Farewell & May Love Bring Us Together Again

Well, all my 'goodbyes' have been said... all the hugs and wishes given, all the thanks and handshakes received, all the smiles and laughter faded, all the tears wiped away and all the memories locked inside my heart. To give, to receive, to hold onto, to let go - all these have come and gone. And now, all that's left is this lonely soul... hoping to receive some form of encouragement, a glimmer of hope, a spark of joy given to birth from a tiny shed of a tear filled with gratitude or a tiny speck of love - whichever that will never cease to lift this empty soul.

In a few hours' time, as the clock ticks and the nightly shadows slowly ebb away... I extend my forlorn hands to grant you this wish - that you each do your best, not try... that you open your eyes to the reality set before you, not close your eyes and dream... that you go forth and conquer this battle and stake your claim in this war, not step back, retreat and surrender to your fears.

My dear friends, I wish you well. Now, make me proud. More importantly, make yourselves proud. I'm with you, near or far, seen or unseen, heard or unheard... you are always remembered and will always be loved.

Seri Wawasan Form 5 Class of 2010

Mega Yakin Form 5A Class of 2010

Alam Gemilang Form 5 Class of 2010

Mega Yakin Form 5D Class of 2010

Mega Yakin Form 5B Class of 2010

Mega Yakin Form 5C Class of 2010

The Sound of Silence

Every year, I dread the month of November. No, it has nothing to do with the rainy weather. I like rainy days... except when I need to go out cause I hate getting wet when I'm out. I guess everybody feels that way too. However, I doubt if everybody feels the way I do each November. I doubt if everybody feels the way I have felt for the past seven years during the cold November rain.

Last night, I said my first 'Goodbye' to my graduating class at Sri Wawasan. It was difficult, as it always is. Perhaps the first one is a little more difficult than the rest as I have to make sure all the preparations are ready and organized well. Practice does make perfect but each year's graduation is slightly different so there's always some adjustments to be made.

There are so many things to consider as every class is different. The number of students are different, the classrooms are different in size and shape and the facilities available to each class are also different. So, activities need to be adjusted accordingly to fit in with the schedule.

Complicating things is the chemistry between students. Some classes have a great 'family' rapport while some are not that close. Then, there's also the chemistry between my students and myself which varies greatly from class to class. Factoring all these intangible details into the planning process definitely kills a few brain cells but it certainly gives birth to many unforgettable moments... moments which my students and I will remember forever.

And so I thought, that after last night's difficult 'Goodbye' to my first class, I would have had gotten used to it. But I was gravely wrong. How could I get used to saying 'Goodbye'? How could I get used to seeing them leave one by one, knowing they'll never return as a class? How could I not shed tears when I know things will never be the same again?

Tonight, the feeling was no different. Preparing to say 'Goodbye' to my first graduating class at Mega Yakin, I tried to put on a brave face, just as I had the night before. I held back the tears though inside, I was breaking into pieces. I had to remain positive. I had to embrace this moment and enjoy it... this moment - our last together as a class. And so we laughed and had a great time. Yet, it was a laughter that was punctuated with an air of sadness. Deep down, behind the smiling faces and the twinkling eyes, the cold rain of November was pouring in our hearts.

Then, comes the 'Goodbyes'. I hate it when we have to rush things through. No matter how well I plan it, we never seem to have enough time. I hate having to rush because I can't calm myself down to say what I want to say. However, I know it's the same with every class. We never seem to finish all our activities on time because deep down, we all don't want to leave. We don't want to say 'Goodbye' and as always, that 'Goodbye' comes sooner than expected... it comes sooner than we would want it to and once it comes, all that's left is an empty class decorated with empty tables and chairs. I can only stand there, staring into the empty space before me. The ones I love have left and I already begin to miss their faces, their smiles, their laughter... and even the sound of their breath and I'm helpless to do anything but stand there.

I have another four more classes graduating under me in the next four days... I don't know how I'm going to face this. I don't know how I'm going to get through this. I don't know how I'm going to come out of it alive. Of all the creepy and horrifying sounds I fear, the one I fear the most, is the sound of silence. It's deafening.

