my first international flight

It still feels surreal — I’ve finally landed in Melbourne. Stepping out into the airport felt like waking up in a dream. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by my biggest supporters before I left: my number one support system, my closest friends, my people. Saying goodbye wasn’t easy.

Honestly, it didn’t fully hit me until I stepped onto the plane and heard the Qantas crew greet me with a warm “Selamat datang!” That’s when it sank in — I was really doing this. As I walked to my seat, I quietly whispered, “Ya Allah, please protect me, my family, and everyone who has shown me kindness.”

own documentation at QF40 Jakarta-Melbourne (18th April 2024)

Leaving my family, my best friends, my comfort zone in Bandung, and the community I love was tough. But deep down, I know this path is a calling. It’s something I chose, something I felt guided to. I don’t know what lies ahead, but I believe with all my heart that this journey has been made easier by His will, blessed by Him, and supported by the universe.

We’re capable of so much more than we realize. Just on April 18th, I managed to fly alone to a whole other side of the world. It’s wild to think about. What often holds us back isn’t the lack of ability — it’s fear. Fear of starting over, fear of facing unfamiliar systems and cultures. But Alhamdulillah, for every fear, there’s grace. I believe I’ll get through the challenges ahead, because His promise is true: no trial is given beyond what we can bear.

I keep reminding myself: I am a good person, I deserve good things, and with His permission, I’m always in the right place at the right time. Sustenance — rizq — is already written. My job is to keep showing up, trying my best, and trusting the process.

So I pray: Ya Allah, Ya Wahhab, I leave my future in Your hands — the only hands I trust with something so unknown. Please grant me a job that suits me well, with kind and fair people, clear guidance, and a supportive, calm environment. Grant me enough rest and keep my body healthy, so I can worship You with ease and devotion. Let it be work that brings peace to my heart and meaning to my days. Aamiin.

Ya Allah Ya Hannan Ya Mannan Ya Fattah Ya Razzaq, At this chapter in my life, I also pray to meet my soulmate — my other half — someone who will be my best friend, my imam in this life and the hereafter. Help me complete my faith through him, and may our meeting bring me closer to You. Aamiin allahuma aamiin.

own documentation : (a) Melbourne City Marina, Docklands and (b) Victoria State Library, Melbourne CBD