WELCOMING THE SHORT SCHOOL BREAK FOR EID UL-ADHA

This was a short gathering with the main objective was to consume as much meat as possible. What better way to welcome the short 5-day school break [for them] for Eid Ul-Adha. The place we had been wanting to go was Seoul Garden at Plaza Angsana.

We spent 2 hours there just enjoying the food and nothing else. Be thankful to have friends who love to hang out together and eat [a lot]. Thanks again to Puan Mazelina Mahmood and Puan Rumaiah Asan, and please think of a place that we well be meeting [and eating] again after this.

BIDDING FAREWELL TO A MEMBER OF THE ENGLISH PANEL

Puan Fahleena Mohamad, one of the English teachers of SMK Dato' Jaafar, will be leaving for his hometown in Kelantan in March. The members of the English Panel decided to bid her farewell today as we would all be occupied with all sorts of things next week.

It was just a short dine in session as these people ate not too much food from the buffet spread. I guess this would be our last gathering with Puan Fadhleena. I just got to know her as a colleague for about 5 years but I think I would still remember her, as a friend rather than a subordinate, for many more years to come. Wishing her the very best of luck teaching in her new school. Who knows one day our paths might cross and we might see each other again.

A FAREWELL PARTY IN SEOUL [GARDEN]

Today was the very first day of the end of year school holiday. Two colleagues of SMK Dato' Jaafar would be going back to their home states after their applications to be transferred back were approved. We decided to hold a farewell gathering for Pn. Alia Shahira Tarmuji and Ms. Siti Khadijah Ibrahim at Seoul Garden at Paradigm Mall in the afternoon, and a few other colleagues managed to join in.

At the same time, there was also a birthday celebration for Ms. Aini which was today [the daughter of Pn. Che Noor Hamiza) and Ms. Siti Khadijah,who celebrated her birthday a week earlier.

Hopefully this small gathering would be something for Pn. Alia Shahira and Ms. Siti Khadijah to remember and wishing them the very best of luck at their new schools next year. 

A CELEBRATION FOR THE SCHOOL'S DEBATE TEAM WHICH HAD BEEN LONG OVERDUE

This was a lunch gathering to celebrate the success of SMK Dato' Jaafar's English Debate Team for the year 2019. Yes, it had been one year - too long an overdue but as the saying goes: better late then never. The decision was made to have it after school on Sunday afternoon as this should be the only time when everyone was available. One of the hardest things in planning is to get a suitable slot when everybody could turn up. 

SMK Dato' Jaafar won the district's level of the English Debating Competition and was chosen to represent Johor Bahru to the state level. We unfortunately went through only to the quarter final but that to me and Puan Suhaida, the other teacher adviser, was already a huge achievement. This year it seems there is not going to be any debate competition as the COVID-19 pandemic has stalled all the school co-curriculum activities in schools. On a brighter note, we are still the district's reigning champion until a new winner emerges. 😁 But for one thing, how long do we have to wait for the same thing to happen again.

I hope the lunch treat at Seoul Garden, Plaza Angsana, would be a memorable event for them, especially to Mr. Amirul and Mr. Azmeel who will be going for their matriculation/foundation courses real soon. We would also have thank Mr. Faizal, who is Mr. Azmeel's father, who had given his support for the team throughout the debating competitions, right till the very end which had assisted us in many ways to go this far.

For one thing I am sure the time the boys spent together as a team will be something they will treasure in their hearts.

_______________________________

FOOTNOTE: Seoul Garden in Plaza Angsana has sized down its seating capacity for its in dine in customers. The buffet spread has also lessened so people have less choices of food on the counter. We were there on a weekend (for the private sector) so lamb was available. You could no longer pick your own food from the fresh meat/seafood/vegetables section. The person in charge has to serve you by putting all your selections in your plate so not like last time, you will have to make a return trip to the food counter to get more things to grill and boil. I already miss the old normal in Seoul Garden.

THE FIRST GATHERING FOR THE YEAR 2020

13th FEBRUARY 2020 ~ The first meeting for the year 2020 was finally carried out after such a long time. I couldn't even remember when was the last time we met. It is now a bit difficult to gather people at one specific time as someone has already had different working hours, besides everyone's hectic life.

Seoul Garden at Plaza Angsana was again chosen as the venue for the meeting. Seriously, it is already 2020 and we should consider other places.

guess why someone is changing place and someone else is
putting a box in front of her

The company of friends was more important than food. Actually, both are equally important. 😆 We might find it hard to meet up after this but where there is will, there is a way.

OUR FAVOURITE AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY CONTINUED

The first after school get together after the month of Eid was carried out today at their favourite eating place, Seoul Garden, Plaza Angsana.

The recipe for long-lasting friendship: gossips and a lot of food. That simple.

Two regular people were missing from the scene of crime but another gathering has already been planned real soon.

CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY AFTER SCHOOL

18th APRIL 2019 ~ The usual members of the unofficial English Language Teachers Society gathered again in Seoul Garden at Plaza Angsana after school, to (i) eat as much as we could, and (2) celebrate one of the scoiety members' birthday. And we had a-not-so-frequent member joining us this time.

VIDEO: Sing-me-a-birthday-song session

Handing-over-the-birthday-present-over-the-food session

Opening-the-birthday-present session

the usual spot for photo session

We were there for 2 hours and there seemed to be many things which had not yet been discussed. We still have time for another meeting before the arrival of the month of Ramadhan.