Travelling to Miri June 19, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Education, My Views, School Activities.add a comment
Very recently one of our officers called me up to tell me that he and I would be going to Miri on the 24th June to attend a three-day briefings conducted by our ministry. Initially I wanted to reject but then after second thought I agreed to go with him. This is a second round of the similar briefings which was held in Kuching two months ago. For the upcoming briefings, our route from our place would be fully provided by the office – transport and accommodation.
Like the previous briefings, we are supposed to conduct in-house training for heads of schools or their senior assistants. And the upcoming one would be similar. The briefings would be about the ministry’s vision to re-activate the school-based in-house training in schools rather than calling teachers to come down to a centralized trainings, which is a waste of time and resources to most schools in the interior. The implementation of the said training is based on the idea “let managers (school heads) manage”, which is, to me, a brilliant idea.
Facebook June 12, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Computer, Culture, Education, Ethnic, Family, Forum, Love, My Views, Relationship, Writing.Tags: Connie, Family, Festival, Fionula, Gawai Dayak
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Sometimes ago I was invited by some friends of mine to sign up with Facebook (FB). Iniatially I turned down their invitation, but I did not give them any reasons. I simply kept the reasons to myself – workload, not ready to ‘expose’ myself, etc. But not until recently when a particular friend ‘re-invited’ me to sign up. I could not turn down the invitation for the second time. Then, after our Gawai festival, I signed up with FB. After the sign up, I added some familiar friends, and to my surprise, most of them have been with FB for a long time. It was me who was ‘left out’. As time flies, I added more friends and most of my request to add the people were accepted. It is fun to see their pictures and read comments. Like in our portal, engkabang.net, I do not post much comments on other’s FB, but simply click on the “like” link to show how I feel towards what they had put up. Am I introvert? Perhaps. In real life, too, I do not talk a lot. I prefer sitting down and ‘read’ – reading prints and people. What do I mean by ‘reading’ people? It’s simply an act of looking at another person and studying or observing his/her moves, with the intention to understand what type of person he/she is! Mind you, most of my observations are fruitful! But I do not want to be a psychologist, since I am not one by profession.
Back to FB: In FB I am now among my friends and even relatives. One interesting thing I found in FB, was, my daughter, Fionula Connie Duie, have been with FB 2 years ahead of me! Besides her, two of my cousins, Marilyn and her sister, Olivia, have accepted me in FB. I guess who is next I’d meet in FB.
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.
April? April 5, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Culture, Education, Family, Language, My Views.Tags: apolitical, by, election, KEMAS
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In and around, there’s so many happenings… there are 3 by-elections in the country – Bukit Selambau and Bukit Gantang in the peninsular, and Batang Ai, here, in Lubok Antu. The polling day for all three constituencies would take place on the 7th April. Not much to comment here on the three by-elections.
This April too, my friends and I are expecting a payout from KEMAS, after which we have been hired to conduct a week long course at a nearby school last month. The course was mainly on guiding KEMAS pre-school teachers on the teaching of maths and science in English. It was tiring, but everyone enjoyed the program. Imagine – every day the course started at 8.00 a.m., and ended at 5.00 p.m. At night, it resumed at 8.00 p.m. and ended at 10.00 p.m!
“Dom” Marcus passed away March 12, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Culture, Ethnic, Family, Funeral, Language, My Views, Relationship, Tradition.Tags: Car, peace, rest, Stambak, Ulu
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Around 9.00 a.m, 5th March, I received a shocking news from our aki Gadang. A news about a fatal accident that had killed one of our cousins, Marcus. Initially, I could not believe my ears, as Marcus was only 34, a decade younger that me. But after aki Gadang had related to me of the news, I have to take it.
Marcus was killed in a car crash along Mukah-Sibu road, sometimes around 2.00 a.m. His parents and the other Stambak Ulu villagers were informed by the Betong police officers at around 8.30 a.m.
The funeral was held three evenings later – 8th March, at his parents’ house in Stambak Ulu. A lot of friends and relatives came to pay their last respect to a humble young man whom we called Dom (Marcus).
During the funeral, my family and I shared Uncle Kimpek’s bilik to prepare all the meals. This was because, our own bilik was not completed yet. We were not the only family who shared the bilik with Uncle Kimpek. Her sisters, Anggil, Dut, and Limai also came from Kuching to share the bilik. Beside Uncle Kimpek’s place, Ansi’s bilik was also packed with the other families such as Uncle Abit’s siblings. Like ours too, their biliks were not completed yet.
On the 9th March, the late Marcus was buried at St. Augustine’s Church’s new burial ground, a hill locally known as Munggu Sabut. It was about 10 minutes drive from Stambak Ulu. All had mourned for his demise and prayed that his soul rest in peace.
It’s February February 2, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Church, Education, My Views, School Activities, Writing.Tags: Association, Parent, Teachers
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It’s February now. Could hardly believe that January passed by so quickly. Too occupied, may be. Yes, my kids and I have been very busy with our own business. Last month I attended our PTA AGM, and declined to be elected as the secretary. No big deal, but just wanted to focus more on my involvement in spiritual activities. I have been the PTA’s secretary since 2005. Before that, I was an assistant secretary. In 2007, I was ‘called’ to join the Parochial Church Council (PCC) as a member. And last year, I was the PCC’s assistant secretary. Why secretarial posts? I could have answered that long ago. All my minutes wasn’t that well written, as I am not that good in writing.
February, too, reminds me of my 26 years of being a husband, and also a dad! Valentine’s Day, of course. Twenty-six years? Wow! How time flies. And, yes! I will be 46 next month – on the 20th March. But I always tell myself – don’t mind the age, but look at what have been done and yet to be done.
Back to School January 5, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Education, Family, Language, Love, My Views, Relationship, School Activities, Tradition.Tags: breakfast, holiday, kitchen, school
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After a long school holiday, it’s a wonderful morning today! My kids and I woke up as early as 5.45 a.m. Everyone was excited, including my wife who hurried to the kitchen to prepare the breakfast. My Form 2 Timothy was too excited to go to school. He told me that he’d walk to school as there’d some chores to do before the class begins. He took a quick breakfast of his “kolo mi” – instant fried noodle, which he prepared for himself as early as 6.15 a.m.
Theophilus and I went to school before 7.00 a.m., and by the time we reached school it was already lively. Everyone was cheerful. Yes, everyone – both parents and their children alike.
There was no assembly today, as the headmaster wanted the teachers to start classes. He told us that he was expecting officers from the DEO to make a visit to the school on this first day.
Coming Home for Christmas December 23, 2008
Posted by rbjtimban in Career, Celebration, Christmas, Church, Culture, Family, Festival, Love, My Views, Relationship, Tradition, Village.3 comments
Chester, my younger brother, called me from Bintulu. Told me that he would be home for Christmas. He also told me to call Juliana, to come home, as he could not reach her by phone. I told Chester that Juliana and her family had just left for Serian a day ago after a very brief visit to Betong. After a brief conversation over the phone, Chester insisted me to call Juliana asking her to come to Betong for Christmas. I was wondering, is Chester having something in his mind this season? Could it be regarding our bilik in Stambak Ulu? … or something else. Only God knows. What I know for sure is that, Chester is missing all of us all these while. He longs for a ‘once in a while’ family gathering.
Chester's eldest daughter