Living A Teenage Dream

My heart raced as I drove to Kwang Hua High School. One of my ex-students called earlier to tell me that the school guards had turned them away at the school gate. Outsiders were not allowed to witness the Graduation Day Concert; only parents were allowed "What the. . . damn those stupid school rules!", my heart screamed in anger as my hands clenched tightly onto the steering wheel. There was no way I was missing my students' graduation. I'd promised them weeks ago that I would be there and to me, a promise is a promise. I stepped harder on the accelerator.

I found a spot a good distance away from the gate and parked there regardless. I ran as fast as I could, the fear of being turned away at the school gate, fueling my every step. I reached the gate to find my 'brother' waiting for me. After a few moments, the gate opened and the guard let me in. A huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. My 'brother' and I waited at the gate for the approval letter to arrive and it took a while. Then, my 'brother' received a phone call. The performance had begun! We hesitated and then, in plain rationality, I asked the guard if we could go ahead without the letter. . . he said 'OK'. God bless his soul.

So, we ran, up the steep road, round the bend, onto the straight, up the stairs and into a crowd of people watching in the hall. I pulled my camera out as soon as I found a seat and started recording. I was still in time to witness the second half of the performance and I immediately took in the atmosphere of the moment. It was electric!

I spent the next few hours recording my students' performances and cheered them on by shouting out their names. I was a teen again. Then, during the last performance, my students persuaded me to join them in a chain-running frenzy and I duly obliged as we held onto each other's shoulders and swarmed the stage and back down again in one swift flow. I was really a teen once more and I loved it!

At the end of the ceremony, many of my students started crying and I went around hugging and consoling them. I don't know why but in that moment, I felt like crying too but I held back. Seeing them cry because the realization of separation had set in, it made me think of how naive and childish I once was and how I yearn to be that again... to be young again. What a joy it would be if in that moment, I could be transported back to my school days and be surrounded by familiar faces once more. . . faces which have now grown old and weary. Growing up has a way of sucking the life out of us as we chase our dreams. So much innocence is lost in our pursuit of a better life that sometimes, we forget that the better life has already come and gone. A student's life is the better life. . . a student's life is the best life.

I felt the rush of exhilaration racing through my veins and my heart thumped with the beat of youthful energy as my students mischievously grabbed my arms and legs and threw me up into the air with screams of delight. It was the first time I'd experienced it and it took me by surprise how much I enjoyed it. Being mercilessly thrown into the air, it was at once ridiculous and empowering. Even now, at my age, I've managed to experience something only a teen could go through and in that very moment, I knew that I was indeed living a teenage dream.

Standing On The Edge

The heart pounds... stronger and stronger with each passing second... it's thumping harder against the wall of my soul... I can almost feel it burst out screaming! I feel like running, kicking and screaming but then... nothing... nothing but silence...

Nothing seems to satisfy me anymore. I flick through my pile of DVDs, so new the plastic still wraps itself around so tightly. I don't have the mood to watch anything. I've not had the mood to watch anything for a long time. All they do is sit there, collecting dust by the day and the day has turned into weeks, which have turned into months...

I go out for a drink with my students. That's always fun. I order an ice-cold fresh fruit juice and it refreshes me... but only for a while. Once the glass is empty, the satisfaction is drained with it. Let's see what else is on the menu... Ahh... my favourite comfort food - ice-cream; something I love and haven't had for a long time. It arrives - tall glass of icy creamy goodness looking splendidly delicious. Disappointing; the blueberry sauce is sour and not what I'd imagined. Looks can be deceiving. I should have ordered chocolate instead.

Okay, fun time's over. Time to send my students home. Back at my house, I'm still feeling dissatisfied. I stumble into the kitchen and rummage through the fridge. Let's have a few chunks of chocolate - my second favourite comfort food. Too sweet. I prefer dark chocolate... but there's only so little left. Sigh...

