Woke up very early (well, early to bed, early to rise though I'm not so sure about being healthy, wealthy and wise especially the part about being wealthy as I've been waking up very, very early for school for the past twenty six years and I'm still poor!) and made a quick sneak to the bathroom before the cat awakens. Did everything in a jiffy; too bad there was no Malaysian Book of Records that I know of then! We had 'yesterday's dinner', I mean milo and biscuits again for breakfast. Having gotten ready very early, I felt I waited an eternity again for the posting officer who had told us the evening before that he would be at the Rest House early to inform us of our new posting.
His appearance brought both relief and disappointment. Relief because we have not been forgotten or abandoned and disappointment because he has found only one posting and I'm not the lucky one again. We hopped into his car and enroute to the education office at Simpang Tiga, we made a brief stop at Penrissen No. 1 to drop off the lucky one, a graduate from UM at her new school.
Reached the education office around mid-morning and as usual the waiting game started. We waited while the officer went through his files. A number of possibilities were available and the furthest was a place called Binatang! Luckily, the guy was told to be a gentleman and was asked to go there for I certainly would have been reluctant. Who wouldn't be? (You don't call a place Binatang for nothing, right?)
The nearest was Serian and of course I grabbed the chance. My happiness was however, short-lived. You see, I was told not to take a taxi to Serian but to opt for the bus as taking a taxi would be too expensive. I just couldn't believe my ears and I stared at the officer wide-eyed. At least I tried, but you can only achieve limited success when you're born with slit eyes!
Gave the officer this damsel in distress kind of look too (being a member of the fairer gender does have its advantage) and then appealed to his logical side. Since I have no idea where SMK Serian is, surely he cannot expect me to take the bus which will probably take me right up to the Serian bus station, after which I will have to lug my luggage around town asking for directions to SMK Serian. It's incredulous, even though it 's stated somewhere in the General Orders that one should take the cheapest mode of transport.
After making a couple of phone calls, the officer was pleased to inform me that a driver is willing to send me to SMK Serian and that he and an education land cruiser will be available in a short while to bring me to the school. What a relief! I just cannot imagine lugging my bags around town asking for directions to SMK Serian and then probably end up having to walk all the way to the school!
Left the education office before noon and sat in the cruiser in total silence all the way. (Remember, never talk to strangers!). As we approached Serian Town, the driver suddenly said that we should make a stop at the coffee shop. That really set my heart pounding, my pulse racing and my imagination went wild but it was unnecessary worry. It was after all almost 1o' clock and a man got to eat, right?
Once inside the coffee shop, the driver acting like a concern big brother advised me to order something to eat but I declined because I just didn't feel hungry. I don't think he believed me but he didn't pressure me probably because he knew how I must be feeling then. I just ordered a drink to quench my thrist.
Lunch was a quiet affair, not much conversation as usual. So the man ate fast (this could also partly be due to hunger)and in no time we were out of the coffee shop. The next moment I found myself reporting to the afternoon session supervisor at the office in SMK Serian.
One regret I have is not knowing the name of the driver. He's one man who works with a heart and we need more of such personnel in our midst. So lets emulate him, work with a heart to provide exemplary service to others.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
We sat, we stood, we walked and we played cat and mouse.
Finally reached the other side of the river safely. Now, our immediate mission was to look for Kuching Plaza. Who can we approach for direction, after all we’ve been taught never to talk to strangers! Scouting around, we noticed a visitors’ information office tug in a corner and without hesitation we made a beeline there. With the direction obtained from the officer on duty, we headed for the designated place.
No sweat, as we managed to find the place easily. We only realised we were famished upon arriving (it was way past lunch time) and without a minute to waste, the guy (real gentleman) went in to buy food for everyone while the rest of us waited in front of the main entrance. The reason for this is, we wanted to be clearly visible to the posting officer when he arrives. No way is he going to miss us!
We gobbled down our burger in no time. Then we sat, we stood, we walked along the steps and we sat, we stood, we walked along the steps (not necessarily in the order stated) for what seemed like an eternity. Can never explain why when we wait for someone, the waiting time always seem to be like forever. Getting worried, one of us went inside to make a call to the officer and came back with the message that we should stay put and he will be with us as soon as he has settled some matters at the office. Well, back to: we sat, we stood, we walked along the steps until we couldn’t believe our eyes when the officer finally showed.
