Check out my Slide Show! May 24, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Celebration, Education, Family, Language, Love, My Views, Relationship.Tags: convocation, Kuala Lumpur, Open University Malaysia, TESL
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My Trevor is into Lower Six May 14, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Education, Family, Language, Love, My Views, Relationship, School Activities.Tags: advice, Betong, Form Six, Friends, Malaysia, Sarawak, SMK St Augustine
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Since the MOE announced that former SPM leavers are to enter Lower Six, my wife and I talked a lot about it to our third child – Trevor Jullian. Iniatially Trevor did not like the idea of joining form six as he has a lot of reasons:
1. Some of his buddies are not with him;
2. He is still attending the same school, meeting the same teachers;
3. He feels that the two years is ‘waste of time’ (studying and sitting for the 2010 STPM exams).
He did not tell us his reasons but those were our assumptions. Before the ministry’s announcement, he had received a lot of mails from various colleges offering him courses. I did not like the idea as those colleges are IPTSes – private ones, and are ‘very dear’ to attend. Trevor understands my standings, but, yes, he is not dissappointed.
I explained to him that his form six would only take him a year and a half, and it’s almost equivalent to pre-U (please, readers, correct me if I’m wrong). Should he go to Kolej Komuniti (whilst, there is one in town) by end of July 2009, he would have to undergo a two year-course. Each semester would cost him RM200, and at the end of the course he would be awarded a certificate. Of course both certs have their own pros and cons.
Most of his friends went to the school on Monday 11th May, 2009, and when they came home, and met Trevor in the evening, they persuaded him to ‘take the challenge’ – go for 2010 STPM! After two days of making the decision, eventually he smiled at me, telling me that he would take the 2010 STPM exams. Phew! My boy! Another ’sixth-former’ from the family after my Fionula “Dara”, who is now an expecting mum!
“Dom” Theodore Joins His Family… May 4, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Culture, Ethnic, Family, Love, My Views, Relationship, Tradition.2 comments
It has been Theodore’s decision to move out and joins his family. He had talked about it soon after he and his family came to Betong from Kuching, back in 2007. He understands that he and his family should not pack mum’s place as his religion now differs from ours. Yes, he understands that.
And by 4th May, 2009, he moved out and rents a house nearby. My wife and I, and, even his grandma felt a bit uneasy. But the ‘reality’ is – all married children have to leave their home for their own. We are like birds. Once the we are able to ‘fly on own on’, off we go. Birds leave their mum’s built nests to build their own nests. And the ‘tradition’ goes on and on.
Actually I am monitoring Theodore’s moving out. There would be times when he needs my assistance, and I never know when. All this while, when my wife misses our little Iskandar (Theodore’s 18 months boy), she we would sneak to their place and brings him home. And the little boy really like it. He did not bother being ’snatched’ at any time of the day, as our old house is very much bigger for him to run around. By 5 p.m., when his mum and dad are back home, we would send the boy back.
