Delaqroux Inc. Updates
Unlike most songs/poem i wrote before, i think this one really really represents all the emotional conflicts i'm having within me at the moment. The meaning is yours to interpret. Oh and just as a side note; i have been writing poems involving trains lately. I guess trainrides are precious. It makes you realize that everything is going past fast in your life. And also, as further as we can go, the train will eventually take us back to the place where we belong. In both good way and extremely melancholic manner as well. Anyways, enjoy the poem.
Taking the train to St Leonards
Made me think how tracked life is
So predictable that it hurts
There's always the joy of love amiss
Taking the train to Epping
Made me think everything's okay
But the lady next to me is crying
And the sky was shallow and gray
I hummed just enough to let her hear
A tune to tell her everything's alright
Put my hands around her shoulder
As i said "Let's just enjoy the ride"
It's nothing like a roller coaster
There's not the thrills neither the fun
But even for awhile, we can be together
Eventhough i know that i'm not the one
We both know the ride will stop
It's just a matter of where and when
But please dont let me hear you sob
Dont remind me that this moment will end
I dont know how they trust the weatherman
If what he forecast is all the predictable
I know better i dont need a hand
Coz, for a start, i know that i'll miss her
Taking the trainride to Sydney
Let's get lost in the City Central
It's fine as long as there's you and me
Just us and with no care of the world
But taking the trainride back home
On the last train around nine thirty
We're meant to live our lives alone
You'll be with him and i'll be with me
Coz next stop; it's cold, cruel reality
Taking the Train back to reality
-Ad (2009)
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Does Cohort 5 MacQ speak English?
Delaqroux Inc Updates!
This is a response to an issue raised by our coordinator, Pamela, several times during our meets, as well as to a few comments made by my friends about our, IPBA Cohort 5 MacQ goingbouts. This post is made entirely on my own surface observation and thus, may not exactly reflect what's going with Cohort 5 MacQ. Hence, i'll try not over-generalize things and do pardon if i unintentionally (or intentionally) did so in any part of this post.
if all of us here do not suffer short term memory loss as i do, i bet you'd still remember when Pamela mentioned several time on the fact that we need to mix around with the locals more. Her least concern was us learning a foreign culture, but her biggest one is if we ever get to speak and practice English at all. Additionally, having few academic discussion with the non-Malaysian friends i made here, they did ask me if the notion of "being sent overseas so we can get to absorb foreign culture and practice English" ever seems to be working with us, considering there is 25 of us sent and to them, 25 is too high a number of a non-English speaking group to go around. As much as i would like to refute this, i would have to agree with their point. a number of 25 maybe small in a group of thousands English-speakers around us. But our tendency to form a small deviating group with a Malay language medium is still high considering their is 25 of us. They recommended a better figure of 5. As nonsensical as this may be, it does make sense.
I figure we do take Pamela's concern lightly. And i'm not basing this on concious value, i do get a remark of disagreement when Pamela said the fact that we moved out in chunks, staying together with groups of Malaysian only, is gonna make our chance to practice English drop. I have to say i agree with Pamela's concern. Do we speak English while we're with other Malaysian when its way more comfortable to speak in Malay? And i'm not just focusing in speaking as well, what about reading, writing and listening - the all four skills of proclaimed English profficiency? It may seem a simple evidence but i would like to share this experience. My housemates comprises of four Malaysian (including me) and two non-Malaysians. One time recently, i wanted to leave a message on the fridge. The point to be made was "please clean up your respective stuffs so i can clean the kitchen and wont end up throwing your things accidentally on purpose" but can you guess how long it took for me to complete such message considering the fact that i want to sound non-offensive, polite, yet strict at the same time? And most importantly, i need to make sure my English is the very least understandable by my two non-Malaysian housemates.
