Saturday, December 15, 2012

Taiwan - Sibu - Singapore - Hanoi - hometown, Kuching.

Hello Blog!

    It's 1:01am, Sunday the 16th of December 2012. Oh, it's his and his birthday. It's drizzling outside. Tossed around on the bed, most probably still awake due to the teh c peng earlier. Christmas parade ended with laughter over supper. Time flies, it has been a year since....(This is going to be an unorganized post/ free writing - one of Dr. Jaya's lecture that I love most - no restriction.)

Christmas Parade 2012 @ Jubilee Ground

    How have you guys been? Two months' holiday is coming to an end. I've a lot to type now, from day 1 of my holidays, 2 November 2012 (which started with sewing and guitar class - haven't touch the guitar and sewing machine for a month since -_-"') Thanks to Lian tailor for guidance, I've sewn a black pencil skirt and a lacey flower print skirt; a top is still in progress. Out of impulse and curiosity, I've burnt RM 500 (inclusive of the 4 lessons and an average guitar) Hope for a closer bond back in Kapit.

   Week 2, Yvonne came back! Woots! What did we do? Pedi and Mani, clothes hunting, supper...dinner with Dr Tiong. Is that allllll?? 14 more days to bond with you :)

   Week 3: Taiwan trip. My second visit to Taiwan and this country still attracts me. Tourists flocked that country. My reason I paid RM 2888 for this trip is solely to accompany my parents as I've been to more than half of the places scheduled. I love my parents, a lot, who don't? I really hope I'll be a good daughter and not let them worry.

Thank you so much, daddy & mummy......I really love you both, a lot. Where're we going next? =D

Hakka Village, Hua Lien.
  Fast forward to first week of December. I came back from a 10D9N Sg-Hanoi trip with my uni mate, Hui Yi, and her Aiesec mate, Yaan from Shanghai. (Took few hundred photos using camera and S3 but not convenient to upload them here as I'm using my bro's computer.) Hanoi is more beautiful than how I imagined. Halong Bay is as pretty as the Google Images. We took the Dolpin Cruise, USD$95 per pax for 2D1N. The family room, however, was not as impressive as the photos shown in the catalogue. Anyway, the greatest harvest from that tour was meeting new friends, especially Dr Anthony Pereira from Switzerland. He traveled alone as his wife was...... .......he shared many things: from motivating me to further my studies to reliving my dreams. I promised to keep in touch with him. Also, we met a group of European students from NUS. They are so young! and most of them are doing their Masters :)

Hui Yi & I. "A walk to Remember" playing in my mind then....

Jamie: You're acting like a crazy person, what's going on?


Landon: Right now, you're straddling the state line.

Jamie: OK...

Landon: You're in two places at once
Halong Bay: Dolpin Cruise
The 'romantic'-dinner on board.

  Day 4-6 was spent at Sa Pa. Man, I'd recommend anyone who is interested to visit Hanoi to spend 3D2N here. Get yourself the package of homestay with the H'mong tribe. The people here, they're friendly. The local tour guides (mostly ladies of 22-24 years of age) speak fluent English. They earn USD$4 per day for bringing a group round Cat Cat Village. I bought a book there, entitled The Girl in the Picture. The owner revealed that though the locals can speak fluent English, but they can't read or write in English, simply because they have the golden opportunities to converse with foreigners daily for years. I wonder, if I refrain using Malay to my Kapit kids, will they improve in their English? Hm...I do think of them dy. Wonder what have they done during the 2 months break.

Reflection.

One of my greatest joy this trip: to hug him! :)

   During this tour, I received the saddest news: my colleague's dad passed away. In his sleep.

  ................
  ........
  ...
  .

 It's just so sudden. I flew to Sibu two days before Hanoi trip, and she offered a place to stay. She's so excited about her upcoming one month holiday at Singapore with her brother. Argh, ... Dear Lord, thank you for being with her and keeping her strong through this phase of life. May uncle rests in peace and watches over them from above...

Life is Kapit is meaningful because of you all....

Day 7  Tam Coc and Hua Lu day tour: Boat and caves. Met a family of 3 from Kuala Lumpur, their son was 12 years old and currently in Year 9 (a.k.a. Form 2). It's heart warming to see the parents adore their only child. Perhaps the daddy can be more gentle and respectful towards mummy, especially when in front of the kid and in public. Every family has their stories.
She rowed our boat....haha. Hello Victor, you're gonna be one fine gentleman!


