THE FIRST MEETING FOR THE JOHOR BAHRU CHESS TEAM FOR 2022

The very first meeting for the Johor Bahru Chess Team teachers were held this evening at the same regular spot at KFC Taman Perling. The last time we met was in 2020, right before the Movement Control Order was carried out. We even managed to get the team to compete at state level that year, and the competition was done online last year.

This year, we are going to get the chess competition done the traditional style where we could get to meet real people physically.

This meeting was significant as people attending were given Eid money packets containing real money by the Chairperson. I must make sure I will attend all the group's meetings in the future after this.

A 2-DAY ACADEMIC GETAWAY TO MUAR

30TH & 31ST OCTOBER 2017 ~ We were again gathered for an academic get-together in Muar. We were here in the same town last year.We definitely had to make this trip a fun one as the saying goes, all work an no play makes Jack a dull boy.

The first activity of the day was coffee session at the kopitiam (coffee shop) jusr beside the hotel we were staying at, Classic Hotel. This should be a branch of the original shop near the bus station.

For dinner, we made a return trip to Muar Soup House. There was even a surprise birthday celebration for three lucky members of the group.

For breakfast on the second day, we made the effort to find an eating place in town and successfully found this restaurant selling Mee Bandung and Sate. When in Muar, ate breakfast like Muarians do.

To conclude our gastronomic adventure in Muar, we stopped at (the other) Sai Kee Coffee Shop in town on our way back home.

There would be tonnes of work waiting for us ahead but at least we all had happy tummies during our stay in Muar.

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY

 We the English teachers of TeamJB met again today for another professional slot at SK Angkatan Tentera, Johor Bahru. We had not been in school for 4 days last week and there would be more similar gatherings like this soon. 

We have been working hard but that does that not mean we don't have the time to party. So we decided to celebrate the birthday of one of the group members, Puan Ainidah Abu Bakar, once the session was over.

There was actually another birthday celebration too last week for Puan Rashida Ali, at a different venue.

As the saying goes: all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. I am still staying with the group for the fourth year as these are the fun people to be with. And looking forward to more parties coming our way.

WORKING AWAY FROM SCHOOL FOR TWO DAYS

12TH SEPTEMBER 2017 ~ We have been away from school for two days but we are not in any holiday mood unfortunately. This time we assembled at SMKA Johor Bahru, a school in PPD Pasir Gudang Zone for another briefing/meeting sessions. I used to come to this school many, many years ago.

Two days have ended but we still have two more days to go for district level. The season for the English teachers of the team to do some extra job has already started.

JUST ANOTHER MEETING/BRIEFING SESSION

The meeting/briefing this time brought my friends and I, the English teachers, to another school - SMK Dato' Bentara Luar, Batu Pahat. I think I spent more time and energy in the car driving to the venue and back home than sitting in the meeting room.

However, it was still a fruitful outing for me as I managed to stop at a few places (as planned) on my way home. 

There will be more similar sessions to come real soon.

A 3-DAY GETAWAY IN MUAR

This was some sort of our annual gathering that I was looking forward to. Although we had to actually work, at least this was the chance to get away from school and socialize with people whom I do not see every day. This time we gathered at SMK Bukit Pasir, in Muar from 23rd to 25th October 2016 and the meeting was held for three days this time, instead of two. Everybody from Johor Bahru district decided to stay there as commuting for more than 300 kilometres to and fro for three consecutive days would not be a good idea.

After all the hard work, everybody is now safely home but this is not the ending. We still have to meet up and conduct sessions for English language teachers at district level tomorrow and the day after. Nevertheless, the stay in Muar was an enjoyable one as we had the time to visit a few popular eating places together, and I managed to see a few old friends there too. But that will be another story.

ATTENDING A MEETING IN MUAR

I went out as early as 6:00 a.m. to be in SMK Maahad, Muar before 9:00 a.m. This was the continuation of the meeting that we had a few weeks back which was held in Pontian. [READ HERE]

We could all go back after lunch. I spent more time driving to and fro than sitting in the meeting room, but I am not complaining.

As I would always try to maximize my stay every time I go to a certain place, a date was set with an old friend from UPM TESL of class 1993 who is residing in Muar. We were in the same class when we were doing our Master degree in UTM in the late 90's. Then we lost contact and met again in the Whatsapp chat group. It was really kind of Ms. Harizan Mahfar to take me on a short tour to Tanjung Mas and I was given a treat - rojak ("mixed, sliced fresh vegetables/fruits like cucumber, pineapple and bean sprouts with thick, spicy groundnut gravy and "cendol" (a traditional dessert drinks, mainly made up of coconut milk). With a full tummy, driving back home on a hot day was not an easy task.

One more round of meeting to hold tomorrow morning. *yawn*

3 DAYS IN MELAKA - WORKING, NOT HOLIDAYING

23 - 25th June 2014 ~ I was in Melaka for three days, not for a holiday though. I had to attend a meeting similar to the ones that I used to attend annually. Nevertheless I was neither happy nor excited as majority of the people attending the meeting were strangers - not the same old faces I got to see every year before this. To make matter worse, my partner in crime had to attend in another session which started after I had left the hotel. *sad*

view from the hotel room

Lucky enough, my old friend from college, Puan Hanita Kassim, was there and we managed to meet another ex-coursemate who is residing in Melaka, Puan Mariati Salleh, on Tuesday evening at Mahkota Parade. 

I am now expecting to do extra work. I thought I did not have to do this kind of thing anymore but I was wrong. *sigh*

THE FIRST PANITIA MEETING FOR 2014

The first panitia meetings for all the subjects were held today in school. The English Language teachers had theirs in 3KAA1 classroom at about 8:30 a.m.

We had a short break at 10:30 a.m. and other teachers from other subjects from the language department came to enjoy the potluck together. We had spaghetti, noodles, curry puffs and custard pudding. Everybody seemed happy enough before we continued on with the meeting.
 

All our Saturdays in January are already occupied with activities before we take a short break for Chinese New Year.