Pre Shenzhen Preparations

Shenzhen Girlfriend Getaway Group (3G) trip is just hours away. Preparations are well on the way. Visa done. Tickets printed, hotels booked and itinerary checked. However, I have not packed though. But then this is not a new thing. I'm always so liat at packing. When I travel with ABE, he'd at times get very upset with me coz' I'm such a procrastinator when it comes to doing the packing.

Since packing wasn't really on my mind, I dragged Nissa and Bibik to help me make serunding for the trip. The three strong ladies of the house got to work and we completed the job around 4.00pm. Yess...we are going to have a feast in Shenzhen nanti.

Sempat posing Mom & Daughter...lepas serunding masak

Mouth watering......

Off to Shenzhen u cup cakes...

Tak cukup dengan serunding, just now I made some cupcakes. Also for makan during the trip. But of course Nissa & Farah tak sempat sejuk lagi those cakes dah habis half of them. Well, there's one more night esok. If habis, I'll make somemore heh..heh :-)

N95 is Back - Newly Improved

This is a sequel to my earlier posting of my "injured" N95. Got the LCD screen fixed this morning and now it's back like usual. Fuhhh....what a relief!!

Earlier on when I sent text messages to friends enquiring about repairs for the broken LCD screen, I had mixed info about how much I'd have to spend on a new screen, somewhere in the range of RM1000 to RM400. Goshhh....mahal tu for just a small part of the phone.

Took the phone to my usual phone repair shop near by. Being a pro at his work the young chap told me that damaged screen is a common thing with N95. He said it could be replaced and qouted me a much lesser amount than I had anticipated. Fuhhh....yet another relief for me.

Alhamdullilah, my phone is back like before...plus a few additional safeguarding features.

Yippy....Finally "THE END"

It finally ended. Done. Finito. I'm refering to my camp in Kuala Selangor. After 8 days of camping in a school remote enough to drive a city girl like me go nuts, I guess I pretty much survived it all -the adventures, blazing heat and humble school-turned-resort type of accomodation.

The language camp had its equal share of ups and downs, exchange of harsh words as well as twisting of arms whenever needed. But one thing for sure, it pays to have a good team. And this was something I was very lucky to have. This camp went well because of the commitment from my team - the trainers and facilitators, all 13 of them.

The "heroes" of camp 1. Flat on the third day. Exhaustion took over after continuous jumping and running around.

"Sha" - the smallest student in Camp 2

I'm going to miss those school kids - the notorious hyper ones from Camp 1 and the diligent ascetic lot from Camp 2. We ate, slept, laughed and cried together. We even raced each other taking our baths, fearing that the water would run out. There were mosquitoes, insects and funny looking bugs everywhere, some of them making their initial debut before me. There were restless nights fearing that the sky might pour. There were officials to deal with, sponsors to please and parents to assure. To sum it up, it wasn't an easy task. One wrong move or one miscalculation, the well being of the kids may be at stake. It was obviously a big responsibility for me to shoulder. It was a challenge for me and I am so thankful that I was able to do the job.

Appearance wise, I am so tanned from being in the sun. I also think I have grown a few inches bigger. No thanks to the 6 times of "makan" in the camp. I probably have to go for a lulur session in the next few days. Plus a full body massage is also in my mind. Relax, rewind and recharge...ahhh I so very much need that.

Kak Bed signing autographs

Tonight, I shall sleep in my bed again. No more 2 inches mattress and sleeping in a dorm like manner. But I'm already missing those kids, their loudness and everything else about them. Some of these kids have started calling their "abang or kakak facilitators", even before we drove away from the school. Some of them called from public phones only wanting to hear the "abang or kakak" voices. It was the care, understanding and closeness that really won the hearts of these kids.

Dah habiss....posing time!!

Well bye-bye for now kids. Hope to meet again....in another camp perhaps? Uuummmmmpppppp.............................................................................................

My Poor N95

Ohhh apa yg telah ku buat pada N95 ku!!!

(see the hairline cracks on the left hand side of the screen)

This morning I accidently "poked" the LCD screen of my N95. It now has three long hairline cracks on the LCD screen causing all text and images distorted to the max. Ohhh...so sad!!

It was somewhat of a self inflicted action by me on the phone. After subuh prayers this morning, I wanted to doze off for a little while longer. I didn't sleep well last night, a usual thing that would happen to me when I am in a new place. So dalam pada I dok mamai-mamai tu, as I lowered my body onto the mattress, I accidently landed my elbow on the phone which was just next to me. And my elbow went right on the screen of the phone. Betol la nasib malang.....

