Goodbye Switzerland...

Almost exactly four years ago (in two days) I arrived in this wonderful country on a cold, dark morning to a completely snow-covered ambiance. After over an hour’s drive we arrived at the capital city and checked into what is until today the city’s only 5-star Hotel. I did not like the cold, old-world ambiance of the extremely formal hotel and only after two nights (I was booked for five) moved out and into the house which was in fact ready and waiting for me. The house was very modest by most standard but it was a reflection of Swiss modesty, subtlety and lack of ostentation. It was, however, in the best part of the city, and had an enormous mature garden and a small pool (more for splashing in than for swimming). I remember my domestic staff happily taking photographs standing on that frozen water in the middle of the pool.

As it turned out, the small modest house hosted scores of formal and informal dinners and lunches, and garden parties and a practically endless succession of house guests throughout my four years in it. Indeed, wise people say it is the 'berkat' (blessing) of the house.

Well the scene today is just as it was four years ago - snow, frozen pool and all.The cycle is now complete, and in two days I will leave Switzerland for good. Today I celebrate my departure (and my birthday) with my loyal staff and close friends of 'The Firm'.

I leave with a happy and content feeling that I have had a good, if not excellent four years here. I have done my job to the best of my ability and the fact that I stayed on for four years speak for itself. And there is nothing more wanting on my part from Switzerland. I had partaken all the best I could possibly from this small incredible country of practically the best of everything (and, oh yes, I did finally buy the newest model Rolex Oyster Perpetual as a farewell gift to myself – my last souvenir from Switzerland, indulgent as it may be). And as if to indeed close the circle I was officially honoured to a farewell luncheon yesterday at the very hotel where I began my life here.

Will I miss Switzerland? Not really, I do not really miss anything I leave behind and I always look back to the happy memories of the place I leave. But I will never hesitate to tell people what a great place to live in Switzerland is. Indeed it has the best of everything and the people work hard for it. And they are modest, polite, friendly, hospitable and very correct in everything they do. And I especially like the egalitarian way of life they religiously adhere to. I will most probably miss the cheerful excellent service the shops, restaurants and any other establishment provide here and how people always almost unfailingly greet me everywhere.

Now I go home to Malaysia for good, and my overseas assignment days are finally over after over 21 years living abroad in eight countries. I still look forward to travelling, though I tell myself not longer than 5 hours flight one-way! Switzerland and all the other seven countries I have lived in and the countless countries I have travelled to and visited in the last 35 years will provide me with ample good memories for the rest of my life. What a fortunate and blessed life to have had these opportunities! Alhamdullilah, Alhamdullilah, Alhamdullilah! About this time too, four years ago in a crowded tent in Mina at the end of our pilgrimage ritual, just before we headed back to Mecca after our two weeks of performing one of the compulsory tenets of Islam, our ustaz made his farewell speech and doa (prayer) to our group of some fifty pilgrims. He also made a point to mention that I would be taking up an assignment in Switzerland immediately after returning to Malaysia and that he and the other pilgrims prayed for my success and well-being. Thank you ustaz, and my fellow pilgrims - I believe Allah had graciously answered your prayers for me! Alhamdullilah!

When one door closes, another one opens. I look forward to a new chapter in my life. Perhaps a calmer and modest, or an even more exciting and challenging one, who knows. I am ever ready for anything.

This will probably be my last entry in this blog. I have enjoyed indulging in it and Switzerland provided me with much time, occasion and facility to write. But I have very little patience for the notoriously slow Internet service in Malaysia. But then perhaps even that could improve in time – after all life is full of surprises.

Thank you for reading my blog. Good bless.

The "Swiss" Firm

Members: Rus, Rosli, Mas, Mira, Eva, Kamaruddin, Ramli, Gunawan, Yocki, Nordin, Hafiz, Meor.
Acknowledgement: Thank you all for your warm unwavering and efficient service and support. God bless.

Sunday Outing - Geneva, Evian & Montreux - and of representing Johor.

