My Sabbatical

It’s been quite some time since I wrote in my blog. It’s not that I didn't have anything to write about but I just couldn't find the time to do so. And when I finally have the time, I would have forgotten half of the things that I wanted to write. But this is something important, so I better put it into writing. The main reason is not that I would forget it but to validate to myself that I am actually going to do this; all out once and for all.

It’s my sabbatical. What started off as just a story and a dream that I told my friends, now has went deep into my thoughts making me believe that I can make it real. It has always been a dream to take a sabbatical and go somewhere. Each time I see it in the movies, a series or any other show; I will re-assure myself that I am going to do this. This small idea grew on me and I started browsing a few websites, reading about sabbaticals. And the only one thing that all of them had in common were "start planning". Whether you are going to do it this year or after 10 years, the first thing you should be doing is start planning. Planning indirectly urges us to implement it into practice.

So I decided, whether I will be doing it or not, I am going to start planning. First thing first; anything that is planned needs a time frame for you to work according to. To give us a clearer picture regarding what has to be done and by when it should be done. So I set my time frame. A start date and an end date for my sabbatical. All my plans will evolve around this chosen time period.

01 April 2018 - 31 August 2018

Yes, it has been decided. My sabbatical date will be from early April 2018 until end of August 2018; a 5 month sabbatical. I have 6 1/2 years to plan everything, get prepared and leave for my amazing journey. I have to do this no matter whatever it takes. So far I have only one plan in mind. During that 5 month duration, I will be in Russia from 08 June 2018 until 08 July 2018 to experience the World Cup and relive my university days. Rest of the 4 months I am not sure what to do and where to go yet. But all will be put into plan in due course of time.

Things that I need to start pondering about would be finance which will be my biggest challenge. I need to start planning on finance from now. The next one is I need a mission. I don't want to go on a sabbatical and come back like a worthless tourist who went for a 5 months holiday around the world. No, I need a mission; something that I need to accomplish at the end of my sabbatical. Most importantly I have to plan the aftermath. I don’t want to come back broke, jobless and add more pressure to my life. It should be 5 months of unforgettable moments where I come back to continue to live my life to the fullest.

Hope everything will fall into place nicely.

Violent Community

Just when I thought everything is going well, I had to hit rock bottom again. I get a sudden phone call from my sister in law, Linda and my eldest brother saying that my other elder brother Nanthakumar was abducted and beaten for around 6 hours because he was suspected of stealing from my sister in law's nephew's (Simon) house.

We consider ourselves to be living in a civilized country. When you find out your jewellery worth RM100000.00 has been stolen, the first thing you should do was make a police report. And if you had suspected my brother of doing so you should have mentioned it in your report. But no report what so ever was made.

Two weeks after the alleged theft, thugs were hired and my brother was abducted. He was brought to a secluded area near a road heading towards Genting and was brutally beaten by 8 people using sticks, helmets and bricks. He was badly injured. Swelling throughout his body, jaw was dislocated, fracture near his eye socket and internal bleeding in the head. Luckily the police acted quickly and detained Simon's future bride and ordered my brother to be surrendered. He was brought to the police station by Simon alone. Simon was arrested and my brother was admitted to Selayang Hospital to receive treatment. The incident was reported in Harian Metro.

http://www.hmetro.com.my/articles/Lembikdalamhutan/Article

It was traumatizing to hear the news. I couldn't imagine the amount of fear that a person will be facing when you are being beaten by 8 people without mercy and are threatening to end your life. The feeling of being helpless and the fear of your life coming to an end in a lonely jungle where probably your body would not have been found until it has decayed is unbearable. What a monstrous incident.

I use to think living in 2011 we would have become more cultured But this incident has taught me otherwise. We live in a society where violence and brutality is still practiced by majority of the people. But this makes me wonder, is the Indian community the only one acting this way whenever faced with a problem or is it the case in any community? I do not wish to be judgemental but the amount of violence projected by the Indian community is very alarming.

Even though I detach myself from being identified by any religion and ethnic and would prefer to be identified just as a Malaysian or a human being, my name, skin colour and background knits me closely to the Indian community which I am starting to fear day by day. Why is violence instilled so deeply in this community? I do not have the answer, but just wish that this radicalism could soon be diminished.