Flu

I can't remember the last time I have got a flu. I rarely get one but this one is a big one. I have taken two days sick leave. It is unusual for me too. As far as I remember, it is my first time to take two days off ever since I started my career.

I could feel phlegm in my throat first. I could have stopped it if I knew it would lead to a flu. Then I had a sore throat. I started to cough and I could not sleep well. I could feel my back bone aching. I felt fatique, fever and I had a runny rose.

I went to see the doctor that I have not seen for a long time. He realized that I had not see him for a long long time too. I went to see a doctor only because I need a letter for my sick leave. I would not go if I did not need one.

I nearly recover now. You know how good to be healthy only when you are suffering from a disease. Just like you know something is precious only when you lose it. At present, to be honest, I am not having a healthy life style. Every night I sleep about six hours which I do not feel long enough. To be like this for six weeks is too much for me. I feel like a rubber band which has been stretched and stretched and then breaks in the end.

I am looking forward to the Christmas holiday.

The recession is here

On 27th October, I mentioned the big fall of the Hang Seng Index and the financial tsunami which led to companies closing and people losing their jobs. Now the 2008 economic recession arrives.

In the fast few days, there was news about cutting staff in big companies like the HSBC. The second round of layoffs of HSBC cut 450 jobs. There will be more and more companies firing their employees starting from the financial business and the estate agencies. The middle of next year will be the peak season of the layoff period. Graduates from universities are worrying about finding jobs now. If people cannot find jobs they want, they will enter the educational field as a stepping stone. So next year will have a big rivalry on getting a teaching post.

The Sands syndicate closed down the construction site in Macau led to thousands of unemployment. I hope the price of staying in the hotels in Macau will fall :-) so we can go the Macau at Christmas at a cheaper cost.

Lesson observation

I had a very good lesson today. The EDB official came to the school to check if their money is worth spending on our school. They checked necessary documents as well as observed my lesson.

To be honest, being observed by others, I had to do extra preparations. I had prepared different games and, with the help of the power point, I had prepared lots of visual aids like colourful pictures to help them learn. Our students have different learning difficulties therefore lots of visual aids are needed. By the way, I did not like the response of one of the games very much. I am going to try it again in the next lesson. I am expecting a better result.

The official of the EDB appreciated the lesson. She was impressed by the response of the students throughout the lesson. She said the students were trying hard to learn and to do better. She said the lesson was challenging but the students could manage it. She felt there was so much different our students were compared with those of the main stream school. She was amazed by the tacit collaboration of me and the co-teacher, Mr Rowntree in the lesson. I hope she realizes that our students have their own learning difficulties. I hope she realizes that our students are far difficult to take public exam.

Anyway, today's lesson is very encouraging. I wish I could spend more time preparing lessons for the sake of the students' bendfits.

I hate 'Road show'

If you want to lead a peaceful life, stay at home. I start to be disturbed by the public media early in the morning. When I get on the bus, I usually go up to the upper deck because it is not so crowded. I also like to enjoy a better view from the top window so going up becomes my habit. Unfortunately, I have to tolerate the noise from the roadshow. Some are not so noisy but some really reach an annoying level.

I look around the deck. Most of the passengers are sleeping or simply closing their eyes. I can hardly see anyone watching it. The first time to come across something may be interesting. But For a regular customer, watching the same thing day after day is like your brain being washed and your mind being controlled.

To avoid the noise, I have to use the noise to cover the noise. That is, I put my ear-plugs on to listen to the radio or MP3 to stop the irritating noise entering my ears. It is like an ostrich burying the head in the soil. What an enjoyable journey!

I have found out from my friend recently the sound is mute at the lower deck. I wonder why there are more passengers there. The fact is nobody like the roadshow, at least early in the morning. Then I asked why the driver did not turn it off. The answer is it is not allowed because the bus company is paid to do it.

There are roadshows on the bus and on the MTR. There are TV shows in restaurants or in fast food shops. There is even a huge TV screen with loud noise at the corner of the crossroads near where I am working.

Well! You can never win.

It's sad but true

Just click on the following web site. It is sad but true about Hong Kong's future. (it is in Chinese version)

http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/ed-sigh

My nephew, Martin

My brother took his son, Martin, to the golf course where he works on 'Take your kid to work day'. This day was originated in the United States where employees invite his/her prepubescent-aged girl to spend a day in their workplace. The aim is to expose the girls to various career opportunities. The programme was expanded in 2003 to include boys. The source is from WiKipedia.

Martin is 15 years now. He was born in Canada and has been living there ever since. I have met him twice. One when he was about three years old and another one when he was about nine, I think. Time really flies. He is a big boy now. I am looking forward to seeing him again.

Feeling cooler

Today is the first day to feel cooler in this season. It is about time to feel cooler. The temperature is about 20 degrees C. On earth, the temperature increases each year because of global warming.

I like the weather in Hong Kong because we can experience all the four seasons in a year. And again, autumn is my favourite season :-)