Upstairs to my room then. Let's play my favourite computer game - Football Manager. This should be satisfying. Finally, my Liverpool team is awesome enough to beat any team. Team selection -set, tactics -set. Play... Damn! My team can't even beat Manchester City. A lousy draw after my captain is sent off for a vicious tackle. Argh!

What now? Okay, let's go for a drive through this sleepy town and listen to some good music in the car...

All right, I've been circling the same area thrice. There must be something satisfying I can do at 3am in the morning. Let's watch some real football then. It's Champions League night and the big game is on - AC Milan vs Real Madrid. My team's not playing but Madrid disgusts me, so it should be fun watching Milan thrash them. Oh... wait, I don't think that's going to happen. Might end up disappointed, again. Skip!

Okay, back in my room again. 4 in the morning. Let's listen to some sad love songs as I ponder... what else is there to do? Play my guitar? Check my Facebook profile for the eighth time today? Ah... screw it! Just sleep then.

Nothing seems to satisfy me anymore.

Sorry, I Can't Join You For Dinner

For the millionth time, I find myself sitting in a crowded restaurant that's buzzing with laughter... and like a sore thumb, I stick out among all the merriment. I choose to sit by a quiet corner, as if it would make it less obvious that I'm having dinner alone. "Xi guan jiu hao"(As long as you get used to it, then it's fine) , so I tell my students whenever they heave a collective sigh when they hear that I'm having dinner alone, yet again. Well, is it really possible to get used to being alone so often, for so long? I find myself challenging the notion of being alone all the time... with each passing stare as I boldly defy all odds by being the only person to consistently have dinner all by myself. "Xi guan jiu hao" - I shudder.

I sit there alone as I wait for my drink to come. My table is empty except for the plates and cutlery laid out neatly for a table of four. The waitress raises her index finger, asking me if I'm eating alone. She had already asked me that when I entered the restaurant a few moments ago. I guess she's just making sure before she removes the remaining plates and cutlery, leaving just one in front of me. Again, the passing stares surround me. I sink into my chair and sigh. It's becoming a habit lately.

As I'm left to my own devices, I turn my head to scan the entire room to see if there's anything interesting. Usually, when there's something interesting in the room, she's often accompanied by a guy or worse; a group of guys. So, I turn my attention to the television - 'Ah great! Sports news on mute. Time to test my lip-reading skills.' It doesn't take long before I realise I fail horribly at lip-reading. Let's browse my text messages then. Oh, I remember this one from my ex-student - it's the one I read earlier but didn't have the time to delete. I decide to erase it later. I'd better try my luck staring at the table then. My food seems to take forever to arrive when the last I checked, it's only been 10 minutes since I smiled at the waitress. Sigh...

Finally, my 'usual' arrives according to my specifications - no Parmesan cheese. It smells mouth-watering and being on a strict non-carb diet, this is a weekly treat for me. I dive in without hesitation despite the hot wafts of aromatic steam permeating the air. I'm tired and I'm hungry and I just want to enjoy my meal and get it over with. Apparently, I'm quite a fast eater as I'm done within 10 minutes. I wash it all down with a cold glass of lemon-tinged iced water and promptly call for the bill. I feel rather satisfied with my tummy feeling all warm and fuzzy having not eaten properly for the entire day. Then, in a succession of visits, the waitress and I exchange ringgit notes, trading a blue one for a few red ones and I'm off.

The short drive home seems to last the whole night as I sing along to one of Lee-Hom's heart-wrenching love songs of unrequited love. The song seems to last the entire journey home when in reality, I press the 'rewind' button on the stereo at the end of the same song. Somehow, it feels like that every night... every night that silently passes me by as I listen to the sound of my own breath pausing in-between each line of the song.

As I drive my car into the porch, I pick up my phone once again and erase the last message I received tonight. It's the one from my ex-student - the one that says, "Sorry, I can't join you for dinner tonight."

If 'Goodbye' Was 'Hello'

Last week, I said 'goodbye' to another group of Form 3 students as we enjoyed our last class together. Of course, there's always a chance of seeing them return for Form 4 next year but I've been in this business long enough to know that nothing lasts forever. I know that not everyone will return to my classes, whether it's because of a clash of schedules, transportation problems, financial problems or just being plain tired from taking too many tuition classes.

