I am turning into a stress bunny.

The past couple of days have been, well, stressful to say the least.

I suppose it’s rarer than most when I decide to actually foray beyond my choice to depersonalize my writing style and become up close and personal about my life but the events of the past days were such an emotional rollercoaster that I need an outlet to let it all out.

I suppose that’s why some of us have blogs after all.

Aca left first, and Aji left recently. And it’s ironic considering that we’re going to see each other in Malaysia and back in Melbourne when we all come back, but there was a certain finality when the doors of the Melbourne airport closed behind them. The past year living with them held so many good memories, and knowing that we would be in different places the year to come was bittersweet. Things will naturally be different, and you miss out on the small things that you only experience living with someone.

Gotta love them.

However, it was the Friday when things took a turn. The Friday I was sifting through things and thinking about packing up when I noticed my passport was missing from the drawer. I didn’t panic at first, assuming it was in a handbag, or somewhere else – but after the whole weekend without it turning up the severity of the situation finally hit me.

Like a ton of bricks.

Khairun and Hamiza, if you guys ever read this, you are NOT to tell mama or ayah. Ever.

I think perhaps I was trying to push it out of my mind too hard, and when I finally had to face the situation, the magnitude of the whole thing was overwhelming.

I called the Malaysian Hall warden and his advice was to go up to Canberra and get emergency travel documents.

Canberra?!

Melbourne to Canberra is an eight hour drive, or a A$250 flight, money which I definitely don’t have to spare. In addition, I have exams coming Wednesday and Friday, and I fly back the Monday night, which makes the timing very tricky. Especially since the High Commission isn’t open over the weekend.

Amir, the gem that he is, was supportive throughout and told me he would pay for tickets, if it came to that. I love you I love you I love you. I think I wanted to break down a little bit and probably had a few moments of curling up in the foetal position but things had to be done.

I was then advised to head to Malaysian Hall, where the Dr Ali, the Malaysian consul would help me with the paperwork to speed up the process. Naturally there would be paperwork. However, checking the public transport website, it turned out that some sort of works would be happening on the streets and the trams I needed to get on to get to the Hall would be unavailable.

Gah!

Cue Din, man of the moment, who agreed to drive me to Malaysian Hall. Yay for Din! I could’ve done a little happy jig right there and then, but I think I would have probably scared people.

Dr Ali was oh so helpful, very meticulous and a calming influence. Apparently there might be problems with reissuing a new passport, only because the Malaysian passport is in such high demand on the black market. I was mentally prepared to get tickets to Canberra and was stressing so much about exam timetables and my flight back. Dr Ali made a personal call to Canberra, and persuaded officials there that he would vouch for my character, and all of a sudden, I didn’t have to go to Canberra! The documents would be posted!

Hallelujah!

I think the relief was overwhelming at that point. It definitely made my day.

Taking my passport pictures for the paperwork, I was cracking up because it looks like I wasn’t wearing anything. I imagine it looked like some dodgy Asian prostitute trying to gain an illegal travel document.

Dodgy nekkid passport picture.

Thank you Din, for not complaining about me dragging you all over. And for the company in those stressful moments.

Now with exams to go, packing up my stuff to move, and a flight back next week, I am looking forward to the weekend!