Lampeter

I missed that place sometimes. I really do. It is just for two years, but for me it is a lifetime’s reminiscence. For sure, because Malaysian went to study abroad for degree, master or PhD level, But I went for high school. I mean I went there when I was 14 years old. At first, it is hard, to cope with strange, very new unfamiliar environment.Almost everything. Weather, school, people, language.

Lampeter situated in Wales, United Kingdom.In Wales, they speak Welsh other than English. Lampeter in Welsh is Ceredigion Pont Steffan. I don’t really get a chance to learn Welsh properly but I managed to acquire few words that I still remember up until today, like “Diolch” means thank you, “Ysgol” means school.

Lampeter is a countryside city. City is still considered modern I would say. It is rustic town, yes town is the exact word. The first time I arrived there, I was like, “wow, very kampong-like”.  Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be very kampong-like as that. I thought it would akin to what I always seen on TV. It is the opposite. Very small town. But I love that place.  Farm, sheep, old rustic building. 

High school moment. Another one that I would not be able to get over it. Frankly, I fret during my first day at Lampeter Comprehensive School. I felt like I am an alien who lost in the planet earth. Honestly, I could not communicate well, because of their accent. I just could not get it. It took me a week, as far as I remembered, to gradually comprehend their accent. I still remember Mrs Owen, my first teacher, who teaches foreign students like me. She is a very lovely person, very friendly.  Then I realized that I am not the only ‘alien’ there.  There are Kurdish, Korean, Hong Kong, Chinese and Japanese. Me, my brother and my sister are the only Malaysian.  I walked to school, because it just nearby. The school started at 9.00 am in the morning and ended at 3.30pm. 

My friend would remember me as a cool person because they always said “Yo Nurul, you’re cool!” and the one who always do heli-spin with pen. And yes, they called me ‘Nurul’ there. And I remembered Mr. Grifith, my home class teacher, Mr. Jenkins, my math teacher who always mesmerized with my ability to do math exercise within short time. Seriously, I still remembered during my very first class with him, he asked us to do the multiplication exercise. I am the first one to finish and get all correct also while everybody was complaining and whining. He was surprised, and asked me “do you find it easy?” I just nodded. “Sifir” I would say. That is the reason why.  

I remembered after school hour, me and my siblings would run to the library near to our house, to check email from our Malaysian friends. I still remember Somerfield and Coop, the nearest supermarket. Everything there is around the corner.

Woah, I never write this long. I am unstoppable when it comes to Lampeter. Yeah. It is just because I missed that place. That is all.

The End Of The Topic.