Blue sky, Fluffy clouds and Greenery

Make a last minute decision to visit my uncle during this December holiday.

He stays in the faraway part of Malaysia that I have not heard of - Alor Star.

And, this is the first time I have visited him whereas he has came all the way to visit my family several times. 

It's a long long journey of 12 hours on coach bus to Alor Star. I wonder how my uncle endured it for so many times.

There wasn't much public transport in the area, so my cousin came to drive us to my uncle's place.

No tall buildings, but lots of green padi fields.

The sky is so blue and you could see the clouds so clearly.

It is a relaxing place, away from my computer and work..

His house is surrounded by fruits trees and padi fields that he grew~

we had coconut drink straight from the tree. haha

cosy table for afternoon tea~

Didn't do much for the day. Simply enjoyed the greenery & took photos ~

visited their night market which opens every friday. the varuety of food is alot more than what i expect.

 

Had dinner together with my uncle's family. 

Though I didn't have much to say to them, but it was great eating together as a big family. =)

Attention Please!

To be an air stewardess or now more commonly known as cabin attendant is my ambition when I was young. (I think I mentioned it before in my post on Racial Harmony Celebrations)

I love the idea of working in the sky, travelling around the world with everyone.

But, I never seem to grow tall enough. (minimum height requirement is 1.58m for safety reasons)

And, I suppose I'll never be growing taller anymore given my age. Well well, it's okay. I found something else that I love to do too. =)


To many people, cabin attendant seems to be only someone who's there to serve you when you are traveling.

But, that's not the case.

Their main responsibility is to ensure your safety when flying with them!

As I watched this Japanese drama "Attention Please", I saw another side of cabin attendant that I have not known. The drama was mainly about how a girl (Yoko Misaki) overcomes many obstacles to become a cabin attendant. (By the way, this is not a new drama, it was aired in 2006.)

I love her energy level! No matter what happens, she is always so energetic and passionate about what she is doing. She is also very positive about herself (okay, maybe way too positive at times). She faced a lot of challenges but she never give up.

She used to do things her way without considering the feelings of others. Through the journey she understands the importance of teamwork in ensuring a safe flight for everyone.

At the start and end of her training, her mentor posted this question to them. "What is a cabin attendant to you?"

It struck me thinking too.

What is a special eduation teacher to me?

Next year will be a very challenging year for me, is my energy level ready?


Gambatte Ms Clover!

Yosh!

Think Positive, Act Positive, Be Positive

Start your day by thinking positively. =)

When your brain is filled with positive thoughts, the actions you do will be good too.

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How we think can have a big impact on the way we behave. It can affect the actions we take, and how we choose to handle different situations. We should always remember that we are in control of our own thoughts and emotions, rather than the other way around. If we change our perspective, we can learn to be more positive in life. - Singapore Health Promotion Board
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Change your negative thoughts to POSITIVE thoughts



Remember, everyday is a gift. Live the present.




Always remember the happy moments in life.
Keep them safely in a permanently place in your mind.
Retrieve them when you are down!

Think positive and Spread the word now! (^.^)

What do you make?

 Adapted from a poem by Taylor Mali

and shared by Pathlight School

What Teachers Make

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. 

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. 

He argued: "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminded the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about teachers: 

"Those who can...do.

Those who can't ... teach."

To corroborate, he said to another guest: "You're a teacher, Susan," he said. 

"Be honest. What do you make?"

Susan, who had a reputation of honesty and frankness, replied, 

"You want to know what I make?"

I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. 

I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional Medal of Honor and an A- feel like a slap in the face if the student did not do his or her very best."

"I can make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 minutes without an I-pod or movie rental."

"I can make parents tremble in fear when I call home"

"You want to know what I make?"

"I make kids wonder."

"I make them question."

"I make them criticize."

"I make them apologize and mean it."

"I make them write."

"I make them read, read, read."

"I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, and definitely beautiful over and over and over again, until they will never misspell either one of those words again."

"I make them show all their work in math and hide it all on their final drafts in English."

"I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe."

"I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life."

"Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant."

"You want to know what I make?"

"I make a difference."

"And you? What do you make?"

Share this with every teacher whom you know and respect.

Happy Teachers' Day! =)

Let's Champion A Smile!

It's the season for the first Youth Olympic Games in Singapore!


I am not so much of a sports person or sports fan, but it is still very exciting to see that Singapore has accomplished yet another first in history.

The YOG fire has started burning at the start of August, and it will continue till 26 August 2010.

All the best to the Singapore youth athletes! Let's champion a SMILE! =)

and bring on the cheer at Singapore YOG 2010!

Go Singapore!

1 Goal Achieved

I feel so much lighter now as I have cleared my University loan!! =)

Looking back, I remembered that I set the aim to repay it within one and a half year after my graduation.

I officially graduated in July 2010, so expected repayment date is Dec 2010.

But, this is the month of August and I am proud to say I cleared it! hahaha


I didn't expect myself to be able to complete the repayment so fast given that I was jobless for several months in 2009.

Splitting it into smaller payments, cutting down on spending, getting used to putting aside some money for the loan..

