CyntaSez

Second chance, second glance.

2014-01-28T13:39:00.001+08:00

People say when a relationship is at its seventh year, the couple would feel the "itch" and here is where the honeymoon phase officially end. Well, I don't know whether such "statement" apply to a blogger and her blog. Well, seven years ago, when I started this blog I was so excited about writing for an audience, couldn't care less about whether the audience only consisted of my close friends or the whole wide world. Then my interest and motivation to blog began to wane. After a year off, suddenly I felt the urge again...weird.

So, here's another try on blogging. So, first post of 2014 would be my short visit to Monfort Youth Training Centre here in Kinarut. There I met Beverley, and thanks to her short tour of the St.Paul's Chapel on the Hill, well...I finally stepped foot in the vicinity of the beautiful chapel. I was there for another reason too, which is to dropoff some old books of mine to their mini library project. So, if you happen to have some old English novels lying around on the shelf and gathering dust, spread the love of knowledge by donating some of your old books there.

I'm glad that these babies are going to a good home!

After dropping off the books, I went on a short tour of the chapel. I've been wanting to visit this place for a long time and finally...here at last.

Someone once told me that if you visited a new church or chapel (or if you visited the said church or chapel for the first time), you can pray for three wishes. My wishes are....faith, hope and charity...aiseh, sungguh tidak original :P

Nonetheless, here's to more willpower to write!

Good Morning, Vietnam!

2012-04-14T00:37:00.000+08:00

Woah!! This has been a very belated post. I'm so sorry for my absence these past few months. Been thinking of swtiching my blog to a very Twitter/Tumblog style but haven't got the time to do it. Okay, enough of my ramblings.

During the March school holidays, I got the opportunity to travel with my Mum to Saigon or currently known as Ho Chi Minh City. Actually, Vietnam is not one of my "must-visit" destinations but since my Mum wanted me to accompany her to this trip, well, I just jumped at the chance. Thank God that eventhough my budget is tight and currently living from paycheck to paycheck, I managed to save just enough to cover my expenses and Thank God Mum belanja me the tickets!!

So, enough words...let the pictures tell you my adventures in Vietnam..

Arrived safely at our hotel. If you ever wanted to visit Saigon, try looking for a hotel around District 1. It's so far the best place to stay because food and shops are within walking distance from your hotel.

Motorbikes and scooters are everywhere here...cars are a rarity in Saigon.

Me camwhoring at Ben Thanh Night Market. The stuffs here are over-priced but it's good to test your bargaining skills. I did, but I think I'm quite a softie when it comes to bargaining!

That's Pho, a Vietnamese cuisine.

Me and mum inside the bus.

Street peddlars are everywhere, selling cheap sunglasses and knick-knacks.

At Chu Ci tunnel, one of the historical places in Saigon.

Beware of the booby-traps!

Our guide showing us one of the tunnels that the people used to hide during the war. If I were the one getting in that miniscule tunnel, I don't think I'll be alive then.

The black&white checker scarf is the sign of the rebels during the war.

Now you know how to say "No SMoking" in Vietnamese.

Getting into the tunnel which according to our guide, it was made for the tourists to try out.

It was kinda freaky down there...I kept thinking of the soldiers who died in the same tunnel I was sitting in.

Ubi rebus and green tea!

Picture with Uncle Ho is a must!

Lacquer art is one of the souvenirs you can get when you're in Vietnam. I wanted to buy one TinTin lacquer poster but didn't have enough dollars to get it.

My fave part of the visit...War Remnants Museum!

The pictures above and below are the ones that strikes me the most. It nearly made me cry.

At night, we went on the Saigon Boat cruise for dinner and a tour along the Saigon River at night.

Third Day: A visit to Mekong Delta...I finally can see and feel it first hand. Yalah, dulu baca di textbook saja kan.

Ginger tea...

Relax dulu..

In front of an Uncle's house. He looks quite unwelcoming :-/

Folk singers entertaining us at the Mekong Delta. We have to use the boats to visit one island after another. The islands surrounding the delta has different purposes, here its specialty is the traditional boat ride.

These are the boats that I was talking about. Luckily we don't have to pedal it on our own.

The Mekong Delta. The water's a bit murky because of the fertilizers according to our tour guide.

Rice papers. One of the traditional cuisines in Vietnam.

And of course, the kelapa madu!

After the visit at Mekong, we went to a nearby temple.

My selipar putus di tengah jalan, so luckily the Ben Thanh Night Market is just a walking distance away and I bought myself a new pair of sandals!

4th Day - Me at the pitstop that sells a delicious bowl of Pho.

Coffee filters for the aromatic Vietnamese coffee!

Christ the Redeemer statue. It really looks like the one in Brazil.

Why stairs? We have to climb up the 800 stairs to get to the peak of the hill where the statue is. If I do this every day, for sure sia akan slim.

I like this picture above. Why? Just when I was about to give up, my Mum took a grumbling photo of me. Sekali di belakang ja tu statue, just another 50 stairs up. So, jangan kamu give up. Manatau mau sampai suda :-)

Angels are everywhere!