So, as I do every year, I try my best to make our last class a little extra special - something to remember from the times we've spent learning and laughing together. This year, we had a good laugh at our creative group writing project and as usual, there'll be a few naughty ones who write about 'ahem ahem'. Well, teens being teens, I allow that bit of freedom to express themselves, as long as they know to keep it under control. On one hand, I want to encourage their creative expression and on the other hand, I want to suppress their 'naughty' side when they express themselves in a not so polite manner. It's a tough balancing act but I guess I've done all right so far. Still, I can always improve and I know I need to cut down on joining in with their jokes though it's hard to resist a good laugh at something 'naughty'. Haha!

Well, before the sun sets on every class, I know that my students can learn to differentiate between being funny in a 'naughty' way and being serious when they need to. Even if they don't, I believe as adults, we need to guide them and give them some space to be independent. They've got to learn to grow up sooner or later. If we keep controlling every aspect of their learning life, how will they have the chance to prove us wrong? That's the challenge I lay down for all my students - that they prove to me they can be mature when they need to. Well, let's hope they prove me wrong and do their best in this year's PMR!

Fight the good fight, my dear friends. This is it - The fight of our lives! Gambateh!

When Two Worlds Merge Into One

I've been looking forward to this day for quite some time... one year to be exact. That's how long I've promised to 'berbuka puasa' with my Muslim students. We tried to organise an outing last year when I first proposed it but due to a combination of conflicting schedules, it never materialised. Well, I'm glad to say that it finally has!

It was supposed to be a group of five but again, conflicting schedules arose. Still, the three of us, Huda, Amalia and I, managed to fulfill this simple mission - to share one day breaking fast together. My mission started early Sunday morning, as I munched on the last bits of my Chachos corn chips and Cadbury chocolate wafers, and gulped down large amounts of Glucolin Glucose

and water, until I heard the morning Azan prayer, which signaled the end of Sahur and the start of my quest. So, I brushed my teeth and off I went to bed.

I'd figured the best way to overcome my hunger and craving for food would be to sleep it through. So, I only woke up at 2pm. Haha! I wondered for a moment if I was allowed to brush

my teeth after waking up (since I might accidentally 'drink' some water) but the thought of smelly breath spurred me on to the bathroom no sooner than I'd yawned.

I then went downstairs and saw my parents sitting on the couch, watching TV. Good. No temptation from seeing them eat or smelling the aroma of food. Still, with my stomach growling, I pondered just how difficult this was going to be. 'Sigh... can't drink water to start my day either' as I loitered around the kitchen. Okay, time to go back into my bedroom and lock myself away from any further sight, sound or smell of food. Then came a thought, 'Ahh... a DVD' - the perfect distraction! So, I watched a movie on my laptop, which I hoped would distract me from thinking about food.

It wasn't long before my eyes wandered off to look at my watch, anticipating the end of my fasting. It was 4:30pm when my alarm finally sounded. Yes, time to go! So, off I went to Kota Kemuning to fetch Huda and Amalia. In the car, the three of us were talking about how I was facing up to my challenge. In between, I clarified certain issues regarding this fasting month such as 'Sahur, Imsak, Magrhib, Tarawih, Zakat and uhm... Uzur (er hem).

We met with some minor traffic hold-up as we approached Bangsar's famous Jalan Telawi Satu. This was where one of the many Ramadan Bazaars was to be found every year. Thankfully, parking was a breeze and we proceeded to walk past the numerous restaurants, cafes and boutiques that Bangsar is famous for. Then, we saw (and smelled) them! - the rows of food stalls lined up along the street. What a sight to behold!

OMG! It was driving my stomach crazy! Haha! Happily, we went shopping for food, picking our way past the numerous stalls. I started with grilled squid, then some keropok lekor (gotta have those!) before ending with Portuguese grilled stingray. In between, the girls and I also picked up some roti john, chicken kebab, apam balik, kuih and of course, drinks! Huda had to get some of her corn juice fix while I settled for cincau.

