Monday, July 02, 2007 @12:39 AM
i guess there is quite a bit of things for me to blog about. since this has been quite a happening week.
Monday
Monday was the first day of my school experience before training and classes at NIE started proper. The school isnt as bad as I have heard about it. Though, it could definitely be better, especially since i left school only at 5pm that afternoon and was so ridiculously tired that i fell asleep on the couch at home after that. But overall the experience was okay.
Communication with the kids are little trying at times, because i have to speak to them largely in Chinese before they understand what I am trying to communicate with them. Even then, it isnt really Chinese but broken Chinese. The school doesnt have English Lit at upper levels as with many neighbourhood schools so E.Lit isnt really taken very seriously in the school. The SS/ Hist people are very nice to me and I enjoy the SS/Hist lessons more than anything. In fact, I am also re-learning stuff, because the history syllabus has changed quite a bit over the years.
I accompanied one of the classes out to the museum on Thursday, a normal tech class. It was alright, some of the kids are really interested in learning but I guess they merely have much slower learning abilities or different learning skills and our education system might not be the most suitable for them. The class was hard to control that is for sure and the girls were terrors. They behave like a gang and looking at them i had a good mind to tell them that they are nowhere near what gangsters and hooligans act. i would know. haha.
I wanted to hear how the school song sounds like cause the lyrics are really cheesy, but i guess i have to say i was sorely disappointed. cause came assembly no one sang and all the time the school song played, this was running through my head.
Sing ACS forever more, our ACS forever. God save the Land and Heaven bless our ACS forever.
If there is any real reflection I have to make, it will be this. As much as I would like to help the normal tech and normal academic students, being in an environment where language communication in English is next to impossible at times, I dont think I will be able to deal with it. I am already finding it hard to really communicate with people in Chinese all the time. The last time I did my mid term attachment, I had Junyi and Sylvia with me, both of whom are English speaking people. but this time round, the people whom i have with me is a chinese lang teacher and someone from my alma mater as well. Mingjun the teacher on practicum is funny, but he reminds me of someone whom i cant put my finger on for now. but i am sure i will.
WednesdayWent to collect the graduation gown. was in a terrible mood the whole day and i really felt like murdering someone. oh well. anyway, I headed down to touch silent club in the evening for the interview with the New Paper. I wasnt being interviewed, but to be there just make sure things were okay.
Alan the team manger of the Silent Strikers did the interview and I have to say it was the most interesting interview I had been too in the whole of my life and I had seen my fair share of interviews. Alan is deaf but he is inspiring. He put himself through poly, earning a degree in landscaping design all by himself. He has a child whom is not hearing impaired and he together with his wife who is also deaf is doing a great job to take care of the kid.
The kind of determination and strength Alan displayed made me feel embarassed of myself and made me reflect on myself as a person.
Friday
Friday was a hectic and busy day. After school ended, I rushed down to HCI to watch Shao debate. I missed his last competition and I thought I better go this time round, cause he asked me a couple of times if I would like to go and watch him. So yeah, the boy did well, but there is definitely room for improvment. I am glad he won both the debates.
After that, I went down to meet Cris at HWA (Handicapped Welfare Association) to pick up the wheelchairs for Sat's event. Being the ever sweet and wonderful person he is, he took half day off work even though he just started work a week ago to run errands for the event. I am eternally grateful to him and Imad, KJ and Alex for all the help they have given me and mich over the last one month.
We headed to Khong Guan at Boon Lay to pick up the biscuits they sponsored. (THANK YOU TERENCE! another reason for me to adore you! ahah) The smell of freshly made biscuits are heavenly. I told Cris that i dont want to teach anymore but be a biscuit maker at the factory. There were boxes of biscuits lying all around the compound so i said "No one would know if we took like a few and ran away!"
but then sense took the better of us. actually it was the fact that the papers might publish the headline "MOE Scholar and SYA Winner steals biscuits from factory" that deterred us.
The training with Kim at night was wonderful. For the first time in my life, i finally got to realise how hard it is for people on wheelchair to get around.
Saturday
Cross the Line happened. One and a half months of planning was a crazy and tight framework. But thank God, because by his Grace I had mich ong to help me. She has no idea how much of a saviour she has been to me for the last two months especially with the project. Without her CTL would not have happened. Seriously. She covered for me when i couldnt make it back to the office and she answered all my emails and made all the calls for me. More importantly she really was there all the time when i needed her. for someone who is only 19, she is incredibly matured and sensible.
The rest of the gang or YSD were also great darlings. I reaffirm that I can only trust this guys! I dont know if CTL was a success but i did walk away with strong emotions and thoughts.
It was fun watching Sham with the signboards for Shine or Mel and her friends with balloons tied to their hair. or Mishy with glitter all over their face. To all the IJ girls, debaters and otherwise, Miche thanks you for your time and energy. Really cause my boss was really glad you guys were there to help attract the crowd and liven the day up. I hope you had fun.
It was great catching up with John and Driel after the event, though driel as usual was cheapskating me. haha I count my blessings to have John as my friend cause amongst the five of them he is the sanest. Sam comes second even. haha.
So yeah, today is Sunday and tmrw is Youth day. SO THERE IS NO SCHOOL. miche is happy.
miche packed her stationery and found out she has many random things. miche learns that she cant never learn enough in order to try to make the world a better place.
