Life of scholars at Taylor's =P

Scholars in Taylor's study as though it's a crime not to be studying!!


Until there's the symptom of lack of sleep...

But thankfully, J9 knows the importance of fun.
...We draw and doodle in class when the teacher is out,


we have I-touch to entertain us (to keep our sanity)...Even in the bus, we can have simple fun!

Conclusion?

Of course, you got that right.

J9 rocks! ^.^

Says Rei-kun - Lecturers for 2009 + THANK-YOU LIST for English teachers who impact me a lot in the past

Gosh... the title's a tad bit too long...

It's been two weeks since class started in college. Most of lecturers changed. Only my Economics lecturer, Ms. Malini remains with my class. I was pretty depressed when I knew the day before school started (that'd be 6 January 2009) that Ms. Julianne was no longer my class mentor and English lecturer. Good old Mr. James was also taken away from us. (Gah... I didn't like Math class but at least I enjoyed listening to him teach... Err... did that sound right?)

Anyway, I'm going to talk about my present lecturers. (No, silly! I'm not going to badmouth them, just talking and introducing them! xD)

Firstly, my new Legal Studies lecturer: Mrs. Wendy Loo. Let me make a statement about her - She is impressive. Mrs Wendy is a very organised lecturer who knows what she's saying or doing. Having her as my LS lecturer is a pleasure and an honour. We respect her not because she is strict or fierce but because of the opposite. She makes the class fun and at the same time productive. We memorise things with ease and we understand her lessons without much difficulty. We don't even feel uncomfortable or 'stupid' if we had any questions and will ask her without hesitation. It's quite a different experience as compared to my previous LS lecturer, Mr. Vijay.

Okay, my Accounting Studies lecturer up next: Pn. Anizah. Well, she's not that new to J9 (In case you forgot, J9 is the class I'm in. And don't give me excuses if you did forget. =.=). She taught my class AS last year for a month or two at the beginning of our first semester but got transferred to other class. I'm really sorry to say that I don't enjoy this subject. But it's hilarious at times to watch and hear her teach. I'm not too sure if she did it on purpose but she does crack jokes with a poker face, or maybe she didn't think of it as a joke, just that our class took what she said as a joke and laughed. Lolz!

Another thing about Pn. Anizah is that she ALWAYS writes in capital letters on the white board. It's only the truth to say that sometimes we can't read or interpret what she wrote on the board. We asked her if she could write with the proper usage of big and small letters but she replied, "If i write with small letters, I'm sure you will not be able to read anything I write at all."

And we laughed. =D

We laughed even more when we asked her to read what she wrote out loud for us and she uttered, "What is that that I've written?!" xD xD

Moving along now, let me introduce to you my new Mathematical Studies lecturer: Ms. Sia. Yeah, you can't expect much from me when talking about my MS lecturer. She's okay. I had her a few times last year as a replacement lecturer for MS. She's much better teaching us this year. She seems more friendly now.

In fact, let me tell you a very shocking fact. The thing is... I realised that I frown much more in English class than in MS class. Wow. I think dinosaurs have come back to life to roam our planet.

See, I have a 'Dr.' for as my current English Lecturer. Dr. Santha, to be exact. Oh, you have gotten it so wrong, my friend. She is no Santa Claus nor his wife nor one of his little green elves or reindeer. She is a no-fun, no-nonsense lecturer who barely gives you any space to breathe. She slays you for a missing 's' or an inappropriate tense. She blasts you to goodness-knows-where because you forgot to bring your dictionary to class.

I think it's because I've had too many cool and fun teachers for English class that now, I have run out of luck, and ended up with a dragon-lady this year. I can't believe I'm not going to have any fun for my last year of formal education in the English language.

You may argue that she's being strict for our own sake but I just don't enjoy that. Miss Mary, my English for Academic Purposes and IELTS teacher, was strict on us when it comes to English but she corrected us nicely, teasing us for our mistakes that we automatically know them and cease to commit them.

Dr. Santha, I believe, needs to know how to have a little bit of fun because right now, I picture her as some sort of bully trying to bully her way in and out of things. She was right in saying that getting A1 for English in SPM was no big deal but she was wrong to put it in a way that it doesn't worth a penny.

