I was listening to the radio last night when suddenly a thought came into my head.......it's related to people who KILL and punish others in the name of GOD.
I was just thinking, God is great and powerful and has the ability to do whatever He wants. He does not need us to KILL people on his behalf right? If God needs us to kill those who has sinned against Him, then He would not be God right?

Just a thought on judging, happy new year

'See you next year' I tell my students but I myself am not ready for a new year. Everyone is excited about their new year plans tonight but why not me? I don't seem to be excited at all with any of the New Year parties that I'm invited to. I do not want to stay home but I do not see myself wanting to go for any of these parties at all. Sigh.......perhaps it's because I'm being greedy and I expect too much. I am indeed an anti-social who just don't feel like entertaining people whom I'm not comfortable with. Gosh, I suddenly feel like the Grinch

Hello All,

I'm back to reality and everything really ...sigh.......deadlines........arghhhh...leave me alone.....yes I am being childish but at times I really do wish I can be like my students who allow their emotions to rule over them and just do things without putting much thought to the consequences.

I guess I am saying all these because I had a great break and I just don't want to get back to work. I am dragging my feet into school today, missing all that has happened over the long weekend.

Happy new year Jenn and may you not allow all the negative thought over rule you. Think positive and of good things.

Dear Friends,

I will be only back after 29th December. I'm taking time off from work as well as the Internet during this period to spend more time with my loved ones. I hope you get to experience little happy moments with those whom you are spending your Christmas with. God bless and a blessed Christmas to all.

Jenn

1 CORINTHIANS 13 AT CHRISTMAS

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid
bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny
balls, but do not show love to my family, I’m
just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens
of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet
meals and arranging a beautifully adorned
table at mealtime, but do not show love to
my family, I’m just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the
nursing home and give all that I have to
charity, but do not show love to my family, it
profits me nothing.
If I trim the tree with shimmering angels and
crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of
holiday parties and sing in the choir’s cantata
but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the
point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the
husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has
coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the
way.
Love doesn’t give only to those who are able
to give in return but rejoices in giving to
those who can’t.
Love bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. Video games will break,
pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will
rust.
But giving the gift of love will endure.

Wishing all a happy and Blessed Christmas!

In two days time, it’ll be Christmas yet I have two to do things on my list which I really want to settle before Christmas comes, the other matters on the list can wait. Firstly, I want to get both my parents a rattan chair each. The old ones are not stable anymore and it’ll really be wonderful for them to have new rattan chairs to sit on as they sit and watch people and animals pass by our house everyday in the evenings. My second to do thing is to fulfill a wish list of a 14year old girl whom I have never met. I should meet this girl and check on what she needs, get to know her so that I know how I can contribute in her life. Hmm…….1 and a half days left…time is running out.

As you know, it's assessment time again and William (the boy I mentioned in the previous post) is done with his presentation but not his sister. He comes to me and asks, 'Teacher, can I attend M22's (the sister's class) presentation? His sister who overhears his request turned and gives him a bitter stare.
'Don't you dare' She said.
I asked him why and he gives me a cheeky look. 'I just want to see'
The sister begins to feel insecure and said 'teacher please don't let it happen'
'Well, if you think you could learn something from the presentation.....'
'William I tell you ah, don't you do this to me, I hate you' William's sister did not let me finish what I wanted to say.
William grins. I knew he just wanted to disturb his sister so I told him he could go to my other classes if he really wanted to learn from the rest.

I love these siblings as my students

It was about lunch time when I received a call from Shawn.
"Auntie Jennifer, are you getting married?"
"Not for now Shawn, why are you asking this question?"
He got his answer and passed the phone to my sister. Apparently, while having lunch, he suddenly asked his parents what should he wear from my wedding. His parents got so amused that they decided he should talk to me about it.
Kids are so cute and they always say the darnest things.

When the students have their presentations, I bring a little bell with me to remind them of the time. To me, the bell is just a bell yet students get excited over it.
Incident 1:
Student: Teacher, can I play with the bell?
Me: No, why would you want to play with the bell?
Student: I think it’s fun, can I? Please? Just once
Me: Ok, just once
Student: Thing, ting, ting….(presses the bell with much satisfaction and giggles)
Incident 2:
I walk into the class and immediately a boy walks up to me and says
Boy: Teacher, can I help you today?
Me: Oh? To do what?
Boy: I want to be the person who presses the bell.
Me: (amused) Ok, you can be the time keeper.
Two to three other students: Ei, wo ye yao! (I want too, I want too)
Me: Ok, you can all take turns.
Incident 3:
I was speaking to some students after class when a few students gathered round my table. I caught them staring at the bell when suddenly, one of them bravely reaches out his hands and presses the bell and quickly walks away and pretended as if he did nothing.