Day 9: Singapore. Talking about Singapore, I must thank the following friends for being so hospitable: Hui Yi, Colin, Darrell, Ivan, Kevin, WHao and Huey. You guys really are awesome! Especially touched when WHao came all the way from Johor to Singapore just to meet up for lunch and send me off to Changi. Thanks to Huey and bf for dinner too. Ivan bro and Kevin bro , both of your sincerity are heart felt.

Affirm, two is better than one.

Day 9, 10:15pm: Finally get to meet my mentor, Mr Yong. He's the one who reminded me blog again. Two words to describe him: absolutely charming :))

Thanks for dinner and your inspiring stories :)

Spent today (Saturday) with family. Yes, at the end of the adventure, home is still the best place to be. Taiwan is beautiful, so are Singapore and Vietnam; but I'll never consider to live there. The thing about hometown is just indescribable - peace, a sense of belonging, comfort zone....

More friends got/are/will get married. Singles like us are sincerely happy for them, but can't help thinking when will our turn be. After all, two is better than one. Combined salary, planning about future, vacation together, sharing life.....talking about salary, bonus is in! Thank you Malaysia.


One year into the life of teaching, I am grateful to say that I love my job, especially my kids. I do realize I've to put in more effort in my career next year.

Should I continue to be your form teacher next year, please be good or you'll see little horns XD

Conclusion: Thank You Lord, for a fruitful holiday!

Monday, October 22, 2012

A Step Forward

When was the last time your heart beat raced?

Why and where did it happen?

Did you feel your cheeks getting hotter?

And glanced in the mirror to find them pinkish?



Suddenly, you'll find yourself like a little girl,

scratching your hair though they are not itchy

your eyes twinkle and shine,

despite the heavy eye bags, they still dance gracefully


and your lips

they start to hum melodies

melodies that are sung from your light hearted soul

and the sweetest smile curled upon your lips


the drizzle outside your window

adds melody to your spirit

whatever burden you faced earlier on today

was no longer significant


you're not sure where would the destination be

but you're brave to take the first step

and once you started this journey

just enjoy the scenery and the path taken.


It might lead you out of the spooky jungle

and into a land of blossoming lavendars

yes, you may add colourful butterflies dancing around

and yes too, the birds chirping melodiously


Sweet dreams all (^_^)

Friday, October 19, 2012

A Teacher's Prayer

The Lesson Learn

A Teacher's Prayer
(From: The Heart of a Teacher by Grace Lim)

Dear God,
Thank you that I am a teacher
For in this profession I experience so much joy
May my life be like rain drops
Nurturing the many young lives passing by my hands

May my speech be like the moring dew
Encouraging the many young hearts to greater height
May my action be like an aok tree
Always upright, dependable and trustworthy
Thank You that I respond to Your calling

To teach is to impart knowledge to our students
To inspire is to motivate them to learn
To care is to correct their wrong doings
To love is to direct them the right way
so that they may not go astray.

To teach is to develop an direct
To allow our students to dream
It is to encourage and to listen
It is to give without expecting of any rewards

To teach is to let our students grow
To teach to reach their full potential
With kindness and firmness
To teach to reach a new horizon

To teach is to learn from others
To laugh with them when they succeed
To cry with them when they fail
It is to live, to be fulfilled, and to do God's will.

---------------------------------------------------Reflection--------------------------------------------------


Dear Lord,
I thank You from the bottom of my heart
for placing me here in Kapit
for keeping my passion for teaching burning still
for all the wonderful people who inspire/hurt/criticize/praise me

Thank you for the soothing Christian Songs playing by my bed now...
1:20am..

Will be taking the 7:30am boat down to Sibu tomorrow,
Going to pay a visit to Sibu Jaya's UPM Centre
For the past 14 months, I've been thinking of pursuing masters
yet, there are no actions taken.

Sadly, there are no English courses available here in Sarawak
I can't afford to fly to KL weekly
so, currently, the most suitable course would be Education Management

Can I cope with it?
Weekly traveling down to sibu, boat and taxi, Fri & Sat's hotel....

Will I persevere even though my colleagues will ffk me?
2 years, assignments....exams....every sat, 8am-11pm....

