Gooly and I resumed our swimming activity after a short break. We went to the pool and met another father/son squad.
Dad threw boy into the adult pool without a float. Next he threw in a stone. Kaploink! Jr. dunked his head under to search for it.
I am equally amazed and appalled because Jr. is only three. Gooly is three too and he swims with an unsinkable float. Sometimes I get him to use the kicking board to for extra safety measure. I am always at arm's length within his reach.
Meanwhile, the man swims away from Jr. who is left alone at the ADULT pool. I couldn't bear to stay in case I witness my first drowning misadventure of a child, whose dad was probably too gung ho about the upcoming Olympic Games.
Here's news to dad - there is no Under 3 event.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
What Lonely Planet Thailand doesn't tell you
Do you know that Thai men become monks at least once in their lifetime so that their parents could go to heaven? The robe that they wear during monk hood is presented to the parents. It serves like the ticket to The Land of Glory. I like the idea though I am not a Buddhist believer. It highlights the ultimate filial piety where the offsprings actually do something to ensure the parents' admission.
This is the one of the few things I like about Thai cultures. Another will be the greeting of 'wai' where one clasps both hands together and bows the head slightly. It is a very gentle mannerism. When Gooly was younger, he did the cutest 'wai'. His bow was way too low, about 90 degrees but it was awfully cute.
In Thailand, or at least in the Mooban I stay in, everyone practices 'what's yours is mine and vice versa. It's a bit overwhelming when the nong comes over with dirty hands and dips in the bag of chips you will no longer enjoy. Nonetheless, it's a charming culture. When Gooly goes cycling, my dear neighbour insists that I take her bicycle so I could cycle side by side, instead of chasing after him. Though I must say her act of kindness often causes sore bum (the seat is adjusted too high)but I know not to complain when one is being exceptionally sweet.
Speaking of sweetness, Thais have a strong liking for sugar. I once witnessed a young chap scooping eight teaspoons of sugar into his bowl of soup noodles. Yup, soup noodles. I don't even put that much of saccharine into their rightful places; my daily cups of coffee. Along with the sugar are chili oil, vinegar and soya sauce. Scoop those in and you have a err.. nice bowl of sweet, salty, sour, spicy soup noodles. They also like fried stuff; pork, chicken, crickets, fish, prawns. Ronald's fast food restaurant are always jam packed. I don't know how the Thais fare in the health department but I sure don't see many horizontally challenged individuals around. The irony of life.
Thailand is famous for its other name, The Land of Smiles. Sure, they can be friendly. Like the cab driver who asked me my name and shamelessly wonders aloud how much is my husband's salary. This is the time the mobile becomes really handy. Get busy dialing numbers or lunge it at the 'friendly' driver.
Once in a while, you do meet the not so friendly locals. They are usually the cranky sales persons who bark, NO TOUCH NO TOUCH or NO SAI NO SAI (no size no size). Sometimes I want to tell them, "I was really in a mood to splurge but not anymore". Of course, "Me many money. You no get business" will be better understood. Then I imagine speeding (I admit I am a coward) off looking for a cab while deciding to pray for a friendly or non-friendly one. It will be just my rotten luck to get one who tells me,"Traffic jam..no go." This man I can categorise under "leisure worker". The same for the chicken rice seller who runs out of rice at lunch time and decides NOT to cook extra but to close the stall, I reiterate at 1pm.
Welcome to Thailand.
This is the one of the few things I like about Thai cultures. Another will be the greeting of 'wai' where one clasps both hands together and bows the head slightly. It is a very gentle mannerism. When Gooly was younger, he did the cutest 'wai'. His bow was way too low, about 90 degrees but it was awfully cute.
In Thailand, or at least in the Mooban I stay in, everyone practices 'what's yours is mine and vice versa. It's a bit overwhelming when the nong comes over with dirty hands and dips in the bag of chips you will no longer enjoy. Nonetheless, it's a charming culture. When Gooly goes cycling, my dear neighbour insists that I take her bicycle so I could cycle side by side, instead of chasing after him. Though I must say her act of kindness often causes sore bum (the seat is adjusted too high)but I know not to complain when one is being exceptionally sweet.
Speaking of sweetness, Thais have a strong liking for sugar. I once witnessed a young chap scooping eight teaspoons of sugar into his bowl of soup noodles. Yup, soup noodles. I don't even put that much of saccharine into their rightful places; my daily cups of coffee. Along with the sugar are chili oil, vinegar and soya sauce. Scoop those in and you have a err.. nice bowl of sweet, salty, sour, spicy soup noodles. They also like fried stuff; pork, chicken, crickets, fish, prawns. Ronald's fast food restaurant are always jam packed. I don't know how the Thais fare in the health department but I sure don't see many horizontally challenged individuals around. The irony of life.
