Surviving the third week :)

New place and successful completion of the third week :) I'm pleased...very pleased. To think that the college is pretty much at its infancy stage...and i get to initiate a few new ideas and start a few new projects makes me very happy!! It's a good feeling... However, Maritime is pretty new to me, and i'm so excited to learn new things from the Subject Matter Experts... "port side, starboard, par-buckling, ship grounding"....

These were alien to me...Well, now i know though :) I'm always open to new things...and learning can never stop...However, i have always been one to ask if i didn't know and i'm not ashamed by it. So what if you don't know...no one knows everything of everything...NO ONE! 

Unfortunately, students these days are born with the innate characteristics of not asking and that saddens me. If you don't ask how will you know? You need to know to answer questions. I told my students, you better ask if you don't know or i will ask you and if you don't have the answer to it..I am sending you out of class :) Of course i say it "soo nicely" that the students are very aware of the sarcastic tone. And then you are flooded with so many questions.... FINALLY.

Passionate teachers are not tired of answering questions, great teachers are those who are not tired and also teach the students the art of finding answers...USE YOUR DICTIONARY!! I'm glad i have a nice group of students who are ready to learn and hungry for knowledge. I am also aware of a few students who are extremely good in their proficiency and that i should be prepared to face them in class for these will be the students who will test me and my capabilities. I'm open to critiques, i'm open for discussion and i am willing to learn from you no matter what your age is... Knowledge is knowledge regardless of its origin. No ego should be involved when learning. We are not robots to know everything. 

Knowing that i have to do my proposal and thesis in order to complete my Masters programme...I sometimes wonder why did i take on a full time job. But there was an urgency to take it up. I wanted to go back to what i did best...where my heart was. But coming here, i realised that i could probably expand and make use of the maritime field for my Masters. I could develop ESP (English for Specific Purposes) "Maritime English"... *Boom* Suddenly i had all these ideas and then i looked up again and asked God, "is this why YOU put me here?" My President for one champions this idea and actually has this in his mind like a pet project and got me on board so i can help in the development of Maritime English... How great is that?

Most of the Maritime English papers or journals was written by a certain Peter Trenkner....and He happens to be our President's friend. My undying love and believe in God constantly increases... To think that He keeps me well ...Brings tears to my eyes...and much gratitude in my heart :)

Well just got back from training and thought of getting this out of my chest...What a wonderful avenue this is...Loving it... below is a picture of my lovely colleague...fellow English Lecturer... Ms Firah.. a sweetheart!!