hello. i am thiae.

you say it tee-yah; it means a gift

i live in a small kampung in johor, just across the causeway from singapore, with my very big family. these are some of our stories.

thiae with her whole family and friends outside the kampung house

the stories

the friday jam operation
the friday jam operation
ayah is stuck on the causeway and the kuih is going cold. i have a plan the size of a war.
the first durian
the first durian
the first durian of the year is nenek's. i could not wait for it to fall. that was the whole problem.
the balloon
the balloon
i have one red balloon. it is the only thing that is just mine, and it has to last one whole day.
the giant roti
the giant roti
ayah crosses back from singapore tired. i am going to make him a roti canai the size of a bicycle wheel.
the longkang voyage
the longkang voyage
the monsoon turns the longkang into a river. i am going to be the first to sail it.
the talent night
the talent night
i want to win the kampung talent night with the biggest finale anyone has ever seen.
the three-legged race
the three-legged race
there is one race you cannot win on your own. i have found the perfect second leg.
divya's deepavali
divya's deepavali
once a year divya's whole house fills up with light. this year i am going all the way in.
syafiq's grand tour
syafiq's grand tour
my cousin syafiq thinks singapore beats the kampung. i have a tour that will fix that.
the kite war
the kite war
fighting-kite season. i am going to cut every kite out of the sky and be the last one flying.
the makcik weather
the makcik weather
the makciks know everything before it happens. i am going to keep one secret from them.
the dare
the dare
nobody has ever walked the pipe across the flooded longkang. i am going first.
the shoes
the shoes
aiman's little sister needs new school shoes. nobody, least of all aiman, is going to know it was me.
the pasar malam
the pasar malam
there is a scarf mak wants and will not buy. i am going to earn it in one night.
the last one awake
the last one awake
i want to know what the house sounds like after everyone is asleep.
the stall
the stall
ah wei's family has a stall. i am going to give it a proper review, with stars.
the assistant
the assistant
all i want is one morning to myself. so i gave the baby a job.
the book
the book
the credit book knows everyone's business. i have wanted to read it my whole life.
the broadcast
the broadcast
atok believes the radio over every living person. i am going to beat it to the football score.
the open house
the open house
it is hari raya and the singapore relatives are here. i am going to make them feel like kampung.