I was surprise and honor to be invited to celebrate HariRaya with my rideshare friend and her family.

I was a bit nervouswith my limited Bahasa Melayu and concern about being invasive on aday usually spent in company of close people. Everyone was nice,shovelling manis (sweets) and local delicacies my way, "you must trythis." There were an abundance of food. My favorites included nasibiryani , with huge chucks of sauteed pineapples and curry, nasikerabu (blue rice cooked in coconut and served with ikan "fish" andcoconut stuffed local jalapeno looking pepper), dakup (desert ricewrapped in banana leaf), and ketumpat.As we made the round to each house, you were expected to sample morefood from a layout of a dishes and a dozen varieties of cookies. Onmore than one occassion throughout the indulgent day I felt my stomachwould burst.

I got back at the inn at midnight and then ushered to indoor futsalwith some new friends until the early hours in the morning. Thehighlight of the night was watching an underestimated little chubby kid kicks big boys butts: three winning goals.