You and I know of the famous "Hello Kitty!". Hence, I was pleasantly surprised, when my ex-student, Carrie, gave me a little present - a lovely notebook with a Cat called Choo Choo!
"Thanks, Mui (Carrie's Chinese name). I love it but it's so expensive.....$9.80 for a note book!", I exclaimed. Of course, Carrie has remembered that as a teacher, I have often advised my students to be frugal, for a penny saved is a penny earned. Nevertheless, I was touched by Carrie's gesture and thoughtfulness when she said, "I bought the book because of the name on it." Wow! The drawings of the cat are quite attractive.!
Yes, such luxuries are things that I treasure. I have never forgotten my past. I remember how thrilled I was when I first started to read and write. For someone with extremely "itchy" fingers, I enjoyed writing. Knowing how papa had to struggle to make ends meet, I would find ways and means to save money. I remember how I often enjoyed squatting down and spending lots of time, practising my cursive writing on the sand in the compound of our attap house. For some reasons, the sand was lightly colored, probably because the sea was not too far away from our home. Eldest brother told me that the sand used to be even whiter, but through pollution, had darkened somewhat.
I loved it even more when it rained because after the rain, the sand would be even smoother and more compact, making it easier to write. I guess this ability to write nicely with a stick on the sand had helped me to write with ease on the blackboard when I became a teacher later on. It was also this constant practice that many people compliment me for my unique and lovely handwriting. I remember my ex-professor from the University of Alberta, Dr. Parker-Jarvais, had commented that my handwriting reminded him of Chinese calligraphy!
As I have a tendency to lose things, I should keep this special note book at home and use it for a special purpose.
Thanks a million, Carrie!
Gan Chau
1 comment:
Thanks for sending the pictures on the holocast. In fact, I visited the place when I was in Poland in 2007. There were many more photographs on the notice boards in the concentration camp. Certain places were out of bound and everyone has to leave the place by 5pm. We were told strange sounds could be heard in the evening, presumably the pain and torture faced by the prisoners. Anyway, I certainly had no wish to stay later as it really gives me an eeries feeling. As the tour guide explained each segment, one could visualise the scenes and it gave me the creeps. One has to buy tickets to go in. Certainly a very big place. And the pictures shown are real. There were more but I certainly did not want to take them. Mind you, after my return my thoughts kept going to that place for one month.
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