Is it really worth it
Recently my English students and I have decided to get certified for our Vietnamese; however this process has been extremely frustrating...
Last week we had to fire our Vietnamese teacher (and I only had 3 classes with her). The situation was that one the first lesson we were promised that we could take the certification test after completing 60hrs of study.
On the second lesson she came to tell us that there was a new policy and that students had to study a minimum of 120 hours (and at $4 per hour that’s $480 as opposed to $240) and we voiced our opinions and she said that she’ll check again and bring us a price list.
On the third lesson, she waltzed into my student’s house with a smug look on her face and presented the price list to us. She said ‘Here is the list, everything is here…I don’t know anything, I’m only the teacher’
The list showed that we had to study a minimum of 15 hours a week for 6 months (360 hours X $4 = $1440)…for a basic certification and the advanced certification required 15 hours a week for 1½-2 years ($4320 or $5760)... A 4 year bachelor’s course costs $5140…
So I had a discussion with my students and talked about the price saying that it’s ridiculous that a Certificate would cost more than a Degree… My Vietnamese teacher then interrupted ‘But of course…that is normal’
How the hell is it normal that a bloody certificate is more expensive than a bloody degree???
So I calmly told her that we were having a conversation and that it would be better that she not involve herself in it as she had already claimed to ‘not know anything’… so after a few minutes on her part she started yelling ‘you are the worse student I have ever seen’ *note the use of worse and not worst, and seen compared to met* ‘everything was ok until you came’ *referring to yours truly*
I then pointed my finger at her and calmly said ‘Are you shouting at me?’
She yells back, ‘No, I am not!’
‘Then why are you raising your voice at me?’
She kept quiet for a couple of minutes and called her supervisor… The teacher passed the phone to me and the supervisor yelled over the phone ‘I don’t want to hear anything! I don’t want to hear anything! I don’t care… you come down to the office…I don’t want to hear anything’
Anyways after I handed the phone back to the teacher, she started screaming again ‘you are the worse student I have ever seen…’ I got irritated and yelled back ‘Woman… please be professional… If you really are a teacher then you shouldn’t be talking to your students like that… and if I am the worse student you have ever seen then your are the worst teacher I have ever met’
*teacher continues to yell and stuff*
‘Look just go… we are not interested in studying with you and you have been fired… Just go… your voice irritates the hell out of me…’
She stands up and walks towards the door, ‘you are the worse student I have ever seen’ *one would expect more intellectual banter from an educated person…guess I was wrong on the ‘educated’ part*
‘Goodbye forever!’ *dramatically raising her arm in the manner of which a Nazi would when saluting Hitler* ‘I hope I never see you again’
‘Look… you’re out of a job… just go… Oh and you better drive carefully…because if you die, you will NEVER see us again’ Ok that wasn’t the most mature thing to say but man… I was extremely frustrated
Learning Vietnamese
I don’t see why learning the local language is so expensive, it just doesn’t make sense… Many organizations provide affordable language courses with the objective to provide an opportunity for the Vietnamese to make progressive choices to improve their own lives.
English language centers charge anything from US$20-US$70 for a course. The Gothe Institut charges a total of US$300 ( I think) for their complete German course.
These courses are well planned and have a curriculum which students and teachers are required to follow… However when learning Vietnamese…none of the teachers I approached are able to show me the curriculum and lesson plans… They simply assume that 120hours of study will make you proficient in Vietnamese… Absolutely ridiculous…
It seems that profit has priority over education… Shouldn’t a language course in the native country be cheaper than that of a foreign language?...What the hell…
Friday, December 12, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Wow It's been ages since Ive lat put in an entry....well since im back in vietnam now... i ll try to do it again....let start with this entry....
When I was at my friend's place, he had a wild tabacco plant growing on his front yard.... I thought it was the coolest thing...Ive asked him for the seeds and i suppose I ll get on a later date.... but here are some really cool uses for Tabacco
Tobacco water
Tobacco water is a traditional organic insecticide used in domestic gardening. Tobacco dust can be used similarly.
It is produced by boiling strong tobacco in water, or by steeping the tobacco in water for a longer period. When cooled the mixture can be applied as a spray, or 'painted' on to the leaves of garden plants, where it will prove deadly to insects.
Basque angulero fishermen kill immature eels (elvers) in an infusion of tobacco leaves before parboiling them in salty water for transportation to market as angulas, a seasonal delicacy.[11]
Tobacco paste treatment for stinging insects
Topical tobacco paste is sometimes recommended as a treatment for wasp, hornet, fire ant, scorpion, and bee stings.[12] An amount equivalent to the contents of a cigarette is mashed in a cup with about a 0.5 to 1 teaspoon of water to make a paste that is then applied to the affected area. Paste has a diameter of 4 to 5 cm (1.5 to 2 inches) and may need to be moistened in dry weather. If made and applied immediately, complete remission is common within 20–30 minutes, at which point the paste can be removed. The next day there may be a some residual itching, but virtually no swelling or redness. There seems to be no scientific evidence, as yet, that this common home remedy works to relieve pain.[13] For about 2 percent of people, allergic reactions can be life-threatening and require emergency treatment. For more on this, see bee stings.
When I was at my friend's place, he had a wild tabacco plant growing on his front yard.... I thought it was the coolest thing...Ive asked him for the seeds and i suppose I ll get on a later date.... but here are some really cool uses for Tabacco
Tobacco water
Tobacco water is a traditional organic insecticide used in domestic gardening. Tobacco dust can be used similarly.
It is produced by boiling strong tobacco in water, or by steeping the tobacco in water for a longer period. When cooled the mixture can be applied as a spray, or 'painted' on to the leaves of garden plants, where it will prove deadly to insects.
Basque angulero fishermen kill immature eels (elvers) in an infusion of tobacco leaves before parboiling them in salty water for transportation to market as angulas, a seasonal delicacy.[11]
Tobacco paste treatment for stinging insects
Topical tobacco paste is sometimes recommended as a treatment for wasp, hornet, fire ant, scorpion, and bee stings.[12] An amount equivalent to the contents of a cigarette is mashed in a cup with about a 0.5 to 1 teaspoon of water to make a paste that is then applied to the affected area. Paste has a diameter of 4 to 5 cm (1.5 to 2 inches) and may need to be moistened in dry weather. If made and applied immediately, complete remission is common within 20–30 minutes, at which point the paste can be removed. The next day there may be a some residual itching, but virtually no swelling or redness. There seems to be no scientific evidence, as yet, that this common home remedy works to relieve pain.[13] For about 2 percent of people, allergic reactions can be life-threatening and require emergency treatment. For more on this, see bee stings.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Hey everyone,
Thank you all for your sms's and letters, you guys wouldnt know how encouraging it was for me to hear from you. Its been a really bleak 6 months here in bangkok and with the accident....sigh..... more is to come......But yes your letters have been very encouraging and every word was like a pat on my head telling me that i was going to be alright and a pat on my shoulder encouraging me to go on. Khop Khun Maa Krup, Xin Cam On, Terima Kasih, Naandiri, Gam Siah, Dor Zheah, Xie Xie, and thank you all so much... I miss you all greatly and i hope to meet up with all of you soon...
