Birthday Week

 It's my 5th time celebrating my birthday abroad and in all previous occasions, I've always had my best friends and/or my sister with me. This year... none of them were around so knowing that, I braced myself to not celebrate it.

However, the Saturday before my birthday, Abg Lan, Kak Ida and Emma came over to surprise me with a cake and presents! I was deeply touched and realised it was good start for my birthday week. So, I did get a cake, I got people singing me a birthday song and I spent it with people who mattered.

I then realised that I really didn't want to spend the next weekend on my own. So I texted my colleagues to come over on Friday. I texted my uni friends if they're free for lunch on Saturday. And I texted my Malaysian friends if they're free for dinner on Saturday. It was a yes for all.

On my birthday itself, I spent some time receiving calls from Malaysia wishing me a happy birthday. My best friends stayed up until I finished work to have a group facetime call and it was very sweet. Sara and Barney even came over to say happy birthday! Which they didn't have to but they did. I even received a poster of Formula 1 circuits. How can I not be happy! Especially receiving something that I didn't particularly ask for but have always wanted.

The day after my birthday, I came home from lunch to see two boxes of flowers on my doorstep! These were from two groups of best friends, they obviously did not tell me they were to going to get me anything but it arrived and I love it. If you know me, I wouldn't buy flowers for myself but it always feels good receiving them. I then arrived home after work and saw a package addressed to Nurul. Knowing it was for me, I opened them up and found house slippers that I've been meaning to get but never got (God planned that well) as well as a top that I would never get myself.

I believe it was Friday when I then received another present that I was not expecting at all of a scratch map from Kak Suzy, Abang Didi and Baby Isaiah. It also came with a very sweet message and it made me realised that I am truly not alone here. 

That afternoon, I came back home, prepared for everyone to come and we had so much fun playing pictionary. We then realised that maybe, I should start hosting at my place every weekend. Especially seeing how now, all of the snacks and drinks are in my kitchen. So I need to remember to invite people again this upcoming Friday - but for T-Dog's favourite game this time, of Jungle Speed!

I cleaned up the house and went to bed at 2am just to wake up at 6am - unable to go back to sleep. So I did my chores and got ready for lunch. I met up with Nicholas and Jonathan at Rasa Sayang and had some chilli king prawn which was pretty good but a bit too much for me. Note to self, get something that seems like a proper meal next time. We then went ahead to Yolkin and I got myself a pandan ice cream before I what I thought... would be when everyone would go home. BUT! The boys said "What does the birthday girl want to do next?" I then realised they were going to spend the whole day with me! So... as usual... what else would you do in London if not go to the pubs. So that's what we did until 7PM, when I had to leave. 

I headed to Dishoom where I met up with Syahiid, Norman and a new friend, Idlan. Food was amazing and I'm so glad that I asked them out for dinner. I felt like my homesickness was partly cured. I felt like I was at home and lets be honest, with Norman, you'd just always feel like you've been friends with him for the longest time even when you've only met him once before. So that felt really good. We then parted ways and I went home very happy and content. 

I fell asleep but woke up 2 or 3 times throughout the night to answer phone calls and reply texts. So that was me temaning iman to work, kacau-ing hakim and then talking to Amir which then later became a catch up session with Hannah too. Thinking about it, we should've included Zaf to complete the group but he wasn't in our mind. 

Formula 1 then came up, it was relatively boring today. But Daniel won so I'm very happy for him but at least now I know that Nurburgring isn't as action packed as Monza or Mugello. Ending my day, I realised that tomorrow is Monday which means I would need to get back to work and I'm not ready for that. I am however, feeling a bit down because I'm back being alone. So here I am, recalling and writing about my happiness throughout my birthday week thanks to everyone who was a part of it.