Nostalgia (2)

I was eighteen I think this summer back in 1981. Retro isn't it? My housemates Azuar (Head of Dept in one SBP in Pahang), Jamaliah aka Jamal and Sallina (now principal) and I snapped this one right in front of our rented house. It was our second year in England while we were pursuing A-Level in Southend College of Technology. We had English with Mr Henry, Economics with what's his name...and Geography with Mr Cheshire. Let me let you in on a secret...I was truly happy to 'escape' Form 6 Geography in English College, Johor Bahru but to my horror, I found out I had to take it in England! We had Physical Geography too- I despised that. Not to mention European Geography. Alas never say die! I made it. And oh! I must add that I initially found it hard to adjust when I first arrived in England because all my housemates except Jamal were not into sports..they were into dancing and choir and the likes. Thank God Jamal was there and we both represented our college in a badminton tournament. We went in a van with other teammates and our coach (Lisa I think) and guess what..we beat them all hehehe...

But I've always had a soft spot for Literature despite it being my first exposure to English Literature back in 1980. Mr Henry had to be so convincing that I still remember some lines from Shakespeare's Othello, the moor of Venice, who in his soliloquy lamented...

She loved me for the dangers I had passed,

And I loved her that she did pity them.

And the Machiavellian Iago who reminded Othello thus:

O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;
It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock

I just love literature!!

Well, time sure flies...I remember Ruth (the caretaker of the college) who always made us feel welcomed. She would spread her arms wide every time she saw us at the foyer. We used to spend Christmas at Ruth's with Kak Zalina, who's one year our senior. And I remember KK (Tang Kok Keong) strumming the guitar while we were having apple pie and ice-cream. Those were the days!

Studies? I've said it over and over that A-level was the hardest exam I've ever sat for. Honest. My first degree was easier and my masters degree was plain sailing. It's hard to explain but it could be because my ten-year experience as a teacher helped me a lot while pursuing the M.A. Well, more old picts next time :) I've this bad habit of blogging when a lot of work needs to be done. Get your__moving Rahmah!!! O.K. O.K signing out...

p.s My green-striped Adidas sneakers...loved it!

The Thinking Teacher

Nostalgia (1)

Nostalgic...the only word to describe my feelings when I looked at my old photos. I was spring cleaning for a new settee we had ordered for Raya and found many old albums. This particular photo was back in 1998 when I was doing my masters in the University of Birmingham, UK. It was early spring and I think Say Lee was the one who snapped this one. I remember flying business class to London with a group and then taking a bus to Birmingham. We rented a house in Selly Oak..let me see if I can still remember my housemates..Dayang (now Dr Dayang), Suhaila (Petronas student), Intan..Jamuna (who taught me how to make pakora). She's probably a very successful lawyer now. Oh I still remember their names :) after all these years. Sometimes we would frequent the Balti Indian restaurants nearby to try pilau rice, tandoori and the likes. Once in a while we would take the bus to Sainsbury but I usually felt contented with the Indian stores nearby. How I miss the old times...

Shakespeare Institute reminds me of Dr Susan Hunston (dissertation supervisor), Dr Kennedy, Dr Richard, Dr Michael Toolan, Corony Edwards, Prof Malcom Coulthard (THE authority then in Discourse Analysis)...good friends, Say Lee, Rahimah, Mubarak. We made it guys! We made good of the scholarship given to us. Incidentally, I met Mubarak (JPN Kedah) last year twice..so good to see him and oh..Rahimah in JELTA conference last July! Was it pure coincidence or God's will that her daughter (who was two years old in Birmingham) was sitting right next to me in the ballroom!

Thank you God for everything you have charted thus far in my life. I feel blessed :)

Shakespeare Institute, Univ of Birmingham

The Thinking Teacher