By 7pm, we were done with our food shopping and walked back to my car. Along the way, I took a wrong turn into Kota Kemuning. That was certainly torturing as we wanted to reach Huda's home by 7:25pm to break fast. Luckily, despite the scenic detour, we managed to reach the house just in time. Phew! No sooner had we reached were we busy unpacking all the food and placing them on plates, on the dinner table. Just as we settled down, the call for Maghrib prayers sounded and I said a little prayer of my own before I dived into all that glorious food! Ahhh... that overwhelmingly good feeling of food and water in my mouth; and I began to experience a new appreciation for food! Even normal tasting cincau tasted like 'THE BEST CINCAU IN THE WORLD'!

Here I am, posing with 'THE BEST CINCAU IN THE WORLD'!

I took a long time to slowly indulge myself in all that food and drink and I was happy to sit at the dinner table for as long as I could stuff myself silly. Haha! Well, I didn't go overboard in the end. I had what I would call, a decent meal, considering it's the first and only meal I had today. As I drove home after spending some time chatting with Huda and Amalia, I thought about all the important lessons I'd learnt today...

One: We should always be grateful for what we have.

Two: We can never know what the other person is going through until we experience it for ourselves, and Three: We should always learn to accept each other's differences and discover that we actually have a lot in common - after all, despite the fact I'm Chinese and a Christian, and Huda and Amalia are Malay and Muslims, when our two worlds merge into one, we realise we're all one and the same - Human.

Up In The Clouds... Down On The Ground

A lot can happen in a week, what more in a month. The utterly disappointing World Cup month ended on a very low note for me. It's probably the first time I've felt so unexcited about the biggest event of my favourite sport. Anyway, it doesn't matter. There are so many things bigger than football...

... such as my personal love life. For those who've been following me here, you would definitely know that I've been waiting a long, long time to meet the right one. Recently, I thought I did but I was gravely mistaken. I said I would be patient but unknowingly found myself rushing into it. I guess I was just excited about meeting someone I honestly liked after a long, long time and I got carried away. Anyway, there is none to blame except me and I accept my own mistakes. Well, at least I can look back and smile at those exhilarating two weeks of excitement and unbridled joy. It was a great time in my life, and I guess so, for her too. Still, there are so many things bigger than my personal love life...

... such as the shocking and ugly truth of our world. Lately, I've been caught up in a lot of research that has well and truly opened up my eyes and I've been going on a mission to educate and open up the eyes of my students. Needless to say, they were utterly shocked, speechless and dead silent when it dawned upon them that we've been lied to all our lives. I won't elaborate too much here as I don't wish to use my personal space here for this purpose. It's too evil and discomforting to even mention at times but for those who have any idea, I'll leave you with quote from a groundbreaking movie and perhaps, you might know what I'm talking about...

"... It is everywhere. It is all around us, even now in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window, or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work, when you go to church, when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth..."

Breathing Again

Well, I've been through nearly 3 weeks of emotional sadness and I'm finally out of it. My students like to call it being 'emo' but really, there's no such word for it . Sure, I got a bit wet drowning in all that melancholic wave but things will dry up pretty soon.

I didn't see it coming at first. I was fine, going about my life as usual... but I was suddenly hit by unexpected moments of new-found love and renewed love in many of my students' lives. I found myself surrounded by 'love is in the air' feelings all around me but I wasn't able to breathe-in any of it.

Sure, I was happy for all my students who were now happily holding hands with their 'Mr Right' or Ms Right' but it also made me very conscious of the fact that my own love was nowhere to be found. So, I started reminiscing of my happy days... the days when love was simple and sweet and there was only one true love I've ever known in my life and she was a million miles away. Naturally, my heart started leaning towards her again... but I only got crushed by the same hardened wall in her heart... and I know it's only because she truly loves me.

