the one with students' activities

Hello people...been awhile huh?? was caught up in work (as a victim of office politics!!!), completing my research (or UUM will start cutting my salary) and family matters (me dad in hospital for a week)...the usual..

Another part of my busy schedule include my role as MOT Society Advisor and Kachi 1 College Fellow... which translates as a mentor for students activities. Funny, coz i never considered myself as a mentor (some role model I am.. hehe), and was not THAT active when i was in Uni (up till my final yr that is).. but here I am, some may call it identity conflict, being involved in students' activities.. someone has to do it..in this case, the fortunate person is me .. *smile*

I learn many things dealing with the students... basically i see a part of me in most of them... at that age, being caught up in unrealistic idealisms.. thinking how great it would be once i got out of Uni and started working earning zillions of cash... where my reality check bounced, as my starting pay as an engineer was only RM1100.00 ...  hahaha .. if I could turn back the time, i could have concentrated more on my enriching my life while i was at Uni rather than wasting precious time thinking what working life will be like.  Not that i am complaining, I am perfectly happy doing what I am at the moment (after 1 lousy and another eye-opening jobs)... i guess you get there... somehow you just will.

Speaking of students activities, recently I got the chance to attend (and supervised) the Ponggal Fest in my college. Ponggal is celebrated by the Hindus after harvesting season to thank their Gods for giving them good crop and fortune... something like perayaan kesyukuran. So how does the celebration go? Come sunrise, the Hindus gather round and cook Ponggal rice (very sweet, taste a bit like wajik) together... the clay pots were decorated and 'kollam' were drawn on the ground using flour... i was told by an Indian student that it was meant for sharing the food with ants.. also as an act of gratitude to their Gods for the good fortune.. the ingredients for the Ponggal rice is milk, rice, brown sugar, ghee, raisins and cashewnuts.. I was entrusted with the task of judging the rice cooked by groups of students to determine the winner...it was a whole lot of fun, seeing students of all races coming together joining in the fest dressed in Indian garments, which showed true Malaysian colours. I was really proud to be a part of that... so cool!

Come March, the college students' commitee is organizing Chap Goh Meh festival, in celebration with the Chinese New Year.. hehe.. got to go get meself a red cheongsam-like thingie to wear.. dress to the occassion!!

My students at the faculty also had their share of fun... we recently play host to the delegates from Persatuan Strategi in UTM all the way from Johor and the basis of the visit was to create networks between MOT students in UTM and UUM .. you see the Management of Technology (MOT) is currently being taught in 3 institutions here, the other is UTHM (formerly KUiTTHO) in Batu Pahat.. i was touched to see the interest and enthusiasm shown by the UTM students, knowing that they had to endure 14 hours of bus journey... alahai.. if its me i dunno whether i sanggup ke tidak... the students had a forum, visits to UUM and Padang Besar (shopping... hehe..), makan and friendly games together for 2 days.. even Max did her debut as MOT Society's ad-hoc mascot.. hehe...

It was a lot of fun, however things were loose here and there especially in our welcoming committee.. but its lesson learned for all, including the top mgt at the faculty... Which is why the counter-visit is going to be done soon (as instructed by the top mgt), somewhere mid-March... for our MOT UUM delegates to visit UTM... so, my dearest MOT students... anyone interested? jom pegi jalan!!!

This March, my schedule will be filled with students activities.. the Chap Goh Meh Festival, UTM visit, Kachi 1 Dinner, MOT graduates Dinner for class of 2007 (btw.. congratulations to all MOT students graduating in the upcoming convo on 11th March 2007), MOT Society Seniors' Dinner... hmmm... banyaknya kerja... there you go, your most anticipated working life.. hehehe..

No of completed bunga pahar: 54

No of completed bunga dulang: 9 out of 9...(yeeehaaaa!!!!)