They (are going to) call me Cikgu

In one week's time, I am going to melapor diri to my designated Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan. I have yet to know which SMK I'll be going to... but it'll be somewhere in the state of Selangor.

Since mid-December, I've been trying the online Semakan Penempatan. But each attempt was met with:

HARAP MAAF.

Nombor Kad Pengenalan yang anda masukkan tiada dalam senarai penempatan ini.

Finally, on Jan 2, it stated:

Penempatan Anda di SELANGOR

So, it looks like I'm going to stay put at Selangor. Not heading to Sabah after all. heh.

I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I am glad that my parents are glad (ecstatic is more like it) that I got Selangor. Undoubtedly, it is a CONVENIENT location. And for someone who is not yet ready to become a full-fledged adult, knowing that my support system is nearby, is hugely comforting. Besides, one does not have to deal with the many problems/challenges affiliated with teaching in the remote areas. These problems/challenges are described so "graphically" in an email by our lecturer - stuff certainly not for the faint-hearted.

YET. oh yes, there's a yet. Yet, I couldn't help but envy those going to these remote areas. They are capable of initiating so much positive change! Sounds heroic + romantic eh? Beginning teachers are supposed to exudes that sort of enthusiasm and spirit.

I had dinner with Fa and Nada last night. Fa, is flying to Sabah in 3 days' time. And she's handling the situation VERY well. She has finished packing her 20kg luggage - complete with hand puppets and flash cards in tow (for teaching aids). She has looked at websites of the schools she might be posted to (in the district of Kota Marudu); And she's bursting with ideas that could be implemented there.

Well Fa, all the best to you. Nada and I will definitely Cuti-Cuti Malaysia at Sabah this school holiday.

As for those who are posted to their respective hometowns, to quote a saying in Sang Murabbi the movie:

"Ladang dakwah terhampar luas
Kewajiban kita untuk menyirami tanah-tanah tandus
Menyemai benih-benih unggul
Agar tumbuh pohon-pohon kejayaan Islam
Dakwah ini akan terus mengalir menuju Ridho Allah
Jangan bersedih
Di mana kita berada di situlah dakwah kita sebarkan"

Al-Kulliyyah

"Barangsiapa yang tidak mengambil berat urusan umat Islam, maka dia bukanlah dari kalangan mereka"

The World Uncovered: Daylight Robbery

'Daylight Robbery' is one of the six documentaries voted as the best documentaries of 2008 by BBC viewers.

Synopsis from BBC:

Jane Corbin investigates the whistleblower cases which threaten to reveal the scandals behind billions of dollars worth of waste and corruption during the past five years of war in the Middle East.

When the US and its allies went to war, they gave corporate America contracts for caterers, security guards and interrogators. Now, as the alleged corruption involved in these contracts comes to the surface, Jane Corbin speaks to those involved and asks what happened to the missing $23 billion?

*Click here to read more.

Broadcast Times:

BBC (Channel 512)

Jan 3, 09

15:10
23:10

Jan 4, 09

04:10
09:10
15:10
23:10

X X X

The other 5 documentaries are:

1. Around The World In 80 Treasures — Jordan To Ethiopia (January 3; January 4; January 5)
2. Child Slavery (January 3; January 4)
   
3. Chinese School (December 27; December 28)
4. The World Uncovered: Korea: Out Of The North (December 27; December 28)
5. China Reporting China — School on the Cliff (December 27; December 28)
   

Festival Jualan Buku DBP 2008

Tarikh: 12 Dis 08 - 11 Jan 09
Masa: 9.30 pagi-6.30 petang
Lokasi: Kompleks Dawama,
Lot 1037, Jalan AU3/1,
54200 Ampang/Hulu Kelang,
Selangor Darul Ehsan

Keterangan lanjut, hubungi: 03-4107 9037 atau layari http://www.dawama.com/

X X X

It has been a while since I've gone to DBP Book Fairs. I used to frequent it often as a kid. The fair is usually held at the above-stated Ampang Hulu Kelang complex, so the distance was convenient for my parents to drag 5 kids along (In hindsight, I am forever grateful to my parents for instilling the reading habit in me and my siblings since young).

I don't know what happened but I stopped coming to the fairs. Until today that is. Being under the white tents and checking out the familiar Malay-language books bring back fond memories (they are still selling old titles).

One of the obvious reasons I studied TESL was because I love the English language. I love reading Enid Blytons as a child, followed by Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley series, Fear Street, etc.

And since I am going to be an English language teacher, I devoted much of my time to improving my English, to the detriment of my Malay. Being a non-NEST (Non-Native English Speaking Teacher) makes you feel inadequate about your level of competency at times. Complaints in the newspapers about incompetent English teachers exacerbate my feelings of inadequacy.

Though my conversational Malay is all right (it is my first language after all), my written Malay has deteriorated. I feel more comfortable writing in English now, as is evident in my blog. This is not something that I'm proud of, as I would very much like to be highly-competent in both.

My current imbalance state reminds me of a theory in bilingualism (appropriately called The Balance Theory); where a bilingual person is pictured as having two language balloons in his/her head. These two balloons are half-filled/less-filled. And if one language is "pumped" higher, the other language, diminishes in size. In contrast, a monolingual has one well-filled balloon.

Other theories have since supplanted this theory. Our brain seems to have an unlimited amount of "room" for languages. So, being a balanced bilingual (or multilingual) is not an impossible aim. The renown Adibah Amin is an excellent example of one.

So, though I originally didn't plan to have new-year resolutions, I'll make one regarding this; I plan to read more Malay books in 2009.

X X X

*My long-deserted text-book: 'Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism' by Colin Baker came to the rescue when I was trying to recall and explain the Balance Theory.

