Driving though water and rice.

Souraya: Simone is a good driver.

Me: ???!!!

Souraya: No really!!!

A babble of Malay follows after which I discover the basis of my new and somewhat suprising reputation.

One, almost no one comes out to this village because it is controlled by the Malaysian mafia.

Two, I managed to back up and apologise to a member of said mafia as I was entering one of those tiny paddy field embankment 'roads' without pissing anyone off. [Good to know those cheery little Simone waves work on someone other than Qatari policemen.]

Three, During my sojourn, I did not actually fall into a paddy field unlike the only other foreigner up that way. [He's on a sister program and hasn't been told about the mafia.]

Four, I managed to park my car without breaking the school's tiled wall. [See point 3 above. I swear this guy has inherited my driving/water karma.]

Five - TRIUMPH! - I have almost no scratches on my car.

Simone: ?????

At this point I begin to doubt Souraya's sanity as well as her eyesight because, my spatial awareness being what it is, a have slammed into a pillar in my own car park and there are huge yellow gashes across the back which are politely ignored by school security guards as they rush forward to help me park...

Me with school guards in front of 'barely scratched' car. What's with the get up? Traditional Malaysian dress. Wearing batik is compulsory on Thursdays for all government employees. You don't have to tell me. I know I look like some lumpy, frumpy kid dressed up in my elegant mother's clothes.

Cars are not the only things that 'fall' into the paddy fields though. Cows do too. This calf was only rescued cause some farmers wondered why there was some idiot white woman in a suit running along the embankment.  Cows are terrible parents. These cows are just disappearing into the distance as their little sister drowns.

Whatever my driving skills, or lack thereof, I make it back to KL safely. A 6 hour drive. Through water. You can't call it rain when you can't see the car in front.

But I miss those watery fields. Sky, water, rice at sunrise. I could not have imagined anything so beautiful.

Me with teachers and assorted school children. Thank you Ramis, Sabar, Lim, Suzie, Yong, Souraya, Honey, Zam, Fini & Elly! You made my time up north so special.

Souraya the Simone Supporter is in red:

Thanks and love to you all,

Simone of the Joyous,Opportunity-Filled Life