It took me ages! But that was when something struck me, on the fridge was also a cooking schedule made by one of my Malaysian housemate and as it only concern us four Malaysian occupants, it was written in Malay and how easy it was made! When i think about it, i think i too can finish my message easy if i'm writing it down in Malay rather than English and targetting only the four Malaysian housemates i am fond of. And that is also the point when i realized, i wasnt just writing a message up - i am assessing how i am using my English. And why do that occur? coz i have non-Malaysian housemates and i have to level my English practice to fit in their context. Will this occur if all my housemates are Malaysian - or at least, all of them are people i am fond of? Maybe yes and maybe not. Chances are higher on "maybe not"
In classrooms (lecture halls and tutorial classes), we still tend to cluster up together. Well, you can defend this basis with the argument; "there isnt much oppotunity to be talking with the Non-Malaysian student next to you during this period anyway so it wont make much difference if i am sitting with non-Malaysian or not" Yes, this is true. But, i do believe that that is just one of the two reasons of such habit and it isnt the main one either. The main one, i dare to admit coz i do feel it really really frequently, is the fear that, what if to say the lecturer suddenly end up asking you to discuss with your partner and that partner is a Non-Malaysian. That is actually our primary concern now doesnt it? And to base this on an evidence, take our EDUC260 class. From my observation, the first few classes of EDUC260, we chose to scatter out around the lecture hall. Why? Coz we are excited of the idea on sitting with an Australian to your left and right. But the fact that William De Jean will ask you to partner up everytime, i manage to observe that we decided to go back to sitting with other Malaysians. Why? Coz it's more comfortable to discuss with people you are fond of when you can speak Malay, not English. Even if you do use English, you wouldnt care as much about making sure what you said is clear, there is no speaking-culture standardizing issues, and its less nerve-wrecking. So it's back to the point of "do we even speak English at all then?"
I guess i might as well stop here. but just ask yourself; how much are you actually practicing English today, and how much exactly are you assessing your English while you are using it - or you are simply blurting out things in English with no concern with all the between the lines value of English usage? How many times in a day when you found out that you cant make your point clear in English that you revert your language use back to Malay without feeling any regret at all or have a quick two secs in that moment to think "why cant i deliver my point in my current English?" I'm not going against speaking in Malay here neither about speaking in Manglish but i guess considering 1/4 million spent for us to just practice English in an English speaking environment, its a shame if we couldnt care less about it all eh?
p/s: when i use the notion of "Non-Malaysian" here, i'm emphasizing that i dont mean only Australian or people with English speaking background. I refer to those from other countries who are struggling on their English as well.
This is a response to an issue raised by our coordinator, Pamela, several times during our meets, as well as to a few comments made by my friends about our, IPBA Cohort 5 MacQ goingbouts. This post is made entirely on my own surface observation and thus, may not exactly reflect what's going with Cohort 5 MacQ. Hence, i'll try not over-generalize things and do pardon if i unintentionally (or intentionally) did so in any part of this post.
if all of us here do not suffer short term memory loss as i do, i bet you'd still remember when Pamela mentioned several time on the fact that we need to mix around with the locals more. Her least concern was us learning a foreign culture, but her biggest one is if we ever get to speak and practice English at all. Additionally, having few academic discussion with the non-Malaysian friends i made here, they did ask me if the notion of "being sent overseas so we can get to absorb foreign culture and practice English" ever seems to be working with us, considering there is 25 of us sent and to them, 25 is too high a number of a non-English speaking group to go around. As much as i would like to refute this, i would have to agree with their point. a number of 25 maybe small in a group of thousands English-speakers around us. But our tendency to form a small deviating group with a Malay language medium is still high considering their is 25 of us. They recommended a better figure of 5. As nonsensical as this may be, it does make sense.
I figure we do take Pamela's concern lightly. And i'm not basing this on concious value, i do get a remark of disagreement when Pamela said the fact that we moved out in chunks, staying together with groups of Malaysian only, is gonna make our chance to practice English drop. I have to say i agree with Pamela's concern. Do we speak English while we're with other Malaysian when its way more comfortable to speak in Malay? And i'm not just focusing in speaking as well, what about reading, writing and listening - the all four skills of proclaimed English profficiency? It may seem a simple evidence but i would like to share this experience. My housemates comprises of four Malaysian (including me) and two non-Malaysians. One time recently, i wanted to leave a message on the fridge. The point to be made was "please clean up your respective stuffs so i can clean the kitchen and wont end up throwing your things accidentally on purpose" but can you guess how long it took for me to complete such message considering the fact that i want to sound non-offensive, polite, yet strict at the same time? And most importantly, i need to make sure my English is the very least understandable by my two non-Malaysian housemates.