Thailand is famous for its other name, The Land of Smiles. Sure, they can be friendly. Like the cab driver who asked me my name and shamelessly wonders aloud how much is my husband's salary. This is the time the mobile becomes really handy. Get busy dialing numbers or lunge it at the 'friendly' driver.
Once in a while, you do meet the not so friendly locals. They are usually the cranky sales persons who bark, NO TOUCH NO TOUCH or NO SAI NO SAI (no size no size). Sometimes I want to tell them, "I was really in a mood to splurge but not anymore". Of course, "Me many money. You no get business" will be better understood. Then I imagine speeding (I admit I am a coward) off looking for a cab while deciding to pray for a friendly or non-friendly one. It will be just my rotten luck to get one who tells me,"Traffic jam..no go." This man I can categorise under "leisure worker". The same for the chicken rice seller who runs out of rice at lunch time and decides NOT to cook extra but to close the stall, I reiterate at 1pm.
Welcome to Thailand.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Where is the cane?
A couple of weeks back, I had a sudden visceral urge to use the cane upon Gooly.
He did it.. he really did it - made my blood boil. I have boasted about his good behaviour. I have even noted that he never asked to buy any toys at the toyshops. It was too early to note, I learned.
Not only did he ask, let me rephrase that.. Not only did he BAWL for a toy, it was a GUN he wanted. In his entire life (3 years and 5 months) I have repeatedly educate him about violent games and toys and how he should not ask for one. He understood me but decided to go against the No. 1 rule on that fateful morning.
Of course, it was partly due to the presence of his kung kung. His kung kung who said, "Never mind la.. buy la..Don't cry la." At the moment, I really didn't know who to get mad at, the rascal or the err.. old man (I'm trying hard to be respectful).
After the whole dreaded drama, Mr. Gooly came back gleeful with an M16. The one that goes duuk-duuk-duuk-duuk all day long, all night long. Gawd! It was darn annoying. His victorious smiles and the duuk-duuk-duuk were tempting me to reach for the cane.
After much negotiation, we came to an agreement. No bringing weapons to the airport which we were to go the following week. OK, I admit. The officers could probably see that it's a fake a mile away, with an eye closed. But what he doesn't know, doesn't hurt him. So no guns, plastic or real on the plane or be prepared to be chased away.
We have been back here, peacefully. But I nearly recant my vows to be patient with him. This morning at the market, I looked longingly at a cane. I shrugged the urge off.
For now.
Let's see how it goes.. how my boy fares. Please do tell me it's a phase. It's just a phase that he is defying all laws and rules.
And also it's just a phase that I find the cane a necessity in the house.
Bah!
He did it.. he really did it - made my blood boil. I have boasted about his good behaviour. I have even noted that he never asked to buy any toys at the toyshops. It was too early to note, I learned.
Not only did he ask, let me rephrase that.. Not only did he BAWL for a toy, it was a GUN he wanted. In his entire life (3 years and 5 months) I have repeatedly educate him about violent games and toys and how he should not ask for one. He understood me but decided to go against the No. 1 rule on that fateful morning.
Of course, it was partly due to the presence of his kung kung. His kung kung who said, "Never mind la.. buy la..Don't cry la." At the moment, I really didn't know who to get mad at, the rascal or the err.. old man (I'm trying hard to be respectful).
After the whole dreaded drama, Mr. Gooly came back gleeful with an M16. The one that goes duuk-duuk-duuk-duuk all day long, all night long. Gawd! It was darn annoying. His victorious smiles and the duuk-duuk-duuk were tempting me to reach for the cane.
After much negotiation, we came to an agreement. No bringing weapons to the airport which we were to go the following week. OK, I admit. The officers could probably see that it's a fake a mile away, with an eye closed. But what he doesn't know, doesn't hurt him. So no guns, plastic or real on the plane or be prepared to be chased away.
We have been back here, peacefully. But I nearly recant my vows to be patient with him. This morning at the market, I looked longingly at a cane. I shrugged the urge off.
For now.
Let's see how it goes.. how my boy fares. Please do tell me it's a phase. It's just a phase that he is defying all laws and rules.
And also it's just a phase that I find the cane a necessity in the house.
Bah!
