Caving, by Eileen (May 17, 2015)

For the third year in a row, I have taken my Grade 2 class to the Gua Tempurung Caves, along with the other Grade 2 teacher and her class.  The caves are about a 2.5 hour bus ride from the school, with about a 2 hour hike in the caves.  It gets a little easier each year though there is still the anxiety about details all going smoothly and that no one gets hurt (no one ever has).  We leave at 7:30 in the morning and we get back about 5:00 and that is keeping things really tight in the schedule.

There is always the unexpected when you teach students and especially so when you take them out of the classroom.  But there is also the unexpected because we live in Malaysia.  Here are some stories about the unexpected happening on the caving field trip.

Last year, we all trooped up to the bus, knowing we had to leave promptly at 7:30, but there was no bus driver.  The bus was there but the bus driver had gone for breakfast somewhere and we couldn't figure out where. It is not as if there are a lot of eateries open around the school.  Garth, who comes on the trip every year, finally tracked him down by going onto the street and asking people walking by if they were the bus driver.

Last year one of my students missed the bus for the field trip.  We waited as long as we could but his driver didn't bring him to school until the usual time.  Either the boy's parents didn't communicate the correct time to the driver or he decided to come at the regular time anyway with the boy and his two siblings.  We were about half an hour into our trip, making good time, when I got a call from the school that the boy had arrived at school and wanted to come on the field trip, but there was nothing I could do at that point.  The driver couldn't speak English and the nanny spoke only very broken English.  I could only suggest that maybe the driver try to catch up to us in his vehicle with the student.  That seemed to be the plan and when we arrived at the caves we waited and waited for this one student but he never showed up.  It turned out the driver had changed his mind.  The boy was, understandably, very upset about missing this Grade 2 tradition.

It really bugs me that at the caves, they charge to use the washrooms - 30 sen for the toilets and 1 RM (100 sen) to use the change rooms after going through the caves.  (Why the difference in price, I have no idea). You have to bring your own toilet paper.  The toilets are disgusting - two regular sit down toilets though one of them did not work this year - and two squatty potties -

- Asian style, raised above the floor on a platform.  There is water and dirt all over the floor and the little girls this year were all plugging their noses as they waited in line.  This is not an actual picture of the squatties at the caves but a close approximate.  Sometimes at head level, there is a chain to pull up that will flush the squatty but other times there will be a big or small bucket like the one shown and you use the ladle to pour water down the squatty to flush it.  You have to use a lot of water and "flush" it fast or it doesn't flush.  I'm a roughing kind of girl but it still intimidates me to use this kind of toilet especially when there is no chain flush.  People who don't have toilet paper use the ladle and water or sometimes there is a kind of garden hose in place of toilet paper to clean yourself.

This is a squatty with a chain

This is a really nice squatty

 
Enough of toilets.  The "showers" that were offered at the caves were really large red buckets (bigger than the ones in the picture above) and you ladle the water over you.  Nobody used the showers.







It is really easy to not get your message across.  This year the only really big snafu for me was that I asked for two English-speaking guides but only one was made available.

My teaching partner, on the other hand, was in charge of getting the receipt for all the admissions.  We paid out of our own pocket for all the admissions which came to about 420 RM for both classes.  This is a somewhat usual thing for teachers to do because you are never 100% sure what the costs will be.

Singapore as a City, by Aimee (May 9, 2015)

Singapore is a really clean and modern city but it was not always like that.  It took a lot of effort to clean up the city.

Singapore started as a swampy, muddy island.  Sir Thomas Raffles was determined to create this swampy island into a British colony.  It soon developed into a major English trading post.  When the Japanese invaded Singapore, the English deserted the island and thousands of the Chinese were killed.  After the English left, the Socialist People's Action Party took over.  They ruled Singapore for a short time but then were kicked out by the Malay who wanted to have Singapore.  The People's Action Party worked hard and made Singapore a better place and it finally became independent.  The people of Singapore took action to clean up the city, for example, they did many things to raise awareness about pollution.  Right now there are 5.74 million people who live in Singapore.

Grade 6, by Kate (May 9, 2015)

These are some things coming up or have happened in Grade 6.  I have been enjoying Grade 6.

On Wednesday, March 25, we had a Passover Seder.  We talked about the meanings of the food and the decorations and why we celebrate Passover.  We celebrate the Passover because we celebrate how God “passed over” the Israelites.  It was a half day so I spent the rest of the day in the library and on the computer.

On March 27, we had a No Uniform Day.  We had to pay 10 RM which is around $3.43.  We then got a ribbon which was our receipt.  The money went to an organization called Care and Share.  They go and take the money and buy things so the places they work with can have more things and then the people can feel blessed.  Every so often on Sunday, my mom and I go with some other families to the Adventist Hospital to bless the children there.  One of the families who goes has a son that does magic tricks.  Some of them are really impressive.  For one of them he can make a coin disappear.  It is really amazing.

Today, March 28, if I get all my jobs done, I might be able to go and watch the movie Cinderella which is in the theaters.  Soon, coming up, I have a play called Simon Says. No, we do not play Simon Says, but it is about how Simon Peter was tried and he went to court.  I have to make a sign in the beginning for a song.  We will act that out.  I cannot wait.  I will play a statistician.  I will have to present research about the prophecies of the Bible.  My mom has a flip chart so I might use it because I have a really long line about the prophecies.  I am also thinking of wearing a wig and then having it fall off.  I cannot wait.  I hope I do not mess up though like I did last time.

