I must admit that I did not realise that the tagboard was actually moving until a minute ago. =)
It was funny how on the way home just now, I realised that soon this site will be soon encroached by my new batch of students and how silly sentiments have stopped me from giving the address just yet so that I may retain the old memories just a little while longer. Silly me but I guess it is a natural transition and I am glad that there pple to see the remaining pages before I head off to a fresh new start when o levels results are out and things get settled down.
First tutorial of the year and I already got overexcited with the questions and went off-tangent with out of syllabus materials. I have to stop ramblings , rein in the horses and focus a little bit more next time. A good start is impt otherwise it will come back to haunt the kids in yr 2 like it did for some of mine.
Ok just to say a big hi. Got to get back to work. Take care
Start of yr
This year has promised to be exciting and tiring with 2 mega-events in my tray for term 1 and 2. Already Week 3 of Term 1 and there was so many meetings that I barely could keep track of my time in school. I nearly missed one meeting today if not for my student who called me to sign blue slip when I realized the time. Some see this plate of work on my table as opportunities and a chance to challenge my abilities but are those my priorities in life?
It was just yesterday when someone came over and said, hey we are thinking of relieving you of your teaching duties for a while so that you can concentrate on this event that is coming up....and I must admit that I was taken aback because it has never crossed my mind. I got a little scared, I worried that I cannot sit down and chat with my kiddos over a cup of coffee, I cannot sit at my desk thinking of my lesson plans and I worried that I cannot be in the best state for my kiddos. This world is moving too fast for me.
A CT this time and I am not sure what my report card will be at the end of the year. I probably get kicked out. It was funny how I tried to be the solemn, serious and mature teacher who appeared to be to be able to give good guidance on Day 1. Then I got fed up and decide to go back to the neurotic me, with my fumbling and hahaha. =P It felt good when you are able to enter a class with the happiness in your chest and not try to be extra cool.
The other day I met a student and we talked about career/study options beyond JC. And she asked if I have found my match in terms of occupation? This is a toughie because as years go by, our expectations might change and I do not know if this is the right job or best one for me. At this point in life, I am grateful that I can be happy everyday at some point(s), even when I am tired.
Went out with a colleague for dinner the other night and we missed our kiddos of 2007.
It was just yesterday when someone came over and said, hey we are thinking of relieving you of your teaching duties for a while so that you can concentrate on this event that is coming up....and I must admit that I was taken aback because it has never crossed my mind. I got a little scared, I worried that I cannot sit down and chat with my kiddos over a cup of coffee, I cannot sit at my desk thinking of my lesson plans and I worried that I cannot be in the best state for my kiddos. This world is moving too fast for me.
A CT this time and I am not sure what my report card will be at the end of the year. I probably get kicked out. It was funny how I tried to be the solemn, serious and mature teacher who appeared to be to be able to give good guidance on Day 1. Then I got fed up and decide to go back to the neurotic me, with my fumbling and hahaha. =P It felt good when you are able to enter a class with the happiness in your chest and not try to be extra cool.
The other day I met a student and we talked about career/study options beyond JC. And she asked if I have found my match in terms of occupation? This is a toughie because as years go by, our expectations might change and I do not know if this is the right job or best one for me. At this point in life, I am grateful that I can be happy everyday at some point(s), even when I am tired.
Went out with a colleague for dinner the other night and we missed our kiddos of 2007.
Dear Whoever-is-still-around
First week of school...nothing biology-related preoccupied my mind for now as I cleared some last minute references, do up financial account for my CIP trip, getting mentally prepared for the challenging year ahead with the RCLF, science camp, H3 and as a CT. Left school about 7:30pm today after a long day at the desk doing up the CIP account and walked past the canteen that is enshrouded by the darkness that prevailed with the the sun beyond the horizon. The scene looked so familiar it brought nostalgia. There used to be kiddos littering around those benches mugging hard into the night for the A levels. Those nights when I stayed back late reinforcing knowledge. Those times when I was caught in my path to discuss biology.
Where is everyone? Hope all is well with you.
As the new year ushers itself in, I bade farewell to 1.5 years of highs and lows. I stored away the cards, the smses and thank everyone in SQL of 06-07 for the memories - until some of you haunt me soon for more references :P
----------------------
Slagoon was right, I was really hard to catch for the hols with consecutive trips.
