We are now visiting with my parents for Christmas and we had to travel a total of 14 hours in the plane plus spending another 4 hours in transit at airports! We have been doing this ritual for the past 3 years and I find that I am not really looking forward to the journey to go back to my parents.
Why? First, there's the dreaded packing! Then there's all the arrangements to make to deal with leaving home for two years! And it just ocurred to me now that I have forgotten to water my house plants before we left!!! Oh well... Then there's the waiting at the airports for your flight. The recent rule about not allowing passengers to carry more than 100ml of liquid in the hand luggage means that everyone has to buy water while in transit! Exhorbitant amount! We had to thrown away a 1/3 bottle of water which I bought at the airport for $3! And just our luck after all of us have boarded the plane, there was a computer problem and we had to sit in the plane for 45 minutes for the engineers to sort out the problem. When then meant a delay of 45 minutes on landing in KLIA. But before that my daughter and I also felt pain in our ears as the pressure of descending gets to us. I was quite miserable on the very last leg of our journey with very bad ear pain in my right ear. On top of that we also encountered some problems with our tickets on our last flight but fortunate the problem could be solved.
All in all, I am really exhausted and now fighting to get over the jet lag. Then in about 11 days time we have to make our journey back to NZ! I wonder if there's anyone out there who do not like travelling to and from destinations like me........
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
End of school year.....
Well, we have just finished our school year here in New Zealand for the high schools and it was really interesting watching the students who did well go up to the stage to receive their certificates. I don't know about you teachers out there but I feel kind of proud if I have taught them this year. It was also good to watch those I have taught last year, too.
What we do here is we have a certain criteria to cross the stage. And students are not told until the very last day if they are going up the stage. I was sitting next to a top student of mine who knew he was not in the top 6 in his year but I guess he knew he just missed it and he mentioned to me he wished he knew what his GPA was. Most NZ schools do not go by GPA and our school used it as a measure to calculate the top students but we do not reveal to the students their GPA. Anyways, the principal decided to announce the few contenders who almost made it to the top 6 and had GPAs over 90%. It was really wonderful to watch how happy he was when his name was announced as he was one of the three students who was in the running.
It is really wonderful to watch your students achieve good results and you feel really satisfied that you have achieved something despite all the naughty kids who drive you nuts all through the year! Lots of times you wonder how their parents cope with them at home. You will be surprise to hear that some of them are like angels at home so much so that their parents cannot believe that the child you are describing is really their child! I mean ..... come on! Why do we take the time to call you and tell you your child's behaviour is not acceptable or have a bad attitude? We have better things to do with our lives and our time than to make up stories about your kids! Most school age children probably spend more awake time in school than at home. Thus for the few hours they see their parents they probably are smart enough to behave and get their parents into their pockets. Whereas their teachers, they only have to put up with them for a year at a time!
There are some lovely students though and they make your day and these are the ones you think of when you have a bad day! And even if they are not your students anymore, they still greet you whenever you pass them in the hallways or even outside school. They are also some wonderful little ones (we have students starting from age 11 onwards) who would greet you as you pass them and I have no idea who they are but it makes you feel good when you are acknowledged! We sometimes have to take relief classes and we also have an intermediate school even though I teach in high school. Immediately you pegged them as very polite and courteous students.
But overall, I am happy to be a teacher as a second career.......
What we do here is we have a certain criteria to cross the stage. And students are not told until the very last day if they are going up the stage. I was sitting next to a top student of mine who knew he was not in the top 6 in his year but I guess he knew he just missed it and he mentioned to me he wished he knew what his GPA was. Most NZ schools do not go by GPA and our school used it as a measure to calculate the top students but we do not reveal to the students their GPA. Anyways, the principal decided to announce the few contenders who almost made it to the top 6 and had GPAs over 90%. It was really wonderful to watch how happy he was when his name was announced as he was one of the three students who was in the running.
It is really wonderful to watch your students achieve good results and you feel really satisfied that you have achieved something despite all the naughty kids who drive you nuts all through the year! Lots of times you wonder how their parents cope with them at home. You will be surprise to hear that some of them are like angels at home so much so that their parents cannot believe that the child you are describing is really their child! I mean ..... come on! Why do we take the time to call you and tell you your child's behaviour is not acceptable or have a bad attitude? We have better things to do with our lives and our time than to make up stories about your kids! Most school age children probably spend more awake time in school than at home. Thus for the few hours they see their parents they probably are smart enough to behave and get their parents into their pockets. Whereas their teachers, they only have to put up with them for a year at a time!
