How To Keep Our Home Safe While Travelling
January 30, 2017
Living abroad for 5 years and counting is challenging when it comes to survival - like searching for a good place to stay, with good environment, good neighbors (although we barely know each other), good landlord (if we are on rental term) and good security.
In Czech, most people live on flats / apartments although we don't have a lot of sky crappers here. It is quite different if compared to Malaysia, at least the place I live in Perak. Obviously, there are no apartments / flats in my small town and neighbors usually know each other until a point they can sense any unfamiliar people going to our house. :p
 |
| It's not Kra-love okay? Pronounce as Kra-lo-ve. :p |
1. Door and window grills.
One way to assume if that area is secured or not, look at the doors and windows.
If you don't need any grills on them, the risk of leaving the house for holidays or even to go to work is lower. I still remember when someone broke into my aunt's house, the polices blamed her for not installing the grills on her windows. Duh.
I barely see grills in houses / flats in Czech actually. One interesting fact about doors here is they are automatic locked from the outside, even doors in the building. So, basically if you want to go out for a while (for example to throw the rubbish bags into the main rubbish bin), it is either you don't close the door or you need to take the house key with you.
For long travel, make sure to double triple check that we have close and lock all windows and doors!
 |
| Tadaa, the main door mostly looks like this. You need a key to open the door from outside. |
2. Ask the neighbors to look after our house.
Usually there are always neighbors who stay at home during holidays or festive seasons. For example, their house is the one people keep coming, I mean they are the grandparents whom their children's families are heading to.
Don't put high hope or pressure on this actually as other people may ask their help as well. Haha
3. Don't update our travel on the go.
I know some people can't help to share the sweet memories while travelling instantly on Instagram, Facebook or what ever social medias we have. I have that moments as well. Just, most of times, I update or upload anything after I leave that specific places or when I arrived home after travelling.
Basically my Instagram is not really instant but more to Latergram? Hehe
When we update our holidays live on social media, we are actually letting people know that no one is at home. I am not saying that it is wrong and I am still trying to adapt with the fact that people have the right to share anything online. Just, we need to bear the consequences. That's it.
 |
| I want road trips T__T |
4. Arm the security system.
I mentioned in one of my previous post that I love the idea of living in apartments / condominiums (when I am still this young) as they always come with good security systems (CCTV, guards) and equipment that I can use like gym, swimming pool. Well, in other neighborhood as well, there are good security systems nowadays, with entrance control etc.
I've been to my friend's house with good security when all doors are automatically locked with alarm every night. It sounds good though as alarm can at least keep us and our neighbors aware that something wrong is happening if it rings. Of course there are also false alarms. Haha.
But, there is no harm to install security system for our house, right? There is even wireless home security that you don't have to drill or mess up with the house.
5. Take all main keys with us.
Some people put emergency keys somewhere around the house, right?
From my own and other's experience, please do not leave any main keys at home - like under the flower pot, under the carpet. Even, take the car keys with you.
It may not be important, but can you imagine when you lost your car keys when someone broke into your house? You have no idea maybe he / she will return to the house to steal the cars. And I don't think to change the whole security system for the car is cheap. Fuh, better take precautions okay.
----
There are few other things I always try to do before leaving the house for travel / going back to Malaysia for summer holidays;
- Clean the house (roughly) especially no dirty plates in the sink, no wet clothes in the washing machine, no garbage in the house.
- Switch off most electrical appliances - otherwise we may risk the house for short circuit and fire. Usually, the only appliance I let it on is the refrigerator. I tried to clean out most wet food, but....failed. Haha.
- Close the curtains so that people can't see inside.
- Tell my landlord about my trips.
- Take my bike up the stairs into my flat.
All in all, we really can't expect the future. Just like it is important to have medical insurance for any unfortunate events later in life, the same thing we need to do to our own house before leaving it for a couple of days or maybe even overnight.
Hmmm. Life...
HK, Czech
170129
When A Czech Guy Talked to Me in Indonesian
January 26, 2017
Hahaha.
I never expect I can converse in Malay with a Czech!
Well, actually it is not that weird to find some Czechs who can speak few Malay or Indonesian words. If you go to souvenirs shops in Prague, some of them will greet you 'selamat datang', 'terima kasih', 'datang lagi' etc.
But this guy is awesome! Haha, he was speaking more in Indonesian while I was more in Malaysian.