Why do I want it? It's not even English Studies, management will be very theoretical and boring...
1. I'm bored and felt guilty I've wasted a year not upgrading myself.
2. It's a big big world, though I love Kapit, I'll like to explore further, both geographically and education wise.
3. Because I failed at managing my class & some relationships, I think, education management might help, in a way?
4. My juniors are doing it, my seniors snapped their graduation photos. My fantasy wedding proposal location + attire....It didn't happen last year, perhaps, 2 years later?

1:34pm, typing out while half dreaming....good night, my refuge. Hello soon, my dreams =)

Seminar Reframing English Language Education

Attended my first seminar as a teacher today, 8am - 5pm @ Hotel Mahligai, Kapit. Siminar Reframing English Language Education: New Environments, New Needs, New Solutions Anjuran Bersama STU Kapit Division dan Pejabat Pelajaran Daerah Kapit (Hari Guru Sedunia 2012)

Teachers, have you signed up as a STU member? RM5 deduction from your pay slip per month. I hesitated to fill in the form for a couple of weeks, then gave in simply because : Teachers should learn to be less calculative.

The more members STU has, the bigger its voice will be heard. Enough said.

Back to the reflection of today's seminar, this seminar pale if comparison if you've attended bigger conferences like MELTA. Nevertheless, it did remind me of the modern methods of teaching and really give conventional teaching a halt. So since I've 2 weeks left before our 2 months holidays (YAYYYY!!) and since I've convered 98% of PBS (personally, I doubt the benefit of PBS, and fear it's an unwise move to replace PMR with it), I'll try incorporating songs and stories =)

Last May, I used Bruno Mar's "Just the Way You Are" and students remembered it till today.  Anyway, sister Kuchi Bantin, a teacher who taught English for 32 years, shared her experience attending MELTA: "Using Songs in an English Language Teaching Classroom".

Suggested songs:
1) A big big world
2) You've Got a Friend
3) Streets of London
4) Palestine will be Free
5) We Wish You a Merry Chirstmas

Brother Henry Nasat, another dedicated senior teacher, who frequently attends international English teaching conference gave a preview of 'How to Read Fast'.  He splurged RM 1K on the book at Ipoh's workshop last week (0.0) 

Interesting Phonetics Skills:
1) "sh sh" - 'how do your mom ask baby to urinate?' sh sh sh...sh sherry..sh..shoe..sh...(typing this out sounds lame, but he presented it successfully)

2) "v" sound - practice with teeth position.  we laughed at each other!

3) "r" sound - use the song "Trouble is a Friend" *wink*

4) "o" as in 'two' sound - use the song "Little Red Wagon"

5) Simple dialogue "Dick, have you any sweet? Yes, one for you, one for Amy, and one for your mother."  - use the song "Baa Baa Black Sheep"

6) Song "Wish you were here" - Ask students: "Why do you wish me to be here?" - start brainstorm for your ideas.

7) "Smiles" by Backstreet Boys.

He brought guitar and tambourine into his class. Ah, no wonder students are always so excited to see him approaching.  Wonder what my students are feeling when they see me coming...yawn? hm..

Next, brother Jisin Nyut, Deputy President of STU HQ, Kuching delivered his topic on 'Teaching Profession'.  He started off energetic, and since his sharing is funny and useful, I took out my phone and write down in my favorite apps 'MEMOIRES'  I guessed he thought I was not paying attention to him therefore he kept staring into my eyes and when I can answer his question, he knew I was not playing on the phone. Haha.

Few things I jotted down:

1. Love the students. 
    First thing when you enter your class, what is on your mind? Should be: Impart knowledge and skills for the kids!

2. If students are excited for your class, it means you are on the road to be a successful teacher. (my students are not excited, sometimes....oh dear..  )

3. Teaching - when you move to the left, students' eyes should be on you too...look pretty/handsome, look into their eyes. *dress beautifully* =)

4. Remember always, our TASK = IMPART KNOWLEDGE

5. Oral : we must speak correct English. Our actions.. walk straight, sit straight.

6. We must have impact on our students, they'll want to follow us and say good things about us. (Whenever my students tell me negative things about other teachers, I wonder how they view me..hm..)

7. Bear in mind, it's not a burden to enter class, but see it as "I want my children to learn."  (A constant reminder esp for my out-of-control Remove Class)

-----------------------------Time to dress up for STU dinner, happy weekend to all---------------------





Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Honesty

Today, she did something unprofessional. A girl rubbed off her exam answerS, marked using her own red ink and requested for extra marks. Anger started to pent up. The lady teacher asked the student if she admit changing the answers, the girl denied. The teacher could have just close an eye but no, instead, she crumpled the piece of OMR paper and threw it on the floor.

