UPU

UPU result was released yesterday and this is what I got.

Now I've got three offers: one from UM, one from USM and another from Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus.

I've accepted Swinburne offer and paid the fees, though I can get a refund.

Now I'm in a dilemma - which to choose?

Teaching and Learning

7 years had I spent my life in Jit Sin, and almost half a year working as a temporary teacher. Like it or now, Jit Sin has become a part of my life, it has become a place where I once belonged, and it'll forever be a place where once my happiness grows.

Secondary school is often a place teenagers shun or despise. There are some elements of truth in it, and I won't deny I hate secondary school to a certain degree. I hate waking up early in the morning, walking shakily and sleepily into the classroom only to sleep again on my desk. I hate struggling so hard to stay awake in class to gain knowledge only to fail and eventually fall asleep again. I hate the continuous hours of lessons with only a few minutes breaks in between. I hate going to cocurricular activities because I found the activities involve incredibly childish games, baffling morale and ridiculous organisation. I hate 1M1S that is only conducted for the purpose of validating a report. I hate the hot and humid ambience in a classroom during the dry season. I hate a lot of things.

But I cannot deny there are favourable elements in every despicable events. I enjoy being around with friends. I like having something to look forward to because it motivates me to do what I want. I like being around the same people for a year and interact with them. I like studying and sharing knowledge with friends. I like staying in school after school hours to study or mingle around. I like the sense of accomplishment when I finally deciphered something I initially thought was incomprehensible. I like being involved in committee because it allowed me to learn to organise and to carry out things effectively while tolerating with stuffs I detest, I found having a desk and a chair of your own is very enjoyable and I always like it when I sit on my spot. I like carrying out experiments and watch what I learn in textbook materialises in reality.

I like a lot of things in school. Just because there are flaws it doesn't mean I should overlook its pros.

Finishing study, I was given an opportunity to be a temporary teacher back in SMJK Jit Sin. Being a teacher is different from being a student, yet in certain occassion you don't feel different. Teachers represent another society in an ordinary school - the other one being the students - and like every society, it has its internal turmoil and problems that need to be dealt with. The internal politics in a secondary school actually is much murkier and dirtier if compared to the students'. Adult world are darker, it is generally acknowledged.

Being a teacher does not always mean you can always get what you want, and I don't mean from the students - I mean from your 'employees'. Teachers are someone who is caught in between two layers of society - employees (government) and students/parents. There are a lot of situations teacher stand along with the students, but due to certain complications the teachers are not allowed to express their stance. To say the truth, teachers are often oppressed more than students, but the students don't see it, simply because they are still young and naive and pumping with excessive adrenaline.

Yet being a teacher is also a bless. It allows me to speak to a class of 44 students with no fear, and to share a knowledge you have with a class of students is indeed a generous act. Often, the students would not show any sign of interest in your teacher - and that poses a challenge. Students are usually uncooperative, and I understand why. You're tired, the weather is hot, you simply can't sit still and listen intently.

And this is where the teaching profession is unique. In every profession, when two parties could not reach an agreement or reach an impasse and could not proceed to the liking of both parties, they would attempt to reach a solution that neither parties would be disadvantaged. Yet in school, one party consists of a member, and the another consists of at least 20 members of which are young, naive, adrenaline-pumped, active, recalcitrant and in certain cases, difficult. Reaching an impasse is a sheer impossibility, and that's why teachers are allowed to give lectures on disciplines, while in any other jobs you don't get to tell how someone should behave. If one behaves badly in a job, we ignore, and we let him stumble upon an obstacle that will make him turn around. In school, teachers lecture to avoid the students meet an obstacle so that they learn things the easier way.

Teachers should try to understand the problem the students are facing, and try to understand a little by tolerating a bit. If they refuse to listen to your class, let him be at the initial stage. Observe. If he doesn't listen and his results are bad, then make him listen. If he refuses to listen and his result is okay, and let him be. Students however should try to be as cooperative as possible, and don't create troubles that'll disrupt lessons. Teachers have people to report to, students don't, so please try understand a teacher's situation. After all, you go school to learn, and now to stir troubles.

Sad

We know that extremists represent only a very minority of the huge population that walks the Earth, yet the destruction they bring along and give is far beyond what they could withhold, and far beyond control. ISIS massacres thousands of Christians in Iraq in the name of religion, even though no religion would condone any inter-religious conflict. Israel and Gaza continual bombardment would never let up until a harsh international intervention takes place, and before such event transpires, thousands of innocent civilians would be slaughtered mercilessly with weaponry so horrible militants themselves shun. Islam is a nice and peaceful religion, the Muslims extremists need to stop misinterpreting the teachings and start to respect the religion of others, while some politicians need to realise a peace talk work better than continual offensive, and in the mean time stop provoking and overreacting. 2014 is not yet over, and yet the trouble it piles have sent a shock wave never witnessed in the history throughout the world.

