Rape of Nanking

Went with one of my friend to watch the show "Nanking" at Cinema Europa recently.

Its more of a documentary more than a movie. It tells us about the sino-china war in China during the late 1970s through the eyes of a few foreigners.

The documentary is produced in a 1st person encounter though some of them are jus reanacting the stories written down on the diary.

For those tat really went thru the "hell" period, I could really feel for them. Thru their sorrowful eyes, you could see the fear and anger and pain that they felt when they saw their loved ones being killed and raped right in front of their eyes.

I still remember one story went like that. The Jap soldiers march into the village and went shooting like mad. One of the man's mother gt caught in the fire zone and was bleeding profusely. However, the mother refused to free her hold on her baby son (the man's younger bro). When the jap saw this, they stab his mother further with their bayonet. The mother lost her grip and dropeed the baby. The baby fell to the ground and screaned. When the jap soldiers saw this, they pierced their bayonet into the baby butt, and flung him away. The man went over to his mum when the soldiers left. His mum's mouth was moving but no words came out. However, the man understood his mum's thoughts. He went to search for his baby bro. He could still recall that the ground was sticky and red as pple's blood flow like a stream down the slope. He finally found his baby bro and hence, carrried him back to his mum. His mum, in order to pacify his bro, pushed her breasts twds the baby for him to suck on. Tearsa jus tickled from her eyes. By and by, the windows of her soul began to draw its curtains and with a nod, his mum was gone just like tat.

The documentary aso shows some clips taken at that time. It was secretly brought out of Nanking and twds the European countries. One clip showed a burnt head. Story was tat the jap poured petrol on the china men and set fire. This man was lucky nt be burnt totally but upon the severe burns on his head, he died shortly after he was sent to the hospital.

Girls as young as 10yrs old was also being raped by the sinful animals. Some of the gals, onced raped, had their abdomens pierced and twisted with a simple bayonet the jap and attached on their rifle. Wat wrong has the innocent girls done to recieve such wrongful treatment?

This documentary really sets me thinking. Like the Sadam Hussein case, like simple office politics... Mishaps happens when pple don see eye to eye or when mens' selfishness arise. The people that really gt injured are often those common pple who have no idea wat's gg on or those who doesnt wan to get involved.

There's a shrine biult right in the heart of Tokoyo to commemorate those who were convicted of crime when the UN steps in. Some Nationalists believe tat the Jap soldiers did no wrong. They were jus fighting for the honour of their Greater Empire. Haha.. How true is tat? Come to think of it, isnt this sentence familiar? Like someone close to you says that he did this things (wrong) becos of other "right" reasons?

Fort hose who have yet to view this docu, I strongly reommmend u to catch hold of this movie. It will not bore u to death, even if u r those who are super dis-interested in history. It sets u awake and pondering........

Xmas Outing 07

Went wif my friends for Xmas celebration... Too bad some of them couldnt make it. But, I found another nice place to eat!! nt a bad choice to go for this outing!!

要开学了！！！ 怎么办？

新的一年又要开始了！ 前几天回到学校，看到这么多老师聚在一起，听到许多的欢笑声（特别是Agnes），觉得好熟悉啊！看到我的桌子干干净净的，十分整齐，心情也舒服多了。当然，不久过后，你会看到我的桌子又好像被许多天灾人祸清洗一空似的。新的这个学年，我的负担也加重了。学校多了一些责任，校外的义工负担也加重了，我也正是进入了新加坡管理大学。2008年真是一个考验我的极限的一年。

看了学生名单，得知我的小五班有一些过动儿，也有一些华文程度不是普通的差的学生，就知道我的考验即将来临。但是，我也没有什么怨言。教书这一份职业就是吃力不讨好的。教书就是需要热忱和耐性的。我觉得去年我对我小四班的程度还算满意。课室管理这方面也还蛮适当的。希望这次，对我的小五班能够得到同样的满足感。

我的小四班是属于程度稍微较好的一班。其实。我也不是很怕学生会问我一些难回答的答案而感到不安。而是，我有点担心从家长那儿来的压力。我不晓得这样的观念是否正确，但我总是觉得程度较好的学生，他们的家长通常会比较紧张孩子们的学业。如有一点差错或孩子的成绩稍微退步，他们就回来找老师。如果是请教或讨论那还无所谓。是那些不先自我检讨而一直指责教师的家长才是恶魔。嗨。。。 希望我不会这么倒霉吧！

我可爱的小二班，我应该怎么办呢？我是你们的班主任，但是我却对班主任的责任毫无头绪。就好像只无头苍蝇乱撞似的。希望我和你们的英文老师不会有Communication Breakdown。 前三天的Orientation Dayz,你们想做什么呢？

其实，我对低年级还蛮抗拒的。因为我觉得他们很“粘”，什么都是“老师，老师”的。也还蛮烦人的。之前，我一直希望我不会再遇到小一或小二生。但人算不如天算，我还是得到我的小二了，还是班主任。（可幸的是我没有小一，不用教汉语拼音。）可能这是天主给我的考验吧！我也得学学怎么应付这群小鬼。想想，有时他们也傻的可爱。

哦！忘了！我还有一班小三的学生。但是，我只教着一班好公民。这是因为沈美清小姐的小一节数有点多，所以她的小三好公民课就有我来代劳。真是风水轮流转。去年，因为前任老师的关系，我的小二好公民是由沈Aunty 来教。现在，换成我来教她的班。

December 2007

Went ti sch for the last 2 days for mtgs..

The first day morning was quite boring. It was mostly of IT stuff and updating of IT knowledge. The first half still ok, teaching us how to use tablet PC. The second half was boring. Teaching us how to use smart board( when most of us alr know). But suprisely, the MT dept teachers (except for some of us, including me) were very "into" it.

