Selamat Hari Raya everyone!

This year's Ramadhan had a different feeling. After a month devoting myself to god, praying even harder, reciting Qur'an oftener and doing only good deeds, I feel like I'm ready to become a better person. I think I graduated from this training with a flying color. I really hope that during Ramadhan I built a tons of good habit.

And now it's Syawal. And it also means RAYA or LEBARAN or Eid Fitr! This year would be another year of celebration far away from what-so-called home, Indonesia. Even tough I have my family here, Raya or Lebaran without the whole complete family is still incomplete. The day before Raya I was pretty sad. Listening to all time fave Lagu Raya (Raya song) in Malaysia, I cried. I miss the Raya vibe both in Indonesia and Malaysia. It just feels so much different here. We did celebrate Eid, we did have ketupat and opor (signature dish in hari raya) here. But without my granpa, aunties, uncles, cousins and other relatives, it still feels empty though I have a lot of friends here.

A year ago, I was very excited. I have never celebrated Eid in a country, which muslims are only minority. Turned out, it's just another gathering with Eid prayer as opening. I really used with the idea of celebrating Eid for the whole month of Syawal. In Malaysia they celebrate Eid or they having Raya for the whole month. Or the idea of family gathering and doing halal bi hahal (catching up with one another) having to see new cousins, nephew and eating lots of yummy foods. And here in Germany, we did celebrate Eid. But only on the 1st Syawal (or 2nd as well perhaps, depends on which day is the 1st syawal) but with friends who we already considered as a family.

But it's okay. At least we are still able to watch Ramadhan coming and going. And we still able to celebrate Eid fitri and do the prayer. Alhamdulillah.

Taqobballahu Mina Waminkun. May Allah accept all our ibadah.

Best Regards from Hamburg.