THE POST CHINESE NEW YEAR GATHERING AT TEA GARDEN

  11TH FEBRUARY 2025   ~ A post Chinese New Year gathering was held again with friends who used to be the English paper markers for PMR Examination many years ago. The chosen venue was Tea Garden Restaurant in Taman Perling, the same place we met last year. [READ HERE]

Some of the topics discussed: travel experiences, health issues, supplements and medicines taken, treatments and clinic visits, and other things as well.

Hopefully we could do this more often and just an annual event. Thanks to Puan Ng Siam Noi, Puan Jeanette Goh and Miss Lee Kiaw Moi for the time. Until we meet again for the next gathering.

THE 28TH DAY OF EID 1445H - PART ONE

Three friends who once marked English paper for PMR Examination came visiting today for Eid. Miss Lee Kiaw Moi, Puan Ng Siam Noi and Puan Jeanette Goh were all now retirees and we all now belong to the same club.

Thanks to the three of them for coming. We would be meeting for coffee session after this for our next club activity.

MEETING AN OLD FRIEND IN KULIM

23rd FEBRUARY 2024 ~ A date was set with an old friend, Mr. Mohd. Asrulnizam, when I was in Kulim. He was willing to drive all the way from Seberang Prai that evening to meet me. He arrived when I was just dropped off by my cousin's son-in-law at the hotel after the short trip to Taiping.

We just went to the restaurant that was attached to Fuller Hotel where I was staying. Yasmeen Nasi Kandar seemed to be popular among the locals as there were always a lot of people dining in.

I got to know Mr. Asrulnizam when we were Group Leaders for the PMR Examination English Paper many years ago. We were regular roommates every time we went for the annual meetings held by the Examination Syndicate, and friendship was established and maintained.

It was a short meeting with an old friend and hope to get to see him again some other time, especially now I will have to attend quite a number of wedding invitations up north.

THE LUNCH DATE THAT RECONNECTED AND REUNITED [OLD] FRIENDS

A lunch date was set with three friends who once marked the PMR English papers together when we were much younger. [READ: We are still young (at heart)] It was a very thoughtful gesture to get all the four pensioners reunited and reconnected one more time. Except for Miss Lee Kiaw Moi who is an ex-colleague of SMK Taman Universiti whom I last saw last year during Chinese New Year, the last time I met Puan Ng Siam Noi and Puan Jeanne Goh was like 10 years ago. 2013 was the last year for the form three students to sit for the PMR exam and it was replaced by PT3 exam in 2014.

The restaurant chosen was Tea Garden in Taman Perling. One good place for people to hang out (when the time is right) and enjoy the good food.

The chit chat session lasted for about 2 hours and we had decided to meet up again after this. Thanks again to all my three friends for the reunion. May we all be blessed with good health so we can regularly see each other again in the future.

MY PENANG GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE - REUNITED AT THE OLDEST NASI KANDAR RESTAURANT IN MALAYSIA

24th MARCH 2018 ~ Another reunion took place in Georgetown but this time not with a friend from my UPM TESL group. Mr. Mohd. Asrulnizam was a friend made during the era when PMR examination was still in operation and I had to go to series of  meetings for English held annually. We always made sure we would become roommates as we had to stay for the session for a few days. From there friendship developed.

A date was set and Mr. Asrulnizam took me to this restaurant called Hameediyah, the oldest Nasi Kandar (restaurant) in Malaysia. so this should be some kind of a historical eating place in the country. My other friends actually had planned to get me here the day before but the shop was not opened on Friday.

There were already people making a beeline at the food counter when we arrived, at 8:00 p.m. Guess the Penangites eat nasi kandar round the clock.

We did not eat nasi kandar though. I was introduced to Hameediyah famous briyani this time. And I managed to finally get to eat squid eggs after failing to get them from other places before this.

squid eggs

Even though the restaurant was old, the dining hall was modern and clean which I think should be of utmost important.

The food was prepared at the ground floor and the order will be transported upstairs by a pulley machine near the stairs.

The meeting was brief and I should thank Mr. Asrulnizam for the time and company for the evening. I just wonder when will we get to see each other again but we can always make it happen in the future when the time is right.

THE LAST CLASS WITH THE FORM THREE STUDENTS

For the third consecutive years, I went to teach a group of form 3 students at Semai Bakti Felda Hostel to prepare them for their PMR examination. This time, I was given 16 boys to coach and to tell you the truth, it was an easy job.

I had done what I should have done for them so I hope that they would get good grades for their English Language paper. I will sure miss (scolding) them and they will also miss me (scolding them) for sure.

PMR 2013 EXAMINATION STARTED TODAY

The Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) [translate: lower secondary exam] started today nationwide. Good luck to all my students. May the force be with you.