I woke up to a bright sunny day. However, just after a few minutes drive from my house it was misty and grey most of the two-hours drive to Geneva where my friend and colleague honoured with a farewell lunch. His entire staff was there with their families.It was a very pleasant occasion with good food and a warm and cordial atmosphere. The dozen plus children were oblivious to the cold and had a rousing time playing on the veranda overlooking Lake Geneva. For the ride home I decided to have a final drive through France, whose nearest border was just a short distance from the house. It was a pleasant drive through quaint villages and finally through the beautiful city of Evian facing the lake. I saw some people queuing to collect water from an old fountain. If they only knew how much Evian water costs in Malaysia. It was already dark when we reentered Switzerland near Montreux and drove through the well-lit, glittering beautiful lakeside city. I always like Montreux especially in Summer when the lakeside promenade is so beautifully coloured by masses of many variety of flowers, and the clear blue water of Lake Le Man framed the view of France on its other side. I had many smses throughout my drive. Idah called from London to bid me a good journey home and a promise to meet up in JB in April. She and hubby Alam alternate living with their daughters in UK and Holland, and after April hopes to follow the family in Holland to Saudi Arabia where son-in-law is being assigned. Little Aidan will have to get used to the heat!

And of heat, Hoong Po smsd from Canberra also to bid me a good trip home, complaining it was 36 degrees Centigrade there. A similar farewell message from Fawzia in Copenhagen. Ah Yong smsd to thank me for a book I bought her and to remind me of the two Raphael Scott Ahbeng's paintings she had asked me to acquire.

Nephews Amat and Chen both smsd that their father (my dearest departed sister's husband) was not well and was admitted in hospital in Kemaman. Another fried smsd that his mother is finally out of hospital and asked me to say a prayer for her. Surely!

My young charge smsd me my new mobile number he had registered for me in Malaysia. Also to informed that he and my brother Wes and wife had cleaned up and spruced my house in KL (which had been vacant for six months), now all ready for me to reoccupy.

Cousin Wan J smsd that our family's 'Family Day' (in honour of our long-departed grandparents)in JB scheduled for 15 February would now be postponed due to the recent demise of Almarhum Sultan Iskandar (may Allah SWT bestows all blessings upon his soul). I will never forget what Almarhum told me when I paid my courtesy on him (mengadap) before my last two overseas assignments - that I was not to just be representing Malaysia, BUT also Johor!

Another four days and I am in motherland, Insha Allah!

Luncheon Farewell, 23/1

Menu: Flavoured Rice, Beef Rendang, Chili Fish Fillet, Curried Almond Chicken, Mamak Fried Noodles, Braised Broccoli in Oyster-Soya Sauce, Spicy Bean Sprouts and Dried Prawns Salad, Potato and Meat Patties, Sweet Wheat Porriage, Bread & Butter Pudding with Vanilla Sauce, Spanish Clementines, Coffe & Tea .

Guests: Marion, Fini, Stephane, Peter & Aggi, Peter & Susham, Peter & Christine, Claude & Caroline, Heinz & Olga, Jorg & Petra, Marin & Nawena, Urs & Anne, Karl & Nawena, Reto, Guna & Ursi, Petr, Rod, Patrick & Anne, Mr & Mrs Diem, Rus, Fadz, Marina, Marisa, Maria & Nawena.

A lovely farewell luncheon with my Swiss friends. Nice food, warm and intimate atmosphere, and touching tributes all around. A nice feeling throughout.

Prelude to a farewell....genau!

One of the first Swiss-German words I registered and thereafter frequently heard expressed by the Swiss is 'genau'. Not knowing what it meant I was sometimes amused to hear it being expressed at every turn of a conversation. Actually it is an expression of agreement - exactly, true, correct, of course etc etc. I am still somewhat tickled by the word, or probably the way and frequency it is said. Ja genau! Genau, genau!!

Well I won't be hearing much of 'genau' after a week's time. At 1.30 pm today my houseful of belongings left in a container for home, after two days of super-efficient and hassle-free packing. Again Swiss efficiency at its best! A team made up of a Swiss, a Czech, a Bosnian and a Lebanese worked from 9 am to 2.30 pm with half hour lunch break on the first day and packed over 80% of my things. Yesterday they finished the rest from 9 to 11.30 am and today they loaded the 398 items into the container from 11 am to 1 pm! Tomorrow my car goes into another container and both are expected to arrive in Malaysia on 25 Feb, Insha Allah.