Palestine

Image taken from: senikehidupan.com

[islamonline.net] On Saturday, December 27, 2008, a massive wave of Israeli air strikes against the sealed off Gaza Strip claimed the lives of at least 230 people and injured several hundred innocent Palestinians. The Israeli onslaught continues unabated over the already starving, tired and wounded people. Many commentators and reporters affirm that this is the worst massacre Gaza has been subjected to since Israel occupied it in 1967. Meanwhile, none of the formal parties whether they are international, Arab or Islamic have done anything yet to stop the continuing genocide.

X X X

Now, 3 days into the attacks, the death toll has reached 300 and the wounded 1000. These numbers are bound to increase as Israel promises further attacks.

Seeing the news on CNN/BBC makes me angry. Any Muslim would.

And the EXTREMELY BIASED reporting makes me even angrier.

I particularly loathe the Israeli Foreign Minister: Tzipi Livni for saying things like:

• "Hamas, not Israel, is the one who needs to be condemned by the international community."
• "Israel is a state that implements its right to defend itself and its citizens."
• "Hamas [is] responsible for breaking the cease-fire and for the renewal of violence in Gaza."
• the Jewish state had "no alternative" but to launch a series of attacks in Gaza
• they had tried everything in order to avoid this military operation, but that Israel would not live under attack by Hamas.
• "Israel is looking to give its citizens a decent life, the right to live in peace and quiet like any other citizens in the world."

Oh, the dripping hypocrisy!
Makes you want to throw your shoes at her, no??

Revealed: The Hajj

Image taken from: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/12132007/life04.html

I was happy to learn that The Discovery Channel will be screening the documentary Revealed: The Hajj again. I saw the documentary some time ago and really liked it. I watched it before I went for umrah, so many things were unfamiliar to me. I'm looking forward to watch it again and "relive" my umrah experience.

Admittedly, umrah cannot be compared to the Hajj. Hajj is attended by millions of people. Makkah is the most crowded place on earth during the pilgrimage. Watching the documentary, you will get to see how engineers, logisticians, doctors, paramedics, etc prepare to cater to such a huge crowd. It truly is fascinating.

The documentary also tells about Matthew Nelson, an Australian who is a recent Muslim revert/convert. His spiritual-quest story provides the foil to the (more dominant) scientific perspective of the Hajj.

So, celebrate Eid Al-Adha this year by watching this documentary if you can. Show times are shown below:

Discovery Channel (551 on ASTRO)
7-Dec-08: 10.00am
7-Dec-08: 3.00pm

Alternatively, you can see it on (where else?) YouTube. The documentary has been divided into 12 parts.

Enjoy!

Sabah-bound?

News has it that the majority of us (B. Ed. TESL Menengah) will be posted to Sabah & Sarawak. And the majority of that majority (am I making sense here??) will be posted to Sabah.

This piece of news has perturbed/unnerved/shocked everyone concerned.

I just told my parents about it today. I was keeping the news to myself because I don't want them to be overly panic. But my fears were unfounded. My dad just said "So, you now have to prepare yourself mentally...".

He thought I would be the hysterical one (!) haha

The reason I'm not pushing the panic button yet is that nothing is CONFIRMED. When that fateful day finally arrives, I'll tell you how I react.

X X X

Below is an advice given by Imam Ibnul Wardi:

"Kegemaranmu tinggal di kampung merupakan satu kelemahan yang ketara. Oleh itu pergilah merantau mencari ilmu pasti kau temukan ganti dari keluarga yang ditinggalkan."

"Air yang tenang itu akan menjadi busuk. Begitu pula seandainya anak bulan itu tidak berjalan, maka sudah tentu ia tidak akan menjadi bulan purnama."

Image taken from: http://diditkurniawan.web.ugm.ac.id/category/sibuk/

Practicum II

Beloved 2 Amal

Shots of Practicum

My teacher name tag on top of the Rekod Kerja
L-R: Sharifuddin, Raqib, Rafis, Haziq, Zarir, Naim Syafiq, Ikmal, Hasriq, Hafiizhuddin

The incorrigible boys of 2 Cekal

A farewell gift for each student
Couldn't have asked for better practicum-mates: Nada & Dayah :)

X X X

Pictures of 2 Amal coming soon

Last Day

On my last day of practicum, my students surprised me with their kad rayas, presents, letters and thank-you cards. I was so touched. Maybe I am not such a hopeless teacher after all.

Here are snippets from a student's card. She used to display such an indifference to my lessons. It was so hard to get her to smile. So, what she wrote meant the world to me.

• disini kami nak ucapkan Selamat Hari Raya buat cik Syada yang telah mengajar kami, walaupun kami percaya, kelas kami adalah kelas yang paling nakal, degil and sukar dikawal... (hehehe)
• disini jugak, kami nak mintak maaf atas segala kenakalan kami and kalau cik syada ader rase sedih dan sakit hati disebabkan kami, kami harap cik syada maafkan dan lupakan.
• tak dinafikan, sejak cik S. masuk ke kelas kami, ramai diantara kami yang tak sabar menantikan jadual Bahasa Inggeris! Kalau dulu... biler tiba jer mase BI, separuh dari pelajar lelaki semuanye keluar, kalau aderpun, tu kira nasib baik... (hohoho)
• so bile dengar cik S. dah nak pergi..., kami semua berase sedih and sayu... Tapi, kami doakan semoga cik S. berjaya di luar sana nanti
• datang tiba-tiba, pergi pun tiba-tiba, semoga cik Syada selalu bergembira, kami di sini jangan dilupa...

*sob sob*