From Kisana Beach Resort...

From 22 nd July to 24 th July,I had been accompanying my students at Kisana Beach Resort,Tok Bali,Pasir Puteh,Kelantan for our yearly camping activities.This camping activity is participated by all the uniform bodies in our school.

The first thing to do upon reaching the site is pitching a tent.

Aisyah is having fun at the same time,showing off her "masculinity"

Cikgu Siti trying to help her members. Have to get the tents ready before it gets dark.
Alis ...what are you doing there?Behind in yellow t-shirt is daughter Ifah,triyng to make herself busy..

Making gadgets

Get the measurement correct girls...

Arent these creative...

Glass holder

These girls have lots of ideas...Making the serving looks attractive.

Our proud chefs..Aisyah,Raja Noraini and Suria.We, the PBSM, got second place..

One of the dishes is Telur Bungkus

Judges, Cikgu Asabul Kafi and Cikgu Nusri are tasting the food...hemm...

Rice served in bamboo.Everybody is trying to impress the judges with their own creativity and style.Fadhilah and Asiah..close your mouth please before your saliva starts drooling on the food..

Background is South China Sea

Previously, this resort was PLKN site

Balance yourself girls..

Good...boleh buat catwalk lepas ni

Push boys!!!! One of the teacher's car got stuck in the sand.Spirit of comradeship..

As usual there are some who like to be the "towkay"

Waiting for the bus to bring us home.....tired but happy.These girs here have worked very hard.

Thank you and I am proud of you.The only torn here is Baihaqi,our loyal ex-student,coming back when he heard we are camping here.

Justice to plants, generous to neighbours

I have been neglecting my plants for... not 2 days or 2 weeks or 2 months but 2 years,that is since I moved out from the camp to join the civilians.Previously,in the camp, I had my other half's "batman",Corperal Zaini or dearly called Pak cik Awe by my kids, coming every morning to water,trim and fertilise the plants besides ironing my other half's uniforms and polishing his boots and shoes.
So, now the plants grow at the mercy of occasional raindrops.No trimming,no fertiliser and no watering.If these plants could talk, they surely would curse me for being so cruel and mean... Cannot differentiate between the plants and the weeds... "I need air!I am suffocated!"
the plants screamed..

Dried whithered plants...I have not done justice to these plants.

Last week my lady friend asked me,"Kak Mas banyak tanam bunga tak di rumah?"

I said,"Ada but half-dying.."

"Why???"she questioned me.

"I have lost the interest and the passion for plants."I said.

"Kalau I nak mintak sikit boleh tak?"she asked me.

Quickly I responded,"Ambik belako ..ngan pasu-pasu tak pe.."

A man teacher interrupted, "Banyak pasu ke?"

I said,"From small plastic pots where I plant my cactus to a big ceramic pot where I once grew lotus plant."

He said,"I want the big pasu,I want to make a water fountain."

"Come over,sapa cepat dia dapat.." I told him jokingly.

So the next day, he came to my house and carried back happily with him my big pasu which has been with me for almost 10 years.I bought the big pot in Jitra and had been in and out of army trucks whenever I had to move from one state to another.

This evening my lady friend came to dig up a few species of my plants.I gave her 2 pots of cactus.Actually she has just moved into her new bungalow and now enthusiastically planting plants in her garden.I understand how she feels.I even gave her pokok terung which I ve never known of its existence in my backyard until yesterday.

Over a wired fence yesterday my neighbour asked me,"Kak tak makan terung ke?"

I said, "Tak berahi sangat."

She continued and at the same time pointing at the plant,"Padan banyak buah tak di ambil."

Then only I know there is egg plant tree in my backyard,maybe some birds might have dropped the seeds there.

Then she continued,"Nak minta sikit boleh?"

I said,"Ambil lah, banyak pun tak pe.."

Before she left my backyard,I told her feel free to come anytime whenever she wants to eat egg plant.My garden is her garden too.In return, she offered her buah kedondong which grows profusely in her front yard.

This evening, after my lady friend left, I forced myself to do a bit of justice to my plants...weeding and gardening which actually I had planned earlier during the previous school holidays.So these are the outcome..

Weeds cleared off..

"What a relief!Now only I can breathe"Maybe that is what the plants would say...