The officer didn’t come with good tidings though. Since he has not had sufficient time to study our predicament and it being quite late, he told us to hop into his car and he will send us to the Rest House where those posted to other divisions were put up for the night before they continue their journey the next day. There’s a catch, however. No booking has been made for us to stay there for the night so we have to sneak in and squat with those who have been officially registered for the night.
Luckily for me, I have a friend posted to 2nd Division and she’s staying at the rest house that night. (In those days, there was only one express bus to 2nd Division and it leaves early morning). Naturally, I squatted with her but putting up as an unofficial guest meant we had to play cat and mouse with the caretaker and playing mouse was no fun. I had to make sure I’m as quiet as a mouse in the room and when I needed to go to the bathroom or answer nature’s call (there was no attached bathroom), my friend had to make sure the coast is clear before I make a quick dash to and fro. Thank goodness I only had to play mouse for just one night. Life as a mouse must be real stressful especially when there’s a cat lurking along the corridor!
We went to bed early as that was the best way to stay quiet and it had been a long day! Anyway, I’m thankful and grateful to my friend for her stake-out and also her willingness to share not only her single bed with me but her milo and biscuits which were our dinner that night! (Remember, never travel without packing any biscuits as you never know when or where you might need it to survive!).
No sweat, as we managed to find the place easily. We only realised we were famished upon arriving (it was way past lunch time) and without a minute to waste, the guy (real gentleman) went in to buy food for everyone while the rest of us waited in front of the main entrance. The reason for this is, we wanted to be clearly visible to the posting officer when he arrives. No way is he going to miss us!
We gobbled down our burger in no time. Then we sat, we stood, we walked along the steps and we sat, we stood, we walked along the steps (not necessarily in the order stated) for what seemed like an eternity. Can never explain why when we wait for someone, the waiting time always seem to be like forever. Getting worried, one of us went inside to make a call to the officer and came back with the message that we should stay put and he will be with us as soon as he has settled some matters at the office. Well, back to: we sat, we stood, we walked along the steps until we couldn’t believe our eyes when the officer finally showed.
The officer didn’t come with good tidings though. Since he has not had sufficient time to study our predicament and it being quite late, he told us to hop into his car and he will send us to the Rest House where those posted to other divisions were put up for the night before they continue their journey the next day. There’s a catch, however. No booking has been made for us to stay there for the night so we have to sneak in and squat with those who have been officially registered for the night.
Luckily for me, I have a friend posted to 2nd Division and she’s staying at the rest house that night. (In those days, there was only one express bus to 2nd Division and it leaves early morning). Naturally, I squatted with her but putting up as an unofficial guest meant we had to play cat and mouse with the caretaker and playing mouse was no fun. I had to make sure I’m as quiet as a mouse in the room and when I needed to go to the bathroom or answer nature’s call (there was no attached bathroom), my friend had to make sure the coast is clear before I make a quick dash to and fro. Thank goodness I only had to play mouse for just one night. Life as a mouse must be real stressful especially when there’s a cat lurking along the corridor!
We went to bed early as that was the best way to stay quiet and it had been a long day! Anyway, I’m thankful and grateful to my friend for her stake-out and also her willingness to share not only her single bed with me but her milo and biscuits which were our dinner that night! (Remember, never travel without packing any biscuits as you never know when or where you might need it to survive!).
Friday, July 4, 2008
Only a degree in Science!
The aeroplane landed safely and great, there was an officer from the education department to meet us at the airport.
Six fresh graduates with a degree in Science, majoring in Biology and Mathematics were told to report to Kolej Abdillah that day and I was one of them. I feel lucky to be posted to a school in 1st Division; who knows what’s in store for those who have to travel beyond! Well like they say, some people are born luckier than others!!!
Two taxis dropped us at the school. Lugging our bags, we found the office where only a lady teacher (if I remember correctly, she was the senior assistant) was around since school has ended for the day and it was lunch time.