She regretted her actions instantly. What if the girl was telling the truth?

Other 'helpful' students quickly took the girl's red pen, tested on a piece of paper and proved her guilty. Her face turned as white as sheet. Yet, she stood firm and denied.

The teacher must have appeared very upset as the girls repeatedly urged her to smile for them.

As she was about to lit a smile for the students, a boy gossiped that when he accused her for being stupid to change answers and leave obvious traces, the girl replied proudly "Well, at least I dare to do it. You don't."

The teacher's heart sank.  She has not instill the moral value of honesty in her students. She has not handled problematic students professionally. 

Being a new teacher, she could either leave and forget the whole issue OR seek higher authority to deal. She chose the later.

After being tenderly warned by the assistant principal, the girl apologized. The teacher looked into her watery eyes, nodded and silently hoped that she had learned her mistake: be honest and respect your teachers.

As for the teacher, she still has a long way to go. This little upsetting incident just made her tougher.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Women work, cook and play.


Excerpts I find interesting:




Why Women Still Can’t Have It All

"If we are looking for high-profile female role models, we might begin with Michelle Obama. She started out with the same résumé as her husband, but has repeatedly made career decisions designed to let her do work she cared about and also be the kind of parent she wanted to be. She moved from a high-powered law firm first to Chicago city government and then to the University of Chicago shortly before her daughters were born, a move that let her work only 10 minutes away from home. She has spoken publicly and often about her initial concerns that her husband’s entry into politics would be bad for their family life, and about her determination to limit her participation in the presidential election campaign to have more time at home. Even as first lady, she has been adamant that she be able to balance her official duties with family time. We should see her as a full-time career woman, but one who is taking a very visible investment interval. We should celebrate her not only as a wife, mother, and champion of healthy eating, but also as a woman who has had the courage and judgment to invest in her daughters when they need her most. And we should expect a glittering career from her after she leaves the White House and her daughters leave for college."



Rediscovering the Pursuit of Happiness

One of the most complicated and surprising parts of my journey out of Washington was coming to grips with what I really wanted. I had opportunities to stay on, and I could have tried to work out an arrangement allowing me to spend more time at home. I might have been able to get my family to join me in Washington for a year; I might have been able to get classified technology installed at my house the way Jim Steinberg did; I might have been able to commute only four days a week instead of five. (While this last change would have still left me very little time at home, given the intensity of my job, it might have made the job doable for another year or two.) But I realized that I didn’t just need to go home. Deep down, I wanted to go home. I wanted to be able to spend time with my children in the last few years that they are likely to live at home, crucial years for their development into responsible, productive, happy, and caring adults. But also irreplaceable years for me to enjoy the simple pleasures of parenting—baseball games, piano recitals, waffle breakfasts, family trips, and goofy rituals. My older son is doing very well these days, but even when he gives us a hard time, as all teenagers do, being home to shape his choices and help him make good decisions is deeply satisfying.


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Today, however, women in power can and should change that environment, although change is not easy. When I became dean of the Woodrow Wilson School, in 2002, I decided that one of the advantages of being a woman in power was that I could help change the norms by deliberately talking about my children and my desire to have a balanced life. Thus, I would end faculty meetings at 6 p.m. by saying that I had to go home for dinner; I would also make clear to all student organizations that I would not come to dinner with them, because I needed to be home from six to eight, but that I would often be willing to come back after eight for a meeting. I also once told the Dean’s Advisory Committee that the associate dean would chair the next session so I could go to a parent-teacher conference.

After a few months of this, several female assistant professors showed up in my office quite agitated. “You have to stop talking about your kids,” one said. “You are not showing the gravitas that people expect from a dean, which is particularly damaging precisely because you are the first woman dean of the school.” I told them that I was doing it deliberately and continued my practice, but it is interesting that gravitas and parenthood don’t seem to go together.

Ten years later, whenever I am introduced at a lecture or other speaking engagement, I insist that the person introducing me mention that I have two sons. It seems odd to me to list degrees, awards, positions, and interests and not include the dimension of my life that is most important to me—and takes an enormous amount of my time. As Secretary Clinton once said in a television interview in Beijing when the interviewer asked her about Chelsea’s upcoming wedding: “That’s my real life.” But I notice that my male introducers are typically uncomfortable when I make the request. They frequently say things like “And she particularly wanted me to mention that she has two sons”—thereby drawing attention to the unusual nature of my request, when my entire purpose is to make family references routine and normal in professional life.