Language is supposed to be a fun subject. For that, I would like to thank all the teachers who were once my English teacher, that includes:

1. Mrs. Chong (I'm sorry I couldn't remember your full name), Living Springs Tuition Centre, Kuching - Thank you for encouraging me to write when I was only twelve years old. KATELION owes her existence partially to Mrs. Chong. Without her encouragement, I wouldn't have even begun to think I could do well in creative writing.

2. Pn. Lucy Sim, SMK Batu Lintang, Kuching - You are simply amazing. I'll never forget how you kept English so lively and colourful. I never felt bored even once in your class. Thank you for believing in the fact that English can be and should be fun for everyone.

3. Pn. Anita Wee, SMK Batu Lintang, Kuching - Although you were not my official English teacher in class, I learnt a lot from you during our debate practice sessions. Your English, I absolutely admire. (The food prepared when the debate team was over at your house, I miss even more!) Don't worry, I now pronounce 'development' properly whenever I use the word. "It's dee-vé-lep-ment!" =D Thank you for correcting my pronunciations!

4. Brother Albinus, Le Salle Tuition Centre (currently residing at SMK St. Joseph, Kuching) - You were my most respected Bible Knowledge and Literature in English teacher. I've never had an Irish for a teacher and you were my first. You were strict but I enjoyed your class because you were in a way, fatherly. Thank you for helping me understand and getting closer to God and also, have a stronger grasp in English.

5. Miss Julianne, Taylor's College Main Campus - Though I had only six months with you, I really missed your classes. They were fun! Your English-based games were interesting and challenging. You, too, believed that English classes should be fun. J9 really misses you as our ESL lecturer and mentor. Thanks for the good times!

6. Miss Mary Josephine Morias, Taylor's College Language Centre - Your English is (may I say it) flawless. You taught us so much! Group 11 must have been quite a handful for you last year but we (at least Sher Rin & I [she insisted that I add her name too. =.=]) really loved your classes. You were 'funnily strict' but we still adored you. Thank you for pointing out all my bizarre slang and accents, unknowingly resuming Pn. Anita's job of correcting my pronunciations and assisting me in enhancing my presenting and writing skills.


Missed every one of you great English teachers~!


P/S: I'll try to get photos of them lecturers next time. ^o^

Happy New Year!! (I know! I know! I’m really late!)

This is my first post for the year 2009 (Yeah, the Chinese knows this year as the Cow/Bull/Ox [pick your choice] year) So what I have to say?

Obviously, New Year new resolution!!! One of my most important goals this year is to never be late to church in Subang Jaya. I realised that I was often late to church last year after going to college. Either that or I missed church. That has got to stop. I am firmly putting a stop to it and I'm going to promise God that I will do whatever I can to be punctual to church every week (you heard me right the first time, no need for me to repeat).

Next, of course, my 'lovely' contract with JPA. TER 85 and above or it's kissing JPA scholarship and Australia goodbye (so, yes, I expect you to empathise me and understand why I won't be blogging that regularly anymore). I must work my butt off this year. T_T I've never felt ever the more compelled to do well in my studies. Two years ago, I was thinking, "Ah... SPM, how nice if I could score straight A's..." Notice the dreamy and airy part, never mind the lack of vigour to do well.... Now, it's "God, help me! If I don't do well, I'm in deep trouble. I have no choice but DO WELL!" Yeah... the difference is priceless. Haha

 My Greatest Achievement in 2009 (up till date)

I know it's wee bit too early to mention about one's greatest achievement of the year but in any case, I'm so proud of myself. Last Friday, I actually WALKED home to Casa Subang all the way from Taylor's College main campus with my housemates (Sher Rin, Yih Ling and Qiu Gee). It's a thirty-minute walk. We even stopped by a nearby shopping complex, The Summit, to eat 'tauhu fa'. =D Just that morning, I was thinking to myself, how is it even possible to walk back home from college? You see, the buses which take us to and fro from Casa Subang to Taylor's College can be rather fantastically late. Now that I know it is POSSIBLE for me to walk home or walk to college, I think walking is a very valid option from now on. Try getting stuck in a jam for more than an hour and getting to class late. I think you will agree with me, no?