In a week I will leave this almost perfect country for good. Still some farewell obligations to fulfill but I am glad somehow that I was given short notice for my departure. The perfect excuse to regret the out pour of invitations to farewell lunches and dinners. On Saturday I will host a luncheon for 30 of my close Swiss friends, and Tuesday another luncheon for my staff and closer members of the Malaysian community.

The two boys, my domestic pillars, will go their separate ways thereafter. Meor will remain in Switzerland and get married to his fiancee this Summer. Hafiz has thankfully secured a job at our UN office in Geneva. He will accompany me home first and sort out his papers for his new now Swiss job. I am very happy for him, a most deserving 'reward' after his four years of diligent service to me.

The remaining days will no doubt breeze by. It snowed again early this evening. From my now empty bedroom I see my garden in pristine whiteness. God, how am I going to drive my car to the container station with all that snow on the road! Well, that's Yocki's (my most cool and efficient transport pillar) job. Meor will have to first clear the path for the car to even get out of the garage.

While having lunch I saw my garden's lone black squirrel fleeting about on the snow covered lawn and hopping on trees, probably looking for food (I wrote about it in my 14 Nov 2008 entry entitled 'My Ginkgo Tree'). I had been watching this very squirrel in my garden from the day I moved into this house four years ago.

What a marvellous, happy, independent creature! May you always remain happy and content in this beautiful garden that had also given me so much joy at every seasons - GENAU!

Yemen oh Yemen!

My recent holiday in Yemen was indeed timely. Yemen is now constantly in the news for all the wrong reasons! I my 8 days there I came across less than 10 foreign tourists. Now probably no one will go there! It is really a pity for a country so hospitable, beautiful and natural and with the friendliest, generous people you will ever meet.

I can now fully understand why I was constantly being escorted by 5 fully armed policemen/soldiers though my hosts never requested for them. It was annoying during the first few days as more than anything our presence anywhere became so conspicuous. Apparently it was the standard practice to provide foreign visitors protection. On one occasion the hotel in which we were staying at would not even open the gate of the hotel's parking lot to let our vehicle leave until the police escorts arrived! In the end we got used it.

I am grateful I had the opportunity to visit this fascinating country and I pray it will come out of its troubles and let the world see all the beauty and charm it has to offer.

Happy New Year 2010

I have just returned from a two night's stay at Eastbourne, England to visit a very ailing friend. During my one and half hours drive home from Geneva airport I saw the most incredible sight of an almost full moon, so huge, bright and orange like another planet hovering just above us!

The picture below is of the moon this morning at around 8.00 am which I captured from my cozy hotel bedroom in Eastbourne.

I was glad to have spent some time with my friend. His health had deteriorated at an incredibly fast pace in the last few months. I especially wanted to see him before I leave this country for good, which is now certain and at a rather inconsiderate short notice (but I am not complaining, it had been four wonderful and rewarding years and I want to leave with grace and no sour notes whatsoever)!

Whether I'll ever see my friend again in the future is difficult to tell, with his condition going from one extreme to another in between easier/calmer periods. I am quite certain that once I go home to Malaysia, it is most unlikely I will travel so far to England or Europe ever again. So meeting him this time was a rather poignant occasion. I can, however, look back fondly with happy memories of a friendship that had spanned over 35 years, during which time I received endless generous hospitality from him especially as his houseguest everytime I come home for holidays from my many years of overseas assignment. Other friends and I were surprised and disappointed that he chose to return to England after his retirement, after having lived in Malaysia some 40 years! Perhaps realising things would have been better in Malaysia after four years back in England he made plans to return to Malaysia in October and had secured an apartment in Penang. Sadly, that is now not to be! May you be as comfortable as you possibly can my dear friend.

And so we enter a new year, and for me especially a fresh new beginning as I soon will start a new life back home. I am not sorry to leave Switzerland; I have a huge reservoir of very pleasant and happy memories to avail to from these fours years here. And I am confident a new door to other good things is about to open for me. Insha Allah!

Happy New Year all, God bless!