how lousy a friend I could be, but I held on to the believe that true friends will understand my situation.

 *watery eyes*

#Fifth - Burns big hole in the pocket

Many people claim that I save a lot. I’d say that’s a ‘bullsh*t’ statement.

1. The frequent amount of my flying here and there, and the several times I burnt my tickets..??

2.  Price of food in Miri is comparative with KL’s standard.

3. You’d just pay to satisfy your cravings no matter how much your food costs.

4. You don’t practice buying as a smart consumer. What is the difference of 20 cents when you have not been spending much for the past few weeks in the jungle?

Those were  5 examples of my situation when I first landed in Miri. And after merely 2 years, most of the things changed, towards the better I would say.

How CHALLENGES did me Good

#First - The environment

I picked up mandarin eventually. I have to converse in Mandarin daily!

*woohoo*

An achievement I would say. Thanks to guidance from Pearl, bosses, colleagues and those who are willing to explain patiently to me. Although I wouldn’t say that my mandarin improved a lot, but comparatively it’s is now better than when I left UTM – I only spoke mandarin to order my food.

But if you were to ask me to chose my mode of language, my answer remains the same – English please!!

#Secondly - The travelling.

I got so used to traveling that I’d doze off no matter where I would be – the car/plane/bus. And all my traveling plans are planned months ahead. That was when I name it r.e.s.t

                                      

#Third - My health

1. Food – I changed my eating habit – to eat wisely. I ‘wash’ my food with water before they end up in my tummy. Yes it takes some time, but if it solves my health problem, why not? As for constipation problems, I eat lots of oats & dried fruits, since they have longer shelf life too. Also, I stock on fruits before heading back to the jungle. Although they can only last for some time before they begin to rot, but it is still better than not having any right?

2. Exercise - After jogs & badminton games, I started to see an improvement in my cholesterol level, not to mention the positive outcome on my physical fitness. I also begin to pick some skills on badminton, of which in the very beginning, I had not the slightest idea how to even hold a racket! As for my jog, there is nothing much of a record to break. A 1-hour session jog daily (when I am in town) will be just nice to keep the doctor away!

#Forth -Friendship bonds

I have to say that friendships do blossom in Miri, of which their presence brought much joy and happiness throughout my 2-years in the jungle. I even celebrated my 24th birthday in Miri! As for my friends back Peninsular, I made it a point that I'd hunt for them whenever I am back, depending on their schedule of course..I even divided my visit into few phases- north, central & southern peninsular !

Not forgettting some who are indeed very very nice to make their trip here to visit me be it in Sarawak or Sabah! Apparently I helped boost tourism in Sabah & Sarawak eh?

*grins*

Right now with internet access in the jungle all thanks to good Samaritans, I can reconnect to the world !

#Fifth - Burns big hole in the pocket wisely

After the 1^st year, I didn’t travel back so much. It is expensive to travel so much and besides, the economy suddenly reported a fall. I also realised that sometimes having a quiet time  to myself instead of travelling so much & catching up sessions with friends in Miri is good enough to make the few days leave in Miri a memorable break.

#Sixth - Independent

I realize that I am now a very independent girl. Daddy's or mummy's girl NO more. A more organized & mature me.

Throughout our 2 years in the jungle, both Pearl & I were not left out in the company’s activities.

1) Datuk Yaw’s foundation launching. Related link HERE, HERE & HERE

2) Featured as the back newsletter cover . Related link HERE

*pats own shoulder*

Please wish a very Happy 2 Years to the Jane(s) of the Jungle!