Back 4 good

Within one week I will be at my home land. I have finished my study thus my stay in Australia is end. Two years has lasted very fast, it is just like yesterday when first time my foot stepped Australian soil. Well, life must be continued so returning home is the new momentum to me.

I really appreciate all experience, skills and knowledge that I gained during my stay here. It is priceless. I believe that those are meaningful for my future. I want to thank to all my friends, colleagues and anybody for their kindness and friendship. Because of them, life in strange country seemed easy and less though. Joyful and exciting, and full of fun. Nevertheless, many challenges I have faced to survive, particularly with my study and language barrier.

I am back for good, but somehow (perhaps) I will be back again to Australia. Who knows..

Echuca

Echuca is located around 100 kms north of Bendigo. Journey by car approximately one and half hour. It is a tourist city whose main attraction is Paddle Steam Boat travelling within Murray River. In a day there are several trips in different boats (probably ten). A little bit costy, around AU$ 20 per person, but worthy as we boarded on the boat for 75 minutes. Very nice place, and also an alternative destination for people who want to visit regional Victoria (than Melbourne). See the pictures:

Me on the Newspaper

Iedul Fitr

Muslim Community in Bendigo celebrate the Iedul Fitr on Sunday (20/09). The pray was held in La Trobe Uni Musholla and attended by about 30 jama'ah. The Ied was commemorated solemnly and modest. The is no over-euphoria or excitment, due to small population in non-muslim predominantly circumtances, probably this is different if we celebrating ied in Muslim countries.

The Muslims who prayed are multiculture, they are coming from Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan and Australian. The light meals were provided at the end of the pray.

More Jama'ah in Bendigo

Alhamdulillah, for the past one year, the number of Muslims brother and sister has increased. Some of them are students who study in La Trobe University. Particularly in Pharmacy, Oral Health and Destistry. They live in Melbourne but in weekdays they stay in Bendigo to study. The rest are some GPs and destists. Mostly they are coming from Pakistan and India. They are working in some hospital and private clinics here. There is also a Malaysian dentist who come last February. Recently, a Malaysian family just moved to Bendigo. The husband is aiming to study in La Trobe in religious study.

As a conseqeunce, the Musholla cannot fully accommodate all the jamaah if they come to pray together. For this month alone, around 25 people are attending the pray every week which creates crowded. This is good, but certainly in the future we need solution to solve this. Because ramadhan is coming, and insha Allah some brothers and sisters will join with their families in tarawih and we need more space.

Insha Allah, we will try to propose our own Mosque in Bendigo.