This does not mean that you should insist that your colleagues spend time cooing over pictures of your baby or listening to the prodigious accomplishments of your kindergartner. It does mean that if you are late coming in one week, because it is your turn to drive the kids to school, that you be honest about what you are doing. Indeed, Sheryl Sandberg recently acknowledged not only that she leaves work at 5:30 to have dinner with her family, but also that for many years she did not dare make this admission, even though she would of course make up the work time later in the evening. Her willingness to speak out now is a strong step in the right direction.

Seeking out a more balanced life is not a women’s issue; balance would be better for us all. Bronnie Ware, an Australian blogger who worked for years in palliative care and is the author of the 2011 book The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, writes that the regret she heard most often was “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” The second-most-common regret was “I wish I didn’t work so hard.” She writes: “This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship.”

Space for play and imagination is exactly what emerges when rigid work schedules and hierarchies loosen up. Skeptics should consider the “California effect.” California is the cradle of American innovation—in technology, entertainment, sports, food, and lifestyles. It is also a place where people take leisure as seriously as they take work; where companies like Google deliberately encourage play, with Ping-Pong tables, light sabers, and policies that require employees to spend one day a week working on whatever they wish. Charles Baudelaire wrote: “Genius is nothing more nor less than childhood recovered at will.” Google apparently has taken note.

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I have been blessed to work with and be mentored by some extraordinary women. Watching Hillary Clinton in action makes me incredibly proud—of her intelligence, expertise, professionalism, charisma, and command of any audience. I get a similar rush when I see a front-page picture of Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, and Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany, deep in conversation about some of the most important issues on the world stage; or of Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, standing up forcefully for the Syrian people in the Security Council.

These women are extraordinary role models. If I had a daughter, I would encourage her to look to them, and I want a world in which they are extraordinary but not unusual. Yet I also want a world in which, in Lisa Jackson’s words, “to be a strong woman, you don’t have to give up on the things that define you as a woman.” That means respecting, enabling, and indeed celebrating the full range of women’s choices. “Empowering yourself,” Jackson said in her speech at Princeton, “doesn’t have to mean rejecting motherhood, or eliminating the nurturing or feminine aspects of who you are.”

We’ll create a better society in the process, for all women. We may need to put a woman in the White House before we are able to change the conditions of the women working at Walmart. But when we do, we will stop talking about whether women can have it all. We will properly focus on how we can help all Americans have healthy, happy, productive lives, valuing the people they love as much as the success they seek.

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Anne-Marie Slaughter is a professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University, and the mother of two teenage boys. She served as the director of policy planning at the State Department from 2009 to 2011.



(Taken from: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/07/why-women-still-cant-have-it-all/309020/6/ )

Reflection:

One of the best essay I have read this year month. Conclusion, can women have it all? Yes, but not all at the same time. I couldn't help but admire those ladies mentioned above. I'm in my mid twenties too but I'm playing such a small role in making a difference to this world. Small, yet significant ;) Though they climbed the social ladder fast and made it to the peak managerial posts, eventually they'll have to choose between work and family: spending quality time bringing up the children or continue burying in work.

It's encouraging to know that educated men nowadays viewed women with utmost respect, some are even willing to bend down and learn from women. This essay highlights the importance of 'BALANCE', which reminded me of my service at Lodge School: flexible working hours - teachers can go home or come in late, just as long as they are punctual and committed for the lessons. This allows them to go home earlier to play their role as a housewife should their lessons end earlier that day. 

Work with passion + Cook with love + Hike while appreciating Mother Nature :) 

First attempt cooking Tofu Mushroom soup, 2.8stars only as it doesn't taste like restaurant's, perhaps because I didn't add minced meat..hm..
Secretly satisfied with this Mani Chai, 4stars! :) Recipe taken from Annie.blogspot, secret ingredient: oyster sauce to add that magical sweetness to this leafy green! :)

A beautiful hour well spent @ Bukit Goram, Kapit.











