My Kiwi Family Hoskins

In 1986, when I was in Year 5 of Secondary School, I was shorlisted by my school to participate in the AFS or Intercultural Programme to spend one academic year at any participating countries and my countries of choice were UK and USA, of course since all the teen idols are from there (little did I know that I would be sent to the farms, the villages etc and definitely not LA or London!!).

For almost a year, the three of us (Elena, Sheela and I) went for the shortlisting procedures of interviews, group works etc. We met a lot of new friends from all over Malaysia and that was a great experience. A few weeks before the Fifth Form Malaysian School Certificate examination (the results of which determine your future, academically at least), I received a letter confirming that I was selected to go to Taranaki, New Zealand and shall live with a family on a farm. Through Geography (a subject which is my top favourite in school, always!), I learnt that Taranaki is the farming area in NZ. Elena was selected to go to Australia and if I remember correctly Sheela did not get any place. I started exchanging news and photos with my foster family. There were Mum (Hilarie), Dad (Rodney), three sisters (Jen, Sorrell & Teri) , brother (Nathan) and 2 dogs. I was really looking forward to go to school in NZ despite the fact that it was not in my list of options. This continues on until 1987 while waiting for my exam results. In the same year, my elder sister went to Canada to further her studies and that really adds to my anticipation!

But my results came out in April 1988 and I made the grades required to apply for the government scholarship to proceed with pursuing my lifelong ambition to read law, in UK. I filled in the forms and submitted my applications. I went through all the procedures of interviews and I was quite confident that I would secure a place for A levels. At the same time I registered for Form 6 (High School). Later I received the good news that I got the scholarship to do A level and later, if successful, to go to UK to any university within the recognised list to do law. I immediately decided to decline the NZ stay and I believed that if I succeed in my studies (and later career), I would be in NZ to be with my foster family some days!

I guess my foster family was a bit disappointed but they got themselves a replacement. Lucy was from Costa Rica. I continued writing to the Hoskins throughout my student life.

In 1995, during a short return to Malaysia, I met Jennifer who came to Malaysia to teach at one of the preparatory colleges in Perak. She stayed with my family for 1 night and we went to Bukit Cerakah, Shah Alam. Later, during my summer break after my LLM, the newlyweds (Jen and Terry) came to see me in Reading during their honeymoon working holidays. They slept on the spare bed in my room in the Hall and we went to Oxford to see the Hoskins' relative. (it was quite funny to see a foreigner showing two whites around Oxford!!).

We stopped writing to each other for quite some time, the last I heard from Mum Hilarie was a few days before they went off to Australia for a working holiday). But I guess the bond was always there. I wrote to them updating of the going-ons in my life after my boy Haakem was around 3 years of age and of course Mum Hilarie would always reply my letter and she was really excited and grateful that I would still remember them!!

In May 2004, Mum and Dad were on their way to Europe and they stopped over in KL and that was the very first time I met them. It was all hugs and kisses. My husband, Haakem and I showed them around. Craft Centre, Putrajaya, Islamic Heritage Museum, National Mosque, Orchid Garden, Birds and Butterflies Parks and dinner at Crowne Plaza (for I was too exhausted to cook for them, sorry Mum!!).

In July 2004, it was our turn to return the visit and we went to NZ for a ten day tour and the eighth day was spent in Urenui, Taranaki. My husband swears that that one day was the best holiday ever in his life!! And we have all declared that NZ is the best place to be on earth and we shall definitely return!! We had great times with Grandma, Sorrell and Sam too! Mum cooked the best pumpkin soup we've ever tasted. The rest of dinner was still remembered until today. Haakem tried his English with Grandma and they got along really well!

And yes, I still keep in touch with my family Hoskins until now. Long gaps at times but we manage to keep each other posted. And 20 years on, Jen and I both have 2 kids each!! And I have yet to meet Teri, Nathan and baby Jayden as well as the in laws (except for Terry of course) and isn't that a good reason for another visit?