Special Valentine

Whenever someone finds out that I work with special children, most of them, if not all, would assume this characteristic of me : You must have a lot of patience.

Animals

I'm now doing my clinical training in UMMC ( UH is so much easier to call). It's been fun and truly tiring, partly because of the amount of travelling that needs to be done to and fro KL-PJ.

As usual, there are all sorts of clients that we see. Among them was this 5-year-old Malay girl, whom my coursemate and I saw yesterday. Her speech and languge are delayed...meaning her development is not on par with the average 5-year-olds. One of the activities we did was naming animals.

C - clinician, F-father, H-child

C: Apa binatang ni? (lembu)
H: Mau
F: Bukan harimau. Lembu.

C: Apa binatang ni? (kambing)
H: Mau
F: Bukan harimau. Kambing.

C: Apa binatang ni? (kuda)
H: Mau
F: Bukan harimau. Kuda.

C: Apa binatang ni? (Itik)
H: Mau.
F: Bukan harimau. Itik.

C: Apa binatang ni? (harimau)
H: Itik.
(Just when you thought she would get this right)
F: Bukan itik. Harimau.

C: Apa binatang ni? (ayam)
H: Itik.
F: Bukan itik. A....?
H: Adik.
(Now she got herself stuck with itik..or just tik/dik)

How can clinic be ever dull?

Thesis Not So Blue?

I have many things to thank God about. I'ts only been 3 days since I last wrote about my thesis blues.

1. I have managed to get video recordings of 6 pairs of parent-child. It's amazing how compliant they are in agreeing to come to the clinic to do this. And they are not paid.

2. Waking up in the morning not dreading about having to do work for my thesis.

3. Not dreading about making phone calls to ask parents to participate, and being rejected.

4. Of course, I still another 6 pairs to find. But at least, some of the parents have told me that they will call back to confirm date or to asked me to call back next week.

5. I need to schedule the recording sessions around my class (starting next Tues) but I believe things can still be done.

Most of all, I thank God for being a faithful God, in whom I can find rest in.

Thesis Blues

My first sem has come and gone without me doing much for my thesis. This is because it has really been a busy sem in terms of clinic. That took all my time, including weekends. The only things I have managed to do were to search for other researches, design my methodology and carry out pilot study.

My thesis title is "Caregiver-child Interactions in Wh-Questions". I can practically hear most of you say "What?" Basically, I have to analyse the questions and responses to questions used between a caregiver and a child during play. Hope that is layman enough. I need to do a video recording for 12 pairs of caregiver-child in my clinic, which has sound-treated rooms. All the children are pre-schoolers and they first language must be Malay.

In recent times, I have come to a point of near-giving up. I have developed this 'thesis-evasion' syndrome. I will give myself all kinds of excuses and make myself available and busy with everything else but my own thesis. I think the reason is to avoid thinking about it and getting headache over it. It becomes so bad that I didn't trust that God could help me. Although i have friends who prayed for me, I thought the prayer were just words spoken for no purpose.

I knew I have to reconcile with God on that. I knew that only God can make what seems impossible to me, happen. I knew only His strength can be made perfect in my weaknesses. I knew all these....and I cried out to Him for foregiveness for my unwillingness to trust Him.

Today, I found that I have more problems:
1. So far, I only have 1 confirmed pair.
2. I can't make phone calls and I don't know when I can do that as the clinic staff are still not back from their
Raya holidays.
3. I can't confirm any appointments for the parents as I am not sure when the clinic will be opened. My
lecturer is still trying to get hold of the staff.
4. I have extra classes from 15 Nov - 15 Dec with a lecturer who came from US or Canada ( I don't really
know - I just know she's a foreigner) and was warned that she doesn't tolerate kindly to people going in and
out of lectures. So, I have to schedule all the recording sessions around this and also assignments that will
be given as well.

Given all these problems, I think I can go crazy. But I didn't. And most surprisingly, I remain very, very calm effortlessly.

I feel as if God is testing my faithfulness and trust in Him. Do I trust that God will make all things work out, better than with my own effort?

Amazing Love
How can this be
That you my King would die for me

Peace asked for, and peace is given by Him, which quietens the inner doubts that threathen to resurface. If God is for us, who can be against us?

Ending of Pre-Final Chapter of Uni Life

I'm at the end of my 1st sem already. My final exams is on next Thursday. Then, it will be holidays (with thesis work in disguise) and then, really the final sem! Time flies has become a cliche. It's like a superjet, no slowing down anywhere.

The unavoidable question will be where am I going to work. The more important question to me, unashamedly is, "Can I take a few months break after I've finished?"

The answer to the 1st question will undoubtedly lie in my Heavenly Father's hands. The 2nd, it will perhaps lie in my earthly father's hand - he desperately wants to retire.

But first, I have to be able to graduate next year. Back to studies!

Hello Again

My absence from the blogging scene has been very long. Not that I really don't have the time to write. More like I don't know what to write about. Having writer's block literally.

Life in uni is actually quite fun now. I think being a final year student has a lot to do with it. I'm doing everything knowing I won't be doing it another time, or for long. Starting to fell nolstalgic about things.

Things I do in more doses
1. Walking in Titiwangsa Lake more often than in the last 3 years.
2. Buying more academic books (Can't get student's price when I have graduated)
3. Walked to McD (never did that since I have a car)
4. Eat in cafe
5. Spend too much time talking to friends
6. Going shopping
7. More desire to watch movie in cinema (no more student's price after graduation)

Things I don't do much
1. Watch tv (no more Chinese, Korean, Japanese serial dramas...not even Msian Idol)
2. Eat junk (less time staying in my room - clinics and talking to other people!)
3. Sleep

Final year.......

This is Lake Mapourika. The lake is so still that you can see perfect reflection. I also call this Lake of Reflection. For this also reflects the wonder of God's creation.