What did you say?
Its been a month since my accident and i thank you for your prayers. Everything is fine except that the inner ear on the left received a direct blow when i fell and the doctor said that it would take perhaps another 3 months before it is fully healed. My hearing is slightly muffled and pressure always builds up... my balance is good if i keep upright but if i were to tilt my head in any downward direction, i ll start to get dizzy but ive learnt to balance myself pretty well when this happens.
Life for now will be interesting... I was teaching part time at the school and was also writing for the magazine. I quit my job at the school a week ago as I couldnt handle the stress from dealing with the children, previously when i was healthy it wasnt a problem however after the accident I would get really bad headaches if im stressed and the headaches were constantly crippling me. I miss teaching the kids but I just wasnt in any state to carry on.
As for the magazine, it was enjoyable and i was getting along pretty well with my collegues and i liked the work. But on tuesday i was sent home because there was no work, the boss had also told me to no follow the set schedule and that he would call me if there was work. The magazine apparently is in a pretty bad shape as 3 staff have either left or quit and other staff are awaiting their pay check before they go...Everyone was disgruntled but it doesnt really affect me as im only the part timer.....but ive not been paid yet...so that does call for some concern.
Strangely Im not really concerned about the financial situation im in right now... Im not anxious neither am i afraid... its rather liberating actually...
The Investigator, the Insurance Agent and the Student
I do need prayer in a particular area though... on monday the 8th, at 3pm, i will be meeting the police investigator and insurance company which represents the bus company which was involved in my accident... I would like to ask for prayer that there be no corruption or under table money which will be exchanged as the bus company may pay the investigator to have the case put in their favor. its very difficult in a country like this when corruption of the law is a norm.
Do fishes drink?
My dad came to bangkok this week and spent 3 days indulging in life with his friends, I spent 2 evenings with them and it was nice to know that my father was worried when i had drinks through the dinner. He didnt know that i could hold my liquor well...extrememly well...not that i drink all the time though... but it was nice to be able to drink with him and his friends, and it was on the first evening that on our way home, i told him that i was sorry for leaving the restaurant and that it was a misunderstanding as i thought he had fired me... He didnt want to talk about it but i told him that if i didnt do so, who knows if i ll be able to tell him in the future in light of this accident. and so he listened
the following night....(drinks and all....they keep making me drink and it was good to not let my father lose face...hahahahaha....i was really sober dispite the amount i consumed) my dad made me send him back to the hotel and on the cab ride back he kept talking about gangs and stuff... but what really shocked me was that as he left the cab, he gave me a pat on my shoulder and said ' take care my son'......He's always introduced me as his son to his friends...but he has never acknowledged me as his son. This was the first time... I am crying thinking about this but i can only give the honour and glory of this to God... He has made the impossible possible. Amen.
Chainging the climate
Im going to Chaing Mai on the 19th till the 28th of this month... perhaps not the wisest move as i have little finances but guess what.... I bought a free ticket this afternoon...the ticket was free but the taxes and all cost 600bht about S$25.... I might have to buy a train ticket as well which would cost about the same price as the plane ticket... Im going up to minister to an old friend who's really down right now...and yes...God has provided me with the means to get there Amen! Woo Hoo!
Thank you all for your sms's and letters, you guys wouldnt know how encouraging it was for me to hear from you. Its been a really bleak 6 months here in bangkok and with the accident....sigh..... more is to come......But yes your letters have been very encouraging and every word was like a pat on my head telling me that i was going to be alright and a pat on my shoulder encouraging me to go on. Khop Khun Maa Krup, Xin Cam On, Terima Kasih, Naandiri, Gam Siah, Dor Zheah, Xie Xie, and thank you all so much... I miss you all greatly and i hope to meet up with all of you soon...
What did you say?
Its been a month since my accident and i thank you for your prayers. Everything is fine except that the inner ear on the left received a direct blow when i fell and the doctor said that it would take perhaps another 3 months before it is fully healed. My hearing is slightly muffled and pressure always builds up... my balance is good if i keep upright but if i were to tilt my head in any downward direction, i ll start to get dizzy but ive learnt to balance myself pretty well when this happens.
Life for now will be interesting... I was teaching part time at the school and was also writing for the magazine. I quit my job at the school a week ago as I couldnt handle the stress from dealing with the children, previously when i was healthy it wasnt a problem however after the accident I would get really bad headaches if im stressed and the headaches were constantly crippling me. I miss teaching the kids but I just wasnt in any state to carry on.
As for the magazine, it was enjoyable and i was getting along pretty well with my collegues and i liked the work. But on tuesday i was sent home because there was no work, the boss had also told me to no follow the set schedule and that he would call me if there was work. The magazine apparently is in a pretty bad shape as 3 staff have either left or quit and other staff are awaiting their pay check before they go...Everyone was disgruntled but it doesnt really affect me as im only the part timer.....but ive not been paid yet...so that does call for some concern.
Strangely Im not really concerned about the financial situation im in right now... Im not anxious neither am i afraid... its rather liberating actually...
The Investigator, the Insurance Agent and the Student
I do need prayer in a particular area though... on monday the 8th, at 3pm, i will be meeting the police investigator and insurance company which represents the bus company which was involved in my accident... I would like to ask for prayer that there be no corruption or under table money which will be exchanged as the bus company may pay the investigator to have the case put in their favor. its very difficult in a country like this when corruption of the law is a norm.
Do fishes drink?
My dad came to bangkok this week and spent 3 days indulging in life with his friends, I spent 2 evenings with them and it was nice to know that my father was worried when i had drinks through the dinner. He didnt know that i could hold my liquor well...extrememly well...not that i drink all the time though... but it was nice to be able to drink with him and his friends, and it was on the first evening that on our way home, i told him that i was sorry for leaving the restaurant and that it was a misunderstanding as i thought he had fired me... He didnt want to talk about it but i told him that if i didnt do so, who knows if i ll be able to tell him in the future in light of this accident. and so he listened
the following night....(drinks and all....they keep making me drink and it was good to not let my father lose face...hahahahaha....i was really sober dispite the amount i consumed) my dad made me send him back to the hotel and on the cab ride back he kept talking about gangs and stuff... but what really shocked me was that as he left the cab, he gave me a pat on my shoulder and said ' take care my son'......He's always introduced me as his son to his friends...but he has never acknowledged me as his son. This was the first time... I am crying thinking about this but i can only give the honour and glory of this to God... He has made the impossible possible. Amen.
Chainging the climate
Im going to Chaing Mai on the 19th till the 28th of this month... perhaps not the wisest move as i have little finances but guess what.... I bought a free ticket this afternoon...the ticket was free but the taxes and all cost 600bht about S$25.... I might have to buy a train ticket as well which would cost about the same price as the plane ticket... Im going up to minister to an old friend who's really down right now...and yes...God has provided me with the means to get there Amen! Woo Hoo!
Hello all,
Thank you for your prayers and sms's. I'm fine now and Im back at the university and class will start in 1/2 hour.
Being Bashed By Buses
I was on my way to uni as usual and i got onto a rickety green thai bus. The thing is, here in thailand...and in vietnam....the buses dont actually stop, they slow down and a swarm of people have to get off and on at the same time.
