My Dear Friend...

I received a message from my dear friend Mokhtar yesterday. "Shell we meat at the library at 11.00 on Monday?" Well, translating it in BM, "Kulit kerang, boleh kita daging kat Library pukul 11.00 hari Isnin?" I can't help smiling. That's my friend Mokhtar - A PhD student from Libya. Though I am only doing my Master's Degree we shared two classes - Emerging Financial Markets (5EM) and Accounting Aspects of Corporate Governance (5CG). Somehow, he has to join the two classes though he is only required to take exam of only one (5CG).

I was busy studying for my Investment paper when I received the message. Before that he called asking whether I am free to have a discussion for 5CG. I told him I have a paper today and I need to revise first before I can go for discussion. If not we will end up wasting time.

One thing about Mokhtar though, he never pronounce my name correctly which pissed me off at times. I have corrected him on every occasion but he still throw away the first "a" in my name and add it at the end. But somehow, knowing that I am fighting a losing battle I try to accept that he will never get it right. Which lead me to another question ; Mokhtar is a Libyan, I heard him communicated in Arabic with his fellow countryman on a few occassions and mind you, my name is an Arabic name - well, let's forget it. Anyway, Mokhtar is still in my list of friends.

At School, I am the only Malaysian. Though at first I am not sure if I am going to make friends with anyone - you see, though I am friendly but I am not the one to make the first move (unless they are much much older and I feel that it is my duty to at least smile and greet them)- I always am quite unsure if anyone want to be friends with me. And quite frankly, except for my core subject which I can't help taking, the main criteria for choosing the other two subjects was based on NO group work required I am not even sure if anyone wants me in his/her group.

Anyway by some touch of lucky strokes, somehow I managed to make friends - a very international crowd at that - Andrea (from Hungary), Dilshad and Sanzida (from Bangladesh), He He and Nicole (from China), Yannick (from Cameron), Mokhtar (of course) and Monica. Well, up until now, we are quite close.

Oh yes, talking about that I haven't got anything for Andrea, Yannick and Monica yet. Hmmm.. what am I gonna get them for Christmas?....

(Sources of images : map of the world from http://www.nature-worldwide.info/; roses from http://www.flowerexpert.com/)