THE ROAD TOUR HAS BEGUN

in front of SMK Taman Rinting 2

I am no Michael Jackson but the time has come for my regular road tour - not to sing but to conduct talks/workshops/seminars for students who are going to sit for their PMR and SPM examinations, particularly the English subject. At times, I conduct sessions for teachers too. So today my first outing was to SMK Taman Rinting 2 for the PMR students, for the first group. Everything went well and there is another group waiting tomorrow.

I might post all the schools that I might go to this year, just to serve as a diary of the places and time of my routine activities. Should I?

A SHORT HOSPITAL VISIT

I was not that sick, I still could take photographs at the hospital

I went to Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) for further medical check-up. I came last week due a certain health problem and samples of urine and blood were already taken. I had to come again for another appointment. I had to be on soft food diet where I ate only porridge for two consecutive days (two days of McD chicken porridge for lunch and strawberry milkshake) and then only I could come for the x-ray session.

To my relief, there were not many people around and the queue at the registration counter was quite short. I even met two people whom I know there - what a small world. The x-ray process was very brief in ended in just like two minutes and I was off to see the doctor in Room 14 of the Outpatient Clinic.

waiting for my turn, and my number was 3056

(the last time, you were not allowed to take photograph in a hospital premise but this one was done secretly of course)

And based on the x-ray image, I was alright so that was another big relief for the time being, at least. Nothing to complain, the service was quick and the lady doctor that I met was really young and beautiful. I should count myself lucky to have met such a doctor, she was the sweetest one I had ever met so far. The only trouble was to find a parking space but the problem was solved by parking by the roadside of Jalan Mahmoodiah. However, I am yet to attend another appointment next week. Just pray for the best - and wonder which doctor I will see next time.

POT LUCK IN THE STAFF ROOM PART 3

the buffet tables

the gossip girls?

with the few male colleagues

We had the third pot luck for this year in the staff room, with no specific reason. The last one was because we wanted to celebrate Chinese New Year. The food was the authentic Malay dishes like stingray asam pedas, chicken soup and curry, and also pecal - vegetables salad with peanut gravy, chacha porridge as dessert, among other choices of food. Too bad I could not take part this time as I had to prepare myself for an x-ray appointment at the hospital tomorrow and I had to be on soft food diet, but I still enjoyed the chicken soup. Not to worry, there will always be another pot luck soon.

"There is no other sincerer love than the love of food."
~ George Bernard Shaw ~

MARCHING COMPETITION SCHOOL LEVEL 2010

An event which everyone was waiting for, at least for students and teachers who were actively involved in co-curricular activities, would be the marching competition for uniformed bodies. This year 11 teams competed to win the title of the best marching platoon after all the hard work which had started as early as January (for some).

the participants while waiting for the result

I was indirectly involved with the technical side of the competition so I was quite occupied during the early stage of the competition, leaving the Kadet Bomba boys to survive on their own. At first, the sky was dark with black clouds which left everyone worried sick to the stomach. Fortunately, it did not rain and it was actually a blessing because the students could perform in a cooler weather. And I could only snap the photographs towards the end of the event.

the seniors who came to give their support

A few Kadet Bomba seniors who have left school came to give their support for the team. It is amazing how this kind of activities could bring people back together though we are already separated by time and space.

students who came to watch the competition

All the students were invited to watch. Nevertheless, the attendance was not that encouraging, most probably because the Second Standardized Test is going to be held this coming Monday. Still, the spectators enjoyed the show and I guessed they had a good time after all, based on their applause and screams.

with colleagues

surrounded by the Red Crescent Society

WITH Hanif, the best platoon commander of the competition

So, the Kadet Bomba boys won the coveted title for this year which was actually a relief because we only secured the third place last year. The second, third and fourth place went to Girls' Police Cadet, St. John's Ambulance and Boys' Police Cadet, respectively. Hanif from our team was also announced as the best Platoon Commander for this year's competition. So all the hard work had finally paid off but this is not the ending yet. With a few months left, hopefully we will have some more time for more activities.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE KADET BOMBA BOYS!

DRAWING KOLAM IN SCHOOL

The Tamil Language Society held a Kolam drawing competition this afternoon. Kolam is drawn using coloured rice which is then put together to form pictures and patterns. I am not sure who the participants were because I was in the hall to admire the products. Many of them were really colourful and beautiful, and the students must have had a lot of creative ideas to produce such kolams. Enjoy!

CELEBRATING THE BIRTHDAY OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD

This is a regular event organized in school annually to celebrate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). However, this year things were a bit different because the event was carried out in the evening. All this while, it had always been done in the morning. The students started to arrive before 5:00 p.m. in their best clothes so that was also the best time to get ourselves photographed.

while waiting for the rain to stop, taking as many photos as possible

Unfortunately, the weather was not that good. It already started raining heavily in the afternoon so we expected for the sky to get brighter later that day but how wrong we were. It continued on raining and in a way it disrupted the planning as the occasion had to be done in Dataran Kejat - an open assembly area. Based on the weather, we thought that many students would not turn up.

with the nasyid group

students who were there

Surprisingly, this year's celebration witnessed the biggest attendance ever. Many students made their way to school despite the rain. Congratulations to everyone who had come and participated. We teachers were very happy about that.

with the male colleagues

with more students

As usual, the earlier programmes were the presentation of souvenirs to teachers who took part in aqiqah (something like donating parts of a slaughtered animal on behalf of a newborn to show gratitude), students' presentations such as nasyid (singing religious songs) performance and poetry recitations, and lastly the presentation of certificates to teachers and students in conjunction with this event.

briyani in the tray

sharing is caring

We had our Maghrib prayers as a group (jemaah) and followed by the special food prepared. It was nasi briyani (briyani rice) cooked by our own Principal's husband. There was a rewang session in the morning - when teachers, students and staff came to help prepare the ingredients for the food before it was cooked. We ate the briyani in a tray shared by four people with the hope that it could strengthen the relationship between the people. So it is true that food can bring people together. By the way, thanks to Syafiq, Faiz and Rahmat for inviting me to join them because I was there actually to monitor, but I would never say "no".

with Syukri, happy after the feast

After the meal, it was still raining but the show must go on. We had a talk related to the Prophet, delivered by Ustaz Rifqi, and it was done in the rain which kept falling with no sign of stopping. Nevertheless, the students were sitting and listening right until the end. So I guess, it was a successful event for both the teachers and students. Hopefully, we have all gained some benefits, especially after listening to the talk.


And to those who suggested and thought that I deserved this recognition, I did not know how to thank you enough. But I did what I was supposed to do, and not more than that - and with the assistance with other fellow colleagues. But it was great when you are appreciated once in a while.

BOOK REVIEW 9 - JODI PICOULT'S "PLAIN TRUTH"

someone snapped my photo while I was reading this very book in Lumut

I started reading this book on the day I arrived in Lumut on 16th of March. After two weeks, finally, I will have to return the book to Miss Cheong.

The story revolves around two main characters, Ellie the lawyer and Katie, the Amish girl. Ellie is on her mission to save Katie who gives birth out of a wedlock and is accused to kill the baby just after it is born. Amish is a society which known to be religious and try to avoid modernization and technology, so murder in the community is out of the question. So who kills the baby? Is it really Katie, or is it someone else? Well, I am not going to tell you that - you have to read it yourself. When you think that everything ends happily, surprise awaits you and I feel that whatever I have made to believe from the storytelling is such a waste of time. But isn't a good book full of surprises?

I am already thinking of going to the bookshop this weekend.