I was in a cafe, doing my revision when suddenly a guy sat in front of me trying to say something. I thought he is a junior of mine as there were few times when juniors approached me (knowing I am a senior) and asked about tips for certain subjects.
I was so shocked when suddenly he introduced himself in Indonesian.
WAHAHAHAHA.
I used to watch sinetrons when I was a child, of course I know few words in Indonesian. There was an Indonesian sister here working in my town few years ago and yeah, I talked to lots of Indonesians during transit in few airports. Just, I keep wondering every time, yes every single time I met any Indonesians, I tend to get into conversion with Indonesian slang instead of they converse in Malaysian slang. :p
It is a bit funny when I try to adapt Indonesian words into my Malaysian sentences. -_-'
cuti - libur
boleh - bisa
kawan - teman (ah sudah, teman ni boleh jadi 'saya' dalam loghat perak)
gembira - senang
bla bla bla
It is okay, for me language is more about communication. As long as you understand each other, then this language issue does not really matter.
I am still amazed that he managed to learn a new language on his own.
Boy, it is too late to meet you at the end of my study here.
But, it is better late than never right?
One interesting fact about him is he can speak Czech, Japanese, Indonesian well just not English yet.
 |
| Credit |
Jaw-dropped.
We exchanged emails (yeah, we are cool like that) and let's see maybe you guys can meet him, studying and working in Indonesia or Malaysia any time soon. He is planning to.
I always consider myself as a Malaysian little ambassador in Czech and actually a representative of Islam as well. There are always opportunities to show how good a Muslim who is practicing Islam to foreigners.
Just, the problem is these people see us as good Malaysians who are polite, behave, hardworking etc. Not as Muslims. Alahai.
I can feel it, 2017 is amazing so far. :)
InsyAllah, hopefully these amazing moments will continue with my graduation in July insyAllah and more exciting events afterwards, ameen.
Ameen ameen ameen!
HK, Czech
170125
Discipline and Attachment
January 19, 2017
Have you ever think why people who smoke find it so hard to stop smoking?
Do you have any idea why Allah prohibits us from drinking alcohol?
Have you been in any situations when you just can't stop eating and living sedentary life almost all days?
I hope from this post, I will manage to relate these things. -_-'
Discipline.
Honestly, quit smoking is a hard task to do. When you inhaled nicotine on regular basis, you will be addicted to it. So, big claps to those who never start smoking, people who stopped smoking and those who is still trying to stop smoking.
Smoking among women is kind of rare in Malaysia, I think. But not here, you can see women holding cigarette in between their two fingers almost all time. The hospital I'm studying right now just released an official statement about making this hospital as smoking-free, means smoking is not allowed. It was since May 2015/2016, if I'm not mistaken. Smoking can be seen spiking during winter, I've been told that it keeps people warm.
A thing about smoking is it involves other people as well, not just the smokers!
Can you imagine you are walking / cycling somewhere, breathing cold air in winter when suddenly you pass by a smoker. I feel like dying, gasping for air. That's me, a girl without any asthma what so ever. What if that some with respiratory illness?
About alcohol, I've shared many times here that alcohol is really a normal thing in Czech. And it is an important question to ask to every patients admitted.
+ 'Do you drink any alcohol?'
- "No.'
+ 'Do you drink beer?'
- 'Oh, yes. About 3 tins a week.'
See, general population here don't even consider beer is an alcoholic beverage! Not to mention red wine. -_-'. Here, we are being taught alcohol is good if taken in appropriate amount. I can't disagree that alcohol has its own advantage - for example red wine is good for our heart.
But, people should aware how many admission to GIT department with liver problem associated with alcohol. We need to understand that, things with even slight advantages can be totally bad when we can't control it.
That's the problem here.
Back to the point. Discipline.
And education.
Back to the point. Discipline.
And education.
 |
| Favourite! |
While in Malaysia, we face another challenge - our tasty food. T_T And all those extra calories, bad fat, cholesterol, sweet stuffs that lead to so many health diseases. I am not saying we need to totally stop eating those food, but as one of my favourite Tweeters said, always count our daily calories. I do, occasionally.
I have the advantage here as I don't have Malaysian food around, so I can find other alternatives - which is to have healthy, simple meal. Baked fish, chicken, soups all week.
But, I totally can't control myself when I return home.
