Of Weddings Back Home

When living away from home, I often miss out on birthday get-togethers, anniversary celebrations and of course, weddings of closed friends and family. With so many friends in my age bracket getting hitched every other week, it is almost impossible to fly down for every single one of them. 😦

But when I can, it is always a joy to witness a beautiful union of two people I hold dear. On top of that, I get to catch up with old friends at the wedding (given how our circle of friends often overlap in Singapore).

Throwback to the few weddings I managed to attend last year after moving to Jakarta:

KT + Estelle on 14 Nov 2015.

MZ+ Shumin on 14 Nov 2015.

Sean + Sarah on 3 Jan 2016.

Last Friday, I took a night flight back home for Hazel’s big day on Saturday. It was such a sweet lovely affair and I’m so glad I managed to make it.

I first met Hazel at Ovspring Developmental Clinic, where I was doing my summer clinical placement for 3 months. Hazel was an occupational therapist there and we hit it off really well, becoming fast friends. During our years of singledom, we spent quite a bit of time together – encouraging each other in the word and sharing our hearts.

Fast forward 6 years down, and here we are both married. AND Hazel is now a Mrs. D’Cruz!!! (What a cool surname heh.)

#Mezel bridal party.

With the beautiful bride.

Pardon the hugeee dark circles under my eyes. I was a walking half-zombie the entire day, having slept only 2 hours the night before and arriving at Hazel’s house at 6 a.m. in the morning. But it was well worth it. 🙂

Thankfully, I managed to take a quick power nap in between the church wedding and banquet dinner.

Helping out at the reception table for the dinner banquet.

Coincidentally, I was put on the same table with my St. Marg’s senior, Hannah – whom I’ve not seen and talked to since graduation?! Singapore is such a small world really, with just 2 degrees of separation between most of us.

With Hannah (who is expecting this August!!) and her husband, Fred.

With the newly weds – Mr. and Mrs. D’Cruz.

Even though Singapore is only a 1+ hour flight away from Jakarta, I always find it surreal to be back home, to be awoken by the familiar sounds of birds chirping in the morning, to smell the aroma of chee cheong fun and chwee kueh on the breakfast table, to hear my grandma’s laughter, my parents’ voices, and kevin’s barking in the background, etc.

And now it also seems unreal that I’m back in Jakarta in another time and space, back to my normal routine. I can’t quite explain it.

Agent D and I against the flower wall at Changi Airport.

Oh well. Time to coooook.

xxx