Warm, warm welcome!

Finally I’ve reported for service but since the morning session was over, the afternoon session supervisor introduced me to the teacher with whom I would be sharing living quarters. It was the only quarters with vacancy as all six units at the Hilton of SMK Serian were already fully occupied. (I found out later that the units were meant for graduate teachers but some units were being occupied by non-graduate teachers who were school hostel wardens. It was some kind of incentive for willing to be a warden). Since the teacher with whom I would be sharing living quarters was free, she was asked to bring me to the quarters.

Nothing cheery about the place, wooden quarters on stilts, looked rather run down with torn mosquitoe-netting and old peeling paint work. And if you think the place only looked depressing from the outside, think again! The quarters was hot like an oven (what a warm welcome!) and the only furnishing was some wooden chairs that would practically swallow anyone who sat in it. (The chairs were definitely more than Asian-size!) There was no luxury of having any cushioned seats and even the rattan-seat of some of the chairs had extra ventilation (there must have been some very sharp-bottom people staying in the quarters before) while some had the rattan base already replaced with plywood.

The kitchen was small with a small wooden table, a couple of wooden stools and this contraption known as the kerosene stove. The only stove I’ve ever used before was the gas stove. I guess some where along the road to obtain a degree, I must have missed something!

The occupants here did not share cooking. It was not the case at one time but since the present occupant, the teacher, caught a former housemate using the toilet brush to clean the wok, she just couldn't stomach anymore shared cooking. Can’t blame her, right? So since then, it has been: to each her own. The teacher did her own cooking using her own single kerosene stove while the other occupant, a laboratory attendant who had a toddler with her, did hers using the double kerosene stove that came with the quarters and so, I would also have to do my own cooking. But then, how did one cook rice using a kerosene stove? Besides, there was also a problem with water supply which meant I would have to store water for daily needs including cooking. Looked like I wouldn’t be having rice for a long, long while even if I could do the daily marketing! (There was no refrigerator!)

Next, the most important place: the high court. It was reasonably clean with hardly any stains except for some green moss in the corners of the cement floor at the farther end but at least the bowl was still white. Thank goodness! The bathroom was also not that bad though I wouldn’t step in without slippers. Next to the bathroom was a small narrow store room but used for drying garments instead.

There were actually only two bedrooms in the quarters, one was occupied by the teacher while the other was occupied by the laboratory attendant and her toddler daughter. The so called available vacant room was actually the dining room but, it had never been used as such. It had been used as a bedroom because of the shortage of living quarters in the school. There was only a single rattan-based wooden frame bed with a single table and a chair in the room. The rattan-base of the bed was sagging and even if it didn’t give way under my weight, it sure didn’t do any good for my back. There was no fan in the room (another warm welcome!) and since it was actually the dining room, the light switch was beside the door on the outside. Well, beggars can’t be choosers!

At least, the room being more spacious, was one grade better than the kitchen and most important, I had a place to stay. I was also given a spare key to the quarters which meant I could go in and out as I please and I didn’t have to play mouse anymore. Ha ha!