Love is a funny thing. She knows she's finally found someone who can make her laugh, who can understand her, respect her and cherish her but she denies herself the chance of this perfect love because she thinks she's not good for me. Well, that's what she thinks but I don't. I've always thought of her as the best. In fact, she still is... and probably will be until I find someone new who can make me feel love in the same way again.

Well, until that beautiful day finally arrives, I'm going to swim up to the surface and get out of the water because it's cold and wet and my body is getting numb. I want to be out of the water, forever if it's humanly possible and I want to stand on the edge of life and I'm not going to just stand there. No, I'm going to walk, I'm going to run, I'm going to jump and damn am I going to dance!

Sinking

Well, it's that time of the year again. When it used to come only twice a year - on Valentine's and Christmas, the 'emo season' has struck again. Once more, the emotional roller coaster has strapped me mercilessly into its seat and blazed off at breakneck speed. Like a kid who's been duped into taking a terror ride in exchange for sweets, I've been sucked into this state of 'emo sickness' yet again. Sigh...

It wasn't supposed to be this way. I was happy, minding my own business when out of a sudden, the tiny thought of someone who used to mean everything to me, invaded the deep recesses of my mind. I guess this person still means a lot to me, even if she isn't supposed to anymore.

Amidst the euphoria of seeing my students finding their 'new love' and some, reuniting with their 'old love' , I fell deep into my own depressive state of still not having found my own. I was fine before this. I didn't need to think about this nor have this feeling pollute my mind but it did. Inevitably, inescapably, it drilled itself into my mind's core and then somehow found a way to worm itself into my heart; leaving me utterly incapacitated.

I hate this feeling of wanting and yet not having; of longing and yet not finding. I guess it's time I face reality - I might never find that special feeling ever again; not with anyone I know right now, not ever.

So goes the famous saying, "It's better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all." Being in my current state, I would tend to disagree. Maybe it's better to not know what it feels like to have someone understand you and accept you wholeheartedly. Maybe it's better to not know what it feels like to sit together with someone and feel like the world is a better place simply 'cause she's there. Maybe it's better to not know what it feels like to find someone who completes you in a way no one has ever done before. Maybe it's better...

I got a taste of what love, in it's simplest and sweetest sense, feels like and I want to hold it in my arms again but I am paralyzed by the fear that I may never find it again...

... and it is the fear that consumes me...

... it is the fear that drowns me and pulls me under...

... to where I may never surface again...

Sportsmanship Day

I recently had the privilege of attending my students' sports day at SMJK Kwang Hua. I had to cancel my classes but it was worth it. Anyway I'm going to replace those classes next week but I'm never going to get another chance to be at my students' big day. This was, after all, their senior year and their last ever sports day.

For weeks, my students have been staying back after school, marching in the hot sun while some have spent hours designing and making their banners. They've been so tired with practices that a few have even stopped coming to my classes for a month while some have skipped one or two classes. Of course I wish they could attend but I've always kept an open-mind to their situation and I willingly allow them to forgo their classes without any ill-feeling. Rather, I greatly encourage their participation in sports day.

For me, sports day is an experience that every student should participate in. It's one of the most memorable events of a student's life and most of all, it's a non-academic event. Along with canteen day, school concerts and graduation day, sports day should be celebrated as a key contributer to a student's overall development. In our flawed education system that continually bores our students to death with mindless spoon-feeding, sports day is a rare success story. Leadership, teamwork, creativity and determination are great lessons which a book can never teach you. It's a great shame that most schools are not properly funded with well-equipped track and field facilities. One look at the muddied, sand-covered field tells you just how much support schools get from the government.

Yet, despite all these forces working against them, I saw my students march proudly, stomping on mud and turning their white shoes black. I saw them exert every ounce of energy running, slipping, falling and some failing; but never giving up. I saw them cheer their teams as they crossed the finish line while some despaired with bruises on their hands and knees but never once did I see the competition boiling over into a heated rivalry. Instead, there were hugs between competitors and handshakes between house captains. Some of my students failed in their quest for trophies but the true champion of the day was sportsmanship. It's the important tiny details like these that make the whole event such a joy to watch.

