Skip to main content

Time (edited)

(Forgive the gross spelling errors before as this entry was thumb-typed form my iPhone)

I now sit here all alone in this deserted lecture room..

My mind goes blank for a while as I reflect on how I had to rush everything to make it to this very spot.. Rushed paperwork, rushed driving, rushed lunch, rushed prayers... All so that I could make it in time to evaluate a public speaking session..

And yet, here I am... Alone...

As I wait, the door of the room opens.

I see a young man with pleasant Somali features approach me. The troubled look on his was clear indication that something had not gone according to plan.

"Mr Abdullah..." he starts, with a very apologetic voice "I'm very sorry to inform you that the other session has not finished yet... They started late, so we're going to have to postpone your session... I'm very sorry for the inconvenience"

"It's ok" I reassure him "It's not your fault"

He thanks me for understanding and walks away.

I'm still here... Alone... In this deserted lecture room... Wondering why Malaysians seem to have a habit of tardiness without realising the implications on other people's time...
Labels:

Comments

Cat-from-Sydney said…
Father of Biscuit,
Old habits die hard, people say. Even here, people do it still. Worse, without batting an eyelid or an apology. At least that Somali chap was thoughtful enough to apologise and explain. purrr.....meow!
December 9, 2009 at 12:42 AM
♛ LORD ZARA 札拉 ♛ said…
Some Malaysians called it as their culture~
Simple apologies just totally hard to spit out~
December 9, 2009 at 12:48 AM
izzati fuad said…
i hate that.totally hate that.if we can sacrifice a LOT on our part, why can you?

i tried to be strict with this issue with my students. and they say 'miss ni garang lah.kurangkan marah'. haha

on other note: how are you sir? :) jco's plan still on?
December 9, 2009 at 5:13 AM
Ailin in Aalborg said…
And yet, the Malaysians sent a Somalian to convey the message!
December 9, 2009 at 5:54 PM
Abdullah Mohd Nawi said…
Cat - too true.. Guess it happens everywhere huh?

Zara/Shafaza - culture can sometimes be abad thing huh?

Ijat - You'll go through this many a time i wager!

Ms Lavendar - the Somali chap wasn't a scapegoat (thank god). He was part of the orgnanising committee... good thing that.. they're opening up more opportunities for foreign undergrads to get integrated into malaysian student life
December 10, 2009 at 6:11 AM
A t i Q a h said…
Still remember Ijat and me waited for almost one and a half hour just because the class before ours haven't finished yet. T_T
December 11, 2009 at 8:23 PM
Anonymous said…
[url=http://murudobaros.net/][img]http://murudobaros.net/img-add/euro2.jpg[/img][/url]
[b]buy software canada, [url=http://murudobaros.net/]educational software ratings[/url]
[url=http://murudobaros.net/]cheap software now[/url] windows vista free download accounting software reseller
personal finance software canada [url=http://murudobaros.net/]acdsee 3 serial[/url] Pro Extended Retail
[url=http://murudobaros.net/]acdsee vista[/url] dental office software
[url=http://murudobaros.net/]download kaspersky anti kaspersky[/url] how to install office 2007 enterprise blue edition
buy software online [url=http://murudobaros.net/]childrens educational software[/b]
December 12, 2009 at 8:54 PM
Anonymous said…
En. Lobo,

I hate you for your iPhone.

Yours truly.

:p
December 21, 2009 at 1:14 AM
Abdullah Mohd Nawi said…
Pn Hubbsmoi,

Ur so very welcome..

Your even more truly.

;P

Hahahaha
December 22, 2009 at 5:23 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My nightmare come true

This is it. It's finally happened. The stuff of bad dreams for many language teachers has today materialised for me, rearing its ugly head, scoffing at my abilities as a language professional. This is an actual letter from one of my students as part of their coursework. Final year student. Soon to graduate and meet the workforce of the nation. Read it and weep...
26 comments
Read more

Always & Never

Picture credit here Always . Never . What do these words mean? Simple enough words - Two syllables, direct spelling to pronunciation, timeless in their application in our daily lives. But what do they really mean? For instance, two best friends, before parting ways to go to university, exchange a very teary farewell - they exchange gifts, exchange cards, each pledging to be best friends for always ...forever... and that they always call and never forget to visit each other when they go back to their hometowns. Of course this scenario is a girls only scenario. For guys the scene would be a quick hug, a few pats on the back, and a salute as the bus drives away... Less words, less outward displays of emotion, but nevertheless a quiet ache in the chest and a steely determination to always be friends, and never forget the bond brotherhood that had been forged. Or even former lovers, as they forever part ways... The parting speech before they embrace for the last time, where each vows that ...
24 comments
Read more

The Forbidden Kingdom No More

Yesterday is a day that would forever go down the sands of time as... "The Day I Fed Two Hundred Ravenous Mouths with Bottomless Pits" Oh the horror!... The Pain!... The Suffering!!! Like a swarm of locusts they came, wave upon wave upon wave... Like a farmer protecting his crop I could only look on and stare, as they darkened the sky, before zeroing in for the kill... Tears streamed down my eyes as I watched them strip every last grain of maize and corn that I had planted at the begininning of the year... My knees thudded to the ground, as I numbly watched the carnage around me, my tired brain barely registering what my eyes perceived. "So this is what it feels like"... I thought in my brain... "This thing called Open House" . .. ... Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut I'm just being dramatic here ;) Yesterday was actually a day that I'm going to remember for a long time, simply because it was graced with the presence of those eager young minds I he...
36 comments
Read more