Wednesday, October 3, 2012

On the cross

Be Thankful In Life
(author unknown)

Heavy rains remind us of challenges in life.
Never ask for a lighter rain.
Just pray for a better umbrella
That is attitude.
When flood comes, fish eat ants.
And when flood recedes, ants eat fish.
Only time matters.

Just hold on, God gives opportunity to everyone!
Life is not about finding the right person,
but creating the right relationship.
It's not how we care in the beginning,
but how much we care till the very end.
Some people always throw stones in your path.
It depends on you, what you make with them.
A wall or a Bridge?

Remember you are the architect of your life.
Search for a beautiful heart,
but don't search for a beautiful face
because beautiful things are not always good,
but good things are always beautiful!

It's not important to hold all the good cards in life,
But it's important how well you play with the cards you hold.
Often, when we lost all hope,
Think this is the end, God smiles from above and says,
"relax dear, it's just a bend, not the end."
Have Faith and have a successful life,
One of the basic differences between God and human is,
God gives, gives and forgives.
But the human gets, gets and forgets.
Be thankful in life.

(Taken from "The Heart of a Teacher" by Grace Lim)

I'm a Sanguine.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

She's to be loved.

 女人不是用來理解的,也不是用來欺負和嫌棄、責備和冷落,她是用來疼的。無論她看上去多麼堅強、孤傲、或者獨立,女人這種動物,終究是用來疼的。-张小娴。

Favourite quote of the week, from writer Chong, "Women are not to be understood, nor are they to be bullied, disliked, blamed or neglected, they are to be loved.  No matter how independent, strong and prideful she looks, women this kind of animal, ultimately is to be loved."


Thursday, September 27, 2012

Homemade Snow Skin Mooncakes






Gotta share this successfully-soft 'Enid's Snow Skin Mooncake' Recipe~!

1) 300g mooncake flour
2) 440g icing sugar
3) 100g shortening
4) 360g cold water

- Mix all ingredients, except water
- Mix well. Then, add water.
- Mix again dough becomes soft.

Best serve chilled :)

----------------------------------------------Part 2------------------------------------------------

Pot luck for fellowship @ Hock Ing Methodist Church, Kapit. Purposely walked out to town to buy the ingredients after tuition, made 5 mooncakes and left it to chill before heading to work. So yes, this is made out of love. And when I spotted a sister returned to take the second piece, with delight in her eyes, I smiled.

----------------------------------------Part 3---------------------------------------------------------

"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

For him, I've made a mental note to learn at least a new dish once a week.

Maturity VS Naivety


Is it possible to have pure friendship between guys and girls?  That was one of the suggested debate’s topics during last month’s fellowship.  

Remember my previous post which ends with “can I have this happiness forever?”  I’m sorry if my naivety in asking obvious questions has caused discomfort among readers.  

Why do humans automatically create an invisible wall when they sense things might lead to the undesired ending? Google your answer!

3 paragraphs starting with 3 questions, how lame is that. 

Earlier on, before car-pooling to church, I met a colleague throwing rubbish; I was holding two bags of rubbish too. He greeted with “throwing rubbish ah?” 

I laughed away, and replied ‘yes’ after a 8 seconds pause. 

These ‘abuden’ situations really is amusing if one see from the positive light, and it’s obvious those are initiators to conversations and words of courtesy.

-------------------------------------------------Part 2------------------------------------------------

*blink*

9 months passed. Another 37 days, I'll be a one-year-old teacher in service. My kids, they are still as light-hearted as day 1. Exam stress? Only those creme de la creme, I heard.

Dealing with the 13 years old and Sunday School children has gradually affect the way I pose questions - child-like and lack thought-provoking questions.  

While sitting-in Form 2K earlier, I asked a girl who just entered the class, "Where are the rest?" in English, she stared at me and nervously answered "Saya ke tandas tadi, Cikgu." Patiently, I repeated and explained slower and finally she smiled.

2 days ago, I asked my best students, why do they come to school to study? I realized they were not joking when they answered a frown, 'mum will cane if I skip school', 'government will fine our parents', 'study la'. When I knock some sense like studying is to produce intellectuals and a civilized society, only then they nodded.  Still, some might not get what I meant now, but perhaps in the months/years to come, they will.  Just like how Chemistry and Physics only make sense to me long after I sat for SPM. 

-------------------------------------------Part 3-----------------------------------------------------

Lesson learned? It's high time to upgrade this sleepy mind of mine. Juniors have completed Masters. I think getting out of this town (fortnightly) in the pursuit of education will do good. 