As for me, I soaked in all the joy and glory of my students, for they performed to the best of their abilities and for that, they are all winners! "Majulah Sukan Untuk Negara!"

What's Wrong With Fun?

Recently, I had another case of 'Parental Obstruction'. That's what I call a situation when a parent stops a student from coming to my class, even though the student wants to stay in my class. It's happened before in the past, it's still happening now and I'm afraid it will still happen in future.

I'm fully aware that as a non-parent, I have no experience in raising a child. I also believe that a parent knows what's best for his/her child... most of the time. We are all humans after all and do make mistakes from time to time... such as what this parent did by pulling her child out of my class.

My boss, who's a very understanding lady, told me this, "Her mother said your class is too much fun. So, she stopped her daughter from coming to your class. Her daughter is now taking English class at another center. I asked her how is the class? She said, 'boring'." While my boss doesn't fully understand my concept of teaching, she accepts it and supports me. She advises me to balance my learning and fun, which I just nod to. Despite the fact that I've been balancing learning and fun all along, I don't blame her for not fully trusting in my teaching methods sometimes.

The problem with a lot of Malaysian parents is this - they think that LEARNING = BORING. So, when class is FUN, then there is NO LEARNING - which is totally WRONG! It's very difficult to change this perception that has been ingrained into their minds. To them, all that really matters is the string of 'A's their child gets in PMR or SPM. We can thank our "wonderfully intelligent" education ministry for this mentality that most Malaysian parents have. Let's not also forget the "fantastic" new English syllabus that they've changed to this year. Ugh! All right, I should stop here or else I might start breaking something.

It's funny to think that parents would rather subject their child to torture than let them enjoy their learning experience. When I hear my ex-student say that her new English class is 'boring', it kills me. It really does. Well, I'm disappointed but not devastated. I learnt from my bad experience last year that I've just got to keep fighting the system. Our education system is greatly and painfully flawed and I will continue to fight it! I would be a hypocrite if I were to give up all that I've stood for and give-in to parents' demands for "more exam practises". Gawd! I'm going mad just thinking about it!

Well, if there's one way I can prove to any parent that students will learn more by having fun in my class, it's in their exam results. I've lost count of how many students who've graduated under me, who got 'A's for English in their PMR or SPM. Yet, I'm never too proud of that fact. Rather, it's when my students grow up to be good people, instead of just good students, that I'm really proud. Nothing beats the joy of seeing young minds opening up to a whole new world of knowledge and life's lessons that no book can ever teach them; and to see them having fun while at it! How cool is that?

I hate sounding boastful but sometimes, I have to stand up for what I believe in and defend my teaching methods. If they say LEARNING = BORING, well, I say LEARNING = FUN! And we shall have it!

Speaking of 'fun', well, I sure had plenty with my ex-fifth formers a few days ago. Bet they had lots of fun too. I've always tried to be a friend to my students and every year, I put in more effort and make more sacrifices too as the number of students who graduate under me increase. Now, instead of just three class reunions a year, I have to organise nine! But I enjoy it and it goes without saying that my students appreciate the effort I put in. I'm lucky to have them!

This is actually the second reunion I've organised for this class. Our first reunion was so 'sad', with only six faces, I was determined to get at least half, if not all of the class together. Amazingly, 90% of the class made it - a new record! I couldn't hide my joy. I was going crazy, singing and fooling around in that room that day! Yeah, I'm childish! Haha!

After the singing, we had lots of time to look like lost Japanese tourists (or so I tried to) and even had another round of craziness during dinner at Wong Kok Char Chan Teng. That's where I ate 'Jing Tian' (Oops! I mean, 'Tian Jin') and boy did it taste nice - 'ham ham sap sap' LOL!

We also made time to take one round of what-you-call-that-Japanese-photo-booth-thingy. That was pure childish fun! I loved it! Haha! After that, it was finally time to say 'goodbye'. What was supposed to be just three hours of Karaoke turned out to be a whole day. And what a great day it was! As my ex-student would say, let the pictures do the talking! =)