I get to see the species now..

Finally, my last holiday mission accomplished!

Lu bikin gua susaaaah aje...

I was quite busy with co-academic language activities these past few days.Teaching in kampung school is not a bed of roses especially if you have to deal with English and have to come out with teams to participate in English activities.For example to come out with a team of 35 students to present a choral speaking is no joke and what more to compete with boarding and premier schools.

The script was written months ago by the teacher not students.Then the students were selected,trained in terms of articulation,pronunciation,gestures,expression,body language in fact from A to Z...Unlike in town schools,here, the teachers instruct everything,even whether to sway the body to the left or right, to move the body like a catterpillar or to remain static .However,what I admire about my "budak kampong" students are the spirit they showed through out the training period and the eagerness to perform in the competition. Never once did they complain of having to stay back until 4 pm and to be called during school holidays.

So on 7 th July,we were ready to compete.Before we left the school,teachers including our principal sent us off with words of encouragement hoping that our spirit will remain soaring.For me to receive a certificate of participation is more than enough.I am not putting high hopes on them for I know who they are competing with.This time would just be some sort of an exposure to them,maybe in the next few years we will give a tough fight..god willing..

We got to perform at 6:00 pm after siting down on a hard chair for four hours without any refreshment.Blame the urusetia for the poor running of the event.My "budak kampong"students performed well, flashing smiles throughout but a bit reserve and not as agressive and expressive as the other teams of town students.A sense of satisfaction could be seen in their faces.Although we didnt get any place,to present a team is an achievement already.I am proud of you girls and boys..never once did I see any feeling of inferior in you.You all presented well, at your own pace with your very unique style.

Getting ready.......waiting for instruction to face the audience

Daughter,Ifah, the conductor of the team,giving instructions to the team.The conductor is supposed to stand on a low stool but the urusetia didnt even prepare for it.Lots of post-mortem to do guys.... Meeting another blogger,Teacher Sally,whose blog I always visit but never leave a trace...

This week Malaysians have been awaken by the long-awaited news...that is the issue of ETEMS.I heard about the decision on SINAR FM morning news on my way to school.Upon hearing the news,the respond from my big baby was " Susahlah macam ni...".

I asked him "Kenapa susah?".

He answered " Yalah..kejap BI kejap BM.Kadang-kadang ada perkataan dah belajar

dalam BI tapi Ijat tak tau dalam BM".

So I asked him which language he prefers to learn his Math and Science.He

answered,"English or dwibahasa pun bolehlah.Tapi kalau BM aje ,susahlah..kena

belajar all the terms semula".

By then I reached his school.As he was about to step out I heard him sighing.."Lu bikin gua susah aje.."

So, even a twelve -year- old boy could forsee the tentative problems they may encounter in the next couple of years .Now my kid is in standard six, by 2012 he will be in form three and that will be the year where Math and Science will be switched to BM..and what more,that year he will be taking his PMR .How is he and the other kids borned in 1997 going to cope with this situation?I am too afraid to think about that.Maybe the language of these kids will finally end up like vegetable salad, a mixture of both languages but fluent in none.

Like Dr M,I am expressing my disappointment too...

Happy Birthday Angah!

Today, the Fourth of July, is the Independence Day for the United States of America.It is the day where the Americans declare its independency from the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Today, 4 th July is also Angah's birthday. Angah is her nickname among her siblings but her real name is Siti Amira Dayana which means "ketua yang berani" or the brave leader.And brave she is..She is the most outspoken in the family that at one time when she was six years old I had to chili her mouth for being so outspoken.Among her friends she is a chatterbox.I didnt know that until one day I went to her hostel to pick her up when she was down with fever. The friends told me the class would definitely be quiet because Dayana was not around...

Angah, a few months old, standing on her father's palm...smiling sweetly

Angah .. at three years old, smiling from ear to ear parading her new gown and new shoes on Hari Raya.
Angah now, still smiling away and always friendly to people.

Happy 15 th birthday Angah.I hope your days ahead will be filled with joy and laughter.May you be in good health and under the protection of the Almighty always.All the best in your PMR.

Sorry momy dearest couldnt make it to your school today to celebrate your birthday.Anyway,I hope you have a good time at your hostel with friends...