Hari Raya in Melbourne

This post is dedicated to my 2nd Hari Raya in Melbourne; it has only been the third day of Raya, but it has made me feel so much at home, plus, I got TWO PACKETS OF DUIT RAYA this year..ke ke..

Anyways, I am happy to say, Melbourne is becoming more homey as time goes by.

Last year, I only went to Azaliya's house, where AA was staying when she first arrived in Melbourne. I am thankful to both AA and Azaliya for they made staying in the City warmer by introducing me to their friends, and in the time that has passed since then, the people I met a year ago are now no strangers to me - we have become neighbours, good friends, and I even am part of Ski Family.

Before you go on to the pictures below, I would like to wish everyone celebrating Hari Raya:

Selamat Hari Raya
and
Maaf zahir dan batin!

*translated reads: forgive my physical and emotional wrong-doings*

Now I shall let the pictures do the talking...

*I didn't carry my camera around because we are lucky to have theArizz our official photographer, and also AA and her tiny red camera; thus my noob camera skills isn't needed*

Day 1:

First house for this year is AZALIYA ABDULLAH's house, Aunty also came to Melbourne this year so I got to eat her awesome desserts and home-cooked food. *yummy yummy* We all dressed up, the picture looks so multi-coloured, so pretty don't you think so?

Oh, this year, we came to the conclusion that the most popular colour this year is:

PINK and PURPLE!

Then,

The night of Raya the first day, was spent at my daddy's place =) Wan Arif is the DADDY for our Ski Family.. muahaha.. he had to take care of us at the slopes in Falls Creek.. thank you daddy!

Anyways, believe it or not, the food that night was the result of him, and his fellow friends, crying over the onions, sweating over the stove, and reddish fingers thanks to peeling the fresh-hot-out-of-the-pan roasted peanuts! *AA and I helped with that process, so we sort of helped* and the food tasted great for first-timers. SO, good job daddy.

Below: Ski Family, love you me familia!

Day 2:

Early in the morning we had to run some errands for a surprise party for a special awesome person. Then, we got ready for our first open house for day 2, at St Kilda Road, pictures are still not up, most of them in AA's and theArizz's cameras.

Oh, we went to Hanif and another Azaliya's house, sweet couple, they cooked everything together, and I got to eat lemang, rendang and fishballs, and we also celebrated theArizz's first surprise there, got a cake and we lighted all 21 candles on the tiny chocolate cake!

There was also a cute kitty there, her name is Chloe, she had her baju raya too - leopard print and her bell 'necklace' to ensure she didn't go missing in the crowd!

I took a break from raya-ing and went for Cell because my darling, SLJ was leading worship: we sang Everyday. Once Again. With all I Am. We did bible study for cell this week, on Acts 13:4 - 14:28.

I left before dinner though, to continue ber-raya-ing with my beloveds. We went to Sayf and Seth's house, also in St Kilda Road. Their parents and sibling are all staying in Melbourne, Uncle and Aunty were really nice, and I got to eat roti jala, serunding, rendang, and the Johor delicacy - harissa. I got my first duit raya there. yeay!

After that, I was busy preparing for an even bigger celebration that night:
theArizz's 21st Birthday Surprise!
*that would be in another post*
Day 3:

I only went to one open house today, my neighbours place, 200B, Arif Kae =) his mother is also in Melbourne this Raya, pictures are also not up yet but, yeah, thank you Arif, there were so many people, we're sorry we sort of ate and ran, because most of us have got tests tomorrow.

I think thats all for this weeks Raya open houses. Its week 8/9 tomorrow, which are the busiest weeks for univeristy students because its the time of the semester where assignments and mid-term tests are thrown at students! Oh well, life of a student.

That's all for now. Next post, would be about theArizz's 21st birthday. You'll know why it was my 'Hectic Saturday'

Lots of love,
June



tired picture courtesy of TMJ before the surprise party, and after all the preparations, raya visiting, and cell..

Oh, the huge bow, its her masterpiece! =)