But I think the phone kinda kecil hati with me. It was just yesterday I spoke to one of my girls enquiring about the 8GB N95. I asked if I could just change the card. My girl said, "No, kena tukar phone." Kot-kot la N95 I ni terdengar and rasa kecik hati kot...heheh...hehhe.... (though at times I do believe things which are close to us have feelings and senses too)

Called ABE and he said to bring it home and get it checked at a NOKIA centre. OK lah...tidak ler daku kena menjawap lebey-lebey on my carelessness.

So in the meantime, the screen looks horrid. Guess I'll have to wait till Saturday to take it to the shop. Till then, terpaksa la layan kesedihan on what had happened to my N95.

Still at Camp - Second Last Day

I'm still at camp in Kuala Selangor. Today is the 3rd day of the second camp. One more day to go and we'd just have to hang in strong. Goshhhh...this has been one of the longest camp I've ever had. Serious!! That day when I met up with the District Education Officer, she said she would like to organize similar camp as this one YEARLY. Ya ampunnnnn.....sik sanggup aku!! Ha..terkeluar loghat Sarawak dibuat nyer.

Perhaps in my earlier postings I didn't get the chance to actually describe the camp which I am organizing. This camp - "Fun in Learning English" is a language camp organized for the children of 3 rural schools in Kuala Selangor. Kids sleep in tents and follow activities which have been designed and arranged for them.

Kids during registration

The first camp had about 77 kids and this second one has 68. Just imagine, I suddenly have a total of 100 over "instant" kids. Most of them are studying in Year 5 in the primary school. Tau-tau je lah...kids that age. So hyper, so inquisitive yet playful and ader jugak yg terlebih manja nyer. When darkness sets in, ader lah yg berlinangan si air mata, nak tido dgn Mak. A few times, I had to do the calling to the parents telling them...anak Encik si so-and-so ni nangis...mau pulang!! Pening jugak dibuat nyer kepala yours truly the Project Manager ni!!

Setting up their tents

Girls too have their share of FUN!!

One thing I have noticed is that "kampung" kids and urban kids are so much different. They are game to do anything. Parents sent them here and we don't get a tinkle from them until the kids head back home when the camp ends. This is so unlike the urban parents. Hari-hari call to ask the well being of the children. I'm not too sure which is my preferance. I guess a combination of both would be best. Kenalah jugak ambik tau...but jgn ler terlebeh pulak. Parents being parents, I pretty know how it feels. I remember the first time Faris went for his Cadet Police camp. I was the one who didn't get to sleep at night. Worried sick of what could possibly happen to him during the time he was away. Padahal, budak tu enjoy sakan at camp.

In class activity

Outdoor activity ...suka nyer!!!

Ohh...a makeshift desk. Team work..

Together with the Dewan Pelajar Maskot ...tercabut beak mascot kena "attacked" by the kids. Jangan tak tau...they all budak kampung...ayam-ayam kampung semua ni.

Let's do the Chicken Dance!!

Choral Speaking Practise

Si budak Ashraf ni...sempat show off his shuffle skills

Being here in the school and being involved in the activities they participate in, make me realise that there's so much we can help these kids with. They definately need help with the English language. They are bright kids and it's really sad if their handicap is the language. But there is not much we can do in the four days at the camp. We hope the kids will develop enough interest in the language and continue improving in the future.

My team of trainers & facilitators. Thanks Gang!!

Luv Letter to Kak Rock - one of the facilitators

The entire program is DEAD tiring for all of us.... this 40+ Cikgu Besar (as they call me here at camp), my 2 trainers and 12 facilitators. But if you were to ask me to do it again, I guess, my team and I would still oblige. Coz we just don't have the heart to disappoint those such innocent faces.

And....how could we say "NO" to this.....

Yess...kids, WE love U too!!!

Like "Chipsmore"

Nissa says I'm like Chipsmore...sekejap ada sekejap tak de. Mana tak nye, came back from my 1st camp yesterday and off again today for another camp. Came home with loads of dirty laundy for Bibik to look into and repack my bag and off again.

Fuhh...what a life!! I have so many "hutang" on spending time with the kids. They have started to ask already. Guilty as charged, I must confess. But I guess ABE and the kids have somewhat gotten used to me being a "chipsmore".

I'm also far behind in my blog postings too. Strories of Jakarta splurging have not made its apprearance in the blog. So kepada sesiapa yg mem-follow my retail therapy trails, looks like you guys have to wait just a little longer. But don't worry all the sensational stories have been logged into my PDA.

Okies...gotta finish my packing now. Hopefully Internet in Kuala Selangor is OK coz other wise I'll be a complete nut case!!

Posting from Kuala Selangor

This will be just a short posting. I'm Kuala Selangor managing another camp in one of the schools here.

Not having connected to the Internet has been a real challenge. And finally today, I managed to get back online. Fuhh....back to "my" real world.

3G Makan

It's about two more weeks to the 3G Shenzhen Retail Therapy. And how else would we start the last leg of the countdown....apa lagi MAKAN lah!!

The 3Gs came over to my house for tea today. Gempaq!!! Penuh satu meja with food. As for me, it was a good get together. Some of us have not met each other, so it was kinda like an orientation session. But walaupun for some first time we clicked as if we have been friends for ages.

Thanks to Bibik who prepared the food. Plus everyone brought something to fill up the table.

3Gs....we are on our way to Shenzhen!!! Yezzzaaaa......

L to R (Rose, K.Ariza, Ja, Jupe (seated), Me & Muni)

Also special thanks to Bibik for snapping this pic of us. Since Bibik ni masak dah pass, clean house dah OK. Next skill to work on would be the photo taking skills.... ;-))

Cyberkids 2008 Camp - Curtain Comes Down

The Cyberkids Camp came to its end today. The last camp for the year made had its grand finale in Kuching.

Traditional dance performance during the opening ceremony

I'm so happy kids are materializing the content my team and I had designed for them . Could see it in their eyes how much they enjoyed the program.

So, kiddos till we meet again next year. Keep up the good Cyberkids spirits!!

08.08.08

It's a calendar date one of its kind, August 8th in the year 2008. One would write it as 08.08.08. A rather unique combination of 0's and 8's.

I had a rather different kind of excitement today. I was in a function with Angkasawan, Dato' Dr Sheikh Muzzafar Shukor here in Kuching. The 40 minutes drive from Kuching to a small town called Tapah in the rain was worth all the effort. My colleague and I were one of the program coordinators of the Maxis Cyberkids-2 Camp. Together travelling with us were Pn Liza from Maxis and Pn Maznun from MoE.

When we got to the school, it was raining really hard. Not long after that Dr Sheikh arrived. The kids went like.....ooooo...aaaahhhhh....handsome nyer dia....aku gilakk!! The program was attended by more than a thousand school children from the neighbouring area. Gempaq...se gempaq-gempaq nyer!!


I'll put more postings on the "Angkasawan at School" do at another time. But for now, I guess it suffice to post some of my pics with Angkasawan first. Perhaps enough to make some of you gals out there go ....ahhh...oooo.... too!! Jangan jeles eh...heh..heh...heh :-)

Outstation Again

I'm off to Kuching today and will be here till Saturday. My stomach still hurts from my trying to be polite with Mom's offer on durian eating last Sunday. I knew the fruit will give me a hard time...just as the last time I had it.

You see durians and I don't click well. I remember one time when I was in my early stage of pregnancy, even the smell of the fruit gave me the creeps. I went straight to the toilet when the fruit's arousing smell choked my nostrils.

Now, even after 4 days of just "se-cuit" of the fruit, my stomach still doesn't agree with it. I'm hoping it doesn't get any worse. In the meantime, I just have to be extra carefull with what I take in and continue with the medication my doctor prescribed me.

Dolian....oh...doliannnnn!!!

Nissa's New Glasses

It didn't occur to me that my little girl would be needing glasses until one day when she asked me if I could talk to her teacher to get her to sit in the front row. I asked her why and she said she couldn't see the blackboard. Oooo...noooo.......poor thing!!

So last weekend ABE took Nissa to see an eye specialist. They both came back grinning with the result from the check up. The power of one of her eye is a whopping 450!!! Even more shocking was her astigmatism level is almost as high as mine!! This means there is no escape from not wearing glasses.

Both Faris & Farah had to wear glasses when they were in primary school. But kids being kids, their glasses would be the last thing they'd be taking care of. I remember one time when Farah came home, minus her glasses. When I asked her, she gave a simple reply, "Glasses tertinggal kat kelas." Urghhhh...... what was I supposed to say. Next day, back in school her glasses was no where to be found. Missing. Gone.

Then it was back to the optical shop for another pair of new glasses. And not long after that the new one was broken during sports practice. Ohhh.....and that was the one with the Disney frame. I can't exactly recall how many times we went back and forth to the optical shop. Even the girls at both England Optical and Focus Point could already recognize our faces.

And now Nissa has followed the foot steps of the brother and sister. Both ABE and her picked a simple purple coloured frame for her glasses. Much to my dismay, there goes her babyish looks. Enter the school girl look now.

Needless to say, Nissa is very excited about her new "companion". The bus driver tegur her just now by saying, "Kenapa pakai cermin mata? " Hai...Mat...lagi mau tanya ka?? Rabun lerrr makna nyer kalu dah kena pakai cermin tu!!!

As for me, I hope she'd do better at keeping her glasses by her side then her sister. I don't fancy frequenting the optical shop, no matter how interesting the new and latest designs are.