Brunei's peace praised by expats

EXPATRIATES could be seen joining in the joyous National Day festivities at the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar 'Ali Saifuddien yesterday, most of which were teachers supervising their students.

One expat described the procession as a "one-year national spectacle".

An English teacher from Canada, Ismail Patel, told The Brunei Times that yesterday was his first time taking part in the National Day celebrations.

"From what I can see right now, the atmosphere is really festive and I didn't think there would be this many people," he said. "I've been living in Brunei for over a year, as my family and I moved here last January."

"Brunei is a perfect example of how Islam is a peaceful and tolerant religion. I am happy to be in Brunei, and I definitely plan on staying longer."

Also seen at the event was a New Zealander originally from Canada, who currently teaches English at Sekolah Menengah Berakas (SMB) and was supervising the students taking part in the parade.

"It's almost a year since I have been teaching in Brunei, and this is my first time to witness the National Day celebration, so it is pretty special for me," said Ed Keefe.

He shared that Brunei seemed like the right place for his two children to grow up in.

"I have a one-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl, and this past year, we have truly enjoyed what Brunei has to offer and I'm quite happy to catch the procession," the expat said.

Graham Pitchard, an English national who teaches at Menglait Secondary School, said that he was very impressed with his students' spirit for the National Day, after practicing very hard for the morning march the previous day.

"Having spent two and a half years in Brunei, I love living here, as it is a very peaceful country. My kids are having a good time living here, and they study at ISB. We're hoping to stay even longer."

Working for a tourist travelling company, Japanese-born Miko and Chiro were hoping to catch a glimpse of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.

"Reviving the spirit of a nation is what we see when looking at the parade, and this National Day celebration is really different from Japan; this will really expand our experience and knowledge for our careers," said Miko.

Both have only been working in Brunei for the past few months, and felt that it was a rare chance to see what people were wearing during the national day.

The Brunei Times