You just need to repay bit and bit and tadah ~ it's cleared!

I did it! Yeah! (^.^)

Racial Harmony Celebrations

It has been so long since I last celebrated Racial Harmony Day!

I put on my Sarong Kebaya (SIA Girl uniform) that I bought when I was in secondary school. Surprisingly, it still fitted me well even though the skirt is a little tight.

When I reached school, it was a pleasant sight to see so many people (colleagues and students) dressed up in their beautiful ethic costumes. =)

As I was walking to the hall, some students excitedly asked me this question.

"Were you an Air Stewardess before joining Pathlight?"

haha, I had to tell them honestly that I was not. But, that was my ambition when I was young. Nevertheless, it was something I can't be as I did not meet their height expectation.

Anyway, Racial Harmony Day was a full day celebration for my school and there was a whole string of activities planned for them. I believed everyone did enjoyed themselves even though there may be some minor hiccups.

Great work done by the team behind the Racial Harmony Committee!

On a side note, on my way home, a passerby also approached me and asked if I am an Air Stewardess! haha (^.^)

Even though I didn't manage to become an Air Stewardess, I was glad that I got to wear the uniform (thanks to Racial Harmony Day) and think of myself as an Air Stewardess even if it is just for one day. =)

All in all, I hope Singapore can always be a harmonious country for us to live in!

#Though we are different, we smile in the same language! (^.^)

Learning the Same Stuff in a New Way

Someone told me that Science is an interesting subject to teach.

I was of course taken aback and rejected the idea.

Since young, I always love Mathematics. Be it the Elementary or the Additional Mathematics. They are my favourite subjects. I love the satisfaction of being able to solve the challenging questions.

As for Science, I had not much memory of what I had learned. Ironically, I actually took Pure Biology, Pure Chemistry and Pure Physics during my Secondary school days. But, of course I wasn't doing well for any of these science subjects. It was a torture for me. 


During my Uni days, I taught primary Mathematics in a Learning Centre as well. It was enjoyable as I know the subject well thus it made the teaching so much easier.

But, when I started teaching my first subject in Pathlight School, I was given the subject Discovery to teach. It was a pre-science subject to allow students the opportunity to explore  basic science concepts.

I was shocked thinking how am I going to teach something I don't like and I am not good in?

So, I started off teaching Discovery by telling them chunks of stuff that I have found out from the slides.

When students start to ask questions, you will be surprised that they are only in Primary 2. I realised that there was so much that I didn't know about science. It became more interesting as I started to explore the concepts on my own.

We started to do more hands-on activities that are relevant to the topics. We have songs and stories that are engaging and relevant at the same time. There were some mini experiments whenever possible. Pictures replace the lengthy words and information were kept simple and concise.Students ask lots of interesting questions and many a times I do not have the answer to them.

It was so much more interesting and engaging than just passing information to the students from the notes.

Now, I start to like Science! =)

It was amazing how teaching my students actually changed my long standing perspective on the boring old Science subject.

#Teaching should be full of ideas instead of facts.

Pencil and Eraser

Nobody is perfect,


everyone makes mistakes,


that's why there is often an eraser on every pencil!



and big erasers available for BIG mistakes. LOL

#Mistakes also lead to new discovery! =) You just need to figure out which are the good ones to keep.

Don't Laugh at Me

Watch this meaningful video - Don't Laugh at Me

I'm a little boy with glasses
The one they call the geek
A little girl who never smiles
'Cause I've got braces on my teeth
And I know how it feels
To cry myself to sleep

I'm that kid on every playground
Who's always chosen last
A single teenage mother
Tryin' to overcome my past
You don't have to be my friend
But is it too much to ask

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

I'm the cripple on the corner
You've passed me on the street
And I wouldn't be out here beggin'
If I had enough to eat
And don't think I don't notice
That our eyes never meet

I lost my wife and little boy when
Someone cross that yellow line
The day we laid them in the ground
Is the day I lost my mind
And right now I'm down to holdin'
This little cardboard sign...so

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

I'm fat, I'm thin, I'm short, I'm tall
I'm deaf, I'm blind, hey, aren't we all

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

Everyone is unique in their own ways.

Look at their positive attributes instead of their flaws. Aren't all of us flawed in one way or another as well?


Think twice before you said or do any mean things to others. I believe you wouldn't want others to do that to you too.



#Treat others the way you want them to treat you! =)

Choose happy work

We spent half of each day working. .



and we will spend almost half of our lifetime working..



if we are happy at work, it would mean we are happy at least half of our lifetime! (^.^)


#choose happy work and work happily~

How will you Colour your Life?

"Life is the art of drawing without an eraser." ~ John W. Gardner ~



Very true.


Whatever we have done before, it can never be erased off. Be it good or bad events, we are bound to leave traces of it at the least expected places.

It can be changed for the better by adding more colours to it, by doing it differently, by changing your perspective and the list goes on ...

How your life turns out all depends on how you live it.


Fill it with lots of smiles and colours now!

Learn from the bad events and Replace them with happy memories~

What time is it?

