12th September 2021- The long-awaited day has finally arrived. It has been over a year since I left Brunei to pursue my further studies and as much as I love London, I quite miss home. This time round, however, the anticipation was a bittersweet one. After 6 years of studying here in the UK, the environment grew onto me. Furthermore, knowing how the current situation is curbing future travels, it made this trip more melancholic than usual. I wasn't sure when I will be able to come back to visit the UK.
It was a bright sunny day when I left for Heathrow Airport. I was told to leave early because the terminal for the Royal Brunei flight had changed unexpectedly to Terminal 3. When I arrived, I was welcomed by our Defence Adviser, Lieutenant Colonel (U) Mohammed Hairy Erwandy, and the Staff Assistance to Defence Adviser, WO1 (U) Haji Maryadi bin Haji Japar. I was unable to meet them previously due to the Coronavirus situation in the UK, hence, it was pleasant to meet the prominent figures behind my good welfare in the UK.
Upon boarding the flight, I succumbed to a very deep slumber. I did not sleep the night before to reset my body clock to Brunei's time zone. However, two hours into my sleep, I was awakened by an abrupt announcement from the pilot. He stated that the flight has been delayed due to issues concerning maintenance and flight meals. The flight only departed after a 3-hour delay and I slept throughout the entire flight, awake only for meals.
13th
& 14th September 2021- My mid-day arrival at Brunei
International Airport was rather smooth. After I passed through the immigration
checkpoint and got my baggage, I was allowed to leave for my 15-day quarantine
at Higher Hotel. I was escorted to a bus by a member of the RBAF and the bus
departed with 7 passengers to the hotel in Kiulap.
I had made a special request to have a room facing the Kiulap highway and the hotel very gladly gave me a spacious room with this luscious green view! The hotel had given me a packed lunch and I remember thinking how I missed eating good Asian food. I then did some unpacking before heading for a quick nap…
…which turned to a long sleep. I woke up at 3 am, jet lagged, groggy and hungry. I skipped my dinner so I thought the food they left must still be outside my door. I quickly had dinner before sleeping again, still tired from the long journey. Day 0 of quarantine fleeted away in my deep slumber.
Day 1 of my quarantine was more productive than the former. I spent the day getting some rest and hand-washing my clothes. I also caught up with some fiction reading since I did not get the chance to do so throughout the year due to the demanding nature of my course. Aside from that, I managed to receive several care packages from my close friends and family. My parents sent me some dumbbells for my workout. I remember the hotel staff were so curious and in awe about it. I then headed to bed early to banish my jet lag and regulate my sleeping pattern.
15th September 2021 onwards-I joined the scholars' WOD zoom call at 5:30 am on weekdays and it has been an enjoyable experience! I appreciate how we can design the WOD routine to hone our leadership skills. Usually, we would opt for a five-round High Intensity Training (HIIT) workout alongside some dynamic and static stretches.
After working out, I would get some breakfast and some coffee. The hotel's breakfast has been consistently a noodle dish (with different types of noodles) and admittedly, it got a bit too mundane. However, I am grateful to my friends and family who made conscious effort to send me breakfast on some days. Throughout the isolation period, I was able to see some of my friends and family through my window whenever they dropped a package for me. So thankful for them! I even got an ambuyat care package!
To kill some time, I also enrolled into several short courses that piqued my interest. I am currently learning the British Sign Language with the British Sign Language official organisation. It is an online programme that anyone can join after donating any amount. I picked the said course after my personal experience encountering with a disabled person. I remember feeling frustrated because I was unable to communicate with him. The course is set to complete within November when I am (hopefully) certified following an oral examination.
Furthermore, I also enrolled into a short Mathematics course from The University of Adelaide. Yes, it is something different from the field I am used to, but Mathematics has always been a secondary interest of mine. I figured that keeping myself in touch with academia will allow me to be productive and prevent me having a brain fog when I start working soon. Maths is a great way to keep those brain cells working!
25th September 2021 -I was notified of my swab test date a day prior. The hotel management has informed me to be ready for 10 am on the 25th of September (12th day of quarantine).
On the day itself, I woke up early to get ready. After eating the breakfast served by the hotel, I made my way downstairs to board a special bus to Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital for my swab test. There were 7 people in the bus – I noticed that they were the same people I came to the hotel with.
Upon our arrival, we were asked to wait for 2 hours before our swab tests. I could recall the influx of people and many buses, waiting for their turn as well. We were escorted down the bus into the hall and were asked to wait for our names to be called. It was my first time taking the test, and I was nervous because I have heard many horror stories about it. The test itself is very uncomfortable but fortunately, the nurse who conducted mine was very understanding and gentle.
I received my negative swab test result during midnight of 26th September. I was grateful for the results because my flight was very full. Honestly, I was worried in the back of my mind.
28th September 2021- D-day! I packed my bags the night before, all excited to leave this confined space that I have inhibited for the past 15 days. I received a call from the receptionist, requesting me to head down to the hotel lobby. I then met my parents at the lobby and settled the payment before heading home. I have successfully finished my quarantine! It was a different experience from the one I had from previous years. Yet, I am grateful to be back in Brunei, surrounded by my loved ones. This experience taught me how to be comfortable in my own company and acted as an adjusting period before transitioning back into the life in Brunei.
Nurliessa Binti Mohammad Daliz
RBAF 2015 Scholarship Recipient
LLB Law (Hons.) from Queen Mary University of London
LLM & Bar from BPP University Law School, London
Arranged and Formatted by:
Aiman Abdullah Tee
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