IT IS JUST A BELL and yet, it amuses so many people. They reminded me of those days when some of us used to run to our friend's bicycles to ring the bell and run off. Anyway, I thought these boys were cute and I love them. Good day to all.

US President George. W. Bush was humiliated yesterday when an Iraqi man threw a pair of shoes at him during a press conference. If the world had respected that man, then the world would not have embarrassed him by making it known worldwide. I take my hats off to Muntazer for his guts. I’m sure George Bush was very much aware that the world condemned his contributions towards the Iraqi war yet he seemed to not show any sign of regret over what has happened and on Monday, Muntazer sent a very clear message on behalf of his people that he was angry at what Bush had done to his people. He stood up, faced the man and threw the shoes at him.
People of higher position have condemned Muntazer’s act saying that it was very unprofessional for him to do so and that he was embarrassing his nation but I guess sometimes drastic measures have to be taken to send the message across and this time, I support Muntazer for what he did. He did not hurt anyone, he did not kill anyone, he just slapped him in the face and I think that’s what some people need as a wake up call.

Tuesday is supposed to be my favorite day of the week because I have only two classes to teach in and lessons only start at 11am. Unfortunately, the first class that I teach on Tuesdays often tries to tests on my patience.
This week is the assessment week for my certificate students. This week, they have two tests to sit for and they have been reminded over and over again about it. I told them not to be late for the test for the assessment will be disrupted if they come in late.
I walked into the class today and found it to be half full. I was not too happy with what I saw but I kept my patience. I started the assessment anyway because I did not want to delay. The late comers started walking in while the other groups were presenting and I still continued to keep my cool. At 11.30 am, half an hour after the assessment had started, a boy walks in. He puts his bag on the table and walks towards me.
Boy: Teacher, that day ah, I did not sign my attendance, I want to sign my attendance.
Myself: Do you know that you are late?
Boy: Yes, I know.
Myself: Why are you late?
Boy: Sesat. (He has been coming to the same school for 28 weeks and he can tell me that he lost his way!)
That really got on my nerves. He walks in late into my assessment, disrupts the assessment to ask me for the attendance list so that he could sign on it. I lost my temper and stared at him in the eye and asked him if the attendance is what matters most. Today was the 1st time I locked my student out of the class. I nearly shouted bloody hell into his face but I kept my cool on that. I am the teacher with a soft spot but sometimes, they just need to learn a lesson.
Sometimes I wish I knew my grandfather so that he could teach me a thing or two on disciplining naughty students.

I was listening to mix FM yesterday when the topic of discussion was 'what makes you want to go home to your spouse'. Apparently, many people lie to their spouses and not go home straight after work due to many reasons.

I asked myself if I would go home straight after work if I had a spouse and my answer was definitely yes, provided that he was at home.If he was not at home, then perhaps there would be no good reason to why I ought to make my way home right after work. What would make me go home to my spouse? Well, I guess it's the idea of spending time relaxing with the one you love after a busy day. There's no need for any specific or romantic programmes. I think the whole idea of just 'lepaking' in the house with someone else around can be fun even though it also means doing more household chores, as long as I don't do it alone.

I liked what a guy said. He said what makes him want to go home right after work is to have dinner waiting for him at the table and to be able to enjoy a good meal with his family.

Papa earned himself an ‘ang moh lao’ yesterday. He fell down and knocked his head. Interestingly, mum was not sympathetic at all. All she said was ‘very good, served you right, you asked for it’ and she sat in the garden, waiting for me to return home from work, ignoring him throughout the whole evening.
Mum has been pretty much fed up with papa’s stubbornness so much so that she calls him a nuisance. She is fed up because she has been deprived of her own privacy and lack of freedom in spending time the way she desires.She greeted me yesterday by saying ‘papa fell down’ and nothing more. She was so cool about it as if nothing serious had happened. I walked into the room and was shocked when I saw papa. His head was swollen and for a while I thought his faced was damaged. I had to take a second good look at his face to calm myself. It was obvious that he had a bad fall and Sokha looked as if she was about to cry. She kept on apologizing in Cambodian, trying to explain how he fell. I was no way angry at her. I knew very well that Sokha would have never let it happened if she had a choice.
This morning, when papa woke up. Mum took him to the mirror, gave him his glasses and asked him to take a good look at himself. He thought it was funny and laughed at his face. Mum said she wanted to show him how terrible he looked but i guess mum failed to scare him for after we gave him breakfast, he started to move himself from his seat to kick poor Brandy for barking.
Aish....a new chapter of unpredictable happenings....