So I got on the bus....as i have been doing for the past 4 months and the thing was, my laptop bag was caught at the door (which didnt close for some strange reason) and as i took a step up onto the standing platform, I was yanked back by my laptop bag and was sent tumbling out of the bus... I blacked out....
KluayNamThai (banana water thai) Hospital
The name of the hospital isnt translated very well, but its the best i can do with my limited thai... I awoke with the nurses and doctors inserting a urine bag into my body... I was surprised as i had no idea how this procedure was conducted....it was better that I had not known....a tube was inserted into the erm... the erm...organic tube where urine's suppose to come out from....it was this pain which woke me up.....
I was then sent for a CAT scan and a couple of x-rays, then I was observed in the ICU for a day. I sustained a concusion to the back of my skull and i was bleeding from my left ear. The doctors suspected that i had fractured the base of my skull and would be the reason to the bleeding form the ear. But after all the tests, it was shown the the bleeding was caused by an injury sustained by my left jaw (which is now slightly misaligned, and i cant really close my mouth or chew very well). I have a really large bumb on the back of my head and my balance is really wonky, but things are getting better.
Miracles
During the 'black out', i was told by my boss that i continually called her telling her that i was bleeding from my ear and that i was really tired....
This was extremly surprising as my phone was smashed and half of the screen could not be read...I thank God for allowing me to contact someone during this dire situation dispite not having any recollection of this or the consiciousness to make these decisions.
The doctors and nurses were extremely surprised at the minor injuries i had sustained...i suppose they expected more serious injuries from situations as this.... God really protected me... as no other buses, car or motorbikes hit me after i fell...it was rush hour...
My laptop, phone and MP3 player is totally smushed....everything is gone, but i thank God for allowing me to save all my photos a week prior to the accident.
I was robbed while i was unconcious, i had 9000bhat in my bag and i pray that the person who took the money would use it as God had intended...
A police officer was there at the scene of the accident and the bus company was held responsible for the entire situation...my hospital bills were fully covered by them.
My father and brother came to visit me
well lecture is starting... i ll send photos soon
Agape
Toby
PS
I miss all of you
Thank you for your prayers and sms's. I'm fine now and Im back at the university and class will start in 1/2 hour.
Being Bashed By Buses
I was on my way to uni as usual and i got onto a rickety green thai bus. The thing is, here in thailand...and in vietnam....the buses dont actually stop, they slow down and a swarm of people have to get off and on at the same time.
So I got on the bus....as i have been doing for the past 4 months and the thing was, my laptop bag was caught at the door (which didnt close for some strange reason) and as i took a step up onto the standing platform, I was yanked back by my laptop bag and was sent tumbling out of the bus... I blacked out....
KluayNamThai (banana water thai) Hospital
The name of the hospital isnt translated very well, but its the best i can do with my limited thai... I awoke with the nurses and doctors inserting a urine bag into my body... I was surprised as i had no idea how this procedure was conducted....it was better that I had not known....a tube was inserted into the erm... the erm...organic tube where urine's suppose to come out from....it was this pain which woke me up.....
I was then sent for a CAT scan and a couple of x-rays, then I was observed in the ICU for a day. I sustained a concusion to the back of my skull and i was bleeding from my left ear. The doctors suspected that i had fractured the base of my skull and would be the reason to the bleeding form the ear. But after all the tests, it was shown the the bleeding was caused by an injury sustained by my left jaw (which is now slightly misaligned, and i cant really close my mouth or chew very well). I have a really large bumb on the back of my head and my balance is really wonky, but things are getting better.
Miracles
During the 'black out', i was told by my boss that i continually called her telling her that i was bleeding from my ear and that i was really tired....
This was extremly surprising as my phone was smashed and half of the screen could not be read...I thank God for allowing me to contact someone during this dire situation dispite not having any recollection of this or the consiciousness to make these decisions.
The doctors and nurses were extremely surprised at the minor injuries i had sustained...i suppose they expected more serious injuries from situations as this.... God really protected me... as no other buses, car or motorbikes hit me after i fell...it was rush hour...
My laptop, phone and MP3 player is totally smushed....everything is gone, but i thank God for allowing me to save all my photos a week prior to the accident.
I was robbed while i was unconcious, i had 9000bhat in my bag and i pray that the person who took the money would use it as God had intended...
A police officer was there at the scene of the accident and the bus company was held responsible for the entire situation...my hospital bills were fully covered by them.
My father and brother came to visit me
well lecture is starting... i ll send photos soon
Agape
Toby
PS
I miss all of you
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Evan Almighty
I had just reluctantly watched the movie and here's what i need to say... In the scene where Evan's wife abandoned him, she was having a breakfast at a diner and everyone there were laughing at how foolish Evan was building the ark. She then talks to Morgan Freeman who plays God and here was their conversation.
If they pray for courage does God give them courage or does he give them opportunities to be courages?
If someone prayed for the family to be closer? Do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings? Or does he give them opprotunities to love each other?
I had never (neither did I intend to) watch the movie thinking it was absolutely stupid....it was actually...but this is God's truth...it was his character to have said what was reflected in the conversation above.This is the simple truth we tend to misundestand...all the time... we totally limit God with the way we think he can work and answer our prayers...
Today, Im in thailand, a missionary working among the thais, and a student at the university. These three prayers made 5 years ago were fufilled 5 months ago... God is good, all the time... Now for my family...
I had just reluctantly watched the movie and here's what i need to say... In the scene where Evan's wife abandoned him, she was having a breakfast at a diner and everyone there were laughing at how foolish Evan was building the ark. She then talks to Morgan Freeman who plays God and here was their conversation.
Wife:
But my husband says God told him to do it. W-what do you do with that?God:
Sounds like an opportunity... Let me ask you something... If someone prays for patience, you think God will give'em patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient?If they pray for courage does God give them courage or does he give them opportunities to be courages?
If someone prayed for the family to be closer? Do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings? Or does he give them opprotunities to love each other?
Wife:
(grunts in disbelief of the wisdom)God:
well I gotta run, got alot of people to serve enjoyI had never (neither did I intend to) watch the movie thinking it was absolutely stupid....it was actually...but this is God's truth...it was his character to have said what was reflected in the conversation above.This is the simple truth we tend to misundestand...all the time... we totally limit God with the way we think he can work and answer our prayers...
Today, Im in thailand, a missionary working among the thais, and a student at the university. These three prayers made 5 years ago were fufilled 5 months ago... God is good, all the time... Now for my family...
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
I ll write about this soon, just needed to put the site on my blog first
http://yah.blogis.sg/shisha/
http://yah.blogis.sg/shisha/
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Falling Snow?
I was reading xiaxue's blog...sigh...its gotten so trashy...poor girl... she probably has nothing to talk about anymore and she's now taking cheap shots at maids and prostitutes... That is totally classless...anyways i shant eloborate... im pretty disturbed at how someone can be so naive about life... perhaps ive gotten older then i should.... good night...