My point in this post is, once we have the attachment, we try our best to fulfill our desire to satisfy ourselves. The problem to be discuss within ourselves is... are we attaching to good or bad things? I am starting to get myself involved in a situation I have no idea how the future of it will look like, so I kinda afraid of how should I react to it? Am I doing the right way?
And I am more afraid if I am not doing the blessed way. T_T
"Allah is the turner of heart. But, don't do wrong thing just because you think you can change it later and expect Allah will give barakah." - quote from a talk.
Doakan yea. May Allah bless us all. :)
I am trying to gain more knowledge on how to pursue things the right way, so I list them out here - mixture of what I tried and what I will do.
- Ask myself, what actually is my goal?
- Will Allah love my goal?
- Am I into and willing to be involved in this situation?
- Read, read, read and read to understand about the situation.
- Ask people you trust about their experience (if they are willing to share, that's a bonus). Otherwise, ask for their advice.
- Don't simply take advice bluntly. Analyse them, choose the good one that you think it will help you. People have different styles and preferences but the basic are usually similar.
Okay guys, till next post :)
HK, Czech
170119
Finally, I Walked On A Frozen River
January 13, 2017
12th January 2017.
It is a very nice day.
Well of course, it is Ayah's birthday today in which he already reminded us not to wish him on Facebook, lol. I hope that passing my exam today gives you happiness, Ayah :) And thank you guys for wishing me good luck, awww you lovely people. Alhamdulillah.
Have I told you that I renewed my bus card?
Ouch, that's a tough decision but I think that's the best thing to do for now. It is snowing frequently lately, and I usually wake up with thick snow over the roof that can be touched from my windows. The roads are getting slippery.
Haha, so many excuses.
My bicycle broke down - that's the exact reason, to be honest! T____T
And I was so occupied with exam preparation, I didn't have time to send the bicycle to workshop. Actually, so many people worried about my safety and my friends always be like, "Ninaaaaa, kau naik basikal lagi sekarang?!", "Weh, naik bas laaaa."
Well, guys. Betul la Allah nak tunjuk, the next morning after my bicycle covered with snow like this, my brakes failed to work. Frozen maybe? Haha
That was my story few days back.
Today, soon after I finished my exam, I went straight to musolla for Zuhur prayer. Here I met a first year Muslim boy doing his revision on anatomy. Ouch, time really passes very quickly. I still remember myself spending my breaks in between classes here, revising notes with my friends.
That. Was. 5. Years. Ago. T_T
Now, I feel old. Again.
#finalyearsyndrome
Ayah kept reminding me to be extra careful when I told him I planned to walk on the frozen river. I bet, he is getting tired to control her daughter not to do stuffs like this. -_-'
I just follow my instincts. What I did was, take the first step onto the frozen river while holding my friend's hand. Feel the river, is it moving or not? If not, take more steps until you satisfied. And, please don't be too confident to cross the river. :p
A thing for me to ponder, if I can take risk for this, I should allow myself to take the similar risk to trust other people.
To trust myself.
And to trust Allah.
On how He leads my heart.
HK, Czech
170112
[Fun Sunday] Insert Your Own Caption
January 8, 2017
I was procrastinating a bit upon waking up early in the morning. Before getting into study mode, I scrolled the Instagram and guess what, I came across this photo back in 2014. To be exact, it was taken on October 18, 2014.
It is a bit funny to think what actually I had in my mind. Hahaha.
Play time.
Insert your own caption.
Would love to read your ideas!
HAHAHA
p/s - You can read more about that hiking trip HERE.
Speed mode activated.
Bye.
HK, Czech
170108
Evening with Swans & Ducks
January 6, 2017
Look calm on top,
Paddling like hell underneath.
I lost my jet lag battlefield again. It was improved at least the past 3 days. But...
Exam is coming up soon and only now I can feel the adrenaline rush. Haha. The feel is a bit different this time, well there is only 3 students who are not done with this exam and I am included in the lucky 3. It was supposed to be done by the end of September but I postponed it to return to Malaysia that time.
All the best to me.
Lol.
 |
| Do you guys know that the male ducks are more beautiful and colorful than female ducks? |
Brown ducks are mostly female. :p
There's some other lessons I learned from these two creatures. Maybe some other time, if I will remember ;)
 |
| Another bucket list - walk on a frozen river :) |
Salam Jumaat semua.
Kahfi jangan lupa, okay :D
HK, Czech
170106
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
