Travels 173: Negara Brunei Darussalam!

Having been into academic researches while still pursuing my PhD back in 2008, I had been to places I can never even imagine visiting and my second foreign travel was to the Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam. Just two months after I had been to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a conference, I am now yet again, on the road towards the oil-rich sultanate.

My travel to Brunei has been one that transformed my myopic perspective of ASEAN. It opened my eyes to what the riches people in ASEAN do every day. I had been impressed. I met new friends whom I still get in touch until today.

I went to Brunei Darussalam to present my research on the Ethics of test construction among teachers in basic education which was widely received by many academics. I came to Brunei to attend the International Conference on Education (ICE2008) hosted by the Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

It was the only travel I made in my life that has made me made friendships with an Iraqi based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as well to a famous Bruneian pop singer Hill Zaini. Hill and I continually communicate until today whom I admired for his humble disposition and ebullient personality.

It was the only travel I made also in my life that had me taste, even for a souvenir photo how to dress up like an ordinary Bruneian and I looked like a Sultan.

Song 107: Hill Zaini’s Stay in the Middle featuring Samantha Mumba

I just loved listening to this song and Mariah Carey is just as pretty and cool in this video.

Enjoy listening to this video and music from Hill Zaini.

Song 106: Hill Zaini’s I Heard

One of the best things that has happened to me in 2008 was to be in Brunei to attend the 13th International Conference in Education and on top of that is meeting friends and sustaining them even until today. One of these friends I had is Hill Zaini, the famous singer Brunei has ever produced. I and Hill met at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam and one thing I remember of him is his humility, care-free spirit and friendliness. He is such a joy to talk to and a sincere friend. He generously, as with the rest of his classmates at UBD, have shown us around Bandar Seri Begawan.

Back in the Philippines, I have known Hill now as the singer who got the support of Mariah Carey and some bigshots from Hollywood. In spite of his soaring popularity in the music scene in the UK and in Brunei, Hill remains a brother and a second-to-none friend.

And to top it all, he is the only singer whom I knew personally who gotten Kristen Kreuk appeared on his MTV!

I valued him as a friend and continually gets in touch wherever we can.

Enjoy his music here on my blog.