I was reading xiaxue's blog...sigh...its gotten so trashy...poor girl... she probably has nothing to talk about anymore and she's now taking cheap shots at maids and prostitutes... That is totally classless...anyways i shant eloborate... im pretty disturbed at how someone can be so naive about life... perhaps ive gotten older then i should.... good night...
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Chili Cha Cha
I was at the gourmet supermarket and they sell the coolest stuff and i saw a packet of chilies which I couldnt resist buying... Im not planning to eat them but theyre a feast for the eyes... Im gonna dry the seeds and plant them and hopefully they'll grow....im not very good at growing things...although i like to very much... sigh...the only things that grow well under my care are mould....and fungus of course...
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Another thing before i forget
I cannot view the c-box on the right toolbar because...
ขออภัย
เว็บไซต์นี้เป็นเว็บไซต์ที่ไม่เหมาะสม
กระทรวงเทคโนโลยีสารสนเทศและการสื่อสาร
โดยได้รับความร่วมมือจากผู้ให้บริการอินเทอร์เน็ต
และบริษัท กสท โทรคมนาคม จำกัด (มหาชน)
จำเป็นต้องปิดกั้นเว็บไซต์นี้
หากมีข้อคิดเห็นอื่นใด หรือพบเว็บไซต์อื่นที่ไม่เหมาะสม
โปรดแจ้งผ่านดวงตาข้างบนหรือ
ict.cyberclean.org
( Sorry! the web site you are accessing has been blocked by ministry of information and communication technology )
Yes the Thai Ministry of information and communication technology has blocked it off so kindly post your comments at the comments located at the end of every post.
I cannot view the c-box on the right toolbar because...
ขออภัย
เว็บไซต์นี้เป็นเว็บไซต์ที่ไม่เหมาะสม
กระทรวงเทคโนโลยีสารสนเทศและการสื่อสาร
โดยได้รับความร่วมมือจากผู้ให้บริการอินเทอร์เน็ต
และบริษัท กสท โทรคมนาคม จำกัด (มหาชน)
จำเป็นต้องปิดกั้นเว็บไซต์นี้
หากมีข้อคิดเห็นอื่นใด หรือพบเว็บไซต์อื่นที่ไม่เหมาะสม
โปรดแจ้งผ่านดวงตาข้างบนหรือ
ict.cyberclean.org
( Sorry! the web site you are accessing has been blocked by ministry of information and communication technology )
Yes the Thai Ministry of information and communication technology has blocked it off so kindly post your comments at the comments located at the end of every post.
Vesak Day
I woke up this morning in pain as Im plagued with tonsilitis... Intrestingly tonsilitis was something i had problems with in singapore, then I had no infection during my time in Vietnam, and now that im in Thailand..its back again...and the conclusion is... STRESS.... Im under a mountainload of stress... Oh and Ive quit my job...
So anyways as I was marking books this morning (see...see....so much work and the parents expect this of teachers....what the hell...im only doing this to keep you off my tail...with so much marking i can't supplment your child's education with more interactive activities...and thats your own fault) sigh...anyways
as i was marking my books, someone appreared on the msn and next to the person's nick was this 'Vesak day, the day the lord buddah attained enlightenment over the law of all things'
I was a buddhist and this caused to me to wonder... It is wonderful that the lord buddah had attained enlightment over the law of all things.. in other words he understood the law over life and death and the things to come.... and interestingly...there is a law to everything.....
My question is....who wrote the law...who decided what right or wrong...who decided where everything began and where everything would end... Dont get me wrong im not buddhist bashing...but i think its an important question to address....
This is an important revelation to me that the lord buddah understood that there was a law to everything... however its more important to know who wrote the law...
So with that, the lord buddah recgonises that he's not soverign over all... that he is under the law of everything and his objectve was to free himself from the law... In order for you to free oneself from the jursidiction of the law, one has to be outside the jurisdiction of the law.
If one is born under the law, one can only be free from the law if the law allows one to be free from the law... and once and if one is free from the law, one would need to be in the jurisdiction of a power outside the law...
and if the law is all encompassing then the only thing outside the law is the person the law allowed to be free from the law....and if a person is free from the law and everything else is under the law, wouldn't that mean that the person would have to create a new jurisdiction outside the law...
and what creation powers does a man have?
Furthermore if the law is all encompassing, then anything outside the law is nothing...and what is the purpose of that? To be free from suffering and pain? Or to be free from emotions of happiness and love? Nothingness is nothing however we were put under the law for something, why are we running away from our purpose and desiring to disappear into nothing?
Anyways, Vesak day is the day the lord buddah attained enlightnement of the law of all things...which only means that he understands the law...but one can only be free from the law if the law allows it... and who has to power to do this? No one except the one who conceived and enforces the law... and who would that be? The lord buddah only understood the law, he did not create the law...so how now brown cow? ;)
I woke up this morning in pain as Im plagued with tonsilitis... Intrestingly tonsilitis was something i had problems with in singapore, then I had no infection during my time in Vietnam, and now that im in Thailand..its back again...and the conclusion is... STRESS.... Im under a mountainload of stress... Oh and Ive quit my job...
So anyways as I was marking books this morning (see...see....so much work and the parents expect this of teachers....what the hell...im only doing this to keep you off my tail...with so much marking i can't supplment your child's education with more interactive activities...and thats your own fault) sigh...anyways
as i was marking my books, someone appreared on the msn and next to the person's nick was this 'Vesak day, the day the lord buddah attained enlightenment over the law of all things'
I was a buddhist and this caused to me to wonder... It is wonderful that the lord buddah had attained enlightment over the law of all things.. in other words he understood the law over life and death and the things to come.... and interestingly...there is a law to everything.....
My question is....who wrote the law...who decided what right or wrong...who decided where everything began and where everything would end... Dont get me wrong im not buddhist bashing...but i think its an important question to address....
This is an important revelation to me that the lord buddah understood that there was a law to everything... however its more important to know who wrote the law...
So with that, the lord buddah recgonises that he's not soverign over all... that he is under the law of everything and his objectve was to free himself from the law... In order for you to free oneself from the jursidiction of the law, one has to be outside the jurisdiction of the law.
If one is born under the law, one can only be free from the law if the law allows one to be free from the law... and once and if one is free from the law, one would need to be in the jurisdiction of a power outside the law...
and if the law is all encompassing then the only thing outside the law is the person the law allowed to be free from the law....and if a person is free from the law and everything else is under the law, wouldn't that mean that the person would have to create a new jurisdiction outside the law...
and what creation powers does a man have?
Furthermore if the law is all encompassing, then anything outside the law is nothing...and what is the purpose of that? To be free from suffering and pain? Or to be free from emotions of happiness and love? Nothingness is nothing however we were put under the law for something, why are we running away from our purpose and desiring to disappear into nothing?
Anyways, Vesak day is the day the lord buddah attained enlightnement of the law of all things...which only means that he understands the law...but one can only be free from the law if the law allows it... and who has to power to do this? No one except the one who conceived and enforces the law... and who would that be? The lord buddah only understood the law, he did not create the law...so how now brown cow? ;)
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
My Mornings
Ive been in Bangkok for a month now and Ive over stayed for 4 days already...the visa issue has been trying... if i get a student visa, i wont be able to work at teh school as both schedules clash, without a bachelor degree, i wont be eligible for a work permit...well the problems are endless...
