Last Day

I got TWO new sketchbooks!:D

One B4 sized (which is comparatively the size between A4 and A3) and one A4 sized.... Both complete with white... pure...clean...untainted... paper... Except for this on the first page of the B4 sketch book:

Yeah, yesterday was my last working day at Little Olive. I was meant to be in at 4pm but I had some things to do and was still out and by the time I reacher there, it was 4:30 and raining so heavily. When I stepped inside, they were having class with Kak Aqsa (the new teacher who would replace me) and when they saw me, all my students screamed, "Teacher Alia's here!!!" And they made such a huge noise and ruckus and came running to me, eventhough there were only 3 of them, it's like a zoo in there. I am not joking, that was what happened. It's like they've never seen me in years whereas I've just met them last week. lol.

I had to go to the office to meet Kak Miza because I brought cake with me (which was for the students). So when I went out of the class to the office (which was in the other building), all three of them came tagging along like little ducklings. I wouldn't mind it except it was raining REALLY heavily, like just running to the other building left me so soaking wet, it's like I took a shower with my clothes on. But they were all laughing and when I told them to go back into class, they were like, "No2, we want to follow you. It's your last day."

When we reached the office, Dr Mastura was shouting at them (my 3 students) to not run in the rain else they'd get sick. But they were still laughing. Lol. Kids; the other word for innocence... Sometimes. Ahaha. So after I passed the cake, we went back to the other building for class and I tried to help them out with their exercises but they were talking and talking nonstop. Asking me why I have to go, more than 20 times. Wondering when I'll come back and asking when I'll visit and how often. Requesting for my phone number and my address (because they said they wanna come over once they finish their exam). Fuh, so semangat.... And they said that Kak Aqsa got frustrated with them because they weren't doing their work.

It's so sweet to hear when they say, "I want Teacher Alia to teach!" And I'm thinking WHY do they have to do this now JUST when I'm about to leave? Whereas when I'm having classes with them, they're all so bratty and naughty, running around here and there and playing with the stuffed toys and saying they don't wanna do any work. And saying "I don't know", "Tattau", "Mulla", all the time. On my previous class, they were all so angelic, doing their work and finishing off all the worksheets I give. Syarif says maybe I should pretend to leave and then come back and they'll be angelic all the time. HAha.

Kevin had to leave early because he had another class to attend. So I gave them my laminated handmade bookmarks and they were screaming and shouting (again) and showing it to the other students. I've never seen anyone so happy receiving a present for me. It made me want to cry and laugh at the same time. lol.

At around 5pm, Kak Miza and Dr Mastura threw a surprise farewell party for me! They brought in sandwiches and weenies and subak/baksu (this is Korean for watermelon. I can't remember which one it is because my students taught me that when you turn the word around, it means clap. Either subak is watermelon or clap or baksu is watermelon... or clap), juice and more:) I thought theat we'd just share the chocolate cake but they went through all this trouble just for me.. They also invited my previous students.... I was so touched...

We took lotsa photos (which I'll try to put up when Kak Miza sends them over to me). And also, I got a big present from Dr Mastura and Kak Miza! They all asked to unwrap it and yeah, the two sketch books were inside. Plus super awesome art colouring pencils (not the normal ones; they are from Checkoslovakia), placed neatly in a wooden box with my name written in Jawi. An Olive tree photo and two cards from Dr Mastura and Kak Miza AND from my maths students!:D

So as can be seen on the picture, they wrote on the first page of my B4 sketchbook with the colour pencils. It looks really cute:) I couldn't scan the whole thing because the paper was too big to fit the scanner and I was too lazy to scan twice:P

I waved goodbye to them when my dad came and they all stood at the door (because it was raining) and one of my students even ran up to the car and said goodbye.

I'll miss them. Kids are like that, I guess. Undescribable. Thank you for teaching me some of life's greatest lessons... :)

~nadhirah
nine twenty six ante meridiem
twenty second may two thousand and eight