I just have to photograph this cute puppy!!

The Christ the Redeemer statue is situated at Vun Thau Province. It is a place about 3 hours from Ho Chi Minh, and as you can see, it is a coastal place.

Me at the Summer Palace. It was used by the royalty( I think) and the President during the summer. The breeze is so cooling and it's no wonder that they choose this place as a summer retreat.

At the Whale Temple. Whales bring good luck.

Vietnamese cuties eager to pose for my camera!

Vietnamese bread. You must try this wonderful bread. If you ever watched Ratatouille and do you remember when Igor was tasting the ratatouille? That was exactly how I felt when I sunk my teeth into this delectable cuisine. It's a multitude of different flavours - the serunding ayam, the slices of bacon, vegetables and a secret sauce - works its magic in oh-so-awesome-it's-so-undescribable way!

Nah, kamu tingulah tu inti2 dia.

After bread, mesti makan ice-cream. Yes, I was a glutton there. Sue me.

Time to go back. Final day...the 5th day in Saigon.

Truth be told, I have followed so many tours but none can be compared with this one. We began as strangers and somehow, after 5 days of travelling together, we ended up as close friends. There were emotional goodbyes, something that is quite out of the ordinary when it comes to tour groups. Perhaps, it was one of the magical mysteries in Saigon or perhaps it's just happened that we all clicked.

All in all, this is the best trip ever. We had the best hotel, the best guide, best bus driver, and I think the Vietnamese people are so warm and friendly. The food is so good and damn, the coffee was better! The stuffs are a bit pricey though because they use US Dollars and dongs. Or maybe it was just me. Hehehe...

I said a prayer at the Notre Dame church (too bad the pictures did not turn out nicely) and at the Christ statue and I told God that if my prayer is answered, I would return to Ho Chi Minh and visit again.

Who knows kan? I have a positive feeling that I might be back :-)

Of Memories and Photographs

2012-01-25T22:39:00.000+08:00

In case you were wondering why I posted here, well...I just miss my old faithful blog.

Plus, my current domain has a limited capacity of uploading precious photos so there's a major chance I might be reverting back here. Or maybe I just create a new photoblog here..or something.

Last year, my best friend requested me to shoot her pre-wedding pictures for her "Thank You" card. I felt so humbled and at the same time, excited because it's been quite some time since I last clicked with my DSLR (pardon the pun). We set the date and alas, on the 26th Dec 2011 the mini photoshoot began.

I was quite nervous because firstly, I only have a 70-300mm lens, 18-55mm lens and an entry-level camera so I was afraid that the pictures would not come out as expected for a pre-wedding shoot. Secondly, it was also the first time I met my best friend's (Belinda) husband (then fiance). I only heard of him in our text messages and in our PMs, so I couldn't imagine whether he'll be a very sporting one or the malu-malu one or the "be-quick-I'm-done-posing" one (because well, I had experienced guys who are extremely camera shy and they are quite a handful to handle).

When I finally met him, he was surprisingly the cool, sporting one. When he and Belinda posed for their pictures, they were very natural and easy to direct. That time, sia pun trip-trip macam Nigel Barker la kunun...hahaha...Plus, sporting betul dorang dua ni! I had so much fun!

Ok, enough written words, let the pictures do the talking....

Here's the photo that Belinda chose for their Thank You card...

This month, they tied the knot on the 21 January 2012 at Stella Maris Church, Tanjung Aru. I didn't get the chance to snap a photo with them or take pictures during the ceremony because of my eye surgery. Sakit tu mata mau wink balik-balik hehehe...

Congratulations dear friend! And thanks for entrusting to me the pleasurable task of capturing your moments before your wedding day!

Ehem...Announcement....

2011-08-26T20:04:00.001+08:00

Dear friends,

My blog is now located at

http://www.cyntasez.com

So, please change my former www.cyntasez.blogspot.com to the link I gave above. Then, jan lupa bookmark and kasi sia link kamu juga ah ;-)

Last but not least...

Happy holidays! Selamat Hari Raya!!

Cynta is on a break.

2011-08-13T12:07:00.000+08:00

Bah, I want to take a break from blogging for maybe...one or two weeks, depending on my workload. Plus, CyntaSez is going to be under construction. Been thinking of revamping a bit, but depends lah..I kinda like the petals fallling and the current background.

Bah, till we meet again! Take care all!!

MuahMuahMuah

Special Education

2011-08-09T21:55:00.000+08:00

Being a class teacher has many ups and downs. Last year, I had a student named Brian (siou, I have to use a pseudonym) who is special. When I first met him, he seemed normal. But, after I asked him to read a short, simple sentence in their literature book, he can't. He appears to be in his own world most of the time, sometimes he talks and laughs to himself. He has his own repetitive routines, he was able to write his own name, but he was unable to catch up with the curriculum. He's not bonkers, or stupid, he has autism.