Teaching in a school only means that I have the opportunity to wake up early and because my apartment looks out relatively undisturbed, here are some of the sky scenes I see... God is Great!
Korrecting the Koreans
Ive had Korean parents petition against me because they refuse to have a chinese teach their children english... They were concerned about my accent...that I would have a strong Singlish accent and that their children will pick it up....I mean please lah! What sing gar pore reeun assent har? where got? These people hor...must be dreaming hor!
I have no qualms about speaking singlish, its somethign that im proud of! it's singaporean english...somthing thats unique to me...its a form of english that has evolved over a century and has successfully incoporated 3 languages into english... its Asian English...words like Tau Hu, Roti Prata, Alamak, Loti (bread), buay tahan...and so on...words that we're so comfortable and familiar with...
Anyways... I choose not to speak it for professional reasons, and these parents hear from other parents, who heard from other parents, who met with people who ate a cafe, who worked for people, who had business partners, who had daughters with girlfriends, who had maids, whom during their gossip sessions, heard from the security guard, who met the 7-11 counter staff who heard me use broken english to buy a packet of cigerettes and a bottle of black cat whiskey...
I mean what the hell! baseless, brainless comments...and now a petition...
the parents are actually confused with what's happening, one parent says something, but the children give a totally opposite comment...the kids love coming to school but the parents hate me...Im trying my best to give my all to the kids, but the children are echoing their parent's words and their speech... I had a boy come up to me and questioned why i had not marked his friend's book and threw the book on my table and told me to mark it... I try very hard not to blame the child for i know that that's his mother speaking...not him...
but God's been faithful with providing comfort... same as when he provided the fairy bread in vietnam during my low period... ive received a card from my student thanking me for teaching her and she put loads of crosses in the card with the message 'God loves you'...and she gave me a crucifix as well...
and today as i was praying (in extreme and total fustration) for God to provide the Korean parents with more love and that he reveals himself to them... there was a knock on the door, and the korean children of the parents whom I had been praying for came in with a plate of korean snacks and chocolates for me...God is great... he knows when his children are hurting and how best to comfort them
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Sickening Home Sickness
I MISS VIETNAM!!! I’ve been in Bangkok for 2 weeks now and I deeply yearn to be home in Hanoi. Bangkok’s a nice place but I seem to have fewer hours in my day compared to Hanoi, and of course I miss all of you dearly!!!
I also miss the traffic, I miss the sweet smelling exhaust, the way the ladies would ask if im married, I miss the plain bland food, I miss the flowers and greenery, I miss the familiar pot-holed roads, I miss being able to understand (some) Vietnamese. I MISS MY COFFEE!!! It was tragic that I had no space to pack any coffee into my bags as I had already been carrying 30kgs worth of luggage. Oh my coffee! How thou hast forsaken me!
It’s interesting that I’ve never felt homesick before…till now that is… I guess Vietnam’s my home... I didn’t feel that way about Singapore… so I guess I ll have to redefine what home means
Kumustaka (im sorry if ive spelt it wrongly)
I have 5 Filipino colleagues and they’re a pretty cool bunch, Lois is a Christian and I joined her at her bible study last Friday night and guess what…BS ended at 12 midnight. So what would one do at a Filipino bible study?
1. Bible Study
2. Sharing
3. EAT
4. PLAY GAMES
Oh my goodness! GAMES!!! I was totally stunned but I got out of it pretty quickly (hey, I lived in Vietnam for a year…one learns to give up sanity easily) So I joined in, I would usually find it hard to laugh at the things the Filipinos laugh at but I found it easier to laugh at them then with them…(sorry kuyas and ates) They were similar to our BS in Hanoi except that they were louder…much, much louder…
And we had TONS of food, we ate before the bible study, during the bible study and after the bible study. One Ate made this unbelievable upside-down pineapple cake…it was the yummiest piece of cake that Ive had. The only problem was it oozed sugar and butter when I bit it…But its soooo good (I ll find out how to bake it ok)
As for church, Im attending the Evangelical Church of Bangkok and strangely enough I have been there before…perhaps 3 years ago and it was Kien Ann who brought me there. The service and worship was wonderful, I can see myself growing further with this church. As for further preparation… I will follow as He deems fit…so for now I have no plans…only a heart ready to obey…
Studio Apartment Siah!
Ive moved in 3 nights ago into my ‘studio apartment’ (quite a nice name for a one room flat hor…) Well it’s actually bigger then my room back in Singapore and I like it very much…very basic but I’ll do it up as the months progress… I’ve housed myself on the 5th floor so that I get to see out and that’s a really nice thing to have…
Oh and my priority is to setup the kitchen…and there’s not much space to do so….Thai food is nice but I would just die from the liberal amount of sugar they put into their food. Oh and I need a fridge too…one of those tiny fridges that would fit under the desk…
My building manager is a tigeress! She’s ultra fierce but she get’s things done, and compared to all the other apartments I’ve looked at, her’s was the cleanest and was maintained well. I guess its also a plus point that she likes me too :)
Go Web!
David, Steph and I watched Spiderman 3 and here’s something interesting. In one scene, peter parker was talking to his landlord and we noticed that the landlord lived in room 502. David then said ‘hey Toby, wouldn’t that make spiderman’s landlord you neighbour?” I then replied “who knows spiderman and I may even have the same apartment number.” As the movie progressed David and I looked for every opportunity to discover peter parker’s apartment number…and I am proud to say, spiderman and I do share the same apartment number…room number 501….muahahahaha
Speaking of which, here’s my address (but its not completely accurate let me check again)
Sukhumvit 71, Phra Kanong Soi 37, Unitec Apartments, Room 501,
Klong Toey, Watana,
Bangkok, Thailand
And my handphone number is +66846643348
Ko Samed
David and Steph are here in Thailand now on a week’s long holiday. We are now on our last day in Ko Samed. It’s a really good trip, Ko Samed isn’t as touristy as most other islands in Thailand however it’s developed enough for you to be comfortable. Food and drinks are everywhere and you could come here with nothing and will still be able to buy all the things you would need for a holiday here…and the prices are high but not extremely high. It’s more like a beach resort for Thais.
There is however an entrance fee of 400bht/$16sgd/$11usd for foreigners, whilst the thais only pay 40bht/$1.6sgd/$1.1usd, so when the ticket guy approached us and asked me how many tickets I needed. I replied ‘3 please’ in Thai and we only paid 120bht muahahahahahah!, a thai friend whom we met on the ferry was utterly surprised at how clear my diction was and I replied to him in thai ‘I speak thai well don’t I?
And on another note, I yelled ‘Em Oi’ at a waitress once, people turned and looked in my direction…realizing that I had forgotten that I was no longer in Vietnam and to salvage the embarrassing moment…I turned and looked in the direction which everyone was looking at…hoping to find another scapegoat for this embarrassing scene. So much for quick thinking…
I MISS VIETNAM!!! I’ve been in Bangkok for 2 weeks now and I deeply yearn to be home in Hanoi. Bangkok’s a nice place but I seem to have fewer hours in my day compared to Hanoi, and of course I miss all of you dearly!!!
