Nuking Me Self

Today is the 4th Australia Day I didn't spend in Melbourne. I miss going to the parks. I miss seeing all of the happy people. I miss the government house across the road from my old home. I miss oven roasted lamb cutlets with Mongolian sauce. I definitely miss roasted vegetables with shavings of Parmesan. I also miss the fireworks from the balconies.

I was told on Saturday afternoon that we were invited to dine at a beach resort with the family of a few siblings I tutor after school. I didn't want to go because my weekends are precious to me and I definitely didn't want to spend it with people that I do not gel with. It was not a choice and I dragged my arse there. The food wasn't that great and the company was downright boring. This was the second time the family had invited us and this time the patriarch didn't appear. He was apparently having a business meeting with someone important inside the resort somewhere. I wouldn't give away too much about this family but I am wary of them. Like a lot of things in KK, I just do my job (tutoring those kids) and avoid getting to involved. I need to protect myself.  

After the dinner, I spent the night tossing around. When I got up on Sunday, I felt somewhat yucky but I thought that it had something to do with being the last day of my weekend. By around midnight, I felt bloated and still fell asleep due to exhaustion. An hour or so after midnight, the diarrhoea began. It was the explosive type. Needless to say, I didn't sleep much afterwards. Although it is Australia Day today, I didn't pull a sickie to celebrate it. My case of gastro sealed my right for a day off and my chance to meet a wonderful female GP.

Something spooked me last week and I had wanted to visit a female GP. With the gastro, I finally got to see Dr Cecilia Chong. The Kindergarten recommended her ages ago but I had always gone to our family GP instead. I am glad that I went to her today. She turned out to be pleasant. She is not a local graduate. She knows how to talk to a patient like we are equals. That is very important to me. I was foretold by a teacher that she is very thorough and she was.  She spoke to me in Mandarin at first but I switched over to English for comfort. So, if you are looking for an English speaking doctor without the usual scoldings, google Dr Cecilia Chong. I will return for another appointment after this case of gastro and this bout of cold. I hope that I have finally found my own local GP

It is technically not a day off. Now that I am up from my nap, I have to work on something that my erratic assistant didn't complete. The b*tch was asked sometime ago to key in information in a government website and with two days left till due date, I was left with the entire load. That is on top of the 3 reports  and this week's lesson plans I have to write. Could someone please tell me why I am still working at this awful place? Yeah, I was a meanie according to The X but do I deserve to be going through all this?

Sneaky Snake

Such is the hazard of living in Borneo. A baby snake nearly slithered into our living room this afternoon. I walked passed it as it was making its way through the front door. I didn't pay too much attention because I thought it was one of my brother's boot laces. As I was coming inside after talking to my Mum, I noticed that it has a pretty big and round aglet and was about to bend over for a closer inspection when it moved! I dashed over to the stairs and notified my Mum who promptly dealt with it. I'll spare you the gory details albeit to say that the snake is no more. Please do not leave a comment to let me know that the Mommy snake is somewhere nearby. Ta.

Not Even That Good

The first week of the new school year is over and the second week is fast approaching. I barely survived my first attempt as a class teacher due to a strained relationship with my Assistant Teacher. My junior teacher is also not cooperating but that is to be expected from a soon-to-be bride who may never have to work for a living soon.

There is no one I could trust at this horrible workplace that I dub as Hell on Earth. I don't have a single friend. Everyone is on the lookout for him or herself only. Who wouldn't be when everyone is led by a general who believes in dividing the masses to conquer.

By local standards, I am not that great as a teacher. I don't tie . I don't hit. I hardly even yell. So why hurt me when I am not even that good? I was allegedly hired to raise the standard of English in the Chinese classes but I have now been made class teacher of a Chinese class and teaching English to only 30 kids in my class! It is a 'promotion' that just doesn't make sense. 

Just one week into the school year and the subtle bullying has already started. I think that I get targeted simply because of who my Mum is but good Lord, I never picked who to be my Mum before I was born! I also believe that I get targeted because I had spent many years overseas previously. This is despite I try to speak more Mandarin, Hakka and Malay to appeal to the locals. This works at the shops with complete strangers but not where I work.

There are also minor set backs in my afternoon gig. 3 students chose not to return to the English lessons. I felt like I have failed as a tutor even though I have 7 new students to replace the 3 that I lost.

I am feeling very low. I just feel like to run away. The Assistant Teacher promised to cooperate before I left for Singapore. After I came home, she had become a totally different person. It is like she has multiple personalities. It is a well known fact that she suffers from depression but after a week of 'tossing' me around, I think that she has more than just depression. It is kind of scary especially because we don't have CCTV in this classroom.

I may need to get out. I may need to seek a different job elsewhere. It is hard enough to look after 30 kids to also look after the Assistant Teacher as well as putting up with a junior teacher who thinks and acts like a shao nai nai married to a super rich tycoon.

Hello 2015

 Happy New Year Everyone.

I spent the day shopping for a farm set and a few other bits and pieces for teaching purposes at Suria. Other than two more A3 size pocket files, I think that I am all set for the new school year. I still have to go in tomorrow to prep the classroom. Luckily I have an extra week to prep!

I pray that I could get through this year. I pray that people will be merciful and not be too cruel. Better still, I pray that my other gig could really take off and I could leave and work independently.

I just came home after attending the wedding of a colleague's daughter. I also attended the wedding of the bride's brother in 2013. Tonight's wedding was smaller than the over the top one I attended less than a fortnight ago in KL. Many who attended were notable in the Kadazan community. I loved the entertainment provided. I can never have enough of the Murut dancers. They are just a fascinating lot.