There are some lovely students though and they make your day and these are the ones you think of when you have a bad day! And even if they are not your students anymore, they still greet you whenever you pass them in the hallways or even outside school. They are also some wonderful little ones (we have students starting from age 11 onwards) who would greet you as you pass them and I have no idea who they are but it makes you feel good when you are acknowledged! We sometimes have to take relief classes and we also have an intermediate school even though I teach in high school. Immediately you pegged them as very polite and courteous students.
But overall, I am happy to be a teacher as a second career.......
Monday, December 10, 2007
A Miracle a Week
A few years ago I participated in a church group discussion and I shared about how my prayers were answered. A lady in her seventies then pointed out to me that they are miracles and that I should write them down. So this is one of the reasons why I wanted to have a blog so that I can share with everyone on how my faith in God has strengthen from day to day. I will share my miracles as I remember them but not in any particular order. I just hope that it will help inspire people to turn to God and that He will answer to your needs.
About 3 years ago we were living in Hamilton, in the North Island in New Zealand and we had lived there for over a year since I got my first teaching job after teacher's college. We were not particularly happy living in Hamilton after living in Christchurch for a year. I was teaching in a state high school and we had some very challenging students there. Being a returning Catholic, I decided that I wanted to teach in a Catholic school as I like to include my faith in my daily teaching and I am not allowed to in the state schools. So I started applying for jobs in Catholic schools in both north and south islands. There were only 2 vacancies in the south island but a few more in the north. I did not expect much out of the south as I was told that it is harder to get a job in the south if you are Asian. So, imagine my surprise when I was called for an interview in Timaru, a small town in the south island. I had to catch 2 flights to Christchurch and then drive myself to Timaru, about 1 1/2 drive or so. I got into the school at about 4 pm and I was told I had an interview at 6pm. By then I was really exhausted from my travelling and my interview did not go well. Somehow I had a feeling that I did not get the job so I thought...oh well......
Then a week later I got a phone call from a high school in Dunedin. The furthest I have applied for and the least thought I have given to the possibility of getting a job there. I thought, "Here goes again....I will have to find someone that I can leave my daughter with as it will be another overnight trip." So when the acting principal asked me,"Are you still interested in the job you applied for?" I said, "Yes...." Then he said," We would like to offer you the job...." And I thought,"Did I get it right??? They are offering me a job and without an interview!" I could not believe my ears! Then he went on and asked if I will accept the job or I needed time to think about it." Earlier, I had already prayed for guidance for a job and I have already told God that basically I would go where He wanted me to go! So I said, "Yes, I accept the job offer." So now we are here 3 years later, still in Dunedin.
I really believe that God gave me my present job and it was better than the one in Timaru as Dunedin is a bigger town with lots of interesting places and culture and to my daughter, the newest and best ice skating rink in New Zealand. So I really believe that when we pray and ask God for something and nothing happens for a while, we have to be patient as when He delivers, it will be better than what we have asked for!
About 3 years ago we were living in Hamilton, in the North Island in New Zealand and we had lived there for over a year since I got my first teaching job after teacher's college. We were not particularly happy living in Hamilton after living in Christchurch for a year. I was teaching in a state high school and we had some very challenging students there. Being a returning Catholic, I decided that I wanted to teach in a Catholic school as I like to include my faith in my daily teaching and I am not allowed to in the state schools. So I started applying for jobs in Catholic schools in both north and south islands. There were only 2 vacancies in the south island but a few more in the north. I did not expect much out of the south as I was told that it is harder to get a job in the south if you are Asian. So, imagine my surprise when I was called for an interview in Timaru, a small town in the south island. I had to catch 2 flights to Christchurch and then drive myself to Timaru, about 1 1/2 drive or so. I got into the school at about 4 pm and I was told I had an interview at 6pm. By then I was really exhausted from my travelling and my interview did not go well. Somehow I had a feeling that I did not get the job so I thought...oh well......
Then a week later I got a phone call from a high school in Dunedin. The furthest I have applied for and the least thought I have given to the possibility of getting a job there. I thought, "Here goes again....I will have to find someone that I can leave my daughter with as it will be another overnight trip." So when the acting principal asked me,"Are you still interested in the job you applied for?" I said, "Yes...." Then he said," We would like to offer you the job...." And I thought,"Did I get it right??? They are offering me a job and without an interview!" I could not believe my ears! Then he went on and asked if I will accept the job or I needed time to think about it." Earlier, I had already prayed for guidance for a job and I have already told God that basically I would go where He wanted me to go! So I said, "Yes, I accept the job offer." So now we are here 3 years later, still in Dunedin.
