Sotsugyou shiki

I know, this entry is long overdue. Sorry.

It was a simple ceremony - no graduation robe, pesta konvo and what nots

But it was special in its simplicity - at least for me, since I got to bring Huzaifah on stage to accept the degree with me. (I wanted to take both Huzaifah and Humaidi on stage, but there was some 'miscommunication' problem with hubby, ending with me just taking Huzaifah)

Here are some pictures taken on the not-quite-big-but-significant-anyway day.



Commencement ceremony for Graduate School of Asia Pasific Studies, Waseda University sign board. Next to me is Piseth, who upon arrival at Narita Airport in September 2005, thought I was "orang kurang upaya" since I was using the wheelchair (it was 11 days after I gave birth to Huzaifah, so JAL arranged for me to use the wheelchair from the moment I checked-in at KLIA until just before I left Narita airport).

Hien and I donned our respective traditional costumes. I had already bought a new knee length knit dress and matching long-sleeved top, but couldn't find any suitable pants, so ended up wearing last year's baju raya. Which is not bad - it matched Huzaifah's and Humaidi's identical blue shirt. Managed to wear a new pair of shoes though - a black leather Made-in-Japan pair. In the past three years, I had only bought sneakers in Japan because trying to find a decent pair of shoes in my size often made me feel like Cindrella's step sister - all the nice ones did not fit and those which fit were not that nice.

Returning my student ID card. The graduation day also commemorated the fact that the graduates are no longer 'students' of Waseda

With Alice, the President of GSAPS Student Association 2007/08. One of the nicest girls in our school. Picture was taken right after I returned my student ID Card back to the school.

It's been a kind of tradition to have at least one Malaysian among the Dean's List recipients (in fact last year, my sempai Daud was also the valedictorian). Here is a picture of hubby with Amin, who gave quite a memorable 'performance' upon getting the Dean's List conferment (he shook the paper with a'la Oscar-recipient pose, and the paper flew away on the stage which drew a roar of laughter from the audience)

With Ali, a brilliant Afghan from whom I learned a lot about the real situation in Afghanistan...

Jess, the valedictorian, likened getting our Master to climbing Mount Fuji. "At one point of time, we asked ourselves - what are we doing here? Why are we putting ourselves through all these pain and trouble? But getting to the end, being at the peak - we all realized that it's worth it. All the pain, the trouble, the sacrifices..."

Accepting the degree from Professor Amako, Dean of GSAPS, with Huzaifah right next to me. (The round of loud applause we got was akin to those usually reserved for Dean's List students.)

Right after the ceremony, in the auditorium.

With Emi and Yuko - part of my 'support system' during the critical moments of finishing my thesis.

Class of Fall 2008. Hien and I opted to be at the back during the group photo session - so that it'll be easier to locate us among all the graduates and professors.

With Mega and Hien - both Hien and I got our respective bouquet not from our husband, but from thoughtful friend (Thanks Basharan and Hadyan for coming to the ceremony and for the nice bouquet - really meant a lot to me). I was hoping that hubby would give in and bought one for me - after all, I don't usually ask for much, not even for flowers on my birthday, but hubby just shrugged and gave the usual reply, "bunga bukan boleh makan pun..."

With Siyi, my zemi-mate, who's also on my 'support system' list during thesis writing. We usually found ourselves seated opposite each other in the computer lab - ocassionally checking on each other's progress. Siyi once complimented my 'slim, long fingers' (her words, not mine), that as a piano player, how envious she was of those with fingers like mine. "I don't play piano," I told her. "Then you should learn how to - you are born with piano player fingers..." Oh well...