Sabah bah

Recently, I had a friend (who is also a junior in my TESL programme in UPSI) who was very enthusiastic about coming over to Sabah. Apparently, she wants to venture to another place and really loves the idea of living by the ocean i.e. Sempoerna. I think it's really good to hear that there are other people who are very enthusiastic coming into the battle.

Watch out! Orange power a comin'

Not just a fellow teacher... an English teacher. Aren't you welcome!! Besides Kota Kinabalu (which I still don't believe is flooded with English teachers) the entire state of Sabah or the entire country is in need of your power. Your caped crusading antics (I heard, she loves an orange cape) are all needed in this part of the world. Don't just swoosh in and leave an orange trail.

Help them realise their potentials.

I really like it that she's not just enthusiastic but apparently going against the wanted path by her folks. Talk about taking the road less traveled by.. (Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken). It takes a lot of guts and rebelliousness to take a whole new step in life.

I know some of those people who have been there and done that are looking at this and going,

Ah... young blood; always fiery and hot blooded at first.

Well, so what? Aren't we all supposed to be like that? What makes this even more necessary is that we want this to keep on as long as possible. We shouldn't snuff out this fire burning in this individual trying to go far and wide. It's all about passion. The driving cataclysmic emotion is important. Especially when you're young (including myself) you need this type of burning effect in your mind. Don't let the blue waves hit your beach just yet. Let the Krakatoa sink the island first, an isle will soon emerge with paradise right in the middle.

A mission.

If you're coming to Sabah with a mission in your head, I foresee great changes around you. In fact, I would love to say that the word changes undermines the true meaning of a situation that will definitely happen for your students when you start stampeding through; and that word is progress. We are not interested in change if you're just going to let the leaves wither around you as you walk. We invite people who are bold enough to step forward, claim that they will make a change, and indeed take the arduous steps to enforce those changes. The Martin Luther Kings and the Nelson Mendelas who take hold no prisoners in their believe that it takes just one person to flip the entire book of history...

... OK, maybe it isn't that dramatic.

But..

For those about to take such bold steps, it's important to realise that this is a step that you must choose without regret. There is no point taking this wonderful first step and then not willing to go through all the way. I will say this that any step you take after the first step is not as easy as they claim to be. Probably after many years, you might get used to many things but at the beginning, it's going to take some toll out of you. It's not meant to shut you down. It's meant to poke on your burning flame. You're supposed to burn it right back.

I welcome such fire.

Sabah bah.