2nd day of school

Today taught my two year 1 classes.... ... thank God... beginning to like them ... but I know that they still need time to adjust...

1st lesson of the day, overheard some students whispering murmured, "This new teacher sucks" and whispered "We want (our former math teacher) Mr Ku back."

Wah... whether they are able to adjust to learn with me, only time will tell.

Expectations

Today, I realise that personal expectations really make a person feel whether he/she is blessed or is having a difficult life.

If my expectations for something is lower, and if it turns up not bad...then I will be happy.
If my expectations for something is much higher, but if it turns out just not bad, then I will be sad.

And what is our expctations based on? whether is it on our ideal dream? or is it on realistic information?

When we look at a product, do we focus on the flawed 10-20%, or the 80-90% that is good?

Thanks be to God, who says: Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

Are we content for what God has provided?

Outing for church youths.

Today marked a great movie outing for church youths...

kevin, lydia, isaac, hanni, kimas, baobao, gaius, samuel, paul, siting, amelia, jeremy, zoe, lianghao, oswin, gregory, jasmine, zoe...18 of us eating at Griller at tiong...18 of us watching the show "Cars"....

Really a good Pixar show... not brainless brainless one..but got moral...got story line, good sound track, funny parts... Lightning McQueen ... yeah!

Thank God for the timings....finished service early, went to eat, then was supposed to be late for 15min for the show but thank God for commercials....

School starts 10 hours time! :)

Overwhelming Tiredness

Normally... we should obtain adequate rest for the last few days of holidays...right now... i've been overwhelmed by lots of stuffs...

School: new school...new colleagues... new system... new classes...new materials... wah...getting used to them..

church: church anniversary to be held soon...lots of preparation work... skits, performances. outings....

personal admin: so many things to take note and do

Tuition: my poor kid has to sit for his A levels...he is stressed..so am i

Appointments: attended a few weddings (yes..Congrats to Raymond and Audrey...they both look lovely!), met a few friends before going to be busy when school starts...and...

School starts Tomorrow! ... Must pray more for divine strength and help... God is faithful and will see us thru.

Church youth camp photos are out!

Thanks to Jon Lim and Joann, the photos for church youth camp (8th June - 11th June) were finally uploaded online! yeah. Camp really rox...can't resist but to "show off" some great moments of the camp in this blog.

for more of those photos, please visit the website:
http://joann-rong.fotopic.net
http://camphotos.fotopic.net

The gals under the double decker bed

The hunks! :)

Yeah. Yuqin, Wanni, Joanne, Me!! my group for games in Day 1

Shooting bananas to put off fire...disgusting! haha

Yeah! Team photo! Glad jon see was able to make it after work attachment!

Group photo with camp T-shirt! We are the true Survivors! (Because Jesus lives inside us!)

Theme verse:

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.

In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer,

I have overcome the world."

- Jesus

Miami heat wins!

To NBA and basketball fans out there....Miami Heats won!!!

Wendy's housewarming at 20062006

Tuesday:

Thanks for Wendy and Caleb for inviting us to their house for house warming. Really fun BBQing, playing playstation, celebrating June and Wendy's B'day as well as commemorating our onr yr anniversary as teachers...yeah!

20062006, what a day to remember... people present: Caleb, Wendy, TeckPing, Xingyi, Daniel, Huifen, June and me!

My first home roll...my masterpiece..haha

BBQ...super fast...lasted 2 hrs...and it's done! Thanks Wendy and Huifen, the 2 great chefs!

Xinyi trying out her first sushi!

Happy Birthday to Wendy and June!

Group photo at Wendy's house

Smile! you are on candid camera! (haha or caleb's camera)

The moose returns in Seng Siong's trolley!

Caleb's hydrofoil!

Poh ling's wedding

Yeah..went to Pohling and Chee Keong's wedding last night...one of those those gatherings that we can have before all of us are posted to our respective schools.

Back from Krabi

Wow...it has been almost a week since I last blogged... haha...shall update a bit what I've been doing...

On 14th-18th june, went to Krabi, Thailand with very old friends..haha...Stanley, Jeffrey, Mingyu, Winnie and Me! haha...yeah thanks Stanley for organizing the trip...so different from many other trips... first time to Krabi... thank God for the providence, weather etc...

The things we did there were many: Shall update from day to day.

14th (Wed) Went to budget terminal, took tiger airways to krabi...reached hotel ard 10am...went and explore ao nang beach... got half day package and did kayaking...super fun... yes, winnie...I want those photos!!! haha. Night time, explored town..ate Macdonald's. Samurai pork burger..haha.

15th (Thur) Went snorkelling at phi phi islands...very scenic..the beach made our East coast park and sentosa pale in comparison...went to bamboo islands, maya beach (yes, the same beach where leonardo dicaprio filmed his show "The beach"...saw lots of underwater goodies...really scenic...almost got sunburn..haha..but thanks to sunblock SPF 50..yeah! (Celine: SPF 50 is much better than SPF 15, proven! Ask winnie and u will know)..Night..ate at a buffet...less than S$10!! lots of stuffs...Kebab, roast meat, ice cream..etc...yum!