It took me ages! But that was when something struck me, on the fridge was also a cooking schedule made by one of my Malaysian housemate and as it only concern us four Malaysian occupants, it was written in Malay and how easy it was made! When i think about it, i think i too can finish my message easy if i'm writing it down in Malay rather than English and targetting only the four Malaysian housemates i am fond of. And that is also the point when i realized, i wasnt just writing a message up - i am assessing how i am using my English. And why do that occur? coz i have non-Malaysian housemates and i have to level my English practice to fit in their context. Will this occur if all my housemates are Malaysian - or at least, all of them are people i am fond of? Maybe yes and maybe not. Chances are higher on "maybe not"
In classrooms (lecture halls and tutorial classes), we still tend to cluster up together. Well, you can defend this basis with the argument; "there isnt much oppotunity to be talking with the Non-Malaysian student next to you during this period anyway so it wont make much difference if i am sitting with non-Malaysian or not" Yes, this is true. But, i do believe that that is just one of the two reasons of such habit and it isnt the main one either. The main one, i dare to admit coz i do feel it really really frequently, is the fear that, what if to say the lecturer suddenly end up asking you to discuss with your partner and that partner is a Non-Malaysian. That is actually our primary concern now doesnt it? And to base this on an evidence, take our EDUC260 class. From my observation, the first few classes of EDUC260, we chose to scatter out around the lecture hall. Why? Coz we are excited of the idea on sitting with an Australian to your left and right. But the fact that William De Jean will ask you to partner up everytime, i manage to observe that we decided to go back to sitting with other Malaysians. Why? Coz it's more comfortable to discuss with people you are fond of when you can speak Malay, not English. Even if you do use English, you wouldnt care as much about making sure what you said is clear, there is no speaking-culture standardizing issues, and its less nerve-wrecking. So it's back to the point of "do we even speak English at all then?"
I guess i might as well stop here. but just ask yourself; how much are you actually practicing English today, and how much exactly are you assessing your English while you are using it - or you are simply blurting out things in English with no concern with all the between the lines value of English usage? How many times in a day when you found out that you cant make your point clear in English that you revert your language use back to Malay without feeling any regret at all or have a quick two secs in that moment to think "why cant i deliver my point in my current English?" I'm not going against speaking in Malay here neither about speaking in Manglish but i guess considering 1/4 million spent for us to just practice English in an English speaking environment, its a shame if we couldnt care less about it all eh?
p/s: when i use the notion of "Non-Malaysian" here, i'm emphasizing that i dont mean only Australian or people with English speaking background. I refer to those from other countries who are struggling on their English as well.
The 2 years posting-freeze rumour
Delaqroux Inc Update.
First of all, i would like to stress out that this is a rumour and i have no intention to comment on this issue, but only to share among my teacher trainee comrades as i think this would really concern us - not only to the fact that we're being posted or not but where our Education world in Malaysia is taking us to. (And as a side note: THOSE WHO DARE CLICK THE "LIKE" BUTTON WITHOUT COMMENTING ANYTHING, "I WILL RAIN DOWN AN UNGODLY HELL UPON YOU!!" I hate people who just press "like" coz they dont bother coming up with a comment. Might as well just stay off.. geez..) Just ponder for a moment or two and lemme know what you guys think =)
Tanjong Malim, 4 Oktober – Profesor Dr. Zakaria Kasa, Timbalan Naib Canselor Akademik & Antarabangsa Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) mengeluarkan kenyataan semua penempatan lepasan UPSI ke sekolah-sekolah terpaksa dibeku bermula 2010.
Kenyataan tersebut dipetik dalam ucapan perasmian yang disampaikan beliau dalam ‘Simposium Halatuju Pendidikan Fizik Di Malaysia’ anjuran Persatuan Mahasiswa Sains (PMS) dengan kerjasama Jabatan Hal Ehwal Pelajar & Alumni (JHEPA) UPSI yang berlangsung di Bilik Seminar Bitarasiswa semalam.
Dalam pada itu katanya, pembekuan semua penempatan ke sekolah-sekolah ini dikeluarkan oleh pihak Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia (KPM) melibatkan semua institusi yang mengeluarkan bakal-bakal guru bukan sahaja di UPSI malah di IPTA lain yang menawarkan program pendidikan termasuk Institut Perguruan (IPG) di seluruh negara berikutan masalah kewangan yang dialami pihak Kerajaan Malaysia.
Beliau pada awalnya mengambil langkah untuk tidak mengumumkannya kepada pelajar kerana bimbang menjejaskan motivasi pelajar untuk meneruskan pengajian namun bertukar fikiran dengan mengumumkannya semalam kerana beranggapan perkara tersebut harus diketahui semua pihak sebagai langkah persediaan.
Sementara itu, beliau turut menjelaskan penempatan untuk graduan pada tahun ini tidak mengalami masalah kerana tindakan membekukan penempatan tersebut hanya bermula tahun hadapan.
Beliau walau bagaimanapun tidak mengeluarkan kenyataan bertulis berkenaan perkara tersebut dan hanya diselitkan dalam ucapan perasmiannya semalam.
Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, seorang mahasiswa UPSI mendakwa menerima mesej melalui Sistem Pesanan Ringkas (SMS) daripada rakannya dari sebuah IPG mengatakan perkara yang sama minggu lalu. Katanya dalam e-mel yang dihantar ke upsikini@gmail.com, pelajar terbabit mengatakan keluaran UPSI dan IPTA lain yang tamat pengajian bermula tahun hadapan, perlu menunggu selama 2 tahun sebelum ditempatkan ke sekolah-sekolah.
Tambahnya, pelajar IPG yang dijadual ditempatkan ke sekolah-sekolah pada tahun hadapan akan diawalkan penghujung tahun ini bersama-sama dengan keluaran UPSI dan IPTA lain yang bergraduat pada tahun ini.
Keadaan ini menurutnya mempunyai kaitan dengan masalah yang berlaku apabila lambakan graduan pendidikan di seluruh negara.
Mengulas tentang perkara tersebut, Exco Akademik & Kerjaya Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar (MPP), Nur Aqilah Hanis berkata pihaknya akan mendapatkan penjelasan lanjut berkenaan perkara tersebut daripada TNC Akademik sendiri supaya tidak berlaku kekeliruan.
“Isu ini boleh menjadi isu nasional, bukan hanya melibatkan UPSI sahaja, jadi lebih baik kalau saya dapatkan dulu penjelasan secara terperinci daripada Prof. Dr. Zakaria dan Bahagian Akademik supaya maklumat sebenar dan tepat diperoleh sebelum saya mengulas lanjut.
“Kita tak mahu isu ini menjadi sebab untuk kita bertelagah, apa yang penting selepas kita mendapatkan maklumat tersebut, kita akan fikirkan penyelesaiannya. Jadi semua pihak diharap dapat bersabar”, jelasnya.
- Once again, this is just a rumor and i dont really understand if this issue gonna be what i expect it to be. Eitherways, g'day!
First of all, i would like to stress out that this is a rumour and i have no intention to comment on this issue, but only to share among my teacher trainee comrades as i think this would really concern us - not only to the fact that we're being posted or not but where our Education world in Malaysia is taking us to. (And as a side note: THOSE WHO DARE CLICK THE "LIKE" BUTTON WITHOUT COMMENTING ANYTHING, "I WILL RAIN DOWN AN UNGODLY HELL UPON YOU!!" I hate people who just press "like" coz they dont bother coming up with a comment. Might as well just stay off.. geez..) Just ponder for a moment or two and lemme know what you guys think =)
Tanjong Malim, 4 Oktober – Profesor Dr. Zakaria Kasa, Timbalan Naib Canselor Akademik & Antarabangsa Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) mengeluarkan kenyataan semua penempatan lepasan UPSI ke sekolah-sekolah terpaksa dibeku bermula 2010.
Kenyataan tersebut dipetik dalam ucapan perasmian yang disampaikan beliau dalam ‘Simposium Halatuju Pendidikan Fizik Di Malaysia’ anjuran Persatuan Mahasiswa Sains (PMS) dengan kerjasama Jabatan Hal Ehwal Pelajar & Alumni (JHEPA) UPSI yang berlangsung di Bilik Seminar Bitarasiswa semalam.
Dalam pada itu katanya, pembekuan semua penempatan ke sekolah-sekolah ini dikeluarkan oleh pihak Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia (KPM) melibatkan semua institusi yang mengeluarkan bakal-bakal guru bukan sahaja di UPSI malah di IPTA lain yang menawarkan program pendidikan termasuk Institut Perguruan (IPG) di seluruh negara berikutan masalah kewangan yang dialami pihak Kerajaan Malaysia.
Beliau pada awalnya mengambil langkah untuk tidak mengumumkannya kepada pelajar kerana bimbang menjejaskan motivasi pelajar untuk meneruskan pengajian namun bertukar fikiran dengan mengumumkannya semalam kerana beranggapan perkara tersebut harus diketahui semua pihak sebagai langkah persediaan.
Sementara itu, beliau turut menjelaskan penempatan untuk graduan pada tahun ini tidak mengalami masalah kerana tindakan membekukan penempatan tersebut hanya bermula tahun hadapan.
Beliau walau bagaimanapun tidak mengeluarkan kenyataan bertulis berkenaan perkara tersebut dan hanya diselitkan dalam ucapan perasmiannya semalam.
Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, seorang mahasiswa UPSI mendakwa menerima mesej melalui Sistem Pesanan Ringkas (SMS) daripada rakannya dari sebuah IPG mengatakan perkara yang sama minggu lalu. Katanya dalam e-mel yang dihantar ke upsikini@gmail.com, pelajar terbabit mengatakan keluaran UPSI dan IPTA lain yang tamat pengajian bermula tahun hadapan, perlu menunggu selama 2 tahun sebelum ditempatkan ke sekolah-sekolah.
Tambahnya, pelajar IPG yang dijadual ditempatkan ke sekolah-sekolah pada tahun hadapan akan diawalkan penghujung tahun ini bersama-sama dengan keluaran UPSI dan IPTA lain yang bergraduat pada tahun ini.
Keadaan ini menurutnya mempunyai kaitan dengan masalah yang berlaku apabila lambakan graduan pendidikan di seluruh negara.
Mengulas tentang perkara tersebut, Exco Akademik & Kerjaya Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar (MPP), Nur Aqilah Hanis berkata pihaknya akan mendapatkan penjelasan lanjut berkenaan perkara tersebut daripada TNC Akademik sendiri supaya tidak berlaku kekeliruan.
“Isu ini boleh menjadi isu nasional, bukan hanya melibatkan UPSI sahaja, jadi lebih baik kalau saya dapatkan dulu penjelasan secara terperinci daripada Prof. Dr. Zakaria dan Bahagian Akademik supaya maklumat sebenar dan tepat diperoleh sebelum saya mengulas lanjut.
“Kita tak mahu isu ini menjadi sebab untuk kita bertelagah, apa yang penting selepas kita mendapatkan maklumat tersebut, kita akan fikirkan penyelesaiannya. Jadi semua pihak diharap dapat bersabar”, jelasnya.
- Once again, this is just a rumor and i dont really understand if this issue gonna be what i expect it to be. Eitherways, g'day!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Take a Night Train to Epping
Delaqroux Inc Updates!
I wrote this song while i was in a train to Chatswood one time ago. The tune was still in a mess but the lyrics still (seems to) make sense. I leave the song to your own interpretation as everyone has different experience during their trainrides as they use the Chatswood-Epping line. Just hope for those who've read this song lyric and happen to use the train line at any period of time after, open your eyes and look around the train as you play your own song in your mind =)
Take a night train to Epping
9pm sharp - not a second later
And let the world just pass you by.
Just stay on board til morning
And maybe the morning after
And til the day when we all gonna die
See the guy in the loner seat?
Facing the world as he’s sitting there
Just like an English teacher in front of a class.
Nervous, counting his own heartbeat
Trembling, from all those people’s stares
Laugh at him now, this chance’s not gonna last.
See the girl in the three-seater?
Sitting by the window, staring at the glass
At her own reflection growing older and wearier.
Seeing herself, though the world cant see her
Wondering how she got lost in this mess
She sighed as she wiped her last drop of tear.
Take a night train through Epping Line
Enjoy your ride and pretend everything’s fine
You’re just a lil hurt
Only that, and nothing else more.
There’s no stop if you don’t see the sign
And just leave the world you hate behind
Get your lifetime ticket
All aboard, what’re you waiting for?
Take a Night Train to Epping
-Dark A. Delaqroux
May 2009
I wrote this song while i was in a train to Chatswood one time ago. The tune was still in a mess but the lyrics still (seems to) make sense. I leave the song to your own interpretation as everyone has different experience during their trainrides as they use the Chatswood-Epping line. Just hope for those who've read this song lyric and happen to use the train line at any period of time after, open your eyes and look around the train as you play your own song in your mind =)
Take a night train to Epping
9pm sharp - not a second later
And let the world just pass you by.
Just stay on board til morning
And maybe the morning after
And til the day when we all gonna die
See the guy in the loner seat?
Facing the world as he’s sitting there
Just like an English teacher in front of a class.
Nervous, counting his own heartbeat
Trembling, from all those people’s stares
Laugh at him now, this chance’s not gonna last.
See the girl in the three-seater?
Sitting by the window, staring at the glass
At her own reflection growing older and wearier.
Seeing herself, though the world cant see her
Wondering how she got lost in this mess
She sighed as she wiped her last drop of tear.
Take a night train through Epping Line
Enjoy your ride and pretend everything’s fine
You’re just a lil hurt
Only that, and nothing else more.
There’s no stop if you don’t see the sign
And just leave the world you hate behind
Get your lifetime ticket
All aboard, what’re you waiting for?
Take a Night Train to Epping
-Dark A. Delaqroux
May 2009
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