For two semesters I’ve been trying to have personal talks with some of my students. I’ve been trying to understand them as well as their problems as they have not been able to perform well in my class. Today, after some of them did their presentation, I voiced out my disappointment in class. I told them how I felt. After I dismissed the students a student walked up to me and asked me if I think he should continue his studies. I asked him why and he told me his doubts. As I was speaking to him, his classmates started to gather to listen to what I had to say. Eventually, I ended up having the whole class sitting around me telling me their challenges.
I was not prepared for such a serious conversation with such a big group of students. All of a sudden, I was overwhelmed with problems faced by the students. Each of them wanted to be heard, expecting a solution to their problem. It was indeed a challenging day for me in school. It was a day I failed to get a single minute of privacy at school.
I know that talking to them on those problem is not in my job description but I just felt I had to do it for they chose to open up to me and they might not do the same if I had referred them to a counselor. I have always desired to know my students better so that I can not only their teacher but also their friend. I got what I wanted today but am I able to carry on this responsibility? My feelings are mixed at the moment.
Part two:
When I was in school, I always told myself that I wanted to be either like my teachers in school or be an even better teacher. Today, I learnt that it was not easy to actually provide extra attention to all the students who needed it. My diploma students are preparing for their group presentation and I have forced them to show me their outline prior to the presentation. Out of all the outlines that were submitted, only a handful did not need corrections to be made. I am not impressed and am determined to help them work on a better outline. However, I have one major problem which is time. I can hardly find time to sit down and conduct personal consultation with the students. As a result, I need to be very brief when I explain to them. Sometimes, I do not even have the time to make sure that they comprehend what I tell them.
I look back and thought of my teachers back then at school and I can’t help it but to solute them for their patience and sacrifices when they taught us. They too I’m sure found time to be precious yet they gave us all the time that they could give to help us learn.


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The desire for some privacy sometimes seem to be very selfish. But without it, I’m sure I’d be a very stressed up person because I won’t be able to find the freedom to do the things that my heart desires. I find calmness when I have my privacy and when I am calm, I am in control of my own emotions. But then again, sometimes earning my own privacy also means rejecting someone who requests for some of my time and when I do that, the sense of guilt naturally sips into me because I have rejected someone.
It is definitely not easy for one to find privacy in the midst of all the hue hah’s in life and it is definitely even more difficult for one to have some private moments with another because both individuals tend to have different people walking into their lives, seeking for their attention. To make things worst, we live in a era whereby gadgets are so advanced so much so that we are so easily traced or contacted. Walk into the street and you will find people talking to another person over the phone while they are in the company of another person. Talk to someone over the phone and you will realize that he is surrounded people who may be ears dropping the conversation. It is almost impossible for one to be in a place alone with just that someone minus the distractions unless we lock ourselves in a room or bring the person to deep in the jungle where no one else can reach us.
Privacy is something which I long in a relationship. I long for personal moments with that special someone and perhaps that is why I am not a fan of big parties and gatherings because it does not help me have personal moments with another individual. I am myself when I’m alone with another. I am comfortable being natural and honest when I’m not in a crowd. Some people find me romantic because of that but I think I’m just plain selfish or more like anti-social.
I think I ought to be grateful to have friends who are willing to spend these personal moments with me. I may have forced them into it at times but I am still grateful because they have not really rejected me when I asked for their time.

I retract the things I said yesterday. I think I have been an angry person of late. Ever since Dr. Goh insisted that I was stressed, I’ve been stressed. I’ve become easily irritated by petty little matters and have barked at people at times. Sometimes, they deserve it while sometimes they happened to be at the wrong place, the wrong time. Interestingly, my victims thus far have not been any of my students although some of them really do deserve a good lashing.
Why am I so angry? I don’t really know. Sabrina says it has got to be PMS, I’m not sure about that. I do not enjoy being an angry person. The fact that I’m angry actually upsets me and adds on to the stress that I’m experiencing. I am not enjoying a single moment of it, and to make things worst, I seem to be moving away from the kind of emotions I ought to have during this season of Advent. It is not funny at all and it hurts. Perhaps God is teaching me to be wiser, to make me feel the pain? I don’t really know.

