Celebrating Eid Al-Fitr Overseas Filled With Longings, Sadness

By Siti Radzeah Rahmat KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 (Bernama) -- For Malaysian Muslims celebrating Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid Al-Fitr) overseas the sense of sadness and longing for their families back home is difficult to contain. Azanesa Mohd Abdan, 39, from here, said she felt sad as it was the first time she was celebrating Aidilfitri away from her family and loved ones. Azanesa, who is serving with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a personal assistant to the Malaysian ambassador in Geneva, Switzerland, said it was a moderate Aidilfitri celebration for her, her husband and their two children. "This is the first time I am celebrating Aidilfitri without my family, I feel wistful and sad because I cannot hug my father and mother as well as the rest of the family, like I normally do on the morning of Raya," she told Bernama when contacted through the WhatsApp application. She said she prepared some dishes for her family for Aidilfitri and then went visiting to the homes of other Muslim staff at the embassy. As for Nurmelfa Rozaimah Rosalan, 39, who lives in Chelmsford, United Kingdom, despite feeling sad to not being able to return to Malaysia to celebrate Aidilfitri, she did her best to invoke the merriment of the Aidilfitri celebration by preparing Hari Raya dishes they would normally have back home for her children. "I prepare the rendang (a spicy meat/chicken dish), which is my children's favourite Raya dish. I also have my in-laws from Italy with us for the Aidilfitri celebration, though not as merry as the celebration in Johor," she added. She said her three children preferred to celebrate Aidilfitri in Malaysia, especially with their grandparents and relatives in Yong Peng, Johor. The full-time homemaker has resided in the United Kingdom for 14 years after marrying her husband, Stefano Annarumma, 37, who is a chef. Meanwhile, Norzie Abdul Ghapor, 39, who lives in Schwenningen, Germany, said this was the second time she was not able to return to Malaysia for Adilfitri. Norzie who settled in Germany since three years ago after getting married to engineer Tobias Baumann, 45, has two daughters. "I did bake some cookies for Hari Raya and shed tear when listening to Hari Raya songs aired by Malaysian radio stations through the Internet. My thoughts would be of my mother back home. "Raya is very quiet here (Schwenningen) as there are no Malays, only the Turkish Muslim community," she added. However, she said, her children still celebrated Aidilfitri the traditional way. "They will wear their new 'baju kurung', play fireworks and enjoy the Raya feast with the family, in-laws and fellow friends from France, she said. -- BERNAMA