Sorry for the absence of updates (as if people are dying for them! hahahahah...). Am in the middle of an induction-like course right now. Get to learn about how many days of paid and unpaid maternity leave I'm entitled to (60 paid, 90 unpaid), and how many absences my students are "entitled" to until they get barred from sitting for the exams (20% of the class). The Gombak part of the course ended today; will continue in Melaka tomorrow afternoon. So I took the opportunity to laze about in the comfort and warmth of my own home...
OK-lah, need to shower, and then eat dinner. Zits are beginning to appear as I have been quite negligent in adhering to my sort-of-beauty-regime lately.
And before I forget, here's another piece of useless information - through my observation, there is a higher concentration of good-looking Malay men in the compound of a particular university in Gombak compared to any other area of the same extent in KL ;)...
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Saturday, April 02, 2005
The day I made a girl cry
Am in KL now. Managed to drive from Kuantan to TTDI in exactly 2 1/2 hours yesterday morning hahaha...I wonder if I (or my mom, as the car is registered under her name) will get a "love letter" aka summons soon. Reached home at 1.30, had a lunch of Mak's daging rusa masak kicap (venison with soy sauce) and rice (really sorry for this, OuiOui...nanti you sampai KL I masakkan untuk you okay?). After feeding MSG-laden gerai food for nearly a month, it was like a meal from paradise.
Then I went off to chaperone 9 audiologists-in-training who went for a visit to Sunway Medical Center. There was a funny (at least retrospectively) story behind me accompanying the students for the visit.
I was not supposed to escort the students; it was another person's task. But she had to go to some course in Gombak, and at the last minute the students were left to find a replacement. I, being one of the very few who were available (read: single, readily mobile, no pressing commitments, can drop nearly everything quite instantly), became a target. As soon as I heard "Sis Petai (not that they really call me that), are you free tomorrow?", I knew....
Hmm...Can't give in too easily, have to make them toil and sweat to get me, said my inner demon. "Why?" I asked.
They explained that they need an escort and they couldn't find anyone else as nearly everybody is going for the course tomorrow and Sis X was not suitable as she has a family and Brother Y had to attend to some personal matters bla bla bla.... "Boleh tak, sister?" they pleaded.
My inner demon become more evil. I lectured them for not preparing well and not telling me earlier. My own student, Syida (the others are the students of other programmes under the faculty), went on to beg and plead. I told them that I, too, had to go to a course in Gombak (true, but it starts on Monday), and I have other things to do here in Kuantan (quite true), and I can't just drop everything and leave (hmmmmm....well...).
I said "why don't you go by yourselves, be independent bla bla bla...". Brother Y and my housemate N, who were also there, kept quiet. Syida begged again. I said OK, but if something comes up tomorrow, I'll let you know, and you may have to go by yourselves. Don't do this again, okay? *mock-/faux-displeased expression*...
She nodded and stared at the floor. Then she said thank you without looking up and immediately headed for the door. I sensed that something was wrong, so I followed her. There she was, squatting with her hands covering her face.
"So sorry sister, it's my fault. So sorry for all this trouble", she said with a cracked voice. And then she broke into a cry; sobs, red eyes and all....
I panicked and I tried to console her. Said sorry over and over again whilst hugging her. Even that did not soothe her. So I took her to an empty room and asked her what's wrong.
It turned out that she had other problems. She hadn't enough time to settle them due to the final exams. And then she was told to find a chaperone for the Audiology student. She felt that it needed the most attention, but it took longer than she anticipated for it to settle. Oh no...what have I done? I felt terrible and guilty as hell.
She cried and poured her heart out for a good 15 minutes. By the time I left her to calm herself, she was still sobbing quietly.
Met her again on the day of the visit, and she looked brighter than the day before. At the end of the visit she informed me that her sister is picking her up from Sunway, and she may not see me till the semester opens in another 3 months. She hugged me and apologised for all the trouble, and said thanks again. With a lump in my throat, I said sorry, have a happy holiday, and take care. Ah well...There's always a first time for everything.
Then I went off to chaperone 9 audiologists-in-training who went for a visit to Sunway Medical Center. There was a funny (at least retrospectively) story behind me accompanying the students for the visit.
I was not supposed to escort the students; it was another person's task. But she had to go to some course in Gombak, and at the last minute the students were left to find a replacement. I, being one of the very few who were available (read: single, readily mobile, no pressing commitments, can drop nearly everything quite instantly), became a target. As soon as I heard "Sis Petai (not that they really call me that), are you free tomorrow?", I knew....
Hmm...Can't give in too easily, have to make them toil and sweat to get me, said my inner demon. "Why?" I asked.
They explained that they need an escort and they couldn't find anyone else as nearly everybody is going for the course tomorrow and Sis X was not suitable as she has a family and Brother Y had to attend to some personal matters bla bla bla.... "Boleh tak, sister?" they pleaded.
My inner demon become more evil. I lectured them for not preparing well and not telling me earlier. My own student, Syida (the others are the students of other programmes under the faculty), went on to beg and plead. I told them that I, too, had to go to a course in Gombak (true, but it starts on Monday), and I have other things to do here in Kuantan (quite true), and I can't just drop everything and leave (hmmmmm....well...).
I said "why don't you go by yourselves, be independent bla bla bla...". Brother Y and my housemate N, who were also there, kept quiet. Syida begged again. I said OK, but if something comes up tomorrow, I'll let you know, and you may have to go by yourselves. Don't do this again, okay? *mock-/faux-displeased expression*...
She nodded and stared at the floor. Then she said thank you without looking up and immediately headed for the door. I sensed that something was wrong, so I followed her. There she was, squatting with her hands covering her face.
"So sorry sister, it's my fault. So sorry for all this trouble", she said with a cracked voice. And then she broke into a cry; sobs, red eyes and all....
I panicked and I tried to console her. Said sorry over and over again whilst hugging her. Even that did not soothe her. So I took her to an empty room and asked her what's wrong.
It turned out that she had other problems. She hadn't enough time to settle them due to the final exams. And then she was told to find a chaperone for the Audiology student. She felt that it needed the most attention, but it took longer than she anticipated for it to settle. Oh no...what have I done? I felt terrible and guilty as hell.
She cried and poured her heart out for a good 15 minutes. By the time I left her to calm herself, she was still sobbing quietly.
Met her again on the day of the visit, and she looked brighter than the day before. At the end of the visit she informed me that her sister is picking her up from Sunway, and she may not see me till the semester opens in another 3 months. She hugged me and apologised for all the trouble, and said thanks again. With a lump in my throat, I said sorry, have a happy holiday, and take care. Ah well...There's always a first time for everything.
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