*drum roll.....* THE GRAND FINALE!

Well, this is it I guess...

33 years and 4 months of service to the education sector, culminating in what I would regard as one of the best farewells that any pengetua could ever wish for, courtesy of the dear administrators, teachers, students and staff of SMK Munshi Sulaiman, Batu Pahat.

My "Road to Final Farewell" began with a Majlis Perpisahan Pengawas, which was held at the Landmark Hotel on 25th July 2009. They had intended for the function to be held earlier so that I could join in the celebrations. During this function, I was given my first 56th birthday cake.

The second farewell function was held on 30th July 2009, where principals from all secondary schools of Batu Pahat came to our school, to bid me adios. We had lunch, the usual speeches and the entire event ended with the giving out of souveneirs to all the pengetuas who came.

On 31st July 2009, Tuan PPD, Timbalan PPD and two other officers from the Pejabat Pelajaran Daerah came over to wish me a happy retirement as well. On that night, the staff of SMK Munshi Sulaiman threw a big dinner for me at Landmark Hotel (oh yes, I was chauffered there). This night, I was presented with my second birthday cake and some presents.

7th August 2009 - I had two farewells at school, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. MORE BIRTHDAY CAKES! And a lot of presents, cards, artwork and flowers from teachers, students and staff (I'm really so touched... I really am...). I couldn't help but tear up a little there (so much for my "Iron Lady" image) especially when students came round and asked me for hugs (girl students, that is). A lot of photograph taking, and the photos are posted on my ALL-NEW Photobucket page, link attached below. After that, in the night, the PIBG and the School's Chinese Language Society held a dinner for me at Futuna Restaurant. It was both a farewell and a parenting talk function by Mr Ma Kim Hua. I was also really touched and glad to see all my teachers from my old school, SMK Yong Peng who turned up for the function as well. The YDP PIBG of SMK Yong Peng showed up with his wife too. And that's not it! The JKD Bahasa Cina teachers and a lot of students also turned up, so happy to see you all too!

There you have it... multiple functions, multiple dinners, multiple cakes... and an entire array of presents, artwork and flowers. I was really happy and touched by the effort put in by the administrators, teachers, students and staff in organising this really beautiful, meaningful and memorable farewell for me. Seriously, if a person can be judged by the type of gift, well wishes and cards that he or she received, I must be the most lucky person in this galaxy.

View My Retirement Photos Here

Before I go, there was this particular farewell card that had a little story in it. I was reading it before going to bed, and it's kinda nice and I'd like to share it with you all:

Two friends were walking through the desert. At some point of the journey, they had an argument and one friend slapped the other in the face.
The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand "Today my best friend slapped me in the face."
They kept on walking until they arrived at an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After he recovered, he wrote on a stone "Today my best friend saved my life."
The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now you write on a stone. Why?"
The other friend replied, "When someone hurts us we should write it down in the sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can erase it."

So, whatever bad memories that I have left you all, please write them on the sand. And whatever good memories that you may have on me, please engrave it in stone.

GOODBYE SMK MUNSHI SULAIMAN. GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND I WISH ALL OF YOU SUCCESS IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, STUDIES AND CAREER ALIKE.

*-- that's all folks, I'm signing off... --*

p.s. my new blog's ready!! View it here.