Our basic form of travel... not very cheap though

Underwater goodies...wow so many fishes in a clear sea!

Taking a photo with "Chicken Island" as the background!

Soccer at the beach!

Looking at a local store making pancakes! best pancake eaten!!

16th (Fri) Thanks to winnie, we stopped snorkelling...instead we changed our iternary to river rafting...really really fun! haha..first time there..but jeffrey acted like a real pro! super zai in steering the raft..then we bathed at a waterfall..super refreshing...it's so good to be bathed in nature....(yes winnie...i want those photos!) Night, we went to a local seafood resturant for meal...yum yum!

17th (Sat) Supposed slack day..no $$$ for those package tours liao..haha..so lazed around the beach! Jeffrey rented a motorbike..haha...ride w/o helmet and ferry us around...thanks brother... happening ....went to local market to shop...bought two shorts (at s$3..haha).. afternoon time..went to Krabi town to explore...sat at their "bus" haha...night time went to restaurant, where Jeffrey and Stanley treated us to sushi! yum!

Scenic picture of the beach!

Picture of local market

Jeffrey following us to Krabi town in his 100 CC bike! style right?

18th (Sun) Flew back to s'pore, but with sweet memories...thank God!

FULL day!

Saturday:

This day marked the day that I ate and ate and ate and ate a lot! BURP!!!

Breakfast: for some reason, my aunt blessed my family with her home cooked wanta noodles...wah a lot lor...big and juicy wantan... had a full breakfast...

Noon, went back to practicum school to visit their carnival... big school event. Wow..really miss those people there... teachers, students, canteen vendors, attendants... the things that they sell are really creative... visited stalls set up by my former students...



Took photo with students of one class, which set up a store that sells pop corn, curry puffs, root beer float etc etc... very creative...

Lunch...yeah so many to choose from...

After the carnival, went back home to change, then proceed to Wendy's wedding...so glad to see her getting married! Finally no more shall she be called Miss Tan, but Mrs Tey..haha... Anyway wishing Caleb and Wendy a blissful marriage in years to come... (yeah Wendy, I know sooner or later you will come across this blog...haha)

Wendy and the gals at the waiting room...

The gals at the pew before the ceremony

The gang for an official photo taking session

haha...you guess it...the sumptuous early dinner! super a lot lor...got apart from the typical buffet food still got laksa, sushi...wow!

After the buffet dinner, rushed down to grandpa's place to celebrate his birthday! You guess it... more food again!

Little Daniel ready to cut the cake

Little Daniel cutting cake with his great-grandpa and grandpa

Little Daniel and me! haha

Return from camp

Friday

Just returned from Camp Christine... actually the camp was supposed to last till Sunday morning... but already promised my former students to support their school carnival, and also to attend a friend's wedding in the afternoon, so I left my youth group camp.

I want to thank God personally for the following things ...

1) Thank God for the camp... really very fun and happening, and Thank God for the new friendship made: Liang Qi 传道, Justin, Joanne, Adreyl (Who came just before I left), Joseph, Yong Zhi... not to mention the people in the youth group:

Camp Committee: Hanwen, Daniel, Nelson, Bingsheng, Wanni, Jiamei
Happy Campers: Bihua, Peifen, Mingyu, Jon Lim (who come and go coz of personal committments), Jon See, Joann, Yudan, Liuli, Lester, Ivan, Yudan, Yuxian, Crystal, Yuqin, Huiping ... and ME! so happy for all who come!

2) God really provided means to get in and out of the deserted campsite... the place in the middle of nowhere.
Jon Lim offered to drive me out this morning at 9 am to NTU...thank God for this brother, if not, I would end up as a wet chicken in the rain. Anyway, today marks the last official lesson in my NIE days (yeah! yeah! of coz not if later in life i want to come back to upgrade)
Liang Qi 传道 offered to drive me back from NTU at 1 pm ... thank God again, for it was still drizzling then.
Jon Lim offered to drive me HOME from Camp Christine at 10 pm, right to my door step! He is a brother who is willing to offer to send people home to their door step when it is late, but what I thank God is that during this time, coincidentally he is meeting a group of friends for supper at a makan place just 5 min walk from my home! So really thank God for His divine planning and providence!

3) The camp is really fulfilling and rewarding. Had learnt a lesson on Removing bad habits from oneself. Was touched when the speaker on how he quitted smoking. It was indeed true that many bad habits could be cure because we love others even more. The speaker was a smoker previously, but realized that his wife was very easily irritated by smoke. She even coughed and vomitted from smoke once. It was then that the speaker realized he had to quit smoking if he values his wife's health. That was when he quitted smoking...so touching right? He reminded us that God send His Holy Spirit to help us remove our bad habits. Amen!


Yeah, at this moment when I am typing this blog, The world cup 2006 just begun! Germany VS Costa Rica. Haha, just 20 min into the game, and the score is 2-1! Lahm 6, Klose 17 (Germany), Wanchope, 11 (Costa Rica)...Interesting game!

Gossip in the Teaching Fraternity

Today marks the last 2nd day to NIE/NTU...one whole day of seminar and talks ... was actually a bit tired cos of all the seminars and stuffs...but nevertheless tea break is always the coolest...nice good food to eat...