I also miss the traffic, I miss the sweet smelling exhaust, the way the ladies would ask if im married, I miss the plain bland food, I miss the flowers and greenery, I miss the familiar pot-holed roads, I miss being able to understand (some) Vietnamese. I MISS MY COFFEE!!! It was tragic that I had no space to pack any coffee into my bags as I had already been carrying 30kgs worth of luggage. Oh my coffee! How thou hast forsaken me!
It’s interesting that I’ve never felt homesick before…till now that is… I guess Vietnam’s my home... I didn’t feel that way about Singapore… so I guess I ll have to redefine what home means
Kumustaka (im sorry if ive spelt it wrongly)
I have 5 Filipino colleagues and they’re a pretty cool bunch, Lois is a Christian and I joined her at her bible study last Friday night and guess what…BS ended at 12 midnight. So what would one do at a Filipino bible study?
1. Bible Study
2. Sharing
3. EAT
4. PLAY GAMES
Oh my goodness! GAMES!!! I was totally stunned but I got out of it pretty quickly (hey, I lived in Vietnam for a year…one learns to give up sanity easily) So I joined in, I would usually find it hard to laugh at the things the Filipinos laugh at but I found it easier to laugh at them then with them…(sorry kuyas and ates) They were similar to our BS in Hanoi except that they were louder…much, much louder…
And we had TONS of food, we ate before the bible study, during the bible study and after the bible study. One Ate made this unbelievable upside-down pineapple cake…it was the yummiest piece of cake that Ive had. The only problem was it oozed sugar and butter when I bit it…But its soooo good (I ll find out how to bake it ok)
As for church, Im attending the Evangelical Church of Bangkok and strangely enough I have been there before…perhaps 3 years ago and it was Kien Ann who brought me there. The service and worship was wonderful, I can see myself growing further with this church. As for further preparation… I will follow as He deems fit…so for now I have no plans…only a heart ready to obey…
Studio Apartment Siah!
Ive moved in 3 nights ago into my ‘studio apartment’ (quite a nice name for a one room flat hor…) Well it’s actually bigger then my room back in Singapore and I like it very much…very basic but I’ll do it up as the months progress… I’ve housed myself on the 5th floor so that I get to see out and that’s a really nice thing to have…
Oh and my priority is to setup the kitchen…and there’s not much space to do so….Thai food is nice but I would just die from the liberal amount of sugar they put into their food. Oh and I need a fridge too…one of those tiny fridges that would fit under the desk…
My building manager is a tigeress! She’s ultra fierce but she get’s things done, and compared to all the other apartments I’ve looked at, her’s was the cleanest and was maintained well. I guess its also a plus point that she likes me too :)
Go Web!
David, Steph and I watched Spiderman 3 and here’s something interesting. In one scene, peter parker was talking to his landlord and we noticed that the landlord lived in room 502. David then said ‘hey Toby, wouldn’t that make spiderman’s landlord you neighbour?” I then replied “who knows spiderman and I may even have the same apartment number.” As the movie progressed David and I looked for every opportunity to discover peter parker’s apartment number…and I am proud to say, spiderman and I do share the same apartment number…room number 501….muahahahaha
Speaking of which, here’s my address (but its not completely accurate let me check again)
Sukhumvit 71, Phra Kanong Soi 37, Unitec Apartments, Room 501,
Klong Toey, Watana,
Bangkok, Thailand
And my handphone number is +66846643348
Ko Samed
David and Steph are here in Thailand now on a week’s long holiday. We are now on our last day in Ko Samed. It’s a really good trip, Ko Samed isn’t as touristy as most other islands in Thailand however it’s developed enough for you to be comfortable. Food and drinks are everywhere and you could come here with nothing and will still be able to buy all the things you would need for a holiday here…and the prices are high but not extremely high. It’s more like a beach resort for Thais.
There is however an entrance fee of 400bht/$16sgd/$11usd for foreigners, whilst the thais only pay 40bht/$1.6sgd/$1.1usd, so when the ticket guy approached us and asked me how many tickets I needed. I replied ‘3 please’ in Thai and we only paid 120bht muahahahahahah!, a thai friend whom we met on the ferry was utterly surprised at how clear my diction was and I replied to him in thai ‘I speak thai well don’t I?
And on another note, I yelled ‘Em Oi’ at a waitress once, people turned and looked in my direction…realizing that I had forgotten that I was no longer in Vietnam and to salvage the embarrassing moment…I turned and looked in the direction which everyone was looking at…hoping to find another scapegoat for this embarrassing scene. So much for quick thinking…
Friday, April 27, 2007
Die ah Diarrhea
It is sad to leave one’s home but who’s to say that this world is not my home eh… Well home is where the heart is and I want to say that my heart is heaven…sigh…
Well its been the second day of teaching and I have fears… for the past year in Vietnam, I’ve been totally working in a circus where the acrobats double up as the lion tamers and the clean up crew… and a clown for a ring master (ringmasters are the ones who own the circus yes???) …and now Im in a proper school with structure and a proper setup… and my job… lion tamer…
And now that im here it’s a refreshing change, my bosses have invited me to stay with them till I find a place of my own and are even having me at the dinner table… and that’s really nice of them…
Well speaking about dinner, Vietnam has given me a wonderfully unforgettable parting present… I got food poisoning from my final meal on Thursday night (note that Thursday was the night of my final meal…everything between Thursday and Monday went down the toilet whether through the front or back entrance) but hey that’s ‘Detox’ isn’t it?
It is sad to leave one’s home but who’s to say that this world is not my home eh… Well home is where the heart is and I want to say that my heart is heaven…sigh…
Well its been the second day of teaching and I have fears… for the past year in Vietnam, I’ve been totally working in a circus where the acrobats double up as the lion tamers and the clean up crew… and a clown for a ring master (ringmasters are the ones who own the circus yes???) …and now Im in a proper school with structure and a proper setup… and my job… lion tamer…
And now that im here it’s a refreshing change, my bosses have invited me to stay with them till I find a place of my own and are even having me at the dinner table… and that’s really nice of them…
Well speaking about dinner, Vietnam has given me a wonderfully unforgettable parting present… I got food poisoning from my final meal on Thursday night (note that Thursday was the night of my final meal…everything between Thursday and Monday went down the toilet whether through the front or back entrance) but hey that’s ‘Detox’ isn’t it?
Thursday, April 19, 2007
2 days to go
It's 4 'clock on a Thursday and Im sitting at a cafe with Leon and Ben, all of us at our laptops...it's interesting that instead of talking and chilling, we're all doing some form of work...the vietnamese patrons around us are all chatting, having a nice relaxing time....
Not that I like being lazy/idle but i kinda like the way the vietnamese are... dispite being bogged down with work, they would just leave everything aside and chill out....work doesnt get done and stuff but wow... its quite a balanced life... they can make time for relaxing at the expense of work...
Well anyways, Ive only got 2 days to go and Ive not even started packing and my rooms a total mess... a minefield actually
And im not sad to leave vietnam, nor am I excited to be in thailand...everything is just ....normal....