I was about to leave for home when I recieved an sms asking me about papa's condition. My mother had complained that he was annoying and irritating and the person asked me why this and why that. It really got me irritated. Ever since papa's been in and out of hospital, people have been extra caring towards his condition so much so that sometimes people over react.

Papa's condition has improved alot ever since he got discharged. In fact he is even fitter than he used to be and can be a handful. He is cranky and demanding and expects things to be done his way. ie. wanting to bathe 2 to 3 times a day even at odd hours, demanding for dinner when it is tea time so on and so forth.He questions my mother and calls her names just because she ignores him.

What annoys me is when people who do not live with us walks into the house and make their own conclusions right after they visit him. They think they know the best solutions for him. The other day, one person actually took a persimmon from the fridge and fed him. I was dismayed when i saw him stuffing it into his mouth because the fruit was hard and cold. I was right, he choked on the fruit right after the person left and the person left feeling contented because she had fed my father with some refreshing fruit. It is interesting how some parents ban their children from ice-creams just because it's cold and yet demand that my dad who is sick should have ice-cream just because it is his favourite food.

I did not intend to complain about all these little petty things because I don't find it worth talking about. The sms just came at the right time while I'm online and got me boiling mad.

On a happier note, I was pleasantly surprised when i got home from the market yesterday morning. A few ladies from the Penang Eurasian Association had brought some Christmas goodies for my parents. They brought two little boxes with various homemade cakes in it. I thought it was really sweet of them to do so, to bring cheer to the elderly. My dad did not really take note of their presence but I could see the radiance on my mother's face when I got home.

After a good rest yesterday, I woke up feeling rejuvenated and was eager to enjoy something light yet warm for breakfast, so I dropped by at Island Glades for breakfast before leaving for work. On my way back to my car, I saw a familiar face walking down the street. I overtook the woman to confirm my suspicion. Indeed it was my secondary school teacher Pn Yong.
I: Lao Shi. (not expecting her to remember me due to past encounters with her)
PY: Ei. Where are you going to?
I: I am going to work, I dropped by for breakfast.
PY: I see, where are you working?
I: Oh, I work in college.
PY: So what do you do there?
I: I teach.
PY: Wah, all my ex-students have become professionals, more successful than myself.
I: Not really teacher, I’m teaching in a college because I’m not qualified to teach in a school. I’m not a trained teacher.
PY: So why don’t you go and get your qualifications?
I: I can’t afford to get posted elsewhere because my purpose of staying in Penang is to be near to home.
PY: My gosh, don’t tell me you are one of those who plan to look after parents until you neglect your own future.
I: Of course not.
PY: Please don’t be like those who look after their parents until they deny themselves of family life. It is not wrong to send your parents to old folks home you know. We all love our parents but sometimes we just have to move on with life. I had to do the same to my mother and I sent her to the old folks home because we were all working and there was no one to look after her. My mom was in coma and the doctor said that her heart was strong and had a long time to live. So we sent her to the home for the aged. She died after being there for three days, if I knew that would happen, I would have taken time off from work to spend those days with her. But we can never predict the future and we never know when will one’s life end, so it’s best to plan for long term. I can accept it if my children ever decide to send me to an old folks home as long as it’s a good one and does not abuse me. I just can’t expect them to care for me the way our mothers used to care for their elders anymore.
I: Yes you are right but I think for now, my parents are fine at home for there’s someone at home to look after them while I’m at work.
PY: Oh ic, but please do get married.
I: Well, I do have social life, I work, I go out with friends and I do have a boyfriend.
PY: Oh, that’s good, go on and get married, you are not that young anymore. I’m sure you are due for that.
I: We shall see. Ok, lao shi, this is my car, I talk to you another time?
PY: Sure, you take care ya.
I: Bye.
(Pn Yong I’m sure cannot recall who I am. She has retired for more than 15years and has been unable to remember any of us. I’ve met her a few times and I noticed that she was unable to recall many things. Well, I can’t blame her for that. I was glad to have met her this morning. It was pleasant talking to her. I would never expect her to say the things that she told me but I know she was sincere in her opinion. I felt as if I was speaking to my Aunty Thai Moi who was always frank yet concern about my future)