The second half of the day was spent in staff mtg. The P went thru with us the whole of the Teachers' Handbook. SiANZ can???? U know how thick the handbook is...

Then, came the most "exciting" part.. Getting to know which class we teach. I am teaching 2 Hope, 4 Charity and 5 Hope. I think 2 and 5 Hope still ok, though i don know how much hope i have in them. I am teaching normal chinese for these two classes so should be ok..

可是，我却教4Charity深广学生！！！怎么可能？ 我只是一个才刚从教育学院长出来的萌芽，为什么会叫我去叫深广呢？ 我不知道其他的同事会怎么想。。。 有些会说我是因为有“靠山”所以才会有“那么好的优待吗？”我知道其实有许多老师在他们心里的最深处，有一个渴望教成绩较优越的一班。有一位老师因为需教一般较差（去年）而落下了眼泪。其实，如果我有的选，我其实并不是很排斥教“较有挑战性”的学生。虽然我对他们还不是称得上是以双手来迎接他们，但我总觉得这些学生还会听我的话吧！其实，越聪明的学生，问题就越多。家长的“回馈”，学生的“高傲”其实是我最怕的两件事。

昨天，我在离开学校之前，还跟同事开玩笑说，以后要好好备课，因为这些学生会比较聪明，问的问题会比较有深度。哈哈。。。 所以，以后就得先把学生会问的问题及答案在脑子里整理好之后才上课，再也不可以混水摸鱼，在一大群的资深的老师里昏昏谔谔地过日子。哈哈。。。

更可悲的是，明年我还是班主任。天啊！我怎么会那么有“潜能”啊？ 给我教深广的学生还不够，还叫我做班主任！他们赢了咯！ 叫一个一天只教他们3-4 节的华文 教师做班主任。如果家长要来与我谈关于他们孩子的事，可叫我如何是好，从何说起？Hmm.. 不对，不对。。。 应该是，不知要说什么， 尤其是那些不在我班的学生。嘿！ 只好与英文老师紧密地合作，互相补助。

风儿传来的消息还让我得知我明年会是"House Master"。 这个责任就是要做很多琐碎的行政工作。我觉得，应该办给那些“那么看得起我”的人一个“感谢”盾牌，让他们有个机会说一说感谢词。

事到如今，也只好至来之者安之。勇敢地扛起这些责任吧！ 不试的话，怎么知道我的伸缩性有多呢？希望我不会让我自己失望，不会让那些支持我的朋友失望。城景，新加坡管理大学！ 我来了！

Trip in Yunan 2004

Today, just happen to see thru my old pic and found this pics taken in China, Yunan.

This trip was indeed unforgettable. It was my virgin trip for Community Service and hence with the collaboration of Youth Expedition Project and Singapore International Foundation, a few of us fr all walks of life (NIE students, Army, Uni Undergraduate, Church goers, aspiring lawyers...) set off to help the less fortunate.

The prep was done sooooo long ago. Mtgs and mtgs nvr seem to end.

I can still remember the long train ride i have to endure from the Yunan capital (Kunming) to another big city (Dali). It was like a overnight ride lor (fr 10 plus @ night till 6plus early nxt morning). After which, have to sit on a few hrs bus ride to the small village.

The 1st Culture shock we gt was the toilet! Hmmm.. No flushing system, no doors... There was once incidewnt whereby i visited the toilet early morning to do my biz when students came in. When they saw us, they even greeted us.. Wah lau... Don know how to reply them lor.

Other than the sec sch students in the village, high sch students also came to us as we org a summer camp for them. This bunch of students are very talented lor.. Some even know how to play erhu.

Another thing to mention is that the trip was in June. However, in the morning when we woke up, it was freezing. I still remember that when my frenz wole me up, i was feeling irritated as I jus wan to snug in my warm slping bag. The temp there was worse than Cambodia's morning tempreature.

Despite the differences we have, both pple from the two countries jell pretty fast. At the end of the trip, after we spent 10 days in the sec sch, we felt very reluactant to leave. All the staff and students were crying. Needless to say, our tear ducts were doing their job pretty well too, i must say. On the bus ride back to the main city, the Principal was cracking a few jokes to make us happier but then... haiz.... Why cant he just shut up ? I know its with gd intention but @ tat time, it will be better if we could jus have a few quiet moments.

The R & R was gd also. I love the hotels that we stayed in during the R & R. Big and very comfortable. Visited a few sceneric spots that i will nvr forget.

I nvr regret gg onto this trip. Though there were some disagreements here and there, even amg ourselves, i did learn quite a number of things there. Seeing the faces of the students there made up for wat ever hard work we endured. I miss them so much that i even back packed alone there a few months ltr. haha. crazy me.

Till now, i still keep in contact with a few (then) high sch students ther via snail mail, email or even via long dist calling. Nvr will I ever forget that this short trip i did in my journey of life...........

Xmas is BACK !!!!

Xmas is cmg again, yeeeaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! Tons and tons of prez are awaiting for me. Also, time to go on a slimming prog for my wallet (not me?)...

Went to Orchard a few wks ago and saw the streets all lit up. Wow, nice. Together with the lights from the cars (yes, yes.. Massive jtraffic jam), the scenery is nt bad. For those who haven went down to take a look, pls do..

Monkeys & More..........

Ever wonder why teachers always call their students monkeys at time? Take a look st the above pic, dear colluegues (pardon my spelling error, cant remember how to spell). Does it remind u of someone u know in sch?

haha... The first pic look a bit R(A) rite? haha.. I was on a hike to BTNR when i saw these at the foot of the hill. Without any hesitation, i took out my trusty cam phone and snap snap away.haha.. Enjoy the moments