Teaching
in Miri, Sarawak
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| SMK Dato Permaisuri staff year 1992 |
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| Taken in year 1992 (Malaysia Airlines) |
I was the very first one who
received the offer letter from the KPM for my batch (B. Sc. with edu,
University Technology of Malaysia).
Truly thrilled and excited the
moment I got to know I was located in the largest state of Malaysia.
Sarawak, as far as I understood from
my geography teacher was a place with long houses, timber, petroleum, pepper
and hornbills.
Compared to my fellow coursemates, I
was considered lucky enough to be posted to a quite developed and picturesque
oil town, Miri. The school where I met with helpful staff and lovely
students, SMK Dato Permaisuri, blessed me with wealth of teaching experience.
I still remember vividly, Madam Ng
Sie Fong, not only a patient mentor, but a good tour guide who pleasantly
spared her precious weekends driving me and other fresh teachers to explore the
nearby tourism spots.
Gunung Mulu National Park, Niah
National Park, The grand Old Lady, Lambir Hills National Park were those places
we explored and left me with a recollection of unforgettable sweet memories.
Everything was so agreeable, except
the pay. Throughout the three-year-teaching duration in Miri, I hardly afford
to pay for the exorbitantly high flight ticket fares. If my memory serves me
right, a round trip for economy class would take away my almost one and a half
month meagre salary.
The salary of a degree holder fresh
graduated teacher was about RM 1100, not as appealling as offered at the
present. Furthermore, as I allocated almost 80% of the salary for my
parents, I only managed to fly back home to West Malaysia once a year.
Taking a flight was absolutely a luxury those years.
Somehow the parents of my students
were so kind-hearted and treated me like next of kin. My token of appreciation
and thanks to Mrs. Lau and Mrs. Lim who were always there giving helping hands
and moral support throughout my hard time during my pregnancy.
Never feel regret teaching in East Malaysia. If not due to unforeseen incidents, I would have lived there for good, a place called Bumi Kenyalang, Land of the Hornbills.
Wherever we go, there is always
sunshine and rainbows awaiting for us.....
Ee Fui Mei
April
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