I had quite a challenge with him. Once, he ran off to hide under a staircase because a student made fun of him. I didn't realise he was hiding until a student pointed out that he was actually under the staircase, instead of being absent. I went to get him, to coax him gently to enter the class. He ran off and went straight home. But, there are times when he saw me and he would immediately enter the class without any resistance. There are many other events that transpired between Brian, his classmates and me (and other teachers). I recalled one day, he was in a very good mood and he patted everyone at the back. Once, during assembly, he hid in the classroom and as the others sang the national anthem, he was caught dancing and prancing in his own imaginary world. Regardless of that, he was never a nuisance.

I met with the parents last year to discuss about Brian's learning condition. To me and my school bosses, it's better for Brian to be schooled in a special school not because we can't handle him, but it's for his own good. Brian needs an environment where he can learn freely without being subjected to a curriculum that is rigid for a boy with his condition. The students can be mean to him and might trigger an anxiety attack which would lead him to destroy property. He might even injure himself or others if he was continuously provoke. He needs special teachers to cater his needs as an autistic child, and after he has been rehabilitated, he can enter mainstream schools like a normal student. It sounds cruel, but seeing Brian struggling with his learning and environment, I do think that it is best if he entered a special school. But, for reasons I don't know what, Brian is still in our school and I often hear other teachers expressing concern over his education.

This year, I didn't teach his class and the responsibility of being his class teacher went to another colleague of mine. But, yesterday, his father called me and asked for my help to write a report on his behaviour. I thought it was for medical reasons, as I knew that Brian and his father have been visiting the hospital. But it wasn't. It was because his father wanted to use that report as a valid reason for a transfer.

His father's words still rang in my ears. He told me of his predicament, of how he wanted to bring his family to come with him to his new working place. He went to a school there to ask whether he could register Brian there. This was what the "teacher" told him:

"Kasi biar seja bah anak kau sana. Tu cikgu-cikgu dia tau sudah bah keadaan dia. Bagus lagi dia di sana."

I felt angry hearing those insensitive comments. It sounds like they don't want to be associated with him. To me, as teachers, it is our duty to accept and educate a child, regardless of his or her circumstances. I was moved with pity and together with Brian's new class teacher, we wrote a report about his behaviour.

As we wrote our report, we felt guilty. As each word were typed, we felt as if we were judging him, condemning him for being an autistic. But at the end of the day, this task has to be done - for Brian to continue his education in our school and for his father to be transferred back near his family.

I wonder if Brian would ever be treated for his autism. I want him to be able to learn like the other students. I want him to lead a normal life despite having autism. I guess, for Brian, me and his class teacher, the challenge is still on. This will never stop until the people surrounding Brian be given an education on autism and autistic children.

God, help us.

Gaming Sunday

2011-08-07T10:39:00.000+08:00

Now that work is out of the way (well, kinda), it's time for me to unwind. I've been thinking about how I spend my Sundays at home, I was never a girl-about-town anyway. Usually I would read (as most of you are aware, I am quite a bookworm ;-) ), but sometimes, I spend a lot of time in front of my laptop, playing games. I'm not a big fan of PlayStation and/or X-box (although I adore PSPs), I'm more of an Atari girl hehehe...

So, today I want to share with you the PC games that I'd always waste my time with...

#1. The Sims -1,2,3

I would say that the creator of this game is a genius! I can lose myself in this virtual dollhouse for hours. I can create an alter-ego who is 10kg lighter and I can match her with another Sims whose name happens to be Lee Dong-Wook. I can be a millionaire, and basically this game is a good form of escapism. There was one time, after playing Sims for more than 5 hours straight, I went to lectures seeing green diamonds on everyone's head.

#2. Civilization

I love to play this game because my brothers loved it. Heck, I don't even understand why suddenly I was on war with Cleopatra, etc. There's something about this game that gives me a mysterious sense of fulfillment after beating other civilizations on building a World Wonder or expanding my civilisation's cultural zones.

#3. Diablo

This is the game that was responsible for making me a silent gamer. Why silent? When I told others that I played this game and eventually "game-d" it, they would say in disbelief, "Macam susah sia mau pecaya ko ni kaki game..." All I can say was, "Bah, looks can be deceiving, kan?hehe."

I basically loved this game because of the intense mouse-clicking action. Plus, the game provides missions for you to accomplish like "See Deckard Caine to identify this item" and despite being a straightforward mission, the game won't let you off that easily. You have to fight minions, demons, etc and the best thing is, you get to fight them in skin tight costumes with awesome powers or extremely accurate bow shots.

I've played Diablo 1 and 2. Can't wait for the third one!!

#4. NeverWinter Nights

This one is also syok because of its cool graphics and storyline. Although not at par with Diablo, this game deserves to be in my laptop because of the plot and mission. Plus, I can customise the characters into my own liking, from the voice, to the body size, etc (something I wished Diablo would have). NWN 1 is so good but sadly, there are a lot of bugs (the things that made a game "hang" or slow) bugging in NWN 2 (and there goes my RM18 on those cannot be used DVDs). If I got extra money, I might get the original game though ;-).

