24 July 2013

 

This post is dedicated to someone I care for.

 

I don't ask for anything fancy. I just want us to keep the love, have faith, work hard and giving our best in everything we do, give hope for a better future and just be there.

 

I am sorry for being stubborn, that has been my middle name all this while, which I know one day I would need to work on, and that one day maybe now.

 

I am sorry for caring too much, that's in my zodiac, when an Aquarius cares, they care too much, when they don't, they don't give a damn. There is nothing in the middle.

 

I am sorry for always having serious talk from time to time, that's just me being me, I want things crystal clear, so I said what I think, what concerns both of us and sometimes it may not always the sweet mushy things.

 

I am sorry for bad choices made at times. Things may seem small to you, but one day if I 'accidently' pick the ugliest tie (those with polkadot pattern??), would you wear that in front of me, just to make me happy, and then find another good timing to tell me, nicely of course, that maybe something with no pattern work best in all occasions. Then... I would slowly learn.

 

I am sorry for being too 'aggressive' sometimes. That's my principle of life. I have always been fighting all my life. For what's mine, for what I think is right, for people I love, and most of the time to prove some people that they are wrong. Sure, that there are those times when I am proven wrong for doing so. Yet, if I don't stand up for myself, nobody will do that for me. That's just an instinct.

 

Above all, I thank you for being around all those times, through the good and the bad.

 

For more years to come, I hope~

 

Love you, baby~

 

The past 7 months in 2013

 

7 months have almost passed in 2013, what have we achieved and what have we not started? We still have another 5 months to catch up what we are supposed to finish/start doing in 2013.

Goals are set in early 2013, and here are things that are ‘in track’:

1. Teaching: started early than what I expected. J Have been teaching for 5 months now (since March 2013), extremely short but eventful J Can be tiring (on Thursdays I teach for 11 hours), but the schedule was really up to me to decide (on Fridays I teach for 2 hours only J )

 

2. Parents’ blessing: Yes, we got it! He said: “As long as we do it right, they will approve.” That’s the very first baby step, we have long way to go, with ‘opportunities’ that we can’t afford to miss, our future is still a mystery. I would like to keep my faith, be positive!

 

3. Reading: Have been reading a few books, 8 books should not be a problem this year. 3 out of 5 books are religious books by Ajahn Brahm, then The Litigators by John Grisham and Time Keeper by Mitch Albom. Another 3 to go and I would have achieved the goal J Moreover, I have a very good history ‘teacher’ now, who always explains to me about the things that I had no interest to know back then, when I was in high school. He did better than my history teacher. It’s a compliment, old man.

 

4. More time with family: I think I did just fine. I realize living alone out there make me a bit selfish. Here I learnt how can some people put others first, because they are important, because they are our family, because they are people whom we love. 

 

5. Travelling: I don’t know if last April trip to Jakarta counts, but if that does not I have tickets for October trip with family, September for a function in Jakarta, and lastly, should be travelling in November again, locally. J  Nothing grand, but I am grateful!    

Something that I need to work on:

 

1. Writing: Have been typing on computer quite a lot, but not writing on anything particular, it’s preparing the materials for kids. I had an idea of a book (believe it or not! Talk to a publisher, and they were actually interested, but gotta put it ‘on hold’, as I am overwhelmed with the overall teaching routine.) Anyway, I’ll always keep this in mind, and it’s gonna happen in this life time! :)

2. Exercising: This always has been the most difficult one. Decided to do yoga! When I was eager to start, some issues with the new yoga centre. Pending... Then June was not an easy month, so busy fixing thing. July here it is... I just ‘rolled down’ staircase and it’s a bit painful L COME ON! I have August, September, October, November, and December to do something about this and get fit!!! The most difficult resolutions for the past 5 years??? Aww

Well Wishes,
Lin ^ ^

Teaching

 

I have never thought that I would consider teaching seriously. It started when I was in senior high school (about 10 years ago), I taught 4 or 5 kids from my neighbourhood. Initially, it was just an extra income that I could save in my piggybank.  
 

Then when I moved to Medan for further study, I taught privately and in tuition centre. Again, it’s just fully utilizing my time and earning something for myself.

 

 

I have forgotten about teaching for 5 years or more. Pursuing my study overseas, working in Singapore, enjoying what I was doing, until I decided to resign and come back to homeland. I was not planning on anything specific, then working in corporate setting in Medan for a super short time, and suddenly was boarding the plane to China.

 

I can say Beijing was the break that I need. I was super healthy there, mentally. J (Physically, I needed 2 months to adjust to the super dry weather, which my throat and lung resisted) I was spending my own money on the things that I had dreamed for since 9 years ago. That feels just GREAT!

 

I am thankful that luck has always with me, no matter how things turn out, I know that I have given my best. Have been teaching for 4 months now, and there are so many fun things happen everyday.  

 

 

Sharing something fun for the last four months:

Note: Him & Her refer to my students.

 

1) Him: “Miss, do you teach senior high school students?” | Me: “Yes, Why?” | Him: “Okay, I will still be taking classes with you ‘til then” - he is only in Primary, 4th grade. Long way to go, James :)
2) Her: “Miss, do you want to listen to my singing?” | Him: “You should listen, she composed it herself. It’s good when you listen to it more” | Me: “Okay then” | She then started singing - she may not be extremely good academically, but she is good in art.

3) Me: “Is the shirt new?” | Her: “niu = cow” | she is 2.5 years old and taking Mandarin class with me

4) Show a monkey doll to 3 years old kids who can't speak clearly yet. | Her: "u u a a" - She was imitating the sound made by the monkeys in cartoon that she watched.

5) Me: “What does 'Big' mean?” | Him: “Babi” (Babi = Pig in Bahasa Indonesia) | Her: “He did it on purpose. | Me: “I won’t let you go home until you can answer correctly. Big means?” | Him: “Besar” - Attention seeker, Vincent.

 

 

Something that makes me proud:

1)      A boy ranks 43 / 46 students. In the report book, I can see that English is the only subject which he gets 100 points.

2)      A girl makes me so worried; at the end he gets 81 and 90 for Mandarin and English exams, respectively. They are above what I expected from her.

3)      A student’s mom wants to increase the number of meetings for her daughter, as in 3 months she sees improvements in her daughter’s mandarin. (Another reason is that no one can entertain her daughter when she speaks mandarin at home)  

 

 

They all make me happy in the way that other things can't. They are my dreams. They are young people who have the role in supporting me realizing my dream, bigger one.

 

Don't grow up too fast, kids :)

 

Proud Teacher,

Linda Tan