Barrel of fun...

Kak Lina's family , SLing and Apang.....

As the year comes nearing towards the end, surprises will somehow appear out of no where to give a booster. However, surprises like visits and opportunity to meet up with friends and former colleagues are hard to give it a miss. The older folks used to say that meeting old friends will somehow bring about to a lot of joy than sorrow. I must agree that it sure does bring wonderful memories. Last Friday, SLing and I had the opportunity to play host to our former colleagues, Norlina Kamin and Rusni Jitah Singh and JWee's very first babysitter, Lusia Stevens a.k.a Apang. Meeting them put so much joy in my heart. It has been ages since I saw them and the opportunity to meet with them was an opportunity I would not miss. It was so kind of Norlina's brother to send our two Sabah guests down to see us and spend a night at our place while Norlina and family would go back to JB the very same Friday evening after meals.

Ikan bakar and colgate smiles.....

 I guess, I must say that it was such an honour and gratifying feeling being able to see all of them.I was so glad to see Kak Lina and her two children including her brother and mother who came along with them. I marveled at Kak Lina's strength and tenacity despite being in so much difficulty after her husband left her and her children in a lurch a couple of years ago for another woman. Knowing how much she had to pick up her life and re-built her life including caring for 3 growing up children certainly is one huge story of encouragement. My heart was filled with so much respect and marvel at her for picking the pieces of her life up and continue to live on for her children , care for them and nurture them. What a woman! Knowing that she is doing okay now brought much relief to my heart and also so much joy for her. 

Taming Sari Tower with me, Apang and Rusni....

As for Rusni and Apang, I am just so happy to meet this colleague of mine and my one time student in person. Both have grown so much in years. Rusni was my colleague when I started my teaching career in SMK Tenghilan, Sabah. She was awesomely fair, firm yet friendly person and still very much the same. Over the years , she has become family to me and SLing as we shared BBQ meals and great fun together. She and her housemates would be our temporary babysitter before we left for home In Melaka after finishing our teaching days in SMK Tenghilan. She was also the athletics field coach whereas I was the athletic team planner cum athletics track coach. We worked well as a team together with other teachers in order to bring glory to the school, district and the state we served. She is a great netball coach and netball player too.  

Apang & Rusni - River Cruise....

As for Apang, she was my student and JWee's babysitter. As a student, she was my hockey team defender and a good one too. She is also bright , studied well and eventually she is now a teacher. She has always been playful but courteous but also a person of strong and good character. She was a good babysitter to JWee who was a couple months at that time and she really took care of our baby. I am forever indebted to her as she took care of JWee when he was just a baby and she really took care of our baby. Today, she is a dedicated teacher in one of the rural school in Kota Belud , Sabah and she teaches hockey in her school and district. It was just so nice to see her and Rusni again as the last time we met was about 10 years ago while I have not seen Rusni since I came back from Tenghilan, Sabah which is about 20 years now.

Coconut Milkshake stall plus goodies

That evening as we ate and spoke about how well my former students were doing, I am so glad to hear that most of them had been working as teachers, educators, Govt.Departments and even as farmers manning their own lands. It was also sad to hear of the passing away of several former colleagues ( teachers ) and also what had happened to some of the teachers and students too. In my heart , I am so glad to meet up and have Rusni and Apang in my home. That night after dinner at Medan Ikan Bakar Pernu, Alai, we talked, laughed, had some sorrowful moments and also enthusiasm all thrown in a mixture of feelings as we spoke of our friends and colleagues. The ride of memories back to the yesteryears seemed so fun, close and funny yet poignant, sentimental and meaningful as we spoke fondly of everyone we knew. To me, it was good to know that everyone in one way or another is contributing to the raising of standards of knowledge and living in that Land Below the Wind state. I am so happy that many of my students had become teachers and creating good perspective of life there. That day, I slept at 4.00am in the morning and it was well worth the waking hours listening to stories of everyone I knew.

KakLina's family, Apang and SYuen

It was satisfying that I wasn't just another West Malaysia teacher in the school who was there just to fulfill my 5 years there. Most important was I wanted to encourage and help these students to better themselves and to be a changer in their society. I must say that I have always questioned myself if I had been an effective teacher in that sense. I must admit that I wasn't a good academic teacher but I was a good coach both in athletics and hockey. My methods of teaching these young one are not textbook stuff but more to unconventional teaching methods of school of hard knocks, hard words and plenty of heart. I don't know how else I can do it. I must admit that I tried my best in the academic and the sports field to inspire these young one to really make a change in their society. This is what that is always playing in my mind - did they make it? Have I played my role in encouraging them? or due to their "hatred" for me, they have finally succeeded? I guess, the greatest yardstick for me is when you get a former student like Apang and colleague like Rusni Jitah Singh coming by to see you and with warm embraces does tell you a lot! 

Rusni, SLing and Kak Lina

My heart was so overwhelmed with great emotions as I received hugs and embraces of such love. It does warm an old heart like mine la....I tell you! It doesn't need a thousand students to show that as it only needs one who will go out and inspire others with your passion. That day, I felt that rush of relief that students everywhere will be encouraged and loved by my former students who are now educators and leaders in life. The passion and love lives on....... It is a great feeling......

Anyway, I brought Rusni and Apang for some great food fare, sight seeing and Malaccan hospitality. We zig-zagged through the busy Saturday streets in Melaka and continued to show off great Malaccan food and sights before they board the bus to Kuala Lumpur for another adventure in that big city. We laughed a lot that day and we also had so much fun together. They had to tell me that they are stuffed full before I get them more food and more calories to their bodies! Sure, the Nyonya laksa, mee goreng, Hawaiian toast, special egg toast, pineapple tarts, kedodong juice, coconut ice-cream special, juices in bottles, the coconut milkshake, nasi lemak, ondeh-ondeh, samosa, popiah cili, crepe cake plus ikan bakar such as stingray ( ikan pari ), barramundi fish ( ikan siakap), cuttlefish ( sotong) and lala filled their food veins, pipes and stomachs! Taming Sari Tower , River Cruise , A Famosa , St.Paul's Hill climb plus night walk at happening Jonker Street were part of their simple tour diet during their visit to my hometown.

Me and my Sabahan beauties, Apang & Rusni

I guess, when Rusni & Apang stepped aboard the bus to KL, my heart was sad seeing them leave. I guess, parting is such a sweet sorrow in many sense. I really missed these two brave, creative, funny and happy-go-lucky women. They were young woman and girl when I met them. Today, they have become women of stature, strong and confidence. As I saw the bus leaving the terminal, I wished I could have more days with them so that at least, I could be transported to the days of fun, laughter and sheer joy. I will miss them, alright.... 

So, to Rusni Jitah Singh and Lusia Stevens, thank you for sharing your simple lives with me and the memories we shared in the last few days were truly memorable, fun and they do add up more years to my life! That's for sure!