#5. Diner Dash, Mystery Case Files, Zuma and many others.

Well, siapa tidak minat si Flo and her diner-dashing skills? Hehehe...

Flo is the girl who helped me get through midterms and finals during the looonggggg period of study week at uni. Gosh, I mish Flo...maybe I play Diner Dash after this...

Another fave game is the Mystery Case Files. I love it because I love hidden objects and the puzzles at almost every stage. I think I've played from MCF 1 to MCF: Thirteen Skulls. Best! I remembered having a calculator, a notepad and a pencil everytime I played the MCF installments. I really enjoyed the puzzles because its...well, puzzling. Hehe. Plus, the graphics are soooooooo good!!

Zuma is also one of our craze during uni. There's something addictive about the marbles being shot and seeing a frog firing a coloured marble or hitting a gold coin.

I've played Revenge of Zuma but still, the old Zuma is still kind of homey. I prefer the old one to the latest one.

So, there you have it. These are the games that makes up most of my Sunday morning (in case you are wondering, I go to Sunset Mass...manatau ada orang tanya napa sia nda pigi church...heheh). So, if you have any games that you want me to review or try playing, just comment kio?

Have a blast! It's Sunday, after all.

Sappy Saturday

2011-08-06T10:22:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, before calling it a day at school, one of my students dropped by my table and sheepishly handing to me an A4 sized exercise book.

Before going home, she told me, "Teacher baca ah...*giggles*". So, I thanked her and brought it home with me.

When I opened the book and began reading it, it was not a writing homework nor was it a grammar related exercise. It was actually a work-in-progress, a novel entitled Rapunzel is My Girl. So, I started digesting the book, while waiting for the S(illy)APS programme to reemerged on my screen (only to find that after 10 minutes of successful marks crunching, it went AWOL again).

The story was about a girl named Rapunzel who had a terminal illness ( I think it's terminal because the character kept fainting at every 2 chapters) who experienced a near death, but eventually was transformed into another girl named Yun. Rapunzel (and Yun) has a childhood guy friend named Keri who had always loved her but didn't know that he actually has feelings for her ever since they were little. So, as Rapunzel and her alter-ego, Yun tried to win Keri's affection (and for Keri to actually realised that he loved Rapunzel), they embarked on a series of (mis)adventures which finally led to Rapunzel's victory over her illness and Yun (Well, Yun was not actually that evil but she's one sneaky girl). All in all, her work-in-progress is a Dr.Jeckyl meets Jem and of course, there was a mixture of fairy tale happy endings.

I am definitely proud of her. She still needs a few lessons in writing a story but it was a good try nevertheless. I think if motivated and encouraged more, this 15 years old girl will perhaps be our answer to J.K.Rowling. Ohya, did I mention that I was the only teacher allowed to read her work?

(minta puji oh kan si Cynta :P)

Thanks to her, my hours of cursing at the latest insanity called SAPS has dwindled away. It also worked like a miracle charm as I finished reading, the programme went back to normal.

Well, that's all for this week. Have a nice weekend!

The Ends.

2011-07-29T21:54:00.001+08:00

Phew...finally, I can blog in peace. These past few weeks have been hectic and infected the seasonal syndrome of MLSB within me. In retro of the past fortnight, it has been a fortnight's of ending. First, is the end of the Harry Potter movie, for which I went against all odds to get into the cinema just to watch it. Man, I wasn't disappointed! I loved every bit of it (and I also loved the Captain America teaser in 3D...my hands itches to get on those strong shoulders! *drools*). It feels...bittersweet (the ending of Harry Potter, actually).

Then, there was Amy Winehouse's sudden passing.

Then, at work, I was given another English Form 3 class and that marks the end of my 24 period classes. My P.E. class was given to another teacher. I feel slightly sad because I've bonded with the students and I've just bought new volleyball and basketball for them to play with. Not to mention the jogging around the school field company. I'm going to miss that.

Oh, one more. I've chopped my long hair to a bob. At school, on the first day of short hair, my students came up with a nickname for me, Miss Melody because my hair looked like the heroine in Cinta Melodi. At first, it was very flattering. Then, it got a tad annoying. But now, I got so used to it but I won't turn my head to my students whenever they greeted me with "Good morning, Teacher Melody!!" until they call out my real name. Haha.

As cliched as it sounds, sometimes some good things must come to an end to make way for the new.

I wonder what's new for me?

Whatever it is, I hope it's all good. :-)

Amy...

2011-07-24T21:35:00.000+08:00

I was so shocked to hear about Amy Winehouse's passing. She's one of my favourite artists and to me,despite her struggles with drugs and booze, she is an extremely talented musician. But like all greats that has gone before her, she is forever immortalised in her songs.

Gone to soon, R.I.P Amy Winehouse.

Let's get physical!!