Papa has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease stage one. It is a disease that I know very little about. As far as I’m concern, it is also not a disease somebody would want to have as patients loose control of their body movements as a result of the disease. I am not sure if Parkinson’s is linked to dementia but to be honest, I am not totally overwhelmed by the fact that papa has this illness. I’m learning to get accustomed to his dwindling condition. After the pneumonia attack I have prepared myself for the worst. I have Sokha’s presence to thank for taking away half of my worries. I don’t think I would have been able to cope if she was not around. Her presence has made things so much more easier at home. She is illiterate yet she has been pretty much reliable in helping me to care for my parents while I’m not at home. She is compassionate and caring and is attentive towards my parents’ needs.
I have no medical background and I am not aware of the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s. I guess I ought to read up more to understand this condition of health and how it can effect a patient with dementia, for now, I think papa‘s future is pretty much uncertain for we are always surprised with something new. Each time he visit’s the doctor, he brings with him a new diagnostic of illness.
I have stopped bringing papa to church as I’ve been advised to not do so since his immune system is not strong and exposing him too much to the public air might actually risk him to have a relapsed of pneumonia. Even so, I know he would love to attend mass during the weekends and it is also my wish to be able to bring him to church again on a regular basis but with his current condition, I really do not know when this desire of ours can be achieved.

Maybe it is my mother’s nature to be friendly and sometimes a busybody, I grew up knowing my neighbors. I knew how many people lived in one house, whose husband had died, who was divorced and who did not get along with their in-laws. My immediate neighbor is a hawker and few individuals live in that house. There’s the pancake man and his wife, a relative and a mentally retarded girl. They have been my neighbors ever since my family moved in. Ah Yim, who is the mentally retarded girl is in her 50’s but she behaves like a child. She plays in the garden very often and sometimes messes the house. They love her but she can be very annoying and it gets on to their nerves so sometimes, they beat her and she will cry and scream as if she was abused. I grew up getting used Ah Yim’s annoying ways. Sometimes I get very upset at her too because she makes so much noise that it disrupts my sleep. Although Ah Yim is annoying, she is significant in the neighborhood because she is always in her garden and whoever passes by the house would know that she exists.
Yesterday, I came home and found their gate open with some tables and chairs in the garden. I thought they were having some birthday party when I noticed their alter covered with a red paper. Ah Yim had died. She was sick of late but nobody realized that she was terminally ill. They found her motionless in the kitchen after lunch and nothing could be done to save her. Mom always said that Ah Yim’s sister was heartless because she beat her but I think it was her way of teaching her a lesson after all, she was never trained to handle a special person like Ah Yim.
Ah Yim never really stepped out to see the world all her life. Her condition confined her to home and obviously she did not have many friends, Yet, relatives did come to see her last night to pay their last respects. Some even shed tears especially the sister who usually beats and disciplines Ah Yim. She said, Ah Yim bo liao (means Ah Yim is not around anymore) and tears flowed out of her eyes. I guess she must have loved Ah Yim despite beating her. She could have easily left Ah Yim somewhere else instead of looking after her for so many years. It was tough to have a sister like Ah Yim yet they tried their best. I am not sad about Ah Yim’s passing. I think she is in a better place right now. She has gone through a lot as a person with special needs for 59 years of her life and I think she is happily taking her rest right now.
May Ah Yim’s soul rest in peace.

