Balik kampung

My parents live in one of the housing area in Seremban. It is a single storey link and we have been living there since 1978 if not 77 - it has been 27 years of memories. I know all the makcik and pakcik neighbouring my parents - they saw me grew - from a mischievous little girl to become a mother of four. It has been too long - needless to say, this is my kampung. I have another kampung with all the rumah pusaka and all. My grandmother lives there, once in a while I'll go back and visit her. Having own family, I have my obligation: visiting my parents & parent in law are priorities - thus I prefer to refer Seremban and Temerloh (my in law's) as kampung. To my kids these are their kampung.

Though Seremban does not have what it takes to be call a kampung - no green big trees, no paddy field, no fruit orchard & no river crossing through. Anyhow, my kids love to go back. This is because Tok Dang (my dad) loves to take them to playgrounds, playing grow the tree (he even planted paddy in a pasu) tell them stories, play all the kampung entertainment like making a whistle from a coconut leave, playing cham - cham plit (you get somebody to put their finger in your palm - you will try to clasp the finger while the opponent have to ensure that their finger don't get caught).

Previously, before the days of Tsunami, Tok Dang will also drove the 'big ones' to PD. 'Big ones' refer to the eldest 6 or 7 of his grandchildren. They will have a half-day 'picnic' and come back black & white. Sometimes they will help Uwan (my mom) to wash the porch & ended celebrating their job well done by getting wet. These are few of their wildest activities with Tok Dang and they enjoyed themselves a lot even without the mandi sungai part.

These remind me of the balik kampung days of my own. My eyes will lit when it is time for balik kampung - now my eyes are lit thinking what it will be like when I am the 'Uwan' .......hmmmm...



Ice-cream time! 10 out of 14 grandchildren........(picture taken about 1 1/2 yr ago)