17 Nov - 2 Dec: CIP trip to Chiangmai. A really fruitful and meaningful trip with a bunch of fantabulous kids. We set up a water filtration system for a village of Lahu refugees and where we stayed. Because their water source is contaminated, the villagers had to buy potable water for consumption which can run up to high costs. Those who are better off may afford it but for others, they will drink the water regardless of the level of contamination. Thus, with filtration, we hope to alleviate the level of contamination in this basic need and make life better for them. We dug, mixed cement, built well and plastered the wall. We taught english, played games, cooked our own meals, showered in freezing water. We burst pipes, we got amused looks from villagers, we bear the braying of the dogs at nights, we disturbed the villager's rest at night and we adopted a puppy. We laughed, cried and brought joy. I am glad to be part of it.
Well to disrupt the perfect plan/trip, I had to stay back in Bangkok for another day when one of my team members did not get a chop on her departure card and she could not get through customs for our final call of the flights so I had to stay back with her. So you can imagine the excitement we created back in Singapore when news spread =P when the rest of the team landed back on homeground as scheduled.
Anyway we landed safely back home on 3rd at 8 pm on the only possible flight back (for the next few days).
Then my amazing race started with another flight at 7am next morning. I got home, did some unpacking and repacking, zip off to school in a cab at 3am to get laptop so that I can clear some references in cambodia. It was quite crazy but I took a good break in Siem Reap catching up on my sleep because I needed it to recover from a slightly sniffy nose. I was in SR for about 2.5 days and visited Angkor Wat on my own before taking a 6 hr bus ride to Phnom Pehn to meet up with my volunteer grp. It was good to reunite.=)
...Sometimes you just do not realise the influence you have on a kid. My boy was really glad to see me and that really took me by surprise bcos he was always so cool and would not bother when we try to meet up back in Singapore. My social workers and volunteers teased me that for the past 3 days he kept asking when I would be coming and was quite sian all the time. My reunion with the team saw him opening up, bantering and grinning. I just could not imagine how he was like before I came but to know that was comforting bcos I did not see this kid often for the entire year because whenever the team meet up, it was usually Saturday and he had to help his uncle to sell fish in the market or give some excuses. Perhaps it was my effort to meet him on the day before I left for Chiang Mai that really got to him. I remembered that day I was busy clearing work so that I can fly off the very next day with a peace of mind but still I called him up and arranged to meet after 8pm so that I can meet up with him one last time before going MIA. We had a good chat at BK.
I realised later on that I was like a father figure to him and he really looked up to me. It made me feel a bit old considering my youthful looks (=P)but when I nagged, he would listen to my advices and we would share thoughts. mmm... maybe because I really take care of him. The whole experience in cambodia was fulfilling and unlike Chiang Mai where I focused on the project nature and creating experiences, here I was busy developing and guiding these youths (not only mine) who are so misunderstood sometimes and I am also glad that some of the tough calls I made paid off.
2nd leg of amazing race. I made a mistake. I thought I would be back in Singapore at 11am on the 18th but it turned out to be 11pm instead. Landed in Chiang Mai, asked my bro to fetch me, send me to school so that I can print out 2 references which I have finished in cambodia (I would wake up earlier and sleep later to churn them out) and print, print, print, sealed, stamped and sent. Got home at about 1am. Unpacked and repacked for cold winter in Japan until 4am. Slept for an hour and left home for airport with my parents, not forgetting the laptop for another reference that just came into the pigeon hole.
Flight was at 9 and by then I was quite tired. But still it was exciting. The trip was the first time I brought my parents out on a trip (free and easy too) and before they get too old. The trip has a lot of meanings for me because made me realise a lot of things: a trip like this made you realise how much age has caught up with your parents - the fact that they can't take cold as well as you, can't walk as fast, prefer certain diets and because my dad is a diabetic, I have to ensure that he eats regular meals or make sure he has bread with him which is something I do not realise back home in the controlled environment. I am fortunate that my parents are quite game and spontaneous such that they did not mind the long walks we did as I navigated the streets of tokyo and hokkaido with a map together with niece who joined us --until the cold winter wind blew =P
This trip is specially dedicated to my dad who has always given to the family but barely travelled in his entire life. For him, it will be his first long flight in a proper plane with all the frills, pristine snow falling, freezing winter, a good soak in the hot springs, beautiful landscape, a window seat to see the glitters and lights of the city when we landed. For my parents, a second honeymoon.
End of post. Late already...
Where is everyone? Hope all is well with you.
As the new year ushers itself in, I bade farewell to 1.5 years of highs and lows. I stored away the cards, the smses and thank everyone in SQL of 06-07 for the memories - until some of you haunt me soon for more references :P
----------------------
Slagoon was right, I was really hard to catch for the hols with consecutive trips.
