I'll be gone for a week. To a land where the birds sing, the sun smiles and hearts don't break. Cheh, I wish!
I hardly think the land I'm going to has singing birds and smiling sun. And that last bit of hearts not breaking, err well that's hopelessly possible.
So don't expect an update on this blog anytime soon. For a week, at least. Or more. It's hard to scribble on here when you're not in the right state of mind.
Anyway, I'll be back soon. Hopefully.
And be good, peeps! :))
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Of teaching and being taught
I'm not in college yet. I'm not working at Starbucks or Topshop either. So what do I do with my free time?
Sleep, eat, sleep some more.
That, and also I've started teaching English (for free) at an orphanage near my home. I've never done any proper teaching before this so last night's class was a learning curve. For both me and the kids. The kids were about 9 to 11 years old.
Good thing mum was there too to help around. She's the one who does lecturing for a living so she should know better. We helped around with their homework and then did some story-telling sessions with them.
I would say their level of English isn't up to standard. Some of them have difficulty reading and writing in English. Some just have poor grammar and sentence structure. But at least they have the desire to learn and to know more.
Their eyes lit up in excitement when we sat and read the story books together. I read a paragraph and they followed suit with the same intonation I had. In between, they would ask all sorts of questions like "Why would King Midas need so many gold coins?" A few of them said, "If I had the kind of money like King Midas, I would donate it to poor people or an orphanage."
And that made me smile. Because then I know there's still hope for these kids. None of us were born with naturally good English. We learned along the way. I remember how sucky my English was when I was younger. Like I can't even speak a few sentences without having grammar mistakes here and there. Not to say it's great or perfect now but I got better.
My mum always said that the best way you can improve your language is through exposure. Be it exposure to books, newspapers, TV or daily conversations. And that is what these kids are lacking over here. They have the potential and the brains, just that they are not fully exposed to the English language.
I have a couple of months to work on these kids. Before I finally decide what is it that I want to do next, studies wise.
But for now, like what I tell everyone who asks me what it's like to do all these charity work, life has a new purpose now.
And it's for a whole new reason =)
Sleep, eat, sleep some more.
That, and also I've started teaching English (for free) at an orphanage near my home. I've never done any proper teaching before this so last night's class was a learning curve. For both me and the kids. The kids were about 9 to 11 years old.
Good thing mum was there too to help around. She's the one who does lecturing for a living so she should know better. We helped around with their homework and then did some story-telling sessions with them.
I would say their level of English isn't up to standard. Some of them have difficulty reading and writing in English. Some just have poor grammar and sentence structure. But at least they have the desire to learn and to know more.
Their eyes lit up in excitement when we sat and read the story books together. I read a paragraph and they followed suit with the same intonation I had. In between, they would ask all sorts of questions like "Why would King Midas need so many gold coins?" A few of them said, "If I had the kind of money like King Midas, I would donate it to poor people or an orphanage."
And that made me smile. Because then I know there's still hope for these kids. None of us were born with naturally good English. We learned along the way. I remember how sucky my English was when I was younger. Like I can't even speak a few sentences without having grammar mistakes here and there. Not to say it's great or perfect now but I got better.
My mum always said that the best way you can improve your language is through exposure. Be it exposure to books, newspapers, TV or daily conversations. And that is what these kids are lacking over here. They have the potential and the brains, just that they are not fully exposed to the English language.
I have a couple of months to work on these kids. Before I finally decide what is it that I want to do next, studies wise.
But for now, like what I tell everyone who asks me what it's like to do all these charity work, life has a new purpose now.
And it's for a whole new reason =)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
For Entertainment Purposes Only
I was browsing through Facebook photos from last Raya. This was from Mimi's open house. And look what I found.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Aku penat
Tiba-tiba hari ini terasa mahu menulis dalam Bahasa Malaysia. My first BM post.
Aku penat.
Tatkala rakan-rakan yang lain sibuk pergi hari orientasi pertama mereka di kolej, aku masih di sini, termangu-mangu ke mana arah tujuan aku seterusnya. Ada peluang ke HELP University College dengan bayaran hampir separuh aku lepaskan. Ada tawaran masuk ke KYUEM untuk Januari aku lepaskan juga. Apa yang aku ada sekarang hanya diri dan masa, sambil mencongak apa lagi yang nak dilakukan. Nasib baik ada juga kerja dekat MERCY Malaysia. Kalau tak, dah lama mati kutu di rumah.
Aku penat.
Tatkala negara kecoh dengan penggunaan kalimah Allah dalam penerbitan majalah Kristian dan pembakaran/pengeboman gereja-gereja Kristian, aku masih di sini, terkilan melihat apa yang sudah terjadi pada negaraku. Ahli politik pada mulanya bukan main lagi menjunjung tinggi konsep 1Malaysia dan bila ini berlaku, merekalah yang paling cepat melatah, menyemarakkan lagi api yang sudah membara. Kadang-kadang aku tertanya, mereka ingat ini pentas lakonan di mana mereka boleh berkelakuan sebegini rupa ya? Entah la.
