This book was based on my own experience living alone, far away (at the city of Calgary, Canada) for 3 months under the sponsorship of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the year 1993. I was nominated by the head of department to undergo a research attachment programme. And I was supposed to come up with a name of a place that I would be spending my days within 2 weeks. And so I began sending emails all throughout the world. None came right until the last few days and I was becoming desperate. I told myself to just accept whoever that responded first, wherever that may be. Then the next day, an email arrived from a kind professor at the University of Calgary. And so I just had to follow through.
I had to be on my own in a place so far away. Life was very challenging indeed. At that time, no Malays were there at all. This, I learnt while picking up my flight tickets at the Public Services Department.
“Don’t you think that you are being unwise?” said the officer behind the counter.
“Why do you say that?” I asked, a bit disturbed.
“This place you are going. There is hardly any Malays! And the Malaysian Students’ Department is thousands of miles away!”
“I really had no idea. Moreover, I had a deadline. Two weeks is too short a time. I had to just contend myself with whosoever came first.”
The officer shook his head, wearing a big frown on his forehead. He handed me my flight tickets and the cheque from ADB to cover my living expenses.
I started to ask myself, “Am I doing the right thing?”
Alhamdulillah, my husband gave his supporting words, “You are educated and bright. Surely you will learn to get to know places and adjust yourself with situations!”
When I arrived at the Calgary Airport, only the kind professor was there to greet me. And the days that followed, I had to learn things on my own. To make extra efforts to be friends and to be kind to others.
Most of the characters written (especially those around Calgary) were based on real people that I encountered. (Of course, their names were changed accordingly). Only the story line was fabricated and made to appeal to readers.
My family (my husband and two small children-a girl and a boy) had the opportunity to join me during the last two weeks of my stay. How can one ever forget? The sweet memories...The beautiful moments that were spent with them were pictured at the fruit farms and the rolling hills beside the calm, sapphire blue waters of the Lake Okanagan…Alhamdulillah
3 comments:
Asalaamu alikum wa rahmatullah,
Subhan'allah! Firstly jazak'allah khair for visiting my blog.
I first visited your other blog in Malay which I don't understand and I thought to myself, what a beautiful blog-- I wish I could understand the words...I explored and then came to this one-- in english! How novel... why is the book called daffodils? Did you go in Spring time or?
It was very curious to read, really. May Allah reward you for your efforts.
Dont be sad
http://dontbesadblog.wordpress.com
Dear dontbesadblog,
Waalaikum ussalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
Thank you for dropping by at my blog.
And thank you too for asking...
Actually 'Seindah Dafodil' or translated as 'Beautiful Daffodils' is a sequel to 'Dafodil untuk Insyirah'(Daffodils for Inshirah) or DUI which was my first book. The flower has its significance in the western part of world, symbol of hope or a new beginning. DUI is the story of a young girl, pursuing her education in the western world. She did not wear her hijab then because of ignorance. The experiences that she obtained made her a stronger person and she changed for the better. She wore the hijab after realizing that as a Muslim girl, she should (therefore a new beginning for her). At the end of the story, she was quite devastated as her first love and his offer for marriage was rejected by her family. But even then, she did not lose hope (Hope -the symbol of daffodils). The day to day events were based on my own experience, studying at Chesterfield for A-levels then to the Univ. of Sheffield. The story line was made up to appeal to readers..
Then, I simply had to write the sequel to the first book since people were asking...that is how 'Seindah Dafodil' came into being. Again, the events were based on my own experience at Calgary. The story line was of course, fabricated...
You may read the entry dated January the 3rd. 2008, "The first signs of spring" to know more...
Thank you for reading dontbesadblog!
Wasalam.
Salam sis, where can i get this book ? I really want to know what will happen to Insyirah and Ilham .
Post a Comment