I don’t remember who was more shock, the senior assistant or the six of us. You see, she just cannot possibly accept all six teachers with the same option. After some deliberation, she decided to accept only two and I was not that lucky this time. One of us seek permission to use the school phone to contact the posting officer (hand-phone was non existence then) who instructed us to get back to the other side of the river and from there to proceed to Kuching Plaza where he will meet up with us later.
Now having no posting was not so major a problem at the moment, the immediate problem faced was how to get back to the other side of the river; the taxi drivers who sent us sure didn’t hang around. Enquiries from us were given the following response: very sorry, school has ended and there’s no one from whom we can hitch a ride and upon checking the time, the lady teacher told us we’ll have to wait for hours if we’re to take the bus and bus service is very unreliable; so the best option is for us to take the sampan across.
After getting directions, we made our way to the river bank to take our 1st sampan ride across the famous Sarawak river. Hey, 1st sampan ride, isn’t that exciting!
Being in the same league, that is, away from home, no posting and armed with a degree in Science majoring in the same subjects; we are going to stick together through thick and thin and you bet we’re sticking together in the same sampan. With the assistance of the boat man, we hopped onto the sampan with our luggage and as we gathered to sit together on the same side we almost overturned the sampan! Talk about being united we stand, did we miss something here! I think the boat man really got a fright of his life that day.
We cannot really be blamed for almost overturning the sampan, right? After all we only have a degree in Science, majoring in Biology and Mathematics not Physics mind you and they sure didn’t teach us anything about common sense in the university. We’re too smart for that!
Six fresh graduates with a degree in Science, majoring in Biology and Mathematics were told to report to Kolej Abdillah that day and I was one of them. I feel lucky to be posted to a school in 1st Division; who knows what’s in store for those who have to travel beyond! Well like they say, some people are born luckier than others!!!
Two taxis dropped us at the school. Lugging our bags, we found the office where only a lady teacher (if I remember correctly, she was the senior assistant) was around since school has ended for the day and it was lunch time.
I don’t remember who was more shock, the senior assistant or the six of us. You see, she just cannot possibly accept all six teachers with the same option. After some deliberation, she decided to accept only two and I was not that lucky this time. One of us seek permission to use the school phone to contact the posting officer (hand-phone was non existence then) who instructed us to get back to the other side of the river and from there to proceed to Kuching Plaza where he will meet up with us later.
Now having no posting was not so major a problem at the moment, the immediate problem faced was how to get back to the other side of the river; the taxi drivers who sent us sure didn’t hang around. Enquiries from us were given the following response: very sorry, school has ended and there’s no one from whom we can hitch a ride and upon checking the time, the lady teacher told us we’ll have to wait for hours if we’re to take the bus and bus service is very unreliable; so the best option is for us to take the sampan across.
After getting directions, we made our way to the river bank to take our 1st sampan ride across the famous Sarawak river. Hey, 1st sampan ride, isn’t that exciting!
Being in the same league, that is, away from home, no posting and armed with a degree in Science majoring in the same subjects; we are going to stick together through thick and thin and you bet we’re sticking together in the same sampan. With the assistance of the boat man, we hopped onto the sampan with our luggage and as we gathered to sit together on the same side we almost overturned the sampan! Talk about being united we stand, did we miss something here! I think the boat man really got a fright of his life that day.
We cannot really be blamed for almost overturning the sampan, right? After all we only have a degree in Science, majoring in Biology and Mathematics not Physics mind you and they sure didn’t teach us anything about common sense in the university. We’re too smart for that!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Sarawak here I come!
The much anticipated day has finally dawn. At long last I'm on the flight to the land where people still live on trees. Well, that's how much I know about The Land of the Hornbill way back in the early nineteen eighties and back then, there was even a joke about the car, Mazda 323 model being popular in Sarawak because the people here still swing from 3 2 3 (tree to tree).
Flight wasn't that eventful and I only remember seeing trees and many more trees each time I look out the window of the airplane. The view certainly didn't do much for the butterflies in my stomach.
Flight wasn't that eventful and I only remember seeing trees and many more trees each time I look out the window of the airplane. The view certainly didn't do much for the butterflies in my stomach.
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