The Cuckoo's Calling

Published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, The Cuckoo's Calling is J.K.Rowling's first crime novel. I thought it would be an interesting book as its sales was overwhelming and its reception resounding. However, when I read it, I find it....hard to read. I am a Malaysian, and English is my second language. The book is written in strict British English and the sentence structures were too complicated for me, and the vocabulary was too wide for me too. It was definitely the most challenging book I have ever come across. However, the story plot was alright and ordinary, nothing unusual or extraordinary. There are also too many characters and it confounds me a lot. Anyway, I'll just bear in mind to shun British novels like this. Sorry it just doesn't suit me as my English isn't good enough.

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MH17

Four months after disappearance of MH370, a tragedy has struck again on our national carrier - Malaysia Airlines.

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was allegedly shot down by a missile while traversing the Ukraine airspace.

No one has claimed responsibility of the tragedy, instead both countries in crisis began blaming each other.

MH17 carried 173 Dutch, 43 Malaysians, and passengers of other nationalities.

It is the darkest moment in Malaysia's history, and even darker for Malaysia Airlines. I believe there's no airline that has been hit with two major disasters within four months.

I was flabbergasted and sad. Malaysia Airlines did nothing wrong. The plane simply got caught in the crossfire of two conflicting countries.

I hope the perpetrators could be identified, and I hope a thorough and proper investigation could be carried out to ensure the culprits are put behind bars for the hideous acts on innocent people.

I hope Malaysia Airlines remains strong, and the people of Malaysia united in this very difficult time for the whole Malaysia.

Be Considerate

I have a friend who is now in a dilemma. On a specific day, he has plans with his family, but then he received a call from his friends from other states asking to go to his house on that particular day. My friend wanted to reject them as he prioritises his family outing, but his friends told him they have bought the bus ticket. He is now in a dilemma, he needs to go out with his family, but then his friends are coming up and he has no choice but to entertain.

This actually angers me. Sometimes I just wish people could be a little considerate.

I understand friends are supposed to entertain each other, and that friends should care for each other. Brothers are a kind of friendship built as fort - it is to be defended and it resists attacks, and it suffers and enjoys together.

Yet there's one thing we need to remember: we have grown up. While we agree that friends are important, we have to remember something too: with increasing freedom, we have increasing responsibilities.

Everyone now has their own lives. Now, we have families we have to stay with. We have errands and jobs to do that hugely affect your future. We have lots of things that are important to tend to. We are no longer like a schoolchildren - free for most of the time, duty and responsibility free, and has nothing to worry about except transport and money.

We have grown up. We sometimes need to ditch the childish thought that says 'you must be available when I call'.

You need to be considerate and responsible. Don't put people in that kind of dilemma. You can't take for granted your friends could accompany you 24/7 just because they used to when you were in school.

Call if you want to drop by and visit if you are coming for far. Give someone an advanced notice.

If my friend so happened is sick, outstation, or is nursing a sick patient in his house, and his friends go to his house without giving advanced notice, or, if they do, give notice making an irreversible decision, what would happen to him? How would my friend feel if his friends say they have bought the bus ticket and they could no place to go, but then he has a sick grandparent at home that needs peace? What happens if my friend has a wedding ceremony to attend to, and his friends insist on coming anyway?

To people out there: please be considerate, don't put people into that kind of unnecessary dilemma. Soon, when some have got married and have children, they would have their wives/husbands and children to take care of. You can't instruct them to tend to you just because you are a friend.

You need to realise that you can't take friendship for granted.

You can ask for help if you are in deep trouble. For example, if you are coming up from Kajang but then your car broke down somewhere close to a friend's house at midnight, then disturbing him and asking for a favour is okay. You need help, it's necessary, and you should be helped.

If you got robbed and in a deep trouble and hope a friend nearby could help, and you go look for him unannounced is also okay. You need help.

But in the event like my friend's, you don't need help. Don't make this kind of irresponsible and inconsiderate moves.

And to my friends out there: there comes a time you need to learn to reject. Our lives have got much busier as we now have larger responsibilities, and so we could not cater to all friends' needs even if we wish to. We have to sometimes reject a friend's request if it is not important. You need to learn to reject something you could not help or if you feel offended or taken advantage of.

Growing up sucks, you can say. But that's life. Deal with the unpleasant.

Dragon

You know,

if you want a child who is well-behaved,

a child who grows up the normal he should,

a child that would be obedient, polite, and not at all rude,

don't give birth in the dragon year.

All I can see now is that dragon year babies are badly spoilt

by parents who are superstitious

who thinks that they bring good fortune or luck to the family

and who thought they would be active instead of passive.

Owing to that many people have chosen to give birth in dragon year,

and due to that we have too many students in a school for that year's intake,

and due to that one class would contain too many students,

and due to that discipline is extremely hard to control.

Exacerbated by the fact that they are overly protected,

it makes them very hard to control in the school,

and very hard to have discipline and manners instilled.

Don't give birth in dragon year,

if you love your children.