Request for Help

Dear all,

So many things have happened since my last post on this blog. I have recently gotten an opportunity to complete my dissertation at Newcastle University and work with many wonderful second language acquisition and bilingualism researchers (and students). If you know me, then you would know my fascination with languages and with how people learn to read and write in more than one language. Through my research, I hope to help English teachers in a classroom filled with bilingual/multilingual students understand how their students' language background can influence the kinds of errors they make when learning English. This is a wonderful opportunity for me and I hope to be able to get your support to achieve my dream! In turn, I hope to be able to inspire others, especially Muslim girls, to keep learning and to seek higher education, for education is a strong empowering tool.

If you would like to show your support by contributing to my education fund, please visit my funding page here or click on the widget above. If you have PayPal, my ID is siti.syuhada@gmail.com (so the website won't get a cut). The money will go towards part of my living expenses in the UK, so any amount that you give, even $1, will help a lot. 

Everyone's generosity, kindness, as well as words of encouragement and support thus far have motivated me to work even harder so that I can pay all of it forward. I thank all of you in advance from the bottom of my heart and I pray that you will be rewarded with much more than what you have given me. 

Love,
Siti.

Life in Mini (13)

- Chicago, 2010 -

2011

- Seattle, 2011 -

Haven't been updating this blog for a while now, and what better time to update than today, the last day of 2011? :)

2011 has been a much better year than 2010, in terms of health, and more, alhamdulillah. :) Of course, there were downs, but how could I not be grateful even during those tough times? Alhamdulillah for all of His blessings, which come in various ways. Alhamdulillah for my family and friends, for all of their company, listening ear, and help when I needed it. Alhamdulillah for finishing my second Master's (as a friend always likes to remind me of it, though I still haven't seen the significance of having these paper degrees). Alhamdulillah for finishing 2.5 years of my PhD program, and may Allah SWT give me the strength and perseverance to see through it, ameen! Alhamdulillah for everything, especially the little things, alhamdulillah. 

I pray that 2012 will be even better and filled with lots of travels, photos, happy moments, and laughter, ameen. :) As usual, I would like to repeat the du'a I have made during the previous years: May Allah SWT continue to look after me as He has done thus far, and bless me with spiritual peace, guiding me along the right path in every decision I make, and as an added bonus, to a soulmate, ameen. May He also make me closer to Him, such that everything I do is for His pleasure, and His pleasure alone, ameen. 

Here's to an absolutely blessed 2012, and again, may everyone find peace, love, wisdom, and happiness! :) 

Eid Mubarak!

- Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis, 2010 -

Hello Spring (and Summer and Winter??)

- Saint Louis, MO, 2011 -

This photo was taken just a few hours ago, and is such a stark change from the previous photo, which was taken just a couple of days ago. We must be the only place that has the seasons of spring, summer, and winter, all in the span of a week. Alhamdulillah anyway! :)

Hello Spring

- Saint Louis, MO, 2011 -

Goodbye Winter

- Saint Louis, MO, 2011 -

Temperatures are increasing, weather's getting lovelier, and that can only mean something: Spring! :)

Alhamdulillah. :)

First Week of School

- Graham Chapel, WashU, Saint Louis, MO, 2011 -

Survived the first week of school, alhamdulillah. It has been snowing cats and dogs this past week (though you cannot really see it in this picture), so I have been trying to walk very carefully to school, so as not to fall again. Hopefully, the boots that I have bought will help, insya-Allah. Many thanks to Laura for helping me! I am blessed to have such wonderful friends, alhamdulillah. :) 

Keep warm if you are experiencing winter!

2010

- Chicago, 2010 -

Ah, 2010, what a huge difference from 2009, masya-Allah. 

Had to go for surgery, barely ate for more than a month, fell twice in three days (literally, not in love), just recovered from a scabby face, and now I'm still recovering from an awful throat infection. It's probably not a good idea to do an end-of-year review while I am sick, but really, how could I be nothing but grateful to Allah SWT for all that has happened to me? Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) for Him taking such good care of me, giving me such kind, lovely, and wonderful friends, who look after me while I am thousands of miles away from home. Alhamdulillah for my wonderful family, who are always there for me. Alhamdulillah for all the people I have encountered, and who have become my new friends, thereby making my life a much more interesting one. Alhamdulillah for all my little adventures (and awkward moments), as I seek to complete the other half of my deen. Alhamdulillah for surviving 1.5 years into my PhD program, and finishing all of my required coursework. Alhamdulillah for everything, truly.