It's 4 'clock on a Thursday and Im sitting at a cafe with Leon and Ben, all of us at our laptops...it's interesting that instead of talking and chilling, we're all doing some form of work...the vietnamese patrons around us are all chatting, having a nice relaxing time....
Not that I like being lazy/idle but i kinda like the way the vietnamese are... dispite being bogged down with work, they would just leave everything aside and chill out....work doesnt get done and stuff but wow... its quite a balanced life... they can make time for relaxing at the expense of work...
Well anyways, Ive only got 2 days to go and Ive not even started packing and my rooms a total mess... a minefield actually
And im not sad to leave vietnam, nor am I excited to be in thailand...everything is just ....normal....
I need a quiet place
For the past 2 weeks, depression had slowly seeped back into my life and this was from feeling insignificant in my company… I guess it’s normal that since im leaving, people would pay less attention to me but it just seems that as I leave everything is taking a turn for the better. Staff are given more holidays, pay raises, better working conditions… and I had to endure being treated like crap throughout the past year…
My boss once said to me… if you look for shit you will find shit…true…true… and if you are given shit do you eat it?
I mean I agree that if you keep being negative about a situation, everything becomes negative… However there is also the problem of being optimistic beyond sensibility
If a piece of shit lies before you on the ground would you go closer to examine if it were shit? Would you put your nose to it and take a smell? Would you put your mouth to it to take a bite? Would you roll it in your tongue to taste it? Hello…..denial doesn’t help in progress…it hinders…
Anyways, I was bogged down beyond what I could bear and I prayed… Then God told me to go to a quiet place and so I did...
I went to a high place and just gazed across the west lake, the sound of the traffic slowly disappeared as I focused on the clouds and the tranqulity of the water... I was expecting God to say something to me but during the entire time he was silent...and I knew that that was what he had wanted for me....a time of quietness..
I was at peace... and it was nice... so after lunch I rode back to the kindergarten and then the thoughts about how everyone hated me came seeping back into my head... My peace was disrupted and I stopped my bike.... I rebuked the devil and told him to get lost and I prayed in Jesus' name for that...then the voices stopped... Oh how faithful he is...
For the past 2 weeks, depression had slowly seeped back into my life and this was from feeling insignificant in my company… I guess it’s normal that since im leaving, people would pay less attention to me but it just seems that as I leave everything is taking a turn for the better. Staff are given more holidays, pay raises, better working conditions… and I had to endure being treated like crap throughout the past year…
My boss once said to me… if you look for shit you will find shit…true…true… and if you are given shit do you eat it?
I mean I agree that if you keep being negative about a situation, everything becomes negative… However there is also the problem of being optimistic beyond sensibility
If a piece of shit lies before you on the ground would you go closer to examine if it were shit? Would you put your nose to it and take a smell? Would you put your mouth to it to take a bite? Would you roll it in your tongue to taste it? Hello…..denial doesn’t help in progress…it hinders…
Anyways, I was bogged down beyond what I could bear and I prayed… Then God told me to go to a quiet place and so I did...
I went to a high place and just gazed across the west lake, the sound of the traffic slowly disappeared as I focused on the clouds and the tranqulity of the water... I was expecting God to say something to me but during the entire time he was silent...and I knew that that was what he had wanted for me....a time of quietness..
I was at peace... and it was nice... so after lunch I rode back to the kindergarten and then the thoughts about how everyone hated me came seeping back into my head... My peace was disrupted and I stopped my bike.... I rebuked the devil and told him to get lost and I prayed in Jesus' name for that...then the voices stopped... Oh how faithful he is...
Monday, April 02, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
I am all powerful! Fear my wrath!
Ok here's what happened... An irreasponsible teacher of mine has given birth on monday...she's a month premature and its my fault...
Well just a brief intro, before i took up the managemant job, this teacher was calling all the shots... she bullied the other teachers and kept stirring shit.... So he's so firece with the children that I had 2 kids pull out of the school because of her...she yells at the kids and well i shant eloborate
anyways, 2 weeks ago she traumatised and neglected a child to the point where the child could not breathe from her crying and had rubbed off the skin under her eye... My assistanat and I walked into the class shocked and for the entire week I was deciding what to do with her.
Last week I brought her into my office with my assistant and investigated the matter...problem was, this teacher kept lying and kept covering her lies with other lies... so all i had to do was repeat her lies until she was all tangled up in them... then she could lie no more... I gave her a verbal warning and told her that this was to be her last warning and that she should not treat me like an idiot (which I have allowed... because i believe that people should be given the benifit of the doubt...but of course theres a limit...for those who have known me for a long time would also know about my temper...) and I was pretty nice about it, we ended on a good note and all
So after she gave birth on monday, my HR lady called her and her response was that I stressed her so much that she had given birth.... Man am i powerful....
Lesson of the day
Don't mess with me...
Ok here's what happened... An irreasponsible teacher of mine has given birth on monday...she's a month premature and its my fault...
Well just a brief intro, before i took up the managemant job, this teacher was calling all the shots... she bullied the other teachers and kept stirring shit.... So he's so firece with the children that I had 2 kids pull out of the school because of her...she yells at the kids and well i shant eloborate
anyways, 2 weeks ago she traumatised and neglected a child to the point where the child could not breathe from her crying and had rubbed off the skin under her eye... My assistanat and I walked into the class shocked and for the entire week I was deciding what to do with her.
Last week I brought her into my office with my assistant and investigated the matter...problem was, this teacher kept lying and kept covering her lies with other lies... so all i had to do was repeat her lies until she was all tangled up in them... then she could lie no more... I gave her a verbal warning and told her that this was to be her last warning and that she should not treat me like an idiot (which I have allowed... because i believe that people should be given the benifit of the doubt...but of course theres a limit...for those who have known me for a long time would also know about my temper...) and I was pretty nice about it, we ended on a good note and all
So after she gave birth on monday, my HR lady called her and her response was that I stressed her so much that she had given birth.... Man am i powerful....
Lesson of the day
Don't mess with me...
Tieng Viet Oder Pasaat Thai?
29 days to go before I leave Vietnam for Thailand... a very interesting turn of events... well I guess its not of a grave concern where I go coz I'll still have to be used by God in whatever way He deems fit. But it'll be interesting to have to try to speak thai again...my last trip back to thailand was disasterous as I spoke broken thai with broken vietnamese....
(blues' for thai, red's for vietnamese, greens for the english) Phom Ten La Toby...My name is Toby
Xin cho phom kuey teow heng khong ot, Please give me Kuey Teow/Pho...dry...no chilies
Khong Chai, khong chai!, No! No!
Headache headache headache....anyways I was initially reluctant to go to Bangkok and I asked God why He wanted me there...and his reply was....' I want you to eat amongst the prostitutes and tax collectors at my dinner banquet'.... I seeeeeeeeee.......sigh..... wah biang eh.....can die leh....
Please pray for me regarding this... if you don't know what to pray for please consider this hint
Bangkok aka 'Sodom and Gomorrah of Asia' + Toby aka 'single and lonely 26 year old' = ???