2011-07-10T10:33:00.000+08:00

This week has been a week of physical health enlightenment for me. After living a half-sedentary life, my colleagues invited me to join a gym with them. Although I was a bit hesitant, my excitement over the prospect of having a healthy, toned body overruled my hesitance.

Day one of my workout starts with a total body workout. I thought it was going to be like a normal aerobics i.e. jump here, shake here, bla...blaa... Well, I was in for a surprise. Punya main tough workout dia!! I felt like I was the weakest link in the group because everyone seemed to finish all the reps but me, I stopped halfway. Panting my life out and I started to regret. I felt nauseous, my arms and legs are wobbling like jelly and seriously, I can't feel my arms. The trainer was so kind to advise me to do it slowly next time. Me and my friends sampai confused because of the sudden adrenaline rush XD But, a crazy thing happened...
I WANT TO DO THE ROUTINE AGAIN!!

If you are a gym-noob who have no idea about what is a total body workout, click here.

Day two, I went to work with sore arms, sore thighs, sore throat, sore head (hehehe...headache), in short, semualah sore. Mau berjalan pun terpaksa control sikit, mau sneeze pun mau tahan-tahan sakit. But since we are so enthusiastic to try the next routine, we valiantly went to the gym again. For the second day, we tried belly dancing. This is by-far the funnest exercise - EVER!! I loved it so much even though I was clueless, clumsy, has two left foot...I look forward to this one ;-)

Day three is a rest day. Thank God!!! Kepala sia pun sakit2 sudah. I got my mum worried about my blood pressure, sekali check tension headache ja...nasib....

Day four and five, sia exercise sendiri di rumah...hehehe

Day six...sia pegi jogging di kompleks...

So, how much I've lost? After six days of workout, I lost a centimetre of my waist. I know it's small but a little achievement goes a long way, right. My goal by the end of four weeks, I'd be able to fit into my jeans...and lose a dress size ;-)

Gambatte!!!

Weekend Song

2011-07-02T16:29:00.000+08:00

I'm feeling much better already. My recent illness has attracted so many well-wishers from friends and also from curious people who were apparently "shocked" with my sudden disappearance from work. I wonder, should I be touched or should be dismayed by these curious wishers?biarlah..hehehe...

Have you ever heard of Najwa Mahiaddin? I only knew about this talented singer recently. From now onwards, she is going to be on my replay list together with Double Take, Train and Owl City (and many others, it's too many to mention!)

Nah, cuba kamu dengar ;-)

I guess that's all...Have a Great Weekend!!

Calling In Sick.

2011-06-29T11:26:00.000+08:00

I tried to mobile-blog at the hospital just now but my little Sony Ericcson seem to not respond well to "sterile" environment. I was there for obvious reason - wished I could say that I caught the flu so that all of you could imagine me sniffling cutely. Alas, being a food junkie has given me the most unsexiest illness of all which involves frequent visits to the loo. Go figure.

But, thank God the doc pitied my predicament and gave me a sick leave chit (yeay!!). Although it was only for one day, I'm glad to get one day off. I really need the rest because I've been in and out of the bathroom for more than seven times since last night. Not a pretty sight (adakah orang ber*k yang ayu-ayu ah? :P). Not to mention the vomiting episode. I take the fever anytime!!

Ok...I'm going to make myself a cup of chamomile tea, grab a Terry Pratchett novel and lie in bed after this (and before I feel the urge to throw up and "throw out" again)

uhuhuhuhuhuhu....

Lawak Hari Lima

2011-06-24T23:12:00.000+08:00

In my class at 1030a.m...

Student : Teacher, moskiukiu tu... masjid bah kan?

Me : Moskiukiu?? Ohhh...you meant mosque? M.O.S.Q.U.E is mosque, which is, yes...it's English for masjid.

Student (to a friend) : (triumphantly) Nah, kan sa bilang!!!! Ngam bah moskiu tu tu masjid!!!

Me : Bukan moskiu...MOSQUE!! And did I hear you said "tu" twice or is it just me?

*the rest of the class giggled*

Student B : Miss, dia bilang tu nyamuk bah tu...moskiutu...hahahaha....

Me : Ohhhh...I thought I yang salah dengar!! And by the way, a nyamuk in English is a MOSQUITO! Not moskiutu!! You go for solat Jumaat at a MOSQUE, not a MOSQUITO. Imagine praying to a mosquito...

*at this rate, the class burst into incessant laughter*

-_-''

I will never look at mosquitoes the same way again.

source.

Report Card.

2011-06-22T22:05:00.000+08:00

It has been quite a hectic day. Not like running-around-like-a-chicken type of hectic, just...well...social related hecticness. If you're wondering what am I rambling about, it's Report Cards Day at my school today!

It's actually not that bad, I've survived gloriously this event for the past three years. It's just that it got me thinking.

Everytime I opened up the papers, there will be cries for education reform. Or on a scandalous day, it would be politicians crying out for a change in the education system. Whatever and however we see it, it was always about the same thing.

