By Marissa Nazeera
Malaysia is now blooming with “sakura” as though we are experiencing spring time.
We can see beautiful flowers from trees during this time (which coincides with spring season in cold countries) along the streets in major cities and places around in the country that beautify the landscape. Known by its scientific name Tabebuia Pentaphylla, tecoma trees are native to South America.
When we are all unable to travel interstate and to go abroad, now we are being blessed by the nature to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
With the k-drama and j-drama fever, a number of Malaysians are taking the opportunity to do a low-budget photoshoot as if they’re really enjoying themselves in South Korea or Japan.
One can even spend their one-day holiday to stroll around their respective state to just enjoy the scenery which is also helpful to release stress.
Tecoma trees planted along the roads in Malaysia are now blooming proudly in both pink and white. Hence, they really spark a foreign yet thrilling experience, because usually in our country the trees are green in colour.
Fret not, for students in IIUM Gombak who are currently in doubt, whether to opt for outing or to stay in mahallah, then this is the right time to enjoy the nature without having to go out of campus. “Sakura” feeling is here with tecoma trees blooming with flowers right here. The students can walk around the campus and get the enchanting experience.
Currently the trees are in season due to the dry weather condition which we are experiencing since early February this year. These trees will be blooming from March until April and will even bloom during heavy rainy weather that starts right after the dry weather ends.
Malaysian netizens have also urged the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to make full use of this god-blessed nature for tourist attraction when we are ready to open our borders again to foreign tourists. Sometimes, nature serves as the best decoration in our country. And for now it’s for us all citizens to appreciate.
Thus, it shows how Malaysians are demonstrating more gratitude to mother nature in our own country during the current pandemic when we have to live under the new normal. It reminds me of the Malay proverb hujan batu di negeri sendiri, hujan emas di negeri orang, lebih baik di negeri sendiri or literally translated in English, no matter how good a situation could be elsewhere, it’s always best to be in our own country.
Sometimes, we should take a step back and look around us. We have been blessed with so much good things and we pray we will continue to be blessed. There’s no reason therefore why we shouldn’t treasure and learn to appreciate all the blessings in our life. ***
Photo credit: ‘Alyaa Asmida