Aku penat.
Tatkala hidup ini dipenuhi bermacam-macam jenis manusia, yang baik dan yang jahat. Ada juga terselit satu dua muka bangsat yang dekat dengan aku. Tak tahu lagi yang mana ikhlas atau yang bermuka-muka. Semua nampak macam sama. Kalau nak berkata lebih di sini, nanti ada pula yang cepat melatah dan terasa hati. Ahh, biarkan mereka dan kebangsatan mereka!
Kerana aku sudah penat.
Penat memikirkan apa yang nak dilakukan selepas ini.
Penat melihat negara tunggang terbalik.
Penat menghadap manusia yang berbagai jenis ragamnya.
Aku penat.
Aku penat.
Tatkala rakan-rakan yang lain sibuk pergi hari orientasi pertama mereka di kolej, aku masih di sini, termangu-mangu ke mana arah tujuan aku seterusnya. Ada peluang ke HELP University College dengan bayaran hampir separuh aku lepaskan. Ada tawaran masuk ke KYUEM untuk Januari aku lepaskan juga. Apa yang aku ada sekarang hanya diri dan masa, sambil mencongak apa lagi yang nak dilakukan. Nasib baik ada juga kerja dekat MERCY Malaysia. Kalau tak, dah lama mati kutu di rumah.
Aku penat.
Tatkala negara kecoh dengan penggunaan kalimah Allah dalam penerbitan majalah Kristian dan pembakaran/pengeboman gereja-gereja Kristian, aku masih di sini, terkilan melihat apa yang sudah terjadi pada negaraku. Ahli politik pada mulanya bukan main lagi menjunjung tinggi konsep 1Malaysia dan bila ini berlaku, merekalah yang paling cepat melatah, menyemarakkan lagi api yang sudah membara. Kadang-kadang aku tertanya, mereka ingat ini pentas lakonan di mana mereka boleh berkelakuan sebegini rupa ya? Entah la.
Aku penat.
Tatkala hidup ini dipenuhi bermacam-macam jenis manusia, yang baik dan yang jahat. Ada juga terselit satu dua muka bangsat yang dekat dengan aku. Tak tahu lagi yang mana ikhlas atau yang bermuka-muka. Semua nampak macam sama. Kalau nak berkata lebih di sini, nanti ada pula yang cepat melatah dan terasa hati. Ahh, biarkan mereka dan kebangsatan mereka!
Kerana aku sudah penat.
Penat memikirkan apa yang nak dilakukan selepas ini.
Penat melihat negara tunggang terbalik.
Penat menghadap manusia yang berbagai jenis ragamnya.
Aku penat.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Facebook: No Entry!
I've been depressed for over a week.
But why?!
Because everytime I try to log in to Facebook, this is what I get:
"Incorrect Email/Password Combination"
Even though I've typed in the right email and password 3000 times. And I can't seem to reset the password either because it says my email is invalid.
&%$%#@&!!!!
This can't be the case of account hacking, can it? Since my profile seems perfectly alright. I guess I can make another account but the idea of re-adding 588 friends and re-uploading/re-tagging 302 photos is daunting.
And depressing, too. Heh :(
But why?!
Because everytime I try to log in to Facebook, this is what I get:
"Incorrect Email/Password Combination"
Even though I've typed in the right email and password 3000 times. And I can't seem to reset the password either because it says my email is invalid.
&%$%#@&!!!!
This can't be the case of account hacking, can it? Since my profile seems perfectly alright. I guess I can make another account but the idea of re-adding 588 friends and re-uploading/re-tagging 302 photos is daunting.
And depressing, too. Heh :(
Friday, January 01, 2010
Welcome 2010
Hello! It's a brand new year, isn't it? Well, usually I would do a recap of the year like what I did here and here but not this year. Not in the mood, I guess.
Which is highly unusual but gaahh when you're not in the element, you're not. Period.
And no, I don't have any New Year resolutions either. Not this year.
If any, it would be to sound more politically incorrect on here because Andrew commented the other day on how politically correct I always sound on the blog. Though that needs a lot of working on.
Cheers to the New Year and another chance for us to do wrong and get it right.
Which is highly unusual but gaahh when you're not in the element, you're not. Period.
And no, I don't have any New Year resolutions either. Not this year.
If any, it would be to sound more politically incorrect on here because Andrew commented the other day on how politically correct I always sound on the blog. Though that needs a lot of working on.
Cheers to the New Year and another chance for us to do wrong and get it right.
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