Some would blame the highly exam-oriented system (I am pro-student autonomy), quite a lot of somebodies remonstrating about the teachers' role (in which, I do agree that there are black sheeps out there who thinks teaching is the easiest way out of unemployment, but I hate it when it seems that the issue does not exclude those who are really dedicated teachers. Plus, can somebody really do something about reducing our non-teaching tasks?), and some would say that parents should also contribute in the teaching and learning of the children (in which I support the notion a 100% but a big NO to hovering parents).

As a teacher, I do agree that our education system is in a dire need of a reform. But there is more to this issue than just a change of system. Education reform is not like changing our profile picture or Facebook statuses.

I do agree that exams are a tool to access student's level of mastery but it shouldn't be the center stage of the student's overall achievement. Although the curriculum was well written and thought of, it was not well implemented as students regurgitate fact after fact after fact. I'm glad I teach English because it doesn't require so much facts, just a dose of reality and imagination. I can turn my classroom into a theatre, a mock office, a concert, whatever the students and I can imagine, let it be done according to our will!

Oh, wait. I wished I could but I have like more than 10 types of composition for these kids to master before the PMR examination. But anyway, since any Tom, Dick and Harry can sit and flunk the exam and go on to the next form, I could just teach them as I like. Oh, but wait...our school must achieve this ridiculously unrealistic percentage so we all could be "in lieu with the ministry's requirements". If only my marker pens are magic wands and I only have to wave it on my students' brains. Maybe I could but I have minutes to write, reports to type, form X to be submitted to PPD or more than 10 files to update. Let's not forget the analyses to be crunched into sizeable chunks.

As I sit there comforting the parents who think their children are stupid because of the 7Es he or she received in the report card, I had my doubts about the effectiveness of the system. Although I told the parents that their child has this extraordinary talent in arts, poetry, etc or are very well-behaved or have been diligently working, they are convinced that because of the Es, their children will be outcasts of the working class.

As the day progressed, I hear laments after laments. Some really touch the core of my heart because I know that these parents who are mostly farmers have high hopes for their children. But one parent lifted my spirit as he said:

Terima kasih cikgu. Sebab akun mengajar anak saya. Saya amat-amat berterima kasih. Kalau tiada cikgu, tiadalah sekolah untuk anak saya.

There is still hope after all.

Oh my father, father...

2011-06-18T20:50:00.000+08:00

This Sunday is Father's Day and what a wondrous occasion to talk about my dad.

Yup. That's my dad. The one on the right. The lil'boy is my youngest brother, John. This picture was taken thirteen years ago during our trip to Melaka. I was the one behind the lens ;-)

I won't say much because even though he is imperfect like all dads are, he is awesome.

Happy Father's Day, Pa!

I would also bring into this post the patriachs of my family i.e. the late Mr Philip Juin and the late Mr Tulas Tangkuhong. Although no longer with us, I miss my two grandpas. Both are equally awesome. My grandpas are walking pieces of history when they were still alive.

For instance, my dad's dad (Philip) was a musician. Well, he didn't play music as a career though. He played the saxophone and the piano. When we balik kampung, he would greet us with the biggest smile and he would swoop me and my eldest brother and seat us on his lap. Then he would tickle both of us and then play with us. At lunch or dinner, he would give all his grandchildren a very generous serving of rice and would reprimand us if we didn't finish it. One of my memories with him was at every Chinese New Year, all of us his grandchildren would line up and kiss him on both cheeks before we receive our angpows. He would reciprocate by kissing us on the forehead and hugged us tightly. He died when I was just 7 years old.

My mum's dad (Tulas) was a CID with the police department. He was a visionary because when almost everyone in Melalap would stop sending their children to school when they reached puberty, he kept on sending my mum and her siblings to school. His actions may have caused his family to be scattered all over the place but he always believed in the importance of education. I remember, when we were young, if he visits or we visit him, he would always give us snacks from his tuckshop. He likes to keep journals as well. He even brought us out for a ride on his old motorbike. If we stayed at kampung, he would tell us stories about his experience during the war, ghosts, and many others. He would also rotan us whenever we crossed the lines and we would run around the house, trying to escape...hehehe....He died of old age in 2004.

In retro, I am what I am because of these three legendary men.

Happy Father's (and Grandfathers') Day, you three.

Rambling in Autopilot.

2011-06-13T20:27:00.001+08:00

I lived like a zombie today due to lack of sleep. I think my body still need some adjustment to the A.M wake-up call. As I am writing this post, my autopilot mode has receded thanks to an hour's afternoon nap. I guess I just can't live with only 4 hours of sleep. Luckily, I didn't cause any harm to myself or anyone with my driving this morning. Seriously, it's like an empty shell driving the roads of Sook with rote memory as a guide.

I was thinking what might be the reason of my insomniac episode. I was already in bed by 9.30p.m, knowing well that it would take me at least 20-30minutes to fall asleep. But my mind refused to rest. I guess I'm excited to get back to work the next day.

Although I have all that excitement to go to work today, it doesn't help at all in my productivity. Imagine having a zombie teacher teaching you? Fun, eh?