17 Nov - 2 Dec: CIP trip to Chiangmai. A really fruitful and meaningful trip with a bunch of fantabulous kids. We set up a water filtration system for a village of Lahu refugees and where we stayed. Because their water source is contaminated, the villagers had to buy potable water for consumption which can run up to high costs. Those who are better off may afford it but for others, they will drink the water regardless of the level of contamination. Thus, with filtration, we hope to alleviate the level of contamination in this basic need and make life better for them. We dug, mixed cement, built well and plastered the wall. We taught english, played games, cooked our own meals, showered in freezing water. We burst pipes, we got amused looks from villagers, we bear the braying of the dogs at nights, we disturbed the villager's rest at night and we adopted a puppy. We laughed, cried and brought joy. I am glad to be part of it.
Well to disrupt the perfect plan/trip, I had to stay back in Bangkok for another day when one of my team members did not get a chop on her departure card and she could not get through customs for our final call of the flights so I had to stay back with her. So you can imagine the excitement we created back in Singapore when news spread =P when the rest of the team landed back on homeground as scheduled.
Anyway we landed safely back home on 3rd at 8 pm on the only possible flight back (for the next few days).
Then my amazing race started with another flight at 7am next morning. I got home, did some unpacking and repacking, zip off to school in a cab at 3am to get laptop so that I can clear some references in cambodia. It was quite crazy but I took a good break in Siem Reap catching up on my sleep because I needed it to recover from a slightly sniffy nose. I was in SR for about 2.5 days and visited Angkor Wat on my own before taking a 6 hr bus ride to Phnom Pehn to meet up with my volunteer grp. It was good to reunite.=)
...Sometimes you just do not realise the influence you have on a kid. My boy was really glad to see me and that really took me by surprise bcos he was always so cool and would not bother when we try to meet up back in Singapore. My social workers and volunteers teased me that for the past 3 days he kept asking when I would be coming and was quite sian all the time. My reunion with the team saw him opening up, bantering and grinning. I just could not imagine how he was like before I came but to know that was comforting bcos I did not see this kid often for the entire year because whenever the team meet up, it was usually Saturday and he had to help his uncle to sell fish in the market or give some excuses. Perhaps it was my effort to meet him on the day before I left for Chiang Mai that really got to him. I remembered that day I was busy clearing work so that I can fly off the very next day with a peace of mind but still I called him up and arranged to meet after 8pm so that I can meet up with him one last time before going MIA. We had a good chat at BK.
I realised later on that I was like a father figure to him and he really looked up to me. It made me feel a bit old considering my youthful looks (=P)but when I nagged, he would listen to my advices and we would share thoughts. mmm... maybe because I really take care of him. The whole experience in cambodia was fulfilling and unlike Chiang Mai where I focused on the project nature and creating experiences, here I was busy developing and guiding these youths (not only mine) who are so misunderstood sometimes and I am also glad that some of the tough calls I made paid off.
2nd leg of amazing race. I made a mistake. I thought I would be back in Singapore at 11am on the 18th but it turned out to be 11pm instead. Landed in Chiang Mai, asked my bro to fetch me, send me to school so that I can print out 2 references which I have finished in cambodia (I would wake up earlier and sleep later to churn them out) and print, print, print, sealed, stamped and sent. Got home at about 1am. Unpacked and repacked for cold winter in Japan until 4am. Slept for an hour and left home for airport with my parents, not forgetting the laptop for another reference that just came into the pigeon hole.
Flight was at 9 and by then I was quite tired. But still it was exciting. The trip was the first time I brought my parents out on a trip (free and easy too) and before they get too old. The trip has a lot of meanings for me because made me realise a lot of things: a trip like this made you realise how much age has caught up with your parents - the fact that they can't take cold as well as you, can't walk as fast, prefer certain diets and because my dad is a diabetic, I have to ensure that he eats regular meals or make sure he has bread with him which is something I do not realise back home in the controlled environment. I am fortunate that my parents are quite game and spontaneous such that they did not mind the long walks we did as I navigated the streets of tokyo and hokkaido with a map together with niece who joined us --until the cold winter wind blew =P
This trip is specially dedicated to my dad who has always given to the family but barely travelled in his entire life. For him, it will be his first long flight in a proper plane with all the frills, pristine snow falling, freezing winter, a good soak in the hot springs, beautiful landscape, a window seat to see the glitters and lights of the city when we landed. For my parents, a second honeymoon.
End of post. Late already...
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