Once upon a time!

21/1/2014

Thanks to FB, I reconnected to a friend who I have not met for many years and this is what he wrote :


"I HOPE YOU DON'T LAUGH AT WHAT I AM GOING TO TELL YOU, I HAVE NEVER TOLD ANYONE BEFORE

I hope you don't laugh at what I am going to tell you, I have never told anyone before, it has been more than 40 years now.

When I was a teenager while in secondary school in Alor Star, I had a 'crush' or 'strong feelings' for you. Whenever I visited your family, I was always hoping that you were there so that I could get to see you. Even now thinking about it the images of you are still very clear in my mind, it was just like yesterday, in reality it has been more than 40 years now (Ha! Ha! Ha! - - -). If you want to tell xxx now, it will be fine. It was just like my teenager 'fantasy and romance'! (Ha! Ha! Ha! - - -)."

Well, I am thankful to him although I wonder what I would do if I knew it that time! Gone are the days when I was young and pretty and had many admirers

What a Life!

19/1/2014

First day in Kuala Lumpur, Went to the market in to morning, lunch with Grete's mother in-law at Lake club and dinner with the friends from Cambodia. Tomorrow lunch with No.2 sister and Jackie Chan's movie....What a life!

The excitement of tonight almost kill me!

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17/01/2014

Last Sunday, I was so free, wrong, I am always free on Sunday. I finally detached myself from my laptop and went for a walk in the morning, followed by a hearty breakfast in one of the new cafés.

The workers there are friendly and helpful and on the wall was a poster advertising the newest bus service to Phnom Penh. I got myself the best way to go to Phnom Penh to catch the 8.30 am flight. It means I don't have to go a day earlier and I can save myself 1 day and 1 night in the hotel.  The bus will leave Battambang at 10pm and reach PP at 5.30am. It is called 'VIP bus' with reclining seats, blanket and free Wifi! On top of that, they will come and pick me up from where ever I stay. Am I not lucky? If I didn't go for that walk, I would not have discovered such a good deal.

9.30pm, they asked me to wait outside. I waited and waited while feeding the Mosquitos.

9.50pm, called the boy at the cafe, he came with is motorbike. With 1 bag in front, one bag on my right thigh and one on my left, we sped to the bus station. Luckily, the bus hadn't arrived.

10.30pm, I went to the counter, asked the receptionist what happened? "Oh, the bus will be here in 5 minutes" she said. 15 minutes later, I asked again, "coming, coming..." She said. I told her if I miss my flight she will have to pay back my air ticket.

11pm, bus came. 10pm bus never arrived! She decided to put me on the 11pm bus. "HEY! Where are the reclining seats? You mean this old junk is VIP bus?" But by now I needed to go to the toilet... the bus was leaving and there were 10 women in front of me queueing up to go to the toilet... Should I do it there in the floor? After all it is dark. No. I would not.

HELLO! WHERE IS THE WIFI? I have this Drama  "my love from another star" episode 10 that I told myself I could watch in the bus... Instead, I am sitting in the dark writing this note and hopefully I can post it when I get internet.. My withdrawal symptoms set in.

So much for the good deal and the excitement of the night almost killed me.

Since there is no wifi, I must recline my seat and go to sleep!.... But where is the reclining handle?

The Beautiful Me

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16/01/2014

I know I am beautiful, but what I don't know is today I am exceptionally beautiful!  This morning I was told by many people that I am beautiful, down from the parents of the students, the cake seller, the veg sellers to the fruit sellers in the market.

I would love to believe them but I'm sorry, it was the skirt I was wearing that they were complimenting, not me. Because the weather was cool and nice, I decided to wear the pink Khmer skirt that Prema made for me many years ago. So, it was the skirt that they were complimenting, not me!

Janice and Amgad

3/1/2014

The best thing that happen in the school this school year is now we have Janice and Amgad with us. They are sent by The Almighty to help us. They kept me busy, I have had a easy life all these while. I didn't know that to run a school need so much work and energy until I met these two angels.

They not only know what they are doing, they are good at public relation too. Jan is always accompanying the teachers, teaching them how to handle the kids, how to teach. Amgad is an all rounder, I had a feeling all the aunties in the market, shop or all over the town have fallen in love with him. He seems to know everyone in town. You want to get thing done, look for Amgad. :-)

I am really glad to have them here. Thank you Jan & Amgad.

 

Jenny Miller and Garth were here end of Dec to first week of Jan, teaching our teachers their Reading Sprouts and Reading Roots program. Blessed the Canadians, our school is blessed with so many of them since I came. First we have Barb from White Horse who came and tidied the Library for us. Then we had Emily and Ashraff, with them came Jenna and then Jan and Amgad. With Jan, came Jenny and Garth. We are promised that many more are coming, bringing with them all the best teaching methods.

Oh ya, I forgot to mention, Amgad love to cook and to feed people. I must be careful of him. I had a strong feeling that he is trying to get everyone to be the same size as him.

I embraced 2014 with serious FLU!

01/01/2014

Finally all the visitors are gone. I am glad to have the kitchen back and most of all, peace and quiet. I supposed my daughters tried their very best to sell their mother, so much so that everyone wants to come and serve in Gems.

Over the years, I enjoyed the many visitors and boarders, they kept me young and happy. But never before they came in as a family with 5 kids of different age group ranging from 4 to 16 years old. They are nice people, well behaved, friendly, helpful but they are also children. To be fair, they have been very helpful!

As the same time, there were also another group of 5 from Aust. 1 from Singapore, 2 from Canada! Imagine having all these visitor at the same time!  Baha'is are generally eager and friendly but there are some who love to hear themselves talk.( I some times fall into that category too ) Must constantly remind myself not to bore people with my excessive talk. That is what my sister, Saw Loo describe these people as  having "mouth diarrhea"

Great, I embraced 2014 with serious FLU!

Farewell 2013 and welcome 2014

31/12/2012 midnight

Tonight as I am reflecting on what I have done this one year, I can't recall much except for some usual events like Chinese New Year in early February, fasting in March, Naw-Ruz and as usual, all the yearly celebrations.

Submitted my research paper in May, graduated in November. Celebrated my birthday with some of my family members ( it has been some years since I spent my birthday with them). Birthday has never been a big deal for me but it sure feel nice to know they care.

 

Went for a cruise with Beelee, kk and Pearl, visited Siew Sean and Ton in Holland, visited Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Russia, Germany and last but not least,  joined Fay and family for a holiday in England. What are the highlights of that holiday? Get to know Pearl, Beelee and KK better. Be  more careful of my belongings. Got my pocket picked in Denmark.

 

Another holiday to Bhutan with Sue Hua and her friends, they are the Cream of the society, rich and famous. What I like about them is their fun loving, humble and sincere attitude. I am glad to have friends like them. Bhutan is like paradise on earth, clean, fresh and scenic and we have one of the best tour guides.

November is the busiest month, 4 daughters, 2 sons in law, 5 grandchildren, sister, cousin were here to celebrate my graduation and Birthday of Bahaullah and had a fabulous holiday in SiemReap. Nice  to be pampered by sons in-law and very proud of them too. I am really blessed by Baha'u'llah.

December rushed back to KL, thinking that I have to go to Pakistan with Prema but blessing in disguise, I need not go, so stayed back for monera's birthday. 

2013 ended with a big big BANG! I became more tired. I felt emotionally and physically drained of energy!