I took leave after accessing my certificate class this morning. I could not take it anymore, the pain in my stomach was really bad and I felt really miserable. My students teased me and asked if I was pregnant despite knowing the fact that I was not married yet, they told me to take care and rest well before bidding me goodbye.
I packed my things and took off to the panel clinic. I was skeptical about my visit to the panel doctor. My past experience with them was not a pleasant one and I wondered if I’d feel the same too this time. During my last visit to one of their branch clinic, I saw how they left an accident victim bleeding and unattended for more than 15minute. The girl’s friend took her to another clinic after that. I wondered what kind of negative feeling would I have this time.
Interestingly, there was no patient before me so I got to see the doctor immediately. He was an old doctor and he gave me a cynical smile and asked me what was my problem. I told him I vomited twice last night and had a stomach ache right now.
Dr: Are you stressed?
I: No.
Dr: You mean your job is too easy issit?
I: Not really but it does not stress me out.
Dr: What do you mean, it’s either yes or no.
I: Ok, I do get stress at times but it’s not that bad, I’ve experienced more stressful moments before.
Dr: So you are stress, that’s why you have this problem.
I: You mean the cause of all this is stress?
Dr: SMILES.
I: OK FINE, WHATEVER.
Dr: LOOKS AT MY DETAILS
Dr: You live in Birmingham Avenue?
I: No
Dr: Oh Lebuhraya Bingham, where is that?
I: Glugor.
Dr: IC, so what religion does your parents practice? Buddhist? Hindu? Or….
I: They are Christians.
Dr: Which Church do they go to?
I: Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.
Dr. Oh, Catholic, do you go to church?
I: Yes I do.
Dr: What bible do you read?
I: The Christian Community Bible.
Dr. What kind of bible is that? I never heard of it.
I: Well, it’s a bible, printed by a different publisher, just like your good news bible.
Dr: I know, I think you are stressed because you are not turning to God to solve your problems. You pray through Mary and that’s the problem. You are not turning directly to Him as your source of strength, unlike us.
I: LOOK AT HIM WITH MY EYES OPENED WIDER and SMILED.
I: Really? That’s interesting. I KNEW THERE WAS NO WAY TO ARGUE WITH A MAN LIKE HIM.
Dr: Ok, God bless
I: Same to you, happy day. Hope you find joy treating your patients.
Dr: CYNICAL SMILE.
I: Bye.
I walked out of his room wondering what was his intention. Hmmm….that was one of my weirdest encounter with a doctor. I drove home and slept through the afternoon and felt way much better after that. I think I needed the rest.

Last night was a disaster for me and so is today. I vomited all that I had eaten yesterday in two parts last night and had to go through a sleepless night feeling miserable, wondering what was wrong with me. I only ate home cook food and yet I felt so sick. I don't know what went wrong. I suspect it's the kiam chye soup my neighbor gave because I did not heat it up before I ate it. For now, I am partially regretful that I ate that thing and at the same time worried that the kiam chye is not the cause of it.
I feel really down right now and I wish I could just go home now and rest in bed.

My students are planning to go for an outing, they have decided to watch ‘Bolt’ the cartoon together as a class. They are excited over it and everyone has made their payment to the class representative who will take the bus to Gurney Plaza this evening to buy the tickets. Sitting on their own seats, the boys invited me to join them. It sounded so fun that I was tempted to accept their invitation but I had to decline their invitation as it is a weekday and I knew I would be exhausted after the movie and I had a lot of unattended things waiting for me to settle. ‘Teacher, are you sure you don’t want to come? Come larr teacher.’ I smiled and thanked them for being thoughtful.
‘Teacher, how about I pay for your ticket, will you join us?’ Piaw asked.
I thought it was really sweet of them to extend the invitation especially Piaw’s. Piaw is not my best student in that class but I love teasing him. He is chubby and would always try to find a way to escape doing my homework. I always say ‘ Piaw, can you answer this question or have you piaw piaw (floated in mandarin) to somewhere else?’ during class and everyone would laugh. If he is cheeky, he would respond in a cheeky manner and play along with the joke.
The college is very particular with the student’s attendance and warning letters are sent home if the students are absent too often. One day Piaw checked on his attendance and realized that he was absent once for my class. The next day, he came to see me with an MC. Sensing that he bought the MC from the clinic, I told him no problem without even looking at him and did not do anything about it.
YP: Teacher, I showed you the MC already ah, why you still give me an egg? (the egg is actually a red little circle we mark on the names of those who are absent.
I: It’s ok, show me that MC only when you really need it. For now, your MC is not needed.
YP: Ah? You mean my MC no use? Please lah teacher, I had to pay so much money to buy this MC you know.
I: I know, that’s why I said you can keep it. Your MC is fake and I won’t accept it.
YP: Aiyah.
I: By the way, how much did you give the doctor?
YP: Not a lot and not very cheap also lah.
I: Next time, use that money to buy your friend lunch, don’t waste your money on those doctors.
YP: Ya hor, teacher, why you never said so earlier?
I: Well, I did not expect you to go and buy that MC.

Anyway, I love Piaw’s class. It may be the weakest diploma group I have ever taught in but they have very pleasant personalities. They are honest and sincere when in class. In fact, they were the only group of students who did not plagiarize their presentation like the rest.