In less than one hour, the clock all over Europe will be clocked back an hour, to celebrate its Daylight Saving Time. The day currently is longer each day, and its already spring. During summer the daytime would stretch to the most more than 20 hours of daylight thoughout the day.
And my body aches, all over the back, the bones, the muscles. I fall asleep on the couch at the living room in less than one hour upon reaching home. I woke up at 9pm, thinking it was still 7pm. And now, it is almost 2am. In a few moment, the clock will be ticking 3am instead of 2am. And yet I couldn't get myself to sleep again.
Yesterday, (Saturday) I was engaged from 9am to 5pm helping our booth in an International Festival organized bt the International School of Brussels. Its a charity-based program. All parents of the students, from different countries are encourage to participate promoting their country's foods and cultures, as well as to support the school programme. Seeing the opportunity to promote Malaysia, and we also have members whose children are studying at the school, Ladies of PERWAKILAN took the chance to open a booth, selling Malaysian foods, and handing out information about Malaysia to the customers. What makes it really interesting, there were no charges on booth, and the cost of preparing the foods are all taken care by the school, and the money raised from the selling is to be given as a donation from the booth to school.
The preparation began last month, we have a meeting to discuss the menu and the price. We also selected few commitees to do the groceries, and I joined to set-up and decorate our booth a day before the Festival. Yesterday, we took our job to entertain some costumers as well as giving information about Malaysia to them.
Well, it was very rewarding to see all the foods were sold, and there were a lot of people coming in our booth. They really like nasi lemak with rendang, and some of them has plans to visit Malaysia in summer. We also sell vegetarian noodles, soto ayam, a special fried chicken, vegetarian springroll and vegetarian currypuff. The top dish was nasi lemak with rendang ayam. By the time the clock was 3pm, all the nasi lemak and rendang has been sold out. Pheww..
Walking around in baju kebaya with heels was quite tiring. We also have to move around very quick to serve the customers and at the same time maintaining the same facial friendly expression all the time. Luckily all of us Ladies rotated our work so everyone able to get some quick rest in between time. I noticed a lot of people taking photographs of us serving the customers. Our national baju kurung/kebaya was rather atractive and practical to be compared with the rest national costume. I guess that was the main reason why they were attracted to us.
I think there were more than 30 countries participating in this Festival, and everyone is selling their products. I really like this one booth, set by the School, theye were selling used books (which has been donated) for a price low as 50cents, but not more than 3euro per book, from a softcover book to hardcover book. I bought a bag of books worth 10euro, and my husband bought a box of books worth 10euro at their 'happy hour'.
Nonetheless this experience although was tiring, it was rewarding as well. To be able to help promoting our cultures and lifestyle, somehow teach me to be more grateful for the peaceful country we live in. This will be my final contribution in International Festival as we won't be in Brussels again next year.
I am surely going to miss everything. I mean, everything. But for now, I need to straighten my leg and perhaps rest for the night.
Until my next writing, vous revoir!
No comments:
Post a Comment