Dreaming of Donald Duck
Ok now here's a weird dream I had this week....Donald Duck (Donald) has always been my favourite childhood cartoon character....but anyways....In my dream, I dreamt that I was given a magic plastic duck beak (similar to the ones they sell at the 'duck tours' only larger)...I had no idea what magical powers it had but I went to visit Donald.... We met in this field which was an elavated plain and below it was the CBD (Central business district) of Singapore... I told Donald that I was given a magic beak and I had no idea what it could do..then Donald got really desperate and wanted to look at the Beak... but instead of giving it to him...I put it in my mouth..and at that moment I became invisible to Donald...he scampered to find me and I would remove the beak from my mouth to reveal myself for a moment...and when he saw me and ran towards me I would put the beak back on and avoid me...
It was a great feeling to see Donald helpless and desperate.....I then took off the beak and he was calling for me to give it to him because he desperately needed it....so instead of giving it to him, I found a hole in the grass... I lifted him up and forced him into the hole... he was helpless and i ran down the hill to catch a bus....it was an exilirating experience....
Then I woke up and yes...it was a really disturbing dream...So i prayed for wisdom and at that moment it came upon me....The thing was...Donald and I are best friends and when I had something he wanted...something that I didnt need... I had an advantage and it was a great feeling to deprive someone of their needs... It felt good to have power over someone... That a physical object would mean so little to me but so much to my best friend and I would crush his spirit just for the sake of enjoying another person's agony...
A friend's child once said to me 'Satan tells us...to make yourself a great person, you make yourself bigger and others smaller....God says to us....to make yourself a great person...humble yourself....make others greater....that is true greatness' I guess this is the same idea which ran through my head as I was evaluating my dream....
Have we put an object before a human relationship? objects like money, our pride, other relationships...ourselves...I guess we can reflect on this..... interesting dream...interesting dream.....
Back to the Bangkok issue
Well I only see my period in Thailand to be for preparation to return to Vietnam....however the evil one has been making my departure very difficult...for he doesnt want me back....pray for this....
Im planning to take up a Tesol certification in Chiangmai and if its possible...i could source for a university course to attend while im there...and well i ll make my way back to Vietnam after that... Things are not finished here...not yet
Agape
Toby
29 days to go before I leave Vietnam for Thailand... a very interesting turn of events... well I guess its not of a grave concern where I go coz I'll still have to be used by God in whatever way He deems fit. But it'll be interesting to have to try to speak thai again...my last trip back to thailand was disasterous as I spoke broken thai with broken vietnamese....
(blues' for thai, red's for vietnamese, greens for the english) Phom Ten La Toby...My name is Toby
Xin cho phom kuey teow heng khong ot, Please give me Kuey Teow/Pho...dry...no chilies
Khong Chai, khong chai!, No! No!
Headache headache headache....anyways I was initially reluctant to go to Bangkok and I asked God why He wanted me there...and his reply was....' I want you to eat amongst the prostitutes and tax collectors at my dinner banquet'.... I seeeeeeeeee.......sigh..... wah biang eh.....can die leh....
Please pray for me regarding this... if you don't know what to pray for please consider this hint
Bangkok aka 'Sodom and Gomorrah of Asia' + Toby aka 'single and lonely 26 year old' = ???
Dreaming of Donald Duck
Ok now here's a weird dream I had this week....Donald Duck (Donald) has always been my favourite childhood cartoon character....but anyways....In my dream, I dreamt that I was given a magic plastic duck beak (similar to the ones they sell at the 'duck tours' only larger)...I had no idea what magical powers it had but I went to visit Donald.... We met in this field which was an elavated plain and below it was the CBD (Central business district) of Singapore... I told Donald that I was given a magic beak and I had no idea what it could do..then Donald got really desperate and wanted to look at the Beak... but instead of giving it to him...I put it in my mouth..and at that moment I became invisible to Donald...he scampered to find me and I would remove the beak from my mouth to reveal myself for a moment...and when he saw me and ran towards me I would put the beak back on and avoid me...
It was a great feeling to see Donald helpless and desperate.....I then took off the beak and he was calling for me to give it to him because he desperately needed it....so instead of giving it to him, I found a hole in the grass... I lifted him up and forced him into the hole... he was helpless and i ran down the hill to catch a bus....it was an exilirating experience....
Then I woke up and yes...it was a really disturbing dream...So i prayed for wisdom and at that moment it came upon me....The thing was...Donald and I are best friends and when I had something he wanted...something that I didnt need... I had an advantage and it was a great feeling to deprive someone of their needs... It felt good to have power over someone... That a physical object would mean so little to me but so much to my best friend and I would crush his spirit just for the sake of enjoying another person's agony...
A friend's child once said to me 'Satan tells us...to make yourself a great person, you make yourself bigger and others smaller....God says to us....to make yourself a great person...humble yourself....make others greater....that is true greatness' I guess this is the same idea which ran through my head as I was evaluating my dream....
Have we put an object before a human relationship? objects like money, our pride, other relationships...ourselves...I guess we can reflect on this..... interesting dream...interesting dream.....
Back to the Bangkok issue
Well I only see my period in Thailand to be for preparation to return to Vietnam....however the evil one has been making my departure very difficult...for he doesnt want me back....pray for this....
Im planning to take up a Tesol certification in Chiangmai and if its possible...i could source for a university course to attend while im there...and well i ll make my way back to Vietnam after that... Things are not finished here...not yet
Agape
Toby
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
21st April
Yup yup yup...bought my tickets and I'm heading down to Bangkok to start the next phase of my life... The cool thing is that Brian will be joining me on the flight as he's heading to Bangkok to meet a friend for a holiday and he's gonna help me carry my stuff over...cool siah...
Anyways Ive started on my farewell video and it's really sad that I have to go through all of my old pictures and recollect the emotions I had whilst taking them...Im gonna miss this place...but i ll be back
The student
Today I started teaching a new class of students and it was good as I could finally prepare my lessons and not just head in to teach a 'conversation' class......well anyways...the students were delighted to hear my name....apparently my reputation supercedes me muahahahaha
anyways...they were all new faces except for one, whom was just lost in the midst of the entire class...he's a student who's been in my class several times...he speaks excellent english and is always interested in discussing politics with me
But he always would be able to translate for me in class but he's always quiet and avoids participating in class... he would have been such an asset...dont even know his name...oh well...
Yup yup yup...bought my tickets and I'm heading down to Bangkok to start the next phase of my life... The cool thing is that Brian will be joining me on the flight as he's heading to Bangkok to meet a friend for a holiday and he's gonna help me carry my stuff over...cool siah...
Anyways Ive started on my farewell video and it's really sad that I have to go through all of my old pictures and recollect the emotions I had whilst taking them...Im gonna miss this place...but i ll be back
The student
Today I started teaching a new class of students and it was good as I could finally prepare my lessons and not just head in to teach a 'conversation' class......well anyways...the students were delighted to hear my name....apparently my reputation supercedes me muahahahaha
anyways...they were all new faces except for one, whom was just lost in the midst of the entire class...he's a student who's been in my class several times...he speaks excellent english and is always interested in discussing politics with me
But he always would be able to translate for me in class but he's always quiet and avoids participating in class... he would have been such an asset...dont even know his name...oh well...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)