Nonetheless, before I retire to bed to catch up lost sleep, I leave you all with words of wisdom from one of my favourite author, Paulo Coelho :

"Have an excellent week. Live now what others dream to live in the future."

Wedding Story

2011-06-07T14:13:00.000+08:00

I've mentioned in my previous post that I will attend weddings (make that A LOT of weddings) during the holidays. Despite the heat and the rain, I managed to attend almost all except my cousin's and another colleague's because of date clashes.

I'll only blog about one tho' because I played a co-starring role. A role that I think many would be happy not to play i.e. the wedding emcee!!

Loviana asked me to emcee her wedding several months ago and I was so humbled that she entrusted me with the responsibility. It has been so long since I last hold the mic (and reporting during assembly does not count) and I felt a mixture of excitement and anxiety over the prospect. Just one thing tho', I have NEVER, EVER emceed a wedding. Not even the kampong2 ones!!!

So, I did a little Google research on how to emcee weddings. I studied Youtube videos on professional and amateur wedding emcees. Susah pula nie...uhuhuhuhuhu...that is my initial reaction. Not only I have to emcee the event, I am part event manager. I experienced that when I attended the rehearsal and during the actual day of the reception. To add to my nervousness, there were several guests of honor and our very own KK Mayor also attended the wedding. I felt nervous because I might turn the event into a perhimpunan sekolah :P

But, I think the event turn out well. I discarded my cards and just be myself. After all, this event is not about me, it is Loviana and Vers (or LoVers as the toastmaster quipped during the blessing) day. I learned something tho', always do research on the couple's love story.

All in all, I had fun that night. Thanks again, Lubi and Vers for trusting me to handle your reception. ^__^ May God bless your journey as husband and wife and may His love and peace be in your marriage, forever!

For you visual readers, here's a few piccies taken that night...

Me and my friends. Look how lovely the bride is!! ^__^

I was also the road/GPS operator that night. Tukang bagi directions even though my own sense of direction is moderately poor!!

That's us: TESLians of 2002. I do wish the rest could join us.

Me on stage...giving my best :-)

Me discussing with the manager/coordinator about the cake-cutting and yamseng ceremony.

Bah, I'm going to bercuti dari blogging juga until the school hols end. Mau berabis enjoy dulu ^__^

Bye!!

Celebrating the Harvest

2011-05-27T22:38:00.001+08:00

End of May is nearing and I guess all us Sabahans know what we're looking forward to celebrate, right?

Hence, in the name of the festive spirit of Kaamatan, I'd like to share this very nice song to everyone.

This is one of my fave Kaamatan song, entitled Kasakazan Bambazon. It originally has quite an upbeat tempo, but this song has been creatively arranged by a friend of mine (si Crispus nama dia) and his friends. These three share a passion in singing and it shows in their video. Why don't you just click and listen to them, yeah? It gave me goosebumps when I first watched and hear their video on Youtube.

Hence, again in the spirit of Kaamatan (be it in form of beverage or the paranormal), this song is dedicated to everyone, especially you Sabahan at hearts who lives away from our beautiful land below the wind. I'm sure Sabahans who are in perantauan and can't be in Sabah to celebrate the harvest will miss home upon hearing this song.

So, Kotobian Tadau Tagazo do Kaamatan in advance and may the best district wins the Unduk Ngadau...hehehe...

Respite.

2011-05-26T21:09:00.000+08:00

Finally, I can put all papers and red pens (and markers) into rest. The school holidays are here and I am going to attend wedding, after wedding, after weddings.

Today was our school's Hari Guru celebration. As usuall, like last year we had mini games and awards' giving ceremony. This year's twist was to include the nominees ala Grammy's and I was glad to be nominated for three out of six awards. I was nominated for :

Guru Paling Aktif (Most Active Teacher) -->in which I got a feeling that I was nominated because I wear my PE "uniform" religiously every week, only because I wanted to escape the monotony of baju kurungs.

Guru Paling Lawak (Funniest Teacher/ Teacher with the most sense of humour/ School Clown?/etc...whatever befits the Malay translation) --> I guess some kids love my spontaneous jokes or dry sense of humour.

Guru Paling Popular (Most Popular Teacher) --> It's pretty self-explanatory, isn't it?

So, guess which title I won?

NONE!!

Well, I didn't expect to be nominated anyway, so I'm cool ;-) Probably it was also because I brought home many gifts today! hehehe...it seems like I have a lot of mugs for different days of the week now.

Well, I guess that's all for now.

Enjoy the holidays.

Rojak Post

2011-05-18T20:11:00.000+08:00

I don't have a certain theme or topic to talk about actually. Let's just have some random stuffs lah...

It feels so good to know that you were remembered after so many years. An ex-student of mine, who is currently in UiTM Shah Alam posted this on Facebook and of course it made me smile...

