You Get The Best Of Both World! : Au Revoir School, Hola Hols!

I can almost see it
That dream I’m dreaming but
There’s a voice inside my head sayin,
You’ll never reach it,
Every step I’m taking,
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking but I
Got to keep tryin
Got to keep my head held high

(“The Climb”- OST ‘Hannah Montana The Movie’)

The last week before the holiday at Institut Pendidikan Guru Malaysia (IPGM) Kampus Darulaman was emotionally draining-nostalgic yet therapeutic. Well, imagine a number of Practical briefings slots, 2 macroteaching (PJK and English) and dateline for paperwork submission were all SQUEEZED IN within that 5 fateful days?!

On the Tuesday night, we had the Malay Communication Event Night where we had to organize a so-called formal get-together for the subject and the lecturer would evaluate us from the perspective of protocol and how-we-organize-the-VIPs thingies. I was entrusted as the Master of Ceremony of the Night along with Sarah and have to say that with lil’ bit of teasing, spontaneous ‘pantun’ and self-fooling, we managed to control the flow of the event and even our Malay Communication’s lecturer, En Shafiee was quite impressed. Not to boast or whatsoever; more like a satisfactory siphon-out; En Shafiee complimented me for being able to control the event with spontaneous continuities and he hinted that his wife said he should be giving me an ‘A’ for that!~ Hhahaha…nonetheless, I should compliment Sarah my co-host (albeit she was nervous) and all my classmates for showcasing wonderful cooperation despite being late!!! But of course, right after En Shafiee left, all of us went WILD!! Grabbed the microphone and sang our heart out!~ Karaoke-ing, acapella and all!!!! Hhahaha…the moment letting our hairs down y’all. Gosh..I’m missing each one of them as I’m typing these very words…. =(

On Thursday which happened to be the last day, my turn to do English macroteaching. I decided to use all the skill I had back during school days – storytelling! Still remember those days back at SRK Padang Tembak and lower Secondary (Form 1,2 and 3) at Penang Free School, I’d always being very active in activities like public speaking (elocution, debate, forum, storytelling) both in Malay & English. I was the 3 year consecutive winner of English storytelling competition back in SRK Pdg Tembak and same went for the Malay counterpart. I’m not boasting; it’s all about reminiscing the past…. Anyway for the lesson, I chose Focused Skill as in Speaking and Integrated Skill as in Listening. In accordance to the ‘bible’ Curriculum Specification, my Learning Outcomes of the lesson should be that by the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Listen to and enjoy stories, fables and other tales of imagination and fantasy and predict outcomes, and draw conclusion at a level suited to the pupils’ ability.
2. Talk about the people, places and moral values of the stories heard, read and viewed in simple language.

As a primary school teacher, there is no space to be shy. It’s all about being clownish and unleash the jester in you (erk??). So I chose the antiquated fable ‘Snow White & The Seven Dwarves” which happened to be the story I told for my Standard 6’s storytelling back at SRK Padang Tembak in the year 1996 and cemented my reigning status as the school’s story-teller! Hahaha! With teaching aids like a self-made mask (which I used collages of newspapers sticked onto the carboard masked; with a crooked nose, no less!), a black cloak to disguise myself as the The Evil Queen’s alter-ego, The Old Lady and a convincing devilish-maniacal cackle I imitated from the Read-Along Cassette “Snow White & The Seven Dwarves” I bought prior to the 1996 storytelling, the set induction went well! Besides trying to gauge pupils’ ability to come out with their own alternative ending to the fable “Snow White”, I also introduced the “Golden Sac Among The Red Sacs” game to render the lesson in various flows. Alhamdulillah, my lecturer Pn Faridah @ Patricia Ann Faiz was satisfied with the lesson I conducted and she rated that as an ‘A” lesson!!!!! Thanks to Mak’s help for meluangkan masa menjahit all those sacs as teaching aid, I was happy that my hard work paid-off and lecturer was satisfied with the performance. And also to my beloved classmates too!!!!