Anyway, this afternoon's session is quite cool ... turned out to be one big gossip session where some experienced teachers shared with us gossip (don't know how long ago) in the teaching fraternity... some really funny ...

1) HOD fall in love with beginning teacher... got married in the school hall
2) resident of nearby estate complained about students of school so that she can talk to the HOD, whom she has a crush on...
3) parent wrote letter of recommendation for beginning teacher to get president award (wow!)
4) Female teacher kanna backlashed for even being friendly to male students by patting their shoulders

Haha... got one teacher who was very tai tai...shared about her 3m fish in her fish pond and being a nanny to her students (should be primary school students), and another shared about encounters with problematic kids... super gossipy..haha...but i guess it's because they have been thru a lot... and I saluute those principals and teachers who came back to share with us... now is the June holidays... they could jolly well enjoy their holidays....but they still choose to bless us.

Yeah..Church camp tomolo too... so excited.... venue: Camp Christine @ Jln Bahtera ... one BIG problem ... i don't drive and I have to 'book out' on friday morning for 4 hrs for the last NIE seminar... will see how God leads ...

Back to army camp!

Tuesday was a wonderful day for me...

In the afternoon, the NIE teachers were supposed to go to some army camp in the north west for their NE visit. What a coincidence that it was the very camp that i went in for some 2 1/2 years of my NS!

Generally, the girls were so interested in the joyride... sitting in the M113 and LSV for their 3 min circuit ride...haha...but to me, it feels so different. I always dislike sitting in those vehicles, especially during outfield, because I knew that it's a hussle to clean them once back in camp, but now, the feelings have changed once i turn into civilian..haha probably coz i do not need to clean them. The girls were so interested in the various vehicles, and exhibits. Though I already knew most of the stuffs, somehow I felt that things really changed even when I'm away for just one year. The renovations for some buildings were completed, as well as the computers in the simulation centre was different. However, some things never change. For example, SAF always show to the public the best sides that they can offer... haha.

In the evening, went to meet stanley at PS... haha good to catch up with him once a while... and for once..he is punctual!!! Being a teacher really have some good effects on him!

Global Day of Prayer

Yesterday was the first Global Day of prayer for Singapore! It's so wonderful to be part of the 20 000+ christians in Singapore National Stadium praying for ourselves, Praying for Singapore and Praying for our young ones! It's really very good and inspiring!

How great is our God

Sing with me how great is our God

And all will see

How great, how great is our God

Life is like being a fish

Saw a publicity movie clip cell...quite thought provoking

Someone's life can be like ikan bilis....one small fry in the midst of many.
Someone's life can be like fighting fish... always fighting
Someone's life can be like angel fish ... nice to look but showing off
Someone's life can be like sucker fish.... who loves cleanliness...

If you want to know what it is about, you can go St Andrew Cathedral @ city hall mrt on 14th july 7pm to find out.

Anyway later in the evening..went to suntec IT fair... reminded me of being another type of fish... SARDINES!

Visit to ITE East

Today went to ITE East with 1000 NIE teachers...yeah...a happening experience.

ITE East..far east of Singapore...walked 20 min from expo MRT...but a cool place... wah... some facilities better than those of NUS or NTU ... got escalator somemore..haha... ITE so nice...haha... went for an hour lecture on the introduction of ITE... really glad many people putting in pains so to give ITE students a new hope of life... so that they will be equipped with technical skills... really can see all the pains and efforts the management committee has put in


Went on a tour in ITE with NIE friends...yeah... need to take more photos coz after next week would be posted to schools liao... anyway was an eye-opener. Went to the sports section, the nursing section as well as the swimming pool section... learnt some of the various facilitities...quite cool... the only thing not good is that haf to walk up 4 flight of steps to the nursing section..puff huff...



The gals posing for a shot..


Posing for a group shot in the midst of lunch... the food is good! Yum! Will miss u people once we are posted to our respective schools!




Snoopy with her snoopy sunglasses




ITE East as a whole

Then hopped down to TTSH in the aftenoon for some jab... yeah! 2 jabs in fact!




Nurse preparing for jab


Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!

Feeling of nostalgia

Yeah, brother and his Gen 12 team is back from thailand...so happy! Glad to see God at work in the lives of people there, and for giving them protection and safety.

Lately, there's this strong feeling of nostalgia, for reasons below:

Firstly, have been accessing to the wonder of modern communications, youtube.com. Been looking at shows from He-man, Transformers, Get smart, Roadrunner, Batman, Gummi bears etc...wow TV shows of the 80s...the super classics... they dont make shows now that are as good now as it used to ...

Secondly, I just threw away my Pentium 166... used to own a few models of computers before: Apple 2, 286 XT, 486 AT, Datamini Pentium 166, Dell Inspiro laptop before the latest Futjitsu lifebook. Yeah, still remember surviving at 21 MB of hard disk space, playing RTK2 as well as civilization 1, playing sango fighter, using 5.25 inch floppy disk, using DOS, Lotus 1, 2,3, Dbase and wordstar 2000... long gone all these games and software, but their memories will be with people of my generation. Don't you think so?