P/s Amanda: momsy stuff ? =P
 




Sunday, September 23, 2012

Hello again, Mount Kota Kinabalu

Pack light, or hire a potter/guide (RM 8 per kg). 500ml water, ascend at 9:45am, reached Laban Rata at ...shoot, I forgot! erm, 4pm? Difficult? Looking back, not really, it's mere DETERMINATION.

Do reach the restaurants while the buffet is still on, or you'll have fried rice as packed lunch. Took a cab to Lintas for Sheng Rou Mian (top right). Direct translation: Raw Meat Noodle.

Thanks MT, for lending me your torchlight. The hike up from Gunding Lodging House was way more tough, due to the strong chilling wind. Setting foot at Low's peak (again) and the breathtaking scenery (plus meeting up friends) was worth Rm1.5K spent.
Day trip to Sabah State Museum and Heritage Village. Visiting museums completes a vacation :)

Take nothing, but photographs. Leave nothing, but footprints.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Tasting a blissful life

11th September 2012 marks a beautiful day :)

1. Minus my failure in classroom management, I can see the students more interested in doing group work on Mahjong paper. Though the weaker class came out with In-the-Box answers, but they tried :)

2. Few amazing people entered my life recently. They made me smile, from the bottom of my heart :) 

3. A close friend just purchased a house with her bf. Glad they worked things out :)

4. Another buddy touched down London few days ago. Finally, reunited with her bf.

5. Last but not least.....*secret*

Can I wish for this happiness to last forever?

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Recall @ Kem Jati Diri

Kem Jati Diri 2012 @ SMK Kapit ended with tears.

Last night, Cikgu Funny successfully created the mood for RECALL session.  He dimmed the light in the meeting room and played the sad background music. Students came in 25minutes later than they should. Reason being we teachers chipped in money to have a barbeque supper for them.

Anyway, Cikgu Funny* was really upset (or perhaps, he used Punctuality as a set induction). Students strode in making a lot of noise. We facilitators had been waiting in the room for their arrival for a long time. They are the VIPS. They chatted happily and CF just sat in front, head down for 15 minutes. Eventually, they quieten down. CF pushed his chair backwards, slammed hard on the table, shoved the papers away and shouted at them!

The drama began!

"Tahukah anda berapa lama cikgu tunggu kamu semua?!"

"Bilakah kamu semua akan SEDAR?!"

"Cikgu tanya Tuhan, kenapalah anak bangsa ini tidak menghargai masa mereka?"

"Cikgu rela tinggalkan mak dan bapak yang dah tua dan uzur di kampung untuk datang begini jauh semata-mata untuk anak bangsa Malaysia."

"Tapi, adakah kamu semua menghargai apa yang cikgu-cikgu sediakan untuk kamu?! TIDAK! Kamu langsung tidak mengerti hidup. Adakah kamu berdoa untuk ibu bapamu? Adakah kamu buat perkara yang boleh membanggakan mereka? Tidak! Kamu semua ponteng kelas, bertengkar dengan cikgu, merokok, berjudi....jika ibu atau bapamu tiba-tiba meninggal dunia, adakah kamu akan kesal yang kamu tidak pernah membuatkan perkara yang boleh membanggakan mereka?"

The girls started to sob. When CF showed his photo with his parents, more students cried.

FYI, the target group of this camp is for the problematic students (not the hard core, but those in the border line who can still be saved).  The purpose of the Recall session is to stir up their subconscious mind.

I shed a few tears too, when CF mentioned about parents. He said, he's willing to come so far, leaving his parents at the village, just for the sake of the future generation. Every time his parents send him off, they'll hug and cry. What if that's the last hug?

ARgh...that moment stirred my emotions too.

Have I made my parents proud? Thank God they've witnessed me receiving my degree scroll on stage. I know daddy and mummy are proud the three of us have promising careers. And I also realize, as the time passed, the days spent with my parents are getting shorter.

I do want to go home. I do want to be a filial daughter and spend time with them. Thank God my brother and sister are back in Kuching. ALL my Chinese colleagues applied for transfer. Part of me hope to leave this place and just be back in my comfort zone in Kuching.

However, growing up and having teaching as a career is no joking matter. Like what my mentor advised, do you choose to live for yourself or the children?

