I am happy when i'm surrounded by water.

I miss it so much.
I wanted to go to a beach now, and shouted as loud as i can.

The feeling. That connection. That comfort. Of being one with the ocean.

Maybe i was too used to being near to ocean during my 3 years of taking my marine science course back then. Perhaps i did take it for granted..
And when i went to Semporna and Mabul for 2 months, that feeling came crawling back again...

Welcome to Semporna :D

The Dragon Inn. View from my office.

If i've ever make any right decision in my life, this has to be one of it.
I came to Semporna to be the daily paid assistant of Tuna Fisheries in WWF Semporna, where i basically assisted in collecting information regarding tuna from the community and fishermen in Mabul and Semporna..

At first, I was excited and thrilled. But the doubt came.

Myself : Semporna? That is like hundred miles away from my hometown. 
My dad : 'Its far and dangerous.'


I almost rejected it because my dad doesn't seem thrilled to hear the news.
I thought of the environment there.
I thought of Abu Sayyaf.
I thought of how am i going to adapt.
I thought of how in the world will i be going to church there.
I thought of so many things.
And i thought of the new things and new people that i will encounter, and most importantly the new experiences that i will gained there.

I understand my dad's feeling. Maybe if i were a boy, it'll be different.
on a second thought maybe i'll never understand feeling of a parent until i become one.


But deep down in my heart, i really want to go.
I know this is totally out of my comfort zone, but if i want it, i gotta chase it!
And somehow, i managed to get my dad's permission.
Thank God. Thanks dad. :)

Semporna is totally out of my comfort zone, everything here the community and the culture is different.
But i adapted to this place faster than i thought.

I'll never get tired of the view

And when i went to Mabul for the first time, i fell.

I fall in love with Mabul

I love the sandy beach. I love the blue-green clear water.

Enjoying the warm rays from the sunset

I love the magnificent sunset and the sunrise.

Sunset in Mabul

I'm always in awed by the night view where moon surrounded by 'halo' and full of shinning star sky.
The sound of the wave splashing on the shore is music to my ear.
I enjoy the feeling of wind softly blowing over every part of me.

I love the briskly salt air and the wind!

I love the smell of the ocean.

I love the feeling of sand between my toes.

I came back as a tourist. Fuh~

I'm envious of the simple livelihood of the community here.

From Left : detergent, vinegar, cooking oil, soy sauce, *i forgot* , milo.

I enjoy watching the kids running around playing their self-created-creative-games their mind can think of.

Kids playing happily in their own world 

And i absolutely love how the kids are never shy to greet me when they see me as i smile to them.

Lovely kids! <3

I love how time seems to pass slowly here.

And what i love most is to be with the ocean.
To swim, snorkel and dive here.

Being underwater, my soul feels calm.
I feel like i am in the other world now. Lost in the world of my own.
I feel like all my worries disappear into the ocean.

Dear God, is this heaven? If it's this beautiful on earth, what more it would be in heaven? 

I feel like i belong here. Not on land.
I feel like i can stay here forever. I really do.

It just feels right.
Ya, it makes me want to be a  fish.

imma happy happy in the water

But on a second thought, i'd rather be a mermaid that can change my leg back whenever i want to go back on land.

Is that too much too ask?
Ya i thought so.

Thinking back,i never thought i would have so much courage to be swimming at the open ocean without any floating device.
But now, i would be more than happy to jump in the middle of the ocean without my safety jacket and swim as long as i can.

Working with WWF in Semporna-Mabul, i gained more than i could possibly imagined.
Thank God for this chance and for all the warmest and nicest people i met here.

It's only fair that when you love something, you want to protect it.
Somehow, my passion toward the ocean might be not as big as anyone i know, but still i do have passion toward the ocean and the marine life in it. This i cannot deny.

So ya i'm working on how to protect what i love.
Which by being a part of any conservation team would really means a lot to me.
I was a part of WWF then, and now i just have to figure out what's next step.
Till then, wish me luck or better, keep me in your prayer.
In the meantime, i will continue to keep loving the ocean.

P.s :Somehow, those 3 years of my life in university really did taught me more than just swimming. Thank God for the Strength. Sometime Blessings can be very good in disguising. So have faith, my friend. GBU. :)