Rumah Islam. Part 1.

I only have as much as heard of the name - Rumah Islam.
And I only found out few hours after arriving that I, am in one.
It still did not wash away my amazement of the concept before I know it is a Rumah Islam though.

First thing when I set eyes on the property, I ohhh-ed and wahhh-ed over their front yard. They have a fruiting papaya tree in their front yard. papaya! (excuse me, but I have been away from dear tropic for a good deal of time)
The next hour saw me being introduced to the house
- a massive hall overlooked by study room 1. its function is like common room. and when them girls are not there, they stow their scooters (no less than 5) in here.
- a praying room. where we prayed together and recite al-Matsurat together
- a kitchen.
- a room for clothes you wear at home. clothes, in all sizes you can find, even the size that fit me (I, am vertically prosperous by Asian standard)
- a room for clothes you wear when you go out.
- study room 1.
- study room 2.
- a bedroom. for all 14. "I beg your pardon?". I thought I heard wrong, but no I did not. My logic is, when you have so many rooms, why would ALL 14 of you sleep in one 3x4 room?
- 4 bathrooms

It took a while for me to register everything. They stow their books together. meaning the books are at everyone's disposal. Same goes to
- any food unlabelled on the tables or in the fridge
- almost all the clothes in those 2 rooms
- the toiletries and vanities
But then, how are you going to know which is whose?
You can see that I am not that bright to be wondering like that.
I mean why would people put their things mixed up together if they only want to use it for themselves and not share it.
You see, sharing almost all of your things rid you of your sense of strong ownership. it rid you of your selfishness. it nurture you to be the one who keeps giving, without any feelings holding you from giving what you have.

and the chores, which includes washing dirty laundry and fold them clean clothes, are divided.
on a side note, they have a backyard with clothes line (bless the tropic sun) and people, they grow their lemongrass. how rad can this house be!
and yes, up to this point I still have no idea I am staying in Rumah Islam.
But one thing I gather from the introduction is that I hardly need to open my suitcase before I move to University Club Hotel.

I went to help prepare food for iftar jamaie (iftar together. that evening, it means iftar together with other ~20 ppl. ~20 people that I have never known). In between meeting all new people and remembering their names and washing the chicken and raving about how fantastic it is that they are cooking tempeh and tofu (again, please excuse this Asian absents from Asia for too long), I told them that their living arrangement impressed me very very very much. Albeit the fact that I lived in hostel for 5 good years, I am now, a more individualistic person. thus the concept of the house is very humbling to me, about how people can give so much space and materials to share. and that is when Faramie said the sentence "kalau akak nak tahu, ini la Rumah Islam" ("if you want to know, this is rumah Islam"). And, I, asked the obvious question "like, really?". and she went on to explain the concept of Rumah Islam and I went on to be amazed by every single thing.

I was fresh from 3 days of travelling with my suitcases. and in those 3 days, I made a new acquaintance in Munich airport, layover in Dubai for 8 hours, overnighted in KLIA, had one hell of a morning in LCCT and landing in Indonesia for the first time in my life. and not to forget, skipped home that I have left since the previous summer. and it never crossed me that I will find myself in Rumah Islam, even more staying there. The ball really gets rolling, and man, I am ever so glad that I embarked on this journey.