Some people never change. neither will I
With FB and MSN, digging up old long lost friends is just a click away. These past months I have indeed been keeping in touch with a handful of them.
After weeks of chats, I realised why they were "lost' friends. They have not changed one bit. Mr A is still a Casanova. Mr. B is still a workaholic. Ms X is still ignorantly dense. And yours truly is still judgmental.
Mind you, not that I am proud of it. It's just that I realised some things and some people never change, including me. Part of me feel consoled that my decisions to abandon those friendships eons ago were right on the spot because of how they were. On the other hand, I feel fairly disappointed that they are the same.
I mean shouldn't we have grown up and be better persons, for humankind? I wish Mr. A will find true love, Mr. B will spend more time with his family and Ms. X.. Is there a cure for stupidity? :P
OK.. I need to change too. I shall be less judgmental on my next blog. I shall try.
After weeks of chats, I realised why they were "lost' friends. They have not changed one bit. Mr A is still a Casanova. Mr. B is still a workaholic. Ms X is still ignorantly dense. And yours truly is still judgmental.
Mind you, not that I am proud of it. It's just that I realised some things and some people never change, including me. Part of me feel consoled that my decisions to abandon those friendships eons ago were right on the spot because of how they were. On the other hand, I feel fairly disappointed that they are the same.
I mean shouldn't we have grown up and be better persons, for humankind? I wish Mr. A will find true love, Mr. B will spend more time with his family and Ms. X.. Is there a cure for stupidity? :P
OK.. I need to change too. I shall be less judgmental on my next blog. I shall try.
To school or not to school
Of late we have received remarks as such: "Isn't it time to send Gooly to school?" and "How come Gooly is not in school yet?"
The more subtle suggestion will be, "There is a new school behind the soi, you know?"
The more subtle one will be, "School buses come this way, you know?"
OK.. since they told me, I have to know, right? Succumbing to pressure and curiosity, I decided to check out some international schools online. Lo and behold! I realised that you have to have ten jobs to be able to send your kids to these kind of schools. Enrollment fee alone is a hefty RM10k. Did i dare to scroll down for tuition fees? Double the amount I told you and you will get the estimation. I am not talking about a year's fees. That's for a term.
3 months.
70 odd days.
Excluding sick days.
Yes, they have a cool swimming pool but I suppose soaking in the bath tub is equally fun. They follow the British curriculum. I think I can fake Cockney English when desperate. So what they incorporate fun learning? Gooly can have fun even in the store room (Note: I don't live in Austria and the store room is not underground or padded).
At the end of the day, I have to find 10 jobs and blog for income, eat bread for eternity (not bad an idea considering my current non-ideal weight), start searching for friends who owe me 50 cents for the unpaid nasi lemak 10 years ago and start auctioning my bags.
Either that or I could keep Gooly in the house and me, insane for another year.
Do you think I can secure 10 + 1 part time jobs by next year?
Another option of course will be: PACK AND LEAVE THIS BLOOD SUCKING, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT MY CHILD'S EDUCATION COUNTRY.
Bah! Meanwhile donations are welcome ;-)
The more subtle suggestion will be, "There is a new school behind the soi, you know?"
The more subtle one will be, "School buses come this way, you know?"
OK.. since they told me, I have to know, right? Succumbing to pressure and curiosity, I decided to check out some international schools online. Lo and behold! I realised that you have to have ten jobs to be able to send your kids to these kind of schools. Enrollment fee alone is a hefty RM10k. Did i dare to scroll down for tuition fees? Double the amount I told you and you will get the estimation. I am not talking about a year's fees. That's for a term.
3 months.
70 odd days.
Excluding sick days.
Yes, they have a cool swimming pool but I suppose soaking in the bath tub is equally fun. They follow the British curriculum. I think I can fake Cockney English when desperate. So what they incorporate fun learning? Gooly can have fun even in the store room (Note: I don't live in Austria and the store room is not underground or padded).
At the end of the day, I have to find 10 jobs and blog for income, eat bread for eternity (not bad an idea considering my current non-ideal weight), start searching for friends who owe me 50 cents for the unpaid nasi lemak 10 years ago and start auctioning my bags.
Either that or I could keep Gooly in the house and me, insane for another year.
Do you think I can secure 10 + 1 part time jobs by next year?
Another option of course will be: PACK AND LEAVE THIS BLOOD SUCKING, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT MY CHILD'S EDUCATION COUNTRY.
Bah! Meanwhile donations are welcome ;-)
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