These are some of the things that will and have happened in Grade 6.

Greek Myths, by Elizabeth (May 1, 2015)

I like to read books that have to do with Greek myths. I am the expert at Greek myths so I will tell you some information.  First off is the Greek gods:
Zeus - is the king of the gods and the ruler of the sky and god of thunder
Poseidon - the god of the sea, mer people, and sea nymphs
Hades - the god of the underworld and dead people
Those are the most important gods.

Apollo - god of archery, medicine, sun, poetry, and musical stuff
Aphrodite - the goddess of beauty and love
Athena - the goddess of wisdom and battle strategy
Artemis - the goddess of the moon and archery
Hestia - goddess of the hearth
Ares - god of battle and fighting
Dionysus - the god of drinks and theater
Hera - goddess of women, children, and protector of the family
Hephaestus - god of fire and metal
Hermes - god of trickery, stealing, and a messenger
Demeter - god of plants and the harvest

My Friends, by Elizabeth (April 28, 2015)

I have a lot of friends because here at Dalat you usually have a lot of friends.  So I will tell you about my friends.
1. There is Karis. She is nice because she is fair in games. She is 10 and from America.
2. Jeta is nice. She is from America but she is part Albanian. She has a cute little brother named Kai who is in preschool. Jeta has a good sense of humor.
3. Jordan is kind, calm, and smart. She always has good tactics for Capture the Flag and she has a way of figuring things out.
4. Next there is Zoei. She is a lot like Jordan.  She is honest and trustworthy.
5. Lydia has a good sense of humor. She is a fast runner but sometimes she doesn't pay attention because she likes to goof off.
6. Hailey is calm and quiet and she is good at spying sometimes.
7. Beatrice is a bit bossy but she is a very good friend but sometimes she is a bit secretive.  I used to be really good friends with her.
8. Caitlyn is from Canada. She is a good friend but sometimes she can be dishonest.
9. Jasmine is nice and quiet. She is a lot like Zoei. I really like her. She can be very, very calm and she gets a bit more attention then Zoei.
10. Angelia helps with the stuff we play at recess and we always make deals.

MSSPP Track and Field, by Hannah (April 11, 2015)

This year I was given the privilege of competing at States for cross country, competing at Zones for two running events, and competing at the State level track and field meet. For cross country, I placed 11th at States for a 4 kilometer race. After I completed the cross country season with the race at States, I signed up for the 800 meter and the 3000 meter.  I do not enjoy the 3000 meter as it is always much more challenging. I do enjoy the 800 meter more though, as it is less challenging and I can go faster.  I then began to train for track and field. This involves running intervals and also doing timed kilometers during practice as well as running much on my own. This training, though tedious, can be very fun and enjoyable as it prepares me well for the Zone and State meets.

In addition, this year I am in the U18 category, so it is much more scary to compete and train. The first race I did was the 800 meter.  This is a race that I have never done at a State level before, so before my race I was very nervous.  I had a half day of school before the race so I was even more nervous leading up to my race. Even more, during lunch before my race a guy asked me to JSB (more on that later).  So overall, that day was a very crazy day.  Before my race I was nervous.  It was only me, another girl from Dalat, and quite a few local girls, but due to an issue with registration, the other girl from Dalat was only allowed to run for time, not placing.  In addition, I was running against girls that had beat me when I was in the U15 category.  So after the gun went off, I paced myself nicely behind the fastest girl.  After the second lap, I was able to pass her and gain a significant lead.  I was really happy to win the 800 meter for my Zone, especially since I had not run that at Zones before.  For my second race, the 3000 meter, I was not as nervous. I have done that race every year since I came to Dalat.  I knew that it would be extremely intense as always, and it was. That is why I was very glad to do much, much better then I did last year.  I got a much better time and placed much better.  I was happy to get third. So I am very excited to qualify for States in the 800 meter and get a good placing in both.

At States, the following week, I competed in the 800 meter heat.  I had a great time and had a wonderful run after a half day at school. I did not make it to the final because I merged too early in the heat resulting in a disqualification.  I am glad though that I was able to set a PR and prepare for next year in track and field.  I came in at 2:56 for the 800 meter.  This is a time that, before all the training I've put in, I never thought I could run.  It was one of the fastest times out of all the girls competing for state champ. So therefore, the disqualification showed me that I was more capable than I thought I was.  In addition, it taught me that I need to be very careful to listen and pay attention while I am racing and playing sports to do what needs to be done and not break rules.

City Stadium - the stadium I competed at 

Sunrise before my second race

Chinese New Year, by Hannah (March 1, 2015)

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Here in Malaysia, we are welcoming in the year of the goat. This year Chinese New Year started on Thursday, February 19.  In the days prior to Chinese New Year, people clean their houses and put up red lanterns and curtains across their door.  On the eve of Chinese New Year, people set off fireworks and in general make a lot of noise, just as could be expected with a new year in North America. On the first day of Chinese New Year, people visit with their families, give out Ang Pow, and often invite Lion Dances to their homes.  These are supposed to bring good luck and prosperity for the new year.  Traffic can get really bad on the eve of Chinese New Year and on the days afterwards. People are travelling home to their families even if they are on the other side of the country. When the families gather, often for a meal on the first day of Chinese New Year, ang pow is given out to teenagers and children in families.  Ang Pow are packets of money given out to bring prosperity in the new year. 

People will hang red over their doors.

This is what a lion would look like in a lion dance though usually a little smaller.