Well, on Sunday 31st May 2009, Mad, Kord and I gathered at Aidi’s Taman Siswa House to finish up all our paperwork consisting Science Macroteaching and Malay Communication, Music Lesson Plan and as for me the Bowling paperwork. And oh yeah, on Saturday Night, IPDA’s Bowling Club organized our very own Indoor Tournament at Jitra Mall. Alhamdulillah, also a considerable success without any major glitches!!

On 1st June 2009 which marked my 25 years living on Earth a.k.a my birthday, Mak, Ayah and I pushed off to KL as both my parents would be going to Umrah on the 4th June. So happened that rezeki Mak and Ayah to be sponsored by our well-to-do cousin Abg Jie (who happened to live in Lumut and came down to see my at Pangkor pier when I was loading perkakasan Pendidikan Luar, remember???). He sponsored the whole entourage of 11 people. Alhamdulillah rezeki my parents…=) Pushed off at 3.30 P.M. and arrived at KL around 11.30 P.M. It was nostalgic to set footsetps (not literally) again in Putrajaya and KL…reminiscing the old days in the Bank?..maybe… and my nephew Rifqi has become so cheeky and clever!! Hhehee..he really misses me I guess; always bugging and tag along me that little tyke; Yalah, dah duduk dengan dia still masa kecil lagi for one year and a half! =)

Had a small close-knitted makan-makan at Johny’s for my birthday (it’s all about the steamboats!) and met up with Muzem and Ayip. Yesterday, we did our own Amazing Race- from Berjaya Times Square to Pavillion to Affin Bank HQ to Alamanda, Putrajaya! I showed Muzem and Ayip the bank I used to work (ah…kinda missed the old hustle-bustle life) and showed them all the spots I used to pass by at Jalan Raja Chulan. I guess both of them didn’t expect that Jalan Raja Chulan is the financial hub and they were quite captivated by the skycrapers and the so-called ‘corporate’ setting there- tall buildings and Boston-like (Ally Mcbeal?) setting. Well, it was nice showing my friends what used to be my world but I didn’t have any inkling of regret bailing out from it and neither do I regret for choosing this less-glamorous life as a teacher. Insya Allah, education is my forte. I do miss all my banker colleagues especailly those in Affin Islamic; wonder if they remember me? Anyway, after a few jaws-dropping and exclamation of disbeliefs by Muzem and Ayip (lol!~ exaggerating much? Hhahaha..); we went to Alamanda, Putrajaya since practically every cinemas were packed with crowds!!! Public holiday- Agong B-day, aite? DAULAT TUANKU…!

Catched ‘Hannah Montana’ movie – erk???? I KNOW!! Well, initially it was not the plan but since there wasn’t any movie screened in the nearest possible time, we chose the Disney tween’s. My outcome? 3 stars outta 5! The marketing of Hannah Montana proves Disney’s versatility in producing market for tweens- after Lizze MacGuire and That’s So Raven! And the film briliantly uses the special connection father-daughter relationship between Miley Cyrus and daddy ol’ Billy Ray Cyrus as the heart of the story- and I’ve always a fan of country music and setting; so to see the movie taking place back at Tennesee and Nashville music, I was having my time watching it. I donno why but I’ve always like the idea of wherever you go, you always ought to remember your hometown; the raw and antiquated country self of you…Hannah maybe the pampered teen sensation in California but back in Tennesee, she’s just a raw cowgirl y’all =) That’s something I think everyone should realize and remember. As for me, I always remember that. Wherever I go, it’s always my family and my origin that keep me grounded. And the lyrics in the song “The Climb”, the official theme song for the movie really hits me deep. Honest and raw. I remembered that the song berjaya membangkitkan my semangat when i was dealing with my personal and professional conflicts for these past few months….

Last but not least, Happy 25th Birthday Childlike! I would like to extend appreciation to all the wishes and treat (Muzem!!!TQ) for the birthday. For me, the thoughts that count. The wishes and greetings are tokens of the remembrances from all of you to me. I really appreciate each one of them and it makes me realize who appreciates me and who doesn’t. It’s the thoughts that count… Love y’all =)

There’s always going to be another mountain
I’m always going to want to make it move
theres always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I’m going to have to lose,
Ain’t about how fast I get there,
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb