RaMaDHaN, HeRe We Go aGaiN...!!!

written by Iz |0 comment(s)

It's Ramadhan season all over again. I don't know why but somehow I feel kind of excited about this year's Raya. Well, I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt, hoping that this year won't be as bitter as the previous years.

Sorry gentle readers for not being able to update my blog. I just can't seem to find a suitable time to really sit down and write about my life.

So far, life has been never better. I've been in B.Ed TESL for almost 2 months now and everything is going as smoothly as a flood (I'm not sure if I can use this simile).

Tomorrow, I'll be heading to Sepang to have fast-breaking dinner with my cousin and siblings. I hope everything will go just fine because my intention of going there is not to pick a fight. Plus, I'm gonna bring back something really cool when I get there.

Stay tuned. Have a nice fasting month...!!!

THiNGS Go WRoNG...!!!

written by Iz |2 comment(s)

I hate it when things didn't go as I planned them. It made me felt frustrated and angry because of the hard work that I've put into one thing didn't pay back as what I deserved.

It was about PTPTN. I went to Annexe Hall on Saturday where they set up the counters for submitting the application form for PTPTN. I got there at around 9am, and I was damn tired because I went overnight at Cathay Cineleisure earlier with Fafay, Alyaa and Niessa. We watched The Sorcerer's Apprentice and hung out at NZ Garden in KL after that. I didn't get any sleep (but I managed to take a nap for half an hour or so), once I got back I immediately took off my contact lens and changed. I didn't even take my shower and headed to Annexe Hall immediately because I was afraid that if I stalled any longer it would have taken much longer to settle everything.

I took a number, which was 1273. I looked at the current number. 1025...!!! I was stunned by the number appeared on the screen. It was another 200+ turns of people till I got to my number. I quickly find a seat where the other TESL students were sitting, waiting for their turns. I pulled out my file, and arranged everything in place accordingly. I made sure everything was done perfectly.

Long story short, I waited for almost 3 hours. Finally, they called my number and I was asked to go to the 2nd counter. There was this one bespectacled guy who was supposed to entertain my needs (this sounded wrong), or should I say, checked my documents. He was looking at my parents' salary and he said that the figure I put in the application form and the figure that presented on the tax statement were not the same and according to the figure stated on the tax statement, I was not even qualified to get full loan which was RM26k. I was perplexed by everything he told me. I was baffled and confused and I didn't know what to do. He said that I had to get my parents' monthly salary statement that day immediately, if I wanted to submit my application form on that day. It was the last day of submission and error like this happened.

I asked the HEP officer if they could receive fax on that day, but they said that since it was Saturday and the office was closed hence she couldn't help me with the faxing matter. She asked to to go to the library and asked them instead. But before I went there, I called my Mom.

Unfortunately, when I called my Mom, she was on her way to my grandparents' house in Papar. My granddad was hospitalized due to suspected dengue fever and she had to go visit and looked after him at the hospital. Poor him. For someone who's almost 90-year-old to have an illness like this is a serious danger. My Mom said that Dad was at his office and to make matters worse, she didn't keep any of the statement at home. Everything was left at the office. I was speechless. I never thought that things would turned out pretty badly. From that moment on, I knew it was hopeless.

I told my Mom that there was nothing that we could do anymore and I decided that I'm not gonna apply for PTPTN. According to the people in-charged, they said that the next application submission will be held in the middle of August, which is next month. The reason I gave up PTPTN because it was just my back up plan. My original plan was applying for a scholarship sponsored by JPA Sabah. I've been informed that the result will be out in the early of August, which is why applying for PTPTN by then will not worth it, because I might get the scholarship from JPA Sabah instead of loan from PTPTN. Besides, JPA Sabah has a lot more to offer compared to PTPTN. Like free tickets going back and forth to Sabah once a year.

Speaking of which, I've already bought tickets for my flight going back to Sabah this coming Raya. Since I didn't go back for Raya last year, I am gonna go back this year as my elder brother will be going back as well. Buying flight ticket was a bummer, because of the price that I had to pay. Total money spent for my 2-way flight ticket cost my parents RM627. I somehow felt guilty for asking such amount from my Dad just because I wanted to go back for Raya. I guess there will be no "duit raya" for me this year.

I seriously hope that JPA Sabah will approve my application, because I'm done with PTPTN.

oNe WeeK aFTeR...!!!

written by Iz |4 comment(s)

I've just finished went through the first week of my life as a Part 1 student in B.Ed TESL. I would say the first week was less hectic than I expected it would be. I've gotten into all the classes so far except for Literature class which is taught by Miss (Madam?) Munirah, Che'ah's elder sister. So, we'll only be meeting her next week.

So far, Linguistics class was the only class where I felt much alive, and learned something in the process. No offense to the other lecturers and courses, but I think I've made up my mind about which course is going to be my favorite this semester. The other classes were not that much of an excitement to me. Plus, racist lecturer is a major turn off for me. Being racist doesn't make you a better person than others, or gain more respect from it. It'll actually make people lose their respect to you. Respect is earned, it is not given just like that. In fact, as a lecturer who has the title of an "ustaz", that just doesn't seem right. But I can't do anything about it because my future in this course is in his hands, and whether I like it or not I have to learn how to cope with these kinds of people.

Classmates are okay. We haven't been mingling around much considering it's the first week of our class together. I would say, there are so much things to be adapted from each other. One thing I noticed about my new classmates was they love making those moaning and whining sound effects in class, which is something that haven't been done by anyone I've met before. Somehow, I couldn't help myself from thinking they were having rounds of orgasms in class, which would be really creepy if that were to happen in real life.

We had an in-class discussion with Mr. Rizal on the topic effeminate male teachers were not welcomed in the education industry anymore. I didn't really participate in the discussion and some people asked me why did I go silent along the whole one hour of discussion. The truth is, I didn't see the point of discussing something that was one-sided based. Besides, I was more kind of observing my classmates on how they would handle a sensitive issue like this. I believe on the saying that says "you are what you eat" and I also believe that "you are what you say". In my humble opinion, if you don't have something intelligent to say or even something that's not strong enough to support your idea, then better say nothing at all. When we say something, especially in discussions like this, it would be much better if we say something that has something worthwhile to say. Saying something simply to add havoc in the discussion without thinking much what to say won't make the discussion any more effective. Besides, too much of hasty generalization happened in discussion on that day which turned me off in the first place. I'm saying this generally, not specifically about anyone or anything.

Earlier today we went to Padang Kawad UiTM to attend the briefing of our extra curricular activity. It's compulsory for each and everyone of the Faculty of Education students get involved in one uniformed unit for one semester. There was this one National Kesatria coach approached me and asked me about the track pants that I was wearing and it was Malaysia Airports' track pants which would be given free to any Malaysia Airports' staffs. He asked me who worked in the company because I won't be having that pair of track pants if somebody didn't work there. I told him that my dad worked there and my dad is a Kota Kinabalu International Airport staff. He asked who was my dad and I told him that it was Rijap. He laughed and made gestures insinuating that he actually knew my dad and walked away. I never knew that my dad actually that popular between his co-workers. I mean, I never imagined someone in Peninsular Malaysia who would actually know my dad. I think I inherited that trait from my dad, the popularity wise.

Eclipse is out and I still don't know when to watch it. My Probationary driver's license had expired and yet to be updated to Competent driver's license, I hope I can do it soon. I also need to settle the PTPTN matters. Need to mail the forms to my parents for them to sign and return to me immediately. I think Monday is the best day to settle everything because I only have one class on that day. Better get going...!!!

BaCHeLoR iN eDuCaTioN (TeSL)...!!!

written by Iz |0 comment(s)

Okay, the American proverb above is a little bit exaggerated. There's no way I'm gonna be in the degree program for the rest of my life. I'm gonna be there for 4 years and trust me 4 years seem a pretty long period but it's actually not. 4 years will pass just like it happens yesterday.

Today was the first day of my time in the degree program for Teaching English as a Second Language or B.Ed TESL, what my seniors and lecturers always say. I went to see Dr.Shireena, our head program first thing in the morning to ask her about EDU455, the course that was not meant to be in the schedule because it was the course the we weren't supposed to take till in the 2nd semester. She said she would get back to me once she clarified the matter with the person in-charge of making the schedule.

Our first class today was EDU430, Introduction to Guidance & Counseling. Our lecturer is Madam Sharifah Muzlia and she was the moderator for the forum we had during the 2nd day of the orientation at the faculty. She told us a little bit about this and that on the course. So far what I understood about this course is that it won't be a hard course to score as long as you submit your assignments on time. So I think I can use this partition of my brain to give extra attention to courses that are harder to score.

The class finished early and we were dismissed at around half passed 9am. Ijad, Anas, Adam & I went to "Cafe Belakang" to have our brunch. I've been missing the food there, a lot. I prefer this cafe compared to the other 2 cafes because of its cheaper price. It's not blood-sucking like other cafes. Stumbled upon Dr.Shireena before that and she told me to tell everybody that EDU455 is not gonna be taken during this semester so any class regarding that matter is canceled. Told my classmates about it and some people too. Hopefully they can get the info right, and fast!

New semester has started means we'll have new courses. The course that we have to take this semester are different, like a-total-out-of-the-galaxy kind of difference. This time around, we're not only learning the English language, but also the courses that prepare us on how to be educators. So, I've been thinking a few acronyms for all the courses this semester and I think I've come up with the most suitable ones. These are the courses and their acronyms:

EDU404 - History and Philosophy in Education (HPiE, pronounced as "HP")
EDU430 - Introduction to Guidance & Counseling (G&C)
TSL420 - Literature in English (Literature)
TSL426 - Linguistics in Language Teaching (Linguistics)
CTU551 - Islamic & Asian Civilization (TITAS)

Note that these abbreviations are only my suggestions and you have no obligations to follow each and every one of them. I made it as fun as possible and easier to remember for everybody. I would suggest my classmates to use this method, but just like what I mentioned earlier you have not obligations to do so.

I met a few of my ASASI juniors at the library just now. They were okay and I liked them already, but all of the guys are freaking tall. Having juniors in the university is not the same as having them during high school. This is somewhat new to me and I hope that they won't be making any mistakes that we did, especially the MUET part. I gave them some tips about what to do during lectures, why submitting your assignments is the most vital thing to do and I'm selling my virgin Malaysian Studies book to this one tall guy happened to be my junior. I hope I'll be able to mingle to each and every one them, especially the guys because I'm somehow proud of them because of the number they made this year of the cohort.

Miss Zarina texted me and told me that she'll be needing some hands for the juniors' MUET workshop soon. I'm really looking forward to joining them and help them to get through the obstacles of facing MUET, the nightmare for the students who didn't get the chance to get into B.Ed TESL.

Better get going. I'm gonna go out later evening to get a folder to keep my papers in it and I'm having my evening tea later on. Have fun...!!!

MiNGGu DeSTiNi SiSWa...!!!

written by Iz |2 comment(s)

Yeah...!!! It's the orientation week for the university that I'm in now, MARA Technology University or UiTM for short. I'm excited just like the one and only green smiley above. The green smiley represents me who is really obsessed with the color green till my skin color changed to green. Hah! Just kidding, even though I love green so much, I wouldn't want myself to be turned into green alien or something. Brown is fine with me, I'm green at heart, only.

Anyway, the orientation week has just come to its end. I'm pretty relieved that it's over now, though I only joined the first 2 days of it. Tomorrow, all of us will be going to our respective faculties to have a meeting session with the dean. Basically, we'll be briefed on the course that we'll take for the whole period of being in the degree program. I've seen our list of courses that we will take this semester and it's making me feel overwhelmed. I just can't wait to go Section 17 and go to TESL Square again, the place that I've left for almost 3 months now. Gagak Cafe, INTEC Library and everything else.


The internet connection here is extremely fast right now, surprisingly! I think while I still have the time to download all TV shows now, I have got to do it right away before the rest come back and make the connection going damn slow again.

I'm gonna update about the day with the faculty tomorrow. Oh yeah, please remind me to claim the Drama DVD and the money for our drama from Miss Sally okay!