Did you notice that the watch/clock advertisements are mostly set to a certain time?

The magic time is 10.10


Why is it so?

Because it is always good to to look at happy things!!
(look at the hands of the watch and you can see the smile)

Macau + Hong Kong Trip part 7

Woke up earlier today in order to enjoy Dim Sum at Xiao Fei Yang~


Continued to shop at Mongkok Centre. Haha, this is the best place for shopping.

Have been considering to buy this glass piano, but, am holding back as the song that is being played is not what I want. Thus, did not buy it in the end.


Got myself a maple leaf with Canon in D. =)



Intended to go to the Happy Balley Racecourse and Lan Kwai Fong, but we weren't left with much money and our energy were kind of depleting slowly, so decided to give it a miss.

After some lazing around, we went back to Mongkok Centre to do our last shopping. We wanted to spend all that we have left, and just leaving the minimal for tomorrow.

Aren't we glad that this will be the last time that we need to shower in the tiny bathroom and sleep on the tiny bed? haha


Our last breakfast in Hong Kong - we decided to have the best porridge at Hai Jing Zhou Dian! (you might have realized that we have been patronizing this place very often, do I need to mention that their food is superb again? ^.^ )



The heavy backpacks we need to carry:


A test of our strength and will. LOL

Took First Ferry back to Macau Ferry Terminal.

Intended to go to Senado Square to buy some Portuguese Tarts, but, our bags were too heavy for us to walk around and the bus doesn't seem to be able to accommodate us. Sadly, we have to gave up on this thought and hang around at the airport instead.


Some interesting drinks we had while waiting~


Trip afterthoughts:

For my past trips, the level of comfort of accommodation has never been on my priorities. But, from this trip, I realised it could badly affect my energy. As the saying always goes, 休息是为了走更远的路. True enough, I should look for better accommodation for my next trip.

Macau + Hong Kong Trip part 6

We woke up late yet again..haha

Had breakfast at Good Hope Cafe, saw the recommendation on travel guides. The soup base is good, but that's about it.


Intended to visit the Ng Tung Choi Waterfall & Botanic Garden, but apparently, we didn't get the right address. Luckily it wasn't a waste trip as Yuen Lang is the next stop.

Yuen Lang seems to be one of the better branch of Heng Xiang Shop, famous for their Lao Po Bing.

I suppose it's worth the 1 hour journey to Yuen Lang. =)

For the past few days, we have been eating quite a big portion for breakfast, so a bowl of noodle was obviously not enough.

Decided to eat the desserts!

The famous Xu Liu Shan Dessert Store. It has many branches all over Hong Kong.


I can only say it's so Mango-licious!! ^.^


They should reopen their outlet in Singapore~

Continued our shopping at Mongkok Centre. There are just so many shops here that you won't get bored shopping here several times.

Tried the Cold Noodle as well. You can see many youngster holding onto one while shopping.


It was real good and appetizing! I finished my pack with a few mouthful. haha

I have to say the noodle make us more hungry so we walked to Temple Street for our early dinner at Mido Cafe.

It is those olden and traditional Hong Kong style Cha Chan Ting that you can see often in Hong Kong Dramas.


But, the prices of the food are quite expensive though.


Since we are at Temple Street, we have to do some shopping as well. Lol

It was a small stretch of stores, similar to our Pasar Malem. We got a few good buys, one of it is the Doraemon stuff toy where you can record your voice for just HKD30! =)

Continued to shop at Fai Yuen Night Market.

Tried to snacks but it wasn't to our liking. One was too spicy and the other was over chewy. LOL


That's all for today.

Macau + Hong Kong Trip part 5

Woke up late again..but we wanted to try the breakfast at Cafe De Coral~


I need bigger portion! One is suppose to eat breakfast like the king! Thumbs up for the scrambled egg with Hokkaido cheese~ =)


Today, we will be going to Hong Kong Island.

the infamous building~


First visit - Hong Kong Park

This is not your usual nature park as most of the things you see are in fact man made.



Their slogan : Making the Familiar Unfamiliar!






Walk to the nearby shopping mall - Pacific Place



Great use of word!

Wanted to take the tram ride, but we didn't know which to ride, so simply hop onto any. haha

The ride is only cost HKD2~



We rode on the tram till it reach the last stop at the Western Market and walked towards H & M.
Having nothing to shop for, we decided to go up to the Peak earlier.

Got on a bus from IFC area and off we go with our roller coaster ride. The view was amazing from the upper deck~

Heard that the McDonald at the Peak serve nicer food, so here we are. haha


Ordered the Mega Ebi Burger!



I guess it's the surrounding that seems to make the dinning so much better up here.

At the Peak Galleria, it used to be FOC when I last visited. However, its entrance fee is now HKD20.






Being at the top makes it much more colder as it is VERY windy! But we wanted to wait for the lights to be up, so we just had to move ourselves to keep us warm. Really freezing cold!

Most likely due to the constant blowing of cold wind, we weren't feeling that well when we took the bus back to Central.

It sort of used up all our energy. Hence, we decided to retreat early with a hot soya bean.