I really believe that God gave me my present job and it was better than the one in Timaru as Dunedin is a bigger town with lots of interesting places and culture and to my daughter, the newest and best ice skating rink in New Zealand. So I really believe that when we pray and ask God for something and nothing happens for a while, we have to be patient as when He delivers, it will be better than what we have asked for!
Quick Grilled toasties for Hungry Kids
My daughter is alway starving when we get home from school in the afternoons and I whipped up a quick recipe of what I call the Cheesy Garlic Bread for her. I thought I'd share this very easy recipe with all the busy parents out there. And here's the recipe....
Cheesy Garlic Bread
Sliced white bread (however many slices you want to make)
garlic butter
mozarella cheese
1. Turn on your oven to about 150 deg Celsius. A toaster oven may be used as a substitute.
2. Spread some garlic butter on to the bread. The amount depends on how garlicky you want your bread to taste.
3. Put the bread in the oven for a maximum of 3 minutes to melt the butter.
4. Then remove the bread and sprinkled the cheese over the buttered bread(amount again depends on your preference - my girl likes heaps of cheese!). Return into the oven.
5. Remove the bread when the cheese has melted. I normally take them out just before the cheese turns brown.
6. Serve hot.
Possible options: Add tomato sauce or pizza sauce after the garlic butter and before the cheese for cheesy pizza bread.
I find these 2 recipes a good snack or hunger buster while I get more time to make her dinner!
Try and enjoy.......
Cheesy Garlic Bread
Sliced white bread (however many slices you want to make)
garlic butter
mozarella cheese
1. Turn on your oven to about 150 deg Celsius. A toaster oven may be used as a substitute.
2. Spread some garlic butter on to the bread. The amount depends on how garlicky you want your bread to taste.
3. Put the bread in the oven for a maximum of 3 minutes to melt the butter.
4. Then remove the bread and sprinkled the cheese over the buttered bread(amount again depends on your preference - my girl likes heaps of cheese!). Return into the oven.
5. Remove the bread when the cheese has melted. I normally take them out just before the cheese turns brown.
6. Serve hot.
Possible options: Add tomato sauce or pizza sauce after the garlic butter and before the cheese for cheesy pizza bread.
I find these 2 recipes a good snack or hunger buster while I get more time to make her dinner!
Try and enjoy.......
Welcome to my blog.....
Well, I finally got my first blog up and running! To all you out there, welcome to my blog! A big THANK YOU to Jamy Seay of http://www.seaykopitiam.com/ for helping me set up my blog!
I thought hard and long (about 5 minutes!) about what to name my blog and what theme to base my blog on and I decided on kiwilaksa. I think most of you would get a hint by the first part of my blog name of my origins. Yes, I am writing from way down under, right from Dunedin in New Zealand. For those of you who are geographically handicapped, Dunedin is located about 362km south of Christchurch about a 5 hour drive if you want to see the countryside. Dunedin is my adopted home now and my 11 year old daughter and I have been living in New Zealand for the past 5 1/2 years.....
Now the second part of my blog name is a delicious spicy coconut rice noodle soup from Kuching, my birthtown in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. I love laksa and in New Zealand, laksa is quite a common name incorporated into some watered versions of laksa, of course, not as nice as the real thing!!! My daughter just discovered laksa this year despite her aversion to too spicy or chilli hot food! So now I can cook Kuching laksa for us with her having to eat her laksa in between sucking ice cubes!
So all in all, I just want to share my life experiences with anyone who is interested. You are all invited to comment on my postings if they catch your fancy!
I thought hard and long (about 5 minutes!) about what to name my blog and what theme to base my blog on and I decided on kiwilaksa. I think most of you would get a hint by the first part of my blog name of my origins. Yes, I am writing from way down under, right from Dunedin in New Zealand. For those of you who are geographically handicapped, Dunedin is located about 362km south of Christchurch about a 5 hour drive if you want to see the countryside. Dunedin is my adopted home now and my 11 year old daughter and I have been living in New Zealand for the past 5 1/2 years.....
Now the second part of my blog name is a delicious spicy coconut rice noodle soup from Kuching, my birthtown in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. I love laksa and in New Zealand, laksa is quite a common name incorporated into some watered versions of laksa, of course, not as nice as the real thing!!! My daughter just discovered laksa this year despite her aversion to too spicy or chilli hot food! So now I can cook Kuching laksa for us with her having to eat her laksa in between sucking ice cubes!
So all in all, I just want to share my life experiences with anyone who is interested. You are all invited to comment on my postings if they catch your fancy!
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