I can only pray that 2011 will be a better year and more, insya-Allah. To repeat a du'a from last year, may Allah SWT continue to look after me as He has done thus far, and bless me with spiritual peace, guiding me along the right path in every decision I make, and as an added bonus, to a soulmate, ameen. 

Here's to an absolutely blessed 2011, and again, may everyone find peace, love, wisdom, and happiness! :) 

A Spiritual Winter

- Saint Louis, MO, 2010 -

Just came back from Muktamar 2010, an annual meeting organized by the Malaysian Islamic Student Group (MISG) and Indonesian Muslim Society in America (IMSA), alhamdulillah. It was lovely to be able to attend talks and reflect on our deen; may Allah SWT  guide us to act upon the knowledge with which He has blessed us, ameen. Met with a wonderful American Muslim sister, who is a convert, and I pray that Allah SWT blesses our friendship, ameen. I also pray that my sore throat gets better soon, insya-Allah! :) This is the first winter that I'm not back in Singapore, so I hope that I'll be more productive in terms of work and catch up on lots of sleep, insya-Allah. Looking forward to writing my end-of-year reflection for this blog, insya-Allah, and I leave you with a quote that I paraphrased from Sheikh Omar Baloch: 

"When a girl loves a guy and wants the guy to know, she gives him subtle hints like a box of chocolates. The universe is like a box of chocolates. In the universe are signs that Allah wants you to discover and turn to Him, because He loves you."

First Snow

- Saint Louis, MO, 2010 -

The first snow fell during Thanksgiving last Thursday, subhanallah, which was a pleasant surprise, since all I was expecting was a "light wintry mix". Many things to finish up before the end of the semester, so it is time to put on my productivity "cap" and procrastinate less, insya-Allah. Keep warm if you are experiencing winter and may Allah SWT always make it easier for all of us, ameen.

Beautiful Day

- St. Louis, MO, 2010 -

Looking up I see,

A sun shining so brightly,

In this cold winter.

The Heart Within

- St Louis, MO, 2010 -

Was chopping up onions and found a lovely surprise in one of them, subhanallah. :) In other news, I have been really busy with grading, reading, writing, and studying, so I'm really looking forward to the conference at the end of the week and then the Thanksgiving holidays, which will hopefully give me some respite from work, insya-Allah.

In case I do not update my blog before Tuesday, Eid Mubarak to my fellow Muslims and may Allah SWT always guide us in everything we do, ameen. :)

Nothing Gold Can Stay

- Lone Elk Park, MO, 2009 -

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

- Robert Frost (1923)

Obsolete

- Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, Singapore, 2010 -

Fifth Day

- Missouri Botanical Garden, 2010 - 

You,

who quench my thirst, 

like rain that falls for the first

time in the desert,

removing all of my hurt,

giving me a high,

as I,

in hopes this spirit will last,

break my fast.

Sayings of Love

- The Muslim Reader, Singapore, 2009 -

(Click on the image to enlarge it)

Caution

- Fremantle, Australia, 2008 -

When was the last time you took a risk, of which the only thing that you can be certain was the knowledge that Allah SWT knows what is best for you? 

Sometimes...

- The Pinnacle@Duxton, Singapore, 2010 -

...we fear asking questions simply because we fear hearing the answer. 

Two Weeks

- USA, 2010 -

My transit at the airport in San Francisco was madness, to say the least, given the long lines at immigrations/customs and that I was still waiting in line for security checks at the time I was supposed to be boarding my plane back to St Louis. It all worked out just fine, alhamdulillah, and I was rewarded with a good 5-hour view of beautiful mountains, rivers, lakes, fields, and more, subhanallah.

Reaching the halfway point of Ramadhan, how has this month been for you?