And the people who liked his post were my ex-students as well (well, I can't recall about Nabilah though. Maybe she was my friend, Imelda's student). I taught them when they were in Form Three and Form Five at a tuition centre. They were my first "real" student before I was a certified teacher.

I wanted to post this one earlier i.e. 16th of May but malas sia mau ambil si Nikon bikin gambar. Last2, sia guna seja my faithful Sony Ericcson K80i.

If you want to read the message, just click the pic to enlarge it. I was touched to see her own effort despite writing in grammatically challenged English.

Yesterday, I visited my grandma at Melalap. I was so surprised to see the village so quiet and "dead". "Memang selalu begini, mana lagi ko nampak orang jalan-jalan kaki. Semuaaaaa sudah berkereta..." my grandma quipped.

"Tu barang di kantin pun tidak laku suda...semua orang ada kereta suda turun pi Tenom membali (membeli) barang.." she lamented subtly.

My grandma's tuckshop. It used to be the "Supermarket" for Melalap, it even stood the test of time and competitors. But now, my grandma is having difficulty to sell items especially food. Ice-cream dia seja yang laku.

This is a view of my kampung from Grandma's house gates. Nothing much has changed since I was a young child.

Today, nothing significant happened in school except for one thing. It was Bahasa Melayu Paper 2 (karangan) today and I was invigilating. One of the student, Ned asked me about this particular question :

Anda sedang merayakan hari jadi datuk kamu di kampung. Gambarkan suasana tersebut.

Ned asked me this:
Teacher, dia suruh lukis kah tu suasana?

My answer:
Nda, dia suruh kau gambarkan guna perkataan seja bah tu.

Ned said "Oh" and hurriedly went on to start his karangan on his datuk's hari jadi di kampung.

And I thought that this was just a classroom urban legend.

Happy Teacher's Day!!

2011-05-16T20:16:00.000+08:00

To all teachers everywhere, enjoy the day off tomorrow!

5 reasons why Youtube karaoke-ing is the best thing to do on a boring weekend.

2011-05-15T14:17:00.000+08:00

Ain't got anything to do on a hot, sunny Sunday? Feeling so lazy to go out socializing?Nothing good on the telly? Do you have this nagging feeling that you can do better than Scott McCreery? Want to live a Glee moment in the comfort of your own bedroom?

Youtube karaoke-ing is one of the answers.

Why? Here are 5 no-brainer reasons....

Reason Number One

You get to pick your own sets of songs without having to compromise with other paying customers.

Feel like ABBA? Just type ABBA and you'll get a myriad of selection. But today I feel like I want to belt out ...so, these are my jams of the day...

Since it's my laptop, my streamyx...who cares?

Reason Number 2...

Microphone hoggers begone.

There's always someone in the midst of our cliques who always (I repeat, ALWAYS) hog the mic. For heaven's sake, balik-balik dia seja kunun bah mau menyanyi. Macamlah dia tau kunun lagu yang sia pilih....

I love group singing but puh-lease, let others hold the mic once in a while.

Reason Number 3...

Save money.

All you need is a laptop or PC, your room, your internet connection, and accessibility to Youtube (unless, if you are in China...there's nothing you can do about that now, is there?). Well, you might spend some on snacks and drinks, but if you're content with just biskut tawar and water, who's gonna stop you? You don't have to book a spot at a karaoke lounge or get in line to enter a Kbox (which is small and stuffy).

Reason Number 4...

You teriak or you buat action, teda orang peduli.

You want to go all sentimental or Rock God, it's all under the click of your mouse and in the privacy of your own room. It's less annoying than hearing neighbours singing so loud with their actual karaoke machine. Plus, there's no one there to judge your impersonation of Freddy Mercury or Ning Baizura.

Reason Number 5...

Because you can. So, go ahead and turn that record (or the video) on.

*Disclaimer: In any events that your Youtube karaoke activity goes haywire because of the slow connection, well...there's always the bathroom/shower.

Bah, have fun!

Charity is Cool.

2011-05-14T11:13:00.002+08:00

I wanted to blog about this last night but unfortunately, Blogger was on maintenance (bummer...but thanks Blogger people!).

Anyway, have you heard about Rumah Kanak-kanak Bondulu or the Bondulu Children Home Orphanage in Tambunan? Some of you might heard of it, but for those who don't it is a shelter for 71 children. Being a non-governmental shelter for needy children, this home relies on the contributions of society for the sustenance and well-being. This place is called home by children from broken families, victims of rape and incest, hard core poor and orphans.

(Picture stolen-with-permission from Shane Anthony)

According to Shane, the home still need a lot of help both financially and in materials. From what I was told, they also require supplies of multivitamins, cleaning items, clothing, etc.

If you wish to donate/visit, you can do so by contacting Sr.Rose Ginibun at :

Office 087-771026/Fax 087-774128 or Handphone: 016-8425969

For further information or enquiries, you can join the home's Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=43698701735

Have a blessed weekend!

I Love Sundays!!

2011-05-08T19:40:00.000+08:00

It's been a while since I had a proper lazy day...

Nah, enjoy....