Columbia, MD

Salam all! Alhamdulillah, it's Ramadan now! Happy ramadan mubarak everyone, may this ramadan be our starting point to be a better person for Allah and for our environment. Amin.

So, I'd like to continue my USA story hehehe. The first day I arrived at Washington, I found out that my dad's training wasn't held at Baltimore city, it was held at Columbia, Maryland which is only 30-45 minutes from Baltimore. So that was okay. But the thing is, we didn't know where to go because of the- so-quiet-surrounding we found. In nearby, we saw only one shopping mall near our hotel, that's it.

"Whhaaaat? So I have to spend a week going to a shopping mall? No library? No museum? No place to make my mind and brain happy?"

I had to spent a week before started the road trip because my dad was still on training. So the second day we went to a shopping mall. The Mall in Columbia. Me and my mom walked through little patuxent parkway, then we arrived. Yes, it's literally across our hotel. Well, Columbia is a fine city. I met so many moslems there. My dad said that Columbia is famous for its religious harmony. Idk if it's true, but in my opinion, yes it is. As i said on my previous post, I was worried about the, well I could say the discrimination for me and my mom as a moslems. Otherwise, I met so many kind people there. They were so friendly. And I realized after all, that's the difference between small city and big city. When I continued the road trip to several big cities, I figured out that the people wasn't as friendly as people in Columbia. I just love Columbia.


The next day, we decided not to go anywhere because we were knackered. Since the first day arrived, we had struggled to fight the jet lag by went to three shopping mall in a row. Haha. But then, because of the boredom, I decided to strolled around the hotel. And..... We found out that our hotel was located near the super beautiful lake of Columbia! Teehee! The lake is sooo beautiful, the name of the lake is Lake Kittamaqundi. So these are some pictures of Columbia, Maryland.

An Early Gift

Salam! hi there! How's life? Been good huh?

It's been a while since my last post. As usual, I was busy with the university thingy. It was a veeeery tough term, but everything are paid off at the end. I felt like, the last term that I've smoothly faced (hehe) was the hardest term so far. I was hectic, and yes, can't do whatever I want to do. Absolutely it's because of I had so many things to work on. I was planned to take part to several events, but I couldn't accomplished it, too bad isn't it? Okay I'll stop mumbling hihiy!

Actually I'll write the happy-jolly post. Well, it's because I just got back from.. United State of America:"""') Yep, where New York is, where Brooklyn is, where my dream city is. So here it is.

In about three months ago, my dad told me that there's a training that would be held in Baltimore, USA. The first thing I told him was, "I'M IN, I'D LIKE TO JOIN YOU"

Hahaha, but I was kidding, seriously, I thought It wouldn't be fair to my brother. I went there on 2008, so I thought it was the right time for him to go with my dad instead of me. But to cut this story, my brother couldn't come with dad, he was a newbie on his job. And, my dad reaaally want my mom to join him, he wanted me to join him as well. 

At first, I was worried when it comes to the due date of applying visa. Well, anyway, my 2008 visa was still valid that time, but we had to apply for  a different kind of visa. Anyway, I was worried about how it would be, I'm wearing hijab, would it be any difficulties? To be honest, that feeling did passed my mind all the time before I apply for the visa and before my departure. I was kind of worried because it was just the two of me and my mom because my dad was already there. We caught up because when my dad departed, I was still on the exam week. There were sooo many 'what if' in my mind that had been haunting me.

But then, I started to get rid of that feeling, and started to thought: "If Allah put me here, Allah will let me through this"

And you know what? I didn't get any difficulty or trouble during the making of my visa, until I arrived at Washington. Everything was okay, more than okay. I felt like, I'm utterly blessed. It's like an early birthday gift from Allah and also a berkah Ramadhan for me. I'm so grateful to came back there. I always wanted to go there. Even now, I already miss the atmosphere of USA.

The Arrival, dad picked us up

Happy face! 

Outside Washington Dulles Airport

Rent car

Daddy, I'm a proud daughter

Alhamdulillah.

Ps: to be continued :-p