Where are you?

This squirrel was calling its mate by using a very strange sound. I have recognized this sound for a long time but my mum always thought it was the sound of a bird.

Reflection.

There is so much of reflecting to be done. This is life. I've lived comfortably in a bubble for four years and now this is Real Life. Everything seemed so easy back then. You go for Bible studies, Christian camps, talks. It's so easy to listen and absorb everything that was said. But now, everything is so different. It's time to face the harsh reality. Sometimes I am just so sick and tired of people to the point of me becoming a Racist. It's hard working in this kind of environment. Every day I need to ask new mercies and strength from God.

***

It is possible.

Remembering.

Joanna, schoolmate since primary school. I still remember a few of our conversations together although we were not together in upper secondary. I really regret not continuing the close friendship we had earlier on in primary school.

Thilaga, another schoolmate since primary school. I can still remember her 2 long pony-tails which she had in standard 2. She's this very fair and pretty Indian girl whom I knew since Standard One. Both of us were in rumah merah and during sports day in 1993, we all performed with the coconut tempurung and that famous Kitaro piece as the background music. That was so fun. We always had our practices under the huge Saga seed tree (the one with the red seeds) beside the field...

Becca. She was the first one to get married. All four of us were in 5 Curie and on one very boring day, we were discussing who among us will get married first. If I'm not mistaken all of us agreed she will the first one. And well, true enough, it really happened.

The weekend that was

1. Played with rats

2. Played with the orang asli kids

3. Attended a wedding

4. Played on the beach

More pictures here

Changes.

I've come to this stage where everything is changing so fast. I have to embrace so many new experiences and at the same time I have to let go of so many other things. The latter seems to be the hardest. Sometimes it's not easy facing all of these alone.

My parents are getting old. Everyone is changing. Everyone is getting older. And then there will be sad surprises. Some people will be stricken with some kind of illness. They don't seem to get any better. And then they leave us.

Nothing will remain the same. Everything is changing. What am I to do?

With all of these happening, the only Person whom I can cling on to who is the same yesterday, today and forever, is God.

***

Panda left us on May 24th 2010 after coming into our home 14 years ago.

No more 'happy feet' to greet us.

:o(

Fleeting, this life.

The uncle from Taiwan visited us after many years and he wanted to visit the place Grandpa and Granny were buried. I've not been to this cemetery since Granny passed away which was 12 years ago.

Then we visited Amma's (my father's mother) grave. She passed away in 1982.

My Grandpa, the son of Barnabas Chang, founder of TJC...hehe.

My dad and I were walking and we came across a tombstone with the name 'Napoleon' on it. Daddy said he knew this 'Napoleon' fellow from school. 'How many Napoleons are there in this world?', he asked...hehe

And then we passed another tombstone with the name 'Possible' on it. Dad also knew this guy from school. Wife's name was 'Impossible'

Then we went to Sunway for dinner. Enoch as usual has to stick his tongue out. Look at Hamster!

Come shine on me.

***

So, I've been teaching at Mangosteen school for one week. Here are some of my observations, thoughts and also happenings that took place last week.

I have learnt to accept My School but there are still new(sad to say) surprises each day. There are so many things that can and need to be improved but I guess some people are just not bothered.

I feel that all TESL students (especially the good ones) in the universities should seriously consider teaching in government schools. It's sad to see many good ones opting to teach elsewhere or not to even become a English teacher. The bulk of students comes from these schools (rural and urban) and they are the ones who will end up serving the country (not students from International Schools and elsewhere).

We are short of good English teachers.

If only the academically challeged students realise that there is a world bigger than their own coconut shells. If only they realise that there is more to life than running around like hooligans. If only they realise that the are more important things in life.

I still thank God for my posting. Some things don't just come to me. I don't even need to ask. It just comes. A teacher from my school asked me whether I could give Biology tuition to her daugther and her friends. I was thinking, I could start now, if not when? So I said yes.

I am a class teacher of 1 Zamrud and I am so glad they are more well behaved then the other 6 form 1 classes which I'm teaching Sejarah. I reckon they are afraid of me after giving them a list of class rules to follow. Good! Good!

Three form one boys in the 2nd last class cannot read or write in Malay.

How in the world am I going to teach them History?

I think Indian boys and girls look very cute when they smile or laugh.

Oh, but they're real devils when they're naughty.

I went to the last Form 1 class to teach. This classroom is located in one god-forsaken corner, far, far away from all the other classes. Oh, I didn't teach because NONE of the students were in the class. I waited for almost 20 minutes and went back to the staff room. I have never seen such a terrible looking classroom in my 13 years in school. (I taught they were playing truant, but our dear school counselor had no courtesy to inform the teachers that she was having some program maju diri with them.)

There is always an opportunity to improve and I am going to make myself useful (and better) to the school...and to my family.

Mangosteen School

I'm posted to Mangosteen River School in BANTING.

And I'm going to work my way up, up, UP.

And I'm going to make sure I get my Masters.

And try to improve our country's donkey Education System.

Sigh.

Fleeting.

***

Today I walked around my Taman in the evening after so many years and it got me feeling nostalgic. No, I don't miss walking along familiar houses.

I miss walking around the varsity lake.

Budak.

Debs, Knocks, and some of my Orang Asli Sunday School kids.

It's been a long time.

I like evenings the best.

Dying.

Another fly.