"Well-Roasted for Coffee Lovers": My Caffeinated Adventure in Tokyo in NST

It was a conscious decision.

There is very limited avenue for travel articles in Malay, thus I decided to write them in English in order to see them published and read. I am not trying to defend myself against my own stance ("if I don't write it in Malay, and who would?"). Over the years, I find articulating my thoughts on traveling is easier and unpretentious in English. Thus, it was a matter of convenience, really.

But it is kind of nice to prove that even though I was educated in sekolah kebangsaan without DLP or PPSMI, was not raised in a household that speaks English and only finished reading my first English book at 13 years old, I can still gain decent English proficiency.

That aside, after being a closeted travel writer/instagrammer (I travel and coffee photos using tags #kembara #alwayscaffeinated #kembarakopi), today marks a new milestone in my writing career when my first travel article is published in the New Straits Times. The first draft was easy to write, as it combined my loves for writing, traveling, coffee and Japan.

It was the editing part that forced me to be cold-hearted. After some feedback from the editor, I got down to business. Being a writer, I know producing a cear, compact and precise piece of work is the ultimate goal, even if I have to sacrifice personal feelings and "kill my darlings" in the process. The result is what you read today. I still kept the original draft, of course, because I am sentimental like that. Haha.

God willing, this will be the first of many to come. May Allah ease.

Happy reading!