Hey May 2024!

It's a new month! Thank you, Lord, for a new beginning. For the first post in May 2024, I wanted to share a story about why I chose to move to Borneo.

When I was in my early 20s, my dream was to live in the big city. I dreamed of buying my first house and starting a family in the bustling urban environment. This had been my aspiration since leaving my kampung life. I studied diligently because I wanted to make this dream a reality.

Thanks to the efforts and prayers of my parents, myself, and various people from the church, I achieved that dream! I landed my first job in Bandar Baru Bangi, and my city life began from there. I traveled extensively and thoroughly enjoyed the fast-paced city life. I bought my first house in 2017 and got married in September 2019. Though there were times I longed to return home, deep down, I still felt unready, as I was enamored with the life I had built in the city. I loved the hustle and bustle, and surprisingly, I even found joy in the traffic jams because they allowed me to spend more time driving my car.

However, as I grew older — now in my mid-30s — I gradually found myself yearning for a slower pace and peace of mind. I no longer enjoyed the rush of city life; all I wanted was time to move slowly, to live at my own pace. As a kampung girl at heart, I missed the simplicity of slow living. The feeling intensified when COVID hit the world. Living far from my family, I couldn't return to my kampung for two years, which left me feeling isolated and lonely. From then on, I seriously considered returning home and working in my hometown.

While I truly enjoyed my work in the big city, there was always something missing in my heart. By the end of 2023, I made the decision to resign from my last position in the city and aimed to find a job in Borneo. At that time, I couldn't see any available positions, but I had faith in God. I believed that one day, the right opportunity would come my way. Despite my human worries, I also felt surprisingly calm (Thank you Lord and thank you to my husband for always give me encouragement to live my life).

I applied for jobs in the Klang Valley as a backup plan, but no companies called me for an interview. Surprisingly, I remained calm throughout this process.

By end of Feb 2024, I saw job opportunity in Borneo and I apply for it and thanks God, I got it!

Thank you Lord for making a way for me to move to Borneo(Kota Kinabalu,Sabah). I believe God will guide me and my family here in Sabah as well.

Stay tune for more article from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Love,

Aya

BWM. Writer | Your working mom bestie 💜