 

Global Peace: A talk by Dr. Tun Mahathir at Taylor's College Main Campus

Yes, I attended the talk by our former prime minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir. He talked about Global Peace. For those of you who did not have the opportunity of listening to him speak personally and see him in the flesh (no, I did not say that to annoy you nor to boast. xP), I shall try my best to recall what he had said in his speech.

Firstly, we were given the idea by Tun that generally, peace is the absence of war. If there is no war, then the world would be a peaceful place to live in. Now, in order to lead the world towards a more peaceful direction, the solution suggested is to criminalise war.

Here's the thing: To murder a person, is a crime. As we all know, a breach of the law, performing a crime, results in sanctions i.e, punishments. You will be given the death penalty or life imprisonment etc. In fact, there are even advanced nations which come up with the 'noble' proposal that the death penalty is barbaric and inhumane. So murderers don't deserve to die too.

However, it is legitimate to wage war: to sacrifice innocent lives of men, women, children, the young and the old, the healthy and the sick.

Do you see the queerness of the picture which I am painting before you?

Now, you must understand the fact that people in the olden days warred against each other only because they didn't know any other way how to resolve their conflicts. Leaders led their skilled soldiers into war with swords and shields, arrows and bows to fight their enemies in a battlefield. The death toll and damage done was at the minimal. Unlike today, the battlefield is a city/cities of a country, the damage done is massive and unbelievable. In fact, the world could get wiped out if our leaders aren't too careful. (What do you think nuclear bombs can do?!)

Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the ones who first tasted the destructive powers of the atomic bomb, yet, as though the destructiveness was not enough, people create better bombs—accurate bombs. Accurate bombs to...? To annihilate more people, to kill more innocent people. With such terrible tools available, war should not be an option to resolve conflicts between nation anymore.

War is very real, ladies and gentlemen. Why? Does it thrill you when you see people suffer because of war as you watch comfortably while sipping a glass of iced lemon tea from the television? Do you think that war can never reach us in Malaysia? Do you think that the word 'war' does not associate with our country as it normally appears alongside only with Gaza or Somalia or Afghanistan? If your answer is 'yes', shame on you. There is always the possibility that we will one day find ourselves in a war. War can happen anywhere if people believe that war is a method of resolution.

In order to obtain peace, criminalising war is an answer to it. People who initiate war should be trialled. If war is criminalised, people will see it as a bad and evil thing to do. During the Q & A session, Tun explained that awareness itself plays a vital role in spreading the message of global peace. (I used to think awareness is a kind of useless myth we mention in our moral papers to answer questions. "Kita perlu menyebar kesedaran tentang..." Sounds oddly familiar, no? I didn't know it actually has some practical use in it until now. Haha)

Anyway, as I was saying, I remember Tun mentioning that awareness itself is important. If the world believes in peace, then there would be no war. When awareness becomes a part the society, then people will refuse war. When people have a reluctant attitude towards war, then war can be avoided. People will refuse to fight in a war. When the people disagree with their leader going to war, the leader will not so easily place war as his number one option to solve conflicts. This is what is called a value system of the society; a mindset. Law is formed out of values and rights agreed by majority. So, naturally, if the world truly holds onto peace and hates war, war can be criminalised. It is not radical or just a mere illusion.

Evidence...

Tun's touch of humour

There was a student who asked a question (which I forgot to note down) and this was Tun's reply.

"Whether or not the bomb is accurate bomb or not, people are still terrified. People at Hiroshima and Nagasaki really could not possibly feel honoured when they were about to be killed by the first atomic bombs [which are much more accurate and destructive than a normal bow and arrow]. They were terrified."

I don't know about you but I find this part particularly funny. Lolz!

Conclusion

Global peace will definitely help improve the lives of a lot of people, especially those victims of war. Please support global peace. Spread the message. Nothing's worth to go to war for. The consequences are too dire, the sacrifice too colossal.

Doubt of my own, unanswered

Tun wishes that there will be no war. My question is if there is no war, how do you counter terrorist attacks? The September 11 incident happened, the Bali bombings happened, the London trains bombings happened. If there is no war, what about all these terrorists? They terrorise people. If a nation threatens to attack you, how will you retaliate?

Would you want to try to answer my question? =P

*To know what happened BEFORE the talk (the huge, unfortunate incident which upset quite a number of us), please click here~~