RBJTimban’s Crib

To begin with, in July 2003, my collegues (at SK St. Augustine, Betong) and I had applied to further our study at Open University Malaysia. We applied for B. Ed (TESL). The program was sponsored by our own ministry – MOE. By November 2003, all four of us were accepted to the university (i.e. Daniel, Agnes, Norihan and I). Everyone was anxious. Registration day would be in January 2004. While waiting for the day, we discussed a lot of things. These included finance and transport. Car-pooling was our best solution to travel 250 km from Betong to Kuching on a tutorial day. Four persons in a car was considered. Unfortunately Norihan and Daniel chose to go on their own. Norihan told us that she would go for tutorial together with her husband (who was also accepted to the same university pursuing B. Ed (Mechanical Engineering)) where as Daniel said that he had to go on Fridays. There were Agnes and I left to car-pool. Later both of us received a call from Ajan and Fedmek (both teaching in SK St. Peter & St. Paul), who were also accepted to the same program. That was perfect – four persons in a car. Hence, the four of us met and agreed that on a normal tutorial day, we would pool RM30 each for fuel and meals. Any unspent funds would be ‘brought forward’ to exam days when we were required to stay for a night or more in Kuching. That was how we started our life as aged students, so to say.