This is where conscience came in. Thank God for giving me the passion to teach. Something bad happened during this camp. Many of the teachers are disappointed. Some are immuned by the students' attitude. I am saddened to see their hopeless and disappointed look.

I find the students creative, playful yes, but they are not that hopeless. Recalling back their smiling though tired faces, I smiled. They acted, they danced, they sang, they cheered. They praised others, they helped each other, they support their team members. They learned and practiced saying Thank You to teachers and greet us with nods and smiles. Though some of them still walk like they're taiko, but when they are on stage or being praised, they shy faces once again, reminded me, they are kids. Even as adults, we make mistakes.

Perhaps not all of them gained from this camp, but I strongly believe the activities carried out DO impact some of their lives. As a 8months old teacher, I do hope my hope for them will not diminish. Without hope, I find no reason to continue serving here.

Did I enjoy the camp? You bet I did! \(^_^)/

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Kem Jati Diri Day 2

Second day of Kem Jati Diri.

The Night Walk last night was .... funny! Haha. Sorry, some girls cried out of fear as they were asked to walk in the dark around the school, guided by a nylon string along the route, ALONE, at 12:30midnight! They were given a candle each. Most candles blew out by the time they reached the second station. Some committee members jumped out of bushes to give them a fright of life!

Group performance, with the theme of 'Kasih Sayang Terhadap Guru' will start in another 20 minutes.

The highlight of this 3D2N camp will be the RECALL program at 11pm tonight. Our counselor will create a mood which will make the problematic (personally, I find them....just hyper active) students CRY...

Till then!

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Hot Coffee

She was sitting alone at the verandah. Rows of thunder can be heard from the distance. She could feel the cold air brushing against her skin.

Her family members are sitting quietly in the living room, watching TV.

The sky was pitch dark. And suddenly she saw something white. It was all very strange and eerie. She had never see anything that eerie before.

The rows of thunder became louder and louder. And the rain poured harder and harder.

Much to the surprise of her family member, the woman told the family members what was out there. They never see anything such frightening in their lives.  A little girl screamed out of fright.

The father urged everyone to enter the house.  The woman then told the neighbours to look up into the sky. 

The two men had experienced this before in the jungle. Flashes of lightning showed the silhouette of the thing.

Few minutes later, the men returned to the verandah where all the family members gathered. In deed, someone must be brave enough to fight it.

One of the  man said, there ought to be some hot coffee, to make the whole thing funny.

"Why not? Hot coffee will make the whole thing happy," said father.

A older man asked the young girl to wash her pale face.

Minutes later, more people came by to see what happened. It was something that the girl will remember for the rest of her life.


Monday, August 27, 2012

Time. Heart. Behavior.

If you are reading this,
we've passed stage 1.

If you realize I make an effort to keep in touch,
we're at stage 2.

If you decide I'm of no worth in your life,
I've failed at stage 3.
Will you stand by me
or walk pass without lending a hand...

--------------------------------3 more working days to Hari Kemerdekaan :) ------------------------


Sunday, August 26, 2012

What's your legacy?

Neil Armstrong, 1st man on the moon, dies at 82

 (Picture taken from http://news.yahoo.com/neil-armstrong-1st-man-moon-dies-82-200215442--finance.html)


 " He commanded the historic landing of the Apollo 11 spacecraft on the moon July 20, 1969, capping the most daring of the 20th century's scientific expeditions and becoming the first man to walk on the moon."

 

 "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

A quote to be remembered. A humble and dedicated aerospace engineer, Neil Armstrong will be remembered by generations to come. 

Recalled the 21days Cameron Camp back during Uni days, we were asked "what do you want to be remembered as after you return to Father?"

 3 years passed, still, I would like to be remembered as a teacher who has impacted the lives of my students. Though I do wish they will all miraculously passed their English exams with flying colours,  but I hope they would be a better man/woman, in terms of morality and attitude. I admire teachers who can motivate their kids by telling stories and giving examples, but when I am in front of the class, those ideas of motivating them were diminished when I failed to quiet them down. Hm... Talking about big dreams XD




School resumes today. Yesterday, I left Kuching with a heavy heart. Mom laughed and assured I'll be happy again once I reached Kapit. How true it is that mothers understand their child the most! On the way to market this morning, met a few familiar faces. My students smiled and I greeted them Good morning first. The Iban boys smiled back and wished Good morning too. Jarrod, practicing the Tip you gave to new teachers: greeting others first, with a smile. It works :)