What does travelling mean to you?

Hi.. My name is Anastasia Ann. People call me pretty Ann, hehe. Peace!

Today I will tell you a story, so please be ready for a bombard of beautiful memories photo.

Okay??

So, I will begin. now.

I am a Sabahan, born and raised in Sabah. This is how my pretty hometown look like. They are beautiful, some even call it a paradise on Earth.

After graduating from a local university in Kuala Lumpur, I return back to my lovely hometown and work there for 1 and a half year. Living at home with my family is comfortable. Yet, it is getting too comfortable until I feel suffocated with the bursting needs to explore new places and experience new environment. 

So I decided to move to Melaka in 2010. But why Melaka? I am not sure. I heard Melaka is a great place as great as my Superhero I guess.

And it turned out to be true! Melaka is undoubtedly clean, beautiful, full of history and the people are just friendly. Its really is a great place to live.

And so I begin my new life in a new place.

But life is tough with no source of income. My only solution is to find job. Yes.. Work. I guess I am  always very lucky, I get hired on my first interview here in Melaka. Immediately start working the day after, that’s when the new phase of my life started.

This is my family at work since 3 years ago.

From left – behind is Doryn and Ms. Khor. In front, from left is Sharon and Kai Sing. Oh.. that to the right is me, pretty hor? Hahaha.

Doryn is our mommy. Our head of department, the great accountant that patiently guide me despite the lack of knowledge in my jobscope cum the best personal advisor ever. Ms. Khor, I considered her as my elder sister. She is only a year older, but still I am younger. Teheee! And the two pretty girls, Sharon and Kai Sing is my two same aged younger sisters. Alaaa.. just 2 years old gap only with me pun. 😛

You see.. We are always together.

Be it in the office.

Or outside the office.

Be it a celebration.. like… Hrmm.. For example, my one favourite event ever.. Birthdayssss!!

Yeah I love birthday. We have cake. We have celebration. We have fun. I always believe that aging is a great process. Don’t mind the numbers, what most important is the meaning, birthday was the day you are born to be great.

Here is my first birthday with them in 2011. Years ago, but it always feel like yesterday. Yeah, I know its not so pretty, since we never really dress up to work. hahahaha

Then here is my second birthday together with them in 2012. A bit better right?

And recently, my third birthday, 22nd August 2013. Wah, aging make you prettier, though we never really change. Seriously amazing!

And more of our birthdays. Like I told you earlier, we celebrate each other birthday every single year. So, in a year, I have a minimum of 5 birthdays to celebrate. That’s an overdose amount of annual excitement.

Doryn’s Birthday 2011.

Ms. Khor’s Birthday 2012.

Sharon’s Birthday 2013.

Tired of birthdays? Don’t worry, I still have more.

How about Christmas?

Wedding?

Travelling?

Trying out new activities?

Gathering?

Or simply hanging out for good food.

Oh wait, ya ya you guess it. Gazzilion takes of selca.

And the list goes on. 

As you go further did you notice that they are always there with me?

Smiling.

Beautiful smiles. Those happy faces worth dying for.

I am happy.

They are happy.

We sure are one big happy family.

By now, I am sure you wonder.. why would I show them to you?

Well.. *Deep breath*

Because I love these people too much. Soooooo much to the point that I never even once think of changing job, eventhough the stress from endless daily job is already start killing me from day 1.

Yes, working in Accounting line which is totally different from my education background is hard. Daily data entry, matching then filling and more filling, monthly closing, yearly closing, internal audit, external audit, tax agent. You named it, that’s what we have to faced continuously.

Bonding time.. Can you really tell which one is original?

But having these people around, that listen and advice when you are down, understand that working is not just about coming to work to do your job and get paid by end of the month, that support and stand for you during the hard time, that celebrate your big days together, doing crazy stuff everyday, and accompanying you doing everything when you are all alone by yourself in a foreign land.. mean so much to me. They are much more than just colleagues. They are close friends, they are sisters, my family from work.

Again, since you asked, what does travelling mean to you?

My answer is:

I choose to end the journey here, leaving the family that I love too much like no words and no picture can describe to pursue my passion of travelling.

Yes, I love travelling that much. I am leaving this place called my second home again soon to go after my solo backpacking adventure on the other side of the world.

Ya, I know that might sound a little bit harsh but its the truth. Travelling has been my passion for years. I have already fall in love with it long before I met my family at work. Being away from my heavenly comfortable hometown to study in Kuala Lumpur before and stay for work in Melaka now, sometimes I consider myself as a traveler in my own country. If I didn’t like travelling at the first place, I might have never even get the chance to know them in my lifetime. 

Since I really cannot explain by words how I love my little family here, explaining how I love travelling is actually even more difficult. Its like the endorphin that I needed to keep me being happy and positive to live life to the fullest everyday. Going to amazing new places, meeting new people, understanding culture, getting familiar with the environment, enjoying local cuisine like its your own and appreciating the mother nature is somehow just part of a way to find myself. Travelling always open up great opportunities for learning. And.. if you are lucky enough to find a little family apart from your existing nuclear family like mine, you will have a damn great memories to remember.

Unfortunately, travelling wasn’t always affordable for me. Sad case.

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Leaving is not easy, but as expected, only family can always understand you best..

These people I swear will never say proper goodbye to, because I always believe this will never be the end of our story. I appreciate every moments spend together, all the laughter, all the joys, all the memories they bring into my life journey.

We did have a great time celebrating until the end. And.. they even sponsored my winter clothing! Lucky me, right??

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I know. 

So friends.. If travelling is your passion, what else are you waiting for? Go travel! Find your own little family, do a little walking, explore the world. You never know what story is waiting ahead of you.

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Annotes:  This story is written for tsbreakaway.my contest. Interested to join as well? Visit the website for more info and and be one of the lucky 12! Or you can also visit their TourismSelangor’s Facebook page for more updates. The contest end 11th October 2013. Gambateh!