4th of July...

World Trade Center, New York City. Remains a memory result from attack on 9/11 Sept 2001. It was a sad memory to me. I have been to the 32nd floor enjoying the view of Hudson River and Manhattan Island. And now it is gone forever.

4th of July.. Ring a bell? Well to the Malaysians it is just a date on the calendar. To another, it might be a date not to be missed and must be celebrated. Why? The reason can be anything from A to Z. As for you, what is the occasion? I myself can be angry with the reason. But philosophically, how can we forget something if that something has become so much of our memories, reality and literally our dreams. Occurrences of dreams of someone, some place and something do strongly reflect the closeness of the event with me. It has become a story, my life story, so to speak.

4Th July is the Independence Day of the United States of America. Why I am remembering USA? Where is my patriotism to Malaysia? Well, the answer is simple. Malaysia has given me my career. USA has contributed to the development of my mental, in the name of professional education. I have been living and studying there before. Not a year or two but for almost five years. Five years is a long time for the mental development of someone. Before knowing USA, I haven't had the chance to get a degree in Malaysia. What an irony, looking over my photo album, not a single event during my school days here in Malaysia I can really be proud of. Not the schools, not the teachers, not the sports day, not the parties and friends, nothing.

I shed my tears the moment the plane that brings me to USA touched down on the tarmac of O Hare Airport Chicago, ushering me to a new world I have never been before. The aero bridges were fully taken by other international flight. We were informed by the pilot we have no choice but to land on the tarmac. After circling over the airport for one hour, the clearance to land has been given and that has to be on the tarmac due to heavy traffic and all aero-bridges had been taken.

How could I forget the experiences living among the people and in particular the student of the state of Wisconsin, Connecticut, and the busiest financial city of New York. Now it has become so much part of my memory, a very sweet one.

I guess my whole biological organ and system reacts well to the environment, food and people of USA and the four seasons of summer, spring, autumn and winter. My mind needs some kind of a fight in order to give a boost to my brain.The cold long and harsh winter of Wisconsin, the blizzards, the extreme wind chill, and the snow storms all adds up and makes me a better student and a better person. And my successful career in Malaysia points to a fact that education and experience in USA makes me a better person in mind, heart, and above all, patriotism to Malaysia.