From KL to Cardiff to Bario

For 17 years, I have lived under the luxury care of my parents. Being the only child, I literally had all the attention from them, both wanted and unwanted attention. On one hand, I was under the waterfall of love, drenched with love from my parents; on the other hand, I was scrutinised from top to bottom, inside and outside, almost every secret I had they somehow knew it (who can really escape parents?). That was a double-edged sword for me, I love them, but I never felt that I ever had any privacy alone, nor any secrets that I am proud to keep to myself. I always wondered what it was like to live away from them, so when the scholarship offer to go to a college in Cardiff, Wales, UK arise, I took it, and what I always wondered became a reality.

Bario Airstrip

That tiny plane to Bario!

Living alone for a year was one of my highlights, proved that I can operate without parents constantly looking over my shoulder 24/7/365, however there was a drawback I never expected. After classes and dinner at 8pm, I entered my room and was greeted by my dead silent white-walled cubicle (I live alone). The small room, however comfortable, could never warm my heart. Ever since then, no matter how cheerful and happy I look with my friends in UK, deep inside I was lonely, being greeted by the same atmosphere in my room every day somehow got more and more depressing.

Miri Shoreline

Living alone for a while, Aunty Tagung’s reputation for having her own style of “motherly” was well-known by the time Batch 3 reached Bario. I was excited by the challenge, but was clueless as to how to build a relationship with her. On our first day, she literally gave me a full summary of her family and her life, while I sat there almost bewildered by the information overload. Ever since then, we usually talked about our family and ourselves. Other than that, we do not talk much, and we have those silent moments.

At times, I wondered what it was like to have a more affectionate lady, more talking, more jokes, and smiley faces all the time. This was different for Aunty, we talk, but at the same time, we have our peaceful moment focusing either on the job or the food, which honestly I enjoy, considering that I am an introvert. I guess we somehow mutually agreed as to when to talk and when to shut up, and we clicked well since then. She cared about me in many ways that maybe only a few people will understand, and I could not have asked any better than that. I may have only taught her only a few English words, but what she constantly reminded me subconsciously embed itself into my mind: no matter what success or failure, or how far you are, there is always home. Listening to her talking about her children becoming doctors and lawyers made me realise how much a mother care so much about her children, even after not seeing them for some time. With all the hardship she has went through, she still has her kids constantly in her mind, with her wall filled with their pictures. It made me regret when I don’t make the effort to contact my parents while studying abroad, now that I have the full picture of a mother missing her children.

Will cherish these guys! Batch 3 (Credits to YC)

Leaving Bario and Aunty was not easy at all, so many memories, so many relationship built with all the Tepuqs, Sinas and of course, my teammates there, it all started in those 2 weeks there. However, one thing taught by her would be always with me: how far we go, or how high we climb, we have to look back, and remember the people who took care of us when we were growing. It may be the most fundamental thing, but also the most ignored fact. I will be taking another 13 hours flight, travelling some 12,000km to Cardiff again soon for my second college year, but what she taught me will follow to Cardiff and beyond; I never knew before Project WHEE! that I would bring something from Bario to Cardiff.