Back in the Saddle

 Ivy

Oh my goodness late again! It used to be when I was in Ranau, Sunday would be a quiet day to catch up with skyping family and writing my blog and nowadays Sunday seems to be a day of travelling. Last Sunday I travelled to Kuching to another induction and I was taking a much more active role this time and had to deliver 4 sessions which seemed to go fine. They were all great people, again of all ages, talents and job experience, and as a group they got on except one member who has departed already!The majority of us flew back to Sabah on Friday morning all carrying our black British Council computer bags on to the plane. When we landed and started to disembark one of the mentors couldn't find his bag but there was another bag left that was similar. To cut a long story short and many black computer bags later, he eventually traced his bag to the transit lounge to Hong Kong where someone was oblivious to the fact . Thank goodness it was all resolved and the new mentor didn't start his job minus a computer. Why are computer bags black I wonder- there must be a reason!?

Local Rungus houses

   Sadly I left my new house again on Sunday as Rachel and Felix returned from their holiday but it won't be that long until I move in permanently. The landlord decided to put in a shower while I was in Kuching and it is an interesting job lot of four assorted tiles - none of which match or co-ordinate but it does work as a shower. On Saturday evening I went to my lovely local beach and after a swim I ate barbeque clams from the mangroves and negotiated a non tourist price to go riding the next morning. Most of you will not know about my horsey past but in my youth I used to ride a lot and even did competitive eventing. However it has been a long time since I was in the saddle but the idea of a gallop along the beach was too much for me. So I arrived early and got on my beautiful horse called Ivy and off I went with Fadzli, the young man in charge of the stable. It was amazing and we galloped until the end of the beach which was about 8 kms. (This beach is very long - I have still to determine the length)  I felt like I was in an advert splashing along the edge of the sea and my 60 ringitts spent was well worth it as I out riding for over 2 hours. Happily I can say that I still felt very relaxed in the saddle and hadn't lost the skills although I'm feeling my muscles have lost their tone today!! Alice I thought of you and I am going to continue to try and ride most weekends. Unfortunately I couldn't take my camera riding so no photos.

A classroom in a school visited

A kampong by the sea where Mark may live

 At the moment I am in Pitas, which is a small town in an isolated peninsular towards the North of Borneo. I have never been here before so it is a first for Mark, a new mentor, his partner and me. It is a rather forgotten peninsular and is much poorer and less developed than other areas although palm oil plantations are appearing. We went for a drive yesterday trying to find a beach but didn't manage that but came across lots of jungle and several houses still built in the traditional way and many water villages. Anyway today we are off to visit the schools so that will be interesting as always.

Them and Us

 

The invisible audience

 Friday night was the end of the two week Chinese New Year celebrations and the fireworks and crackers were being let off with great abundance not to mention the long dragon parading through the streets of Tuaran. I think I hadn't appreciated how important the end is as well as the beginning and the family try again to eat together and start the new year well making sure that all has been done to ensure prosperity for the coming year. Prosperity doesn't necessarily mean only money but it includes the health and happiness and prosperous crops of the family. I was fortunate to be invited to two Chinese schools this week to share with them in the celebrations of the end of the New Year. The Chinese schools are under a different scheme to the Malay schools in that the buildings are in charge of a committee chosen by the Chinese community but the teachers are paid by the government and their syllabus is different to include the Chinese language. They have a different ambience than the local schools in that everyone looks busy!!

The new school

Balancing lion

  The first school was a huge new school in KK just opened in January. I was proudly shown around by the headmaster and he pointed out the small village on the other side of the tall fence surrounding the school.
 " The illegal immigrants are angry that we have taken their land and we have tight security to protect ourselves." he told me. The attitude of fear and blame on the immigrant population is a common theme throughout the world and one that is strong here. We proceeded to be entertained by the children singing and dancing and then the finale was an amazing lion dance that involved the agility of the two men (under the lion) balancing on steel pillars. The pupils were wildly excited but what struck me was the small band of children that were staring at the show through the fence. Everyone acted as if they were invisible and the sad fact is that many immigrant children, even if they are born in Malaysia, do not have the right to any education.

  The second Chinese school was in a rural area where 95% of the pupils were non-Chinese. The local parents like the idea of their children learning Chinese and the more rigorous syllabus being implemented. A politician was also invited which always means MONEY and surprise surprise he did deliver. The VIP's were then invited on to the stage to mix the Yee Sang, which is a Cantonese tradition of mixing grated vegetables to represent the elements of good fortune for the year. The politician, having done his speech, given his money, been seen by the parents, left and missed the best part of the day with was the pupils performing wonderful dances and songs. Who would be a politician - not me?!!

Moving to Tuaran

Fishing for supper

Apologies for being late this week but I am being far too sociable at the moment which leads me to suspect that in order to be a writer you must lead quite a solitary life. I am still leading a nomadic lifestyle staying with friends and hotels but last night was my first night in the house I am going to live in Tuaran. Unfortunately I am only house-sitting for 2 weeks while Rachel , Felix and Alfred go on holiday but meantime I am enjoying being installed in the house which is enormous compared to my house in Ranau. I will officially be the tenant in mid March when the family leave for Europe so yesterday I cycled into Tuaran which is about 5 minutes away. I haven't lived in a place flat enough for me to cycle before (I don't do hills!) so I have bought Rachel's bike and am intending to cycle as many places as possible - one being the amazing beaches around this area.
   I have been a few times now and have decided my keep-fit regime will include cycle to the beach, have a swim and a run and then cycle back. I'm not intending to do this every day but at least 3 times a week should   have its benefits I hope.

The local beach, Pantai Dalai, as I have said before, is miles long and very quiet apart from a few fishermen, although the other evening I got a surprise as a fairy-tale couple appeared riding a pair of horses with a photographer and a troupe of horse handlers in tow. I presume it was for the wedding album.

  Other than that I have flown over to Sandakan on the east coast and have driven 1750 km since I started the job. I had the first car service today and at this rate the next service will be sooner than planned.

The Year of the Horse and tremors in Ranau

The Pagoda in Tuaran

So the lion dances, red lanterns, fireworks and loud firecrackers announced the beginning of the Year of the Horse.I was in Tuaran staying with friends for the start of the Chinese New Year and apart from the beautiful Chinese Pagoda being lit up there was very little to see because it is like Christmas with us, it is a time of families being reunited and spending time together. There are of course the red envelopes with money and oranges given out to represent prosperity and good luck for the year but most of the celebrations go on behind closed doors amongst the Chinese community. Tuaran, which is a small town situated on the coast at the bottom of Mount Kinabalu, is where I am going to be actually living when my house will be vacant in March. 

Wild horses on the beach

 I was staying with Ayfer and Mathieu and on the public holiday we went on an exploration of the beaches and found 2 deserted beaches which I think were at least 2 or 3 miles long. There are a few rather run-down "resorts" on the beach which have seen better days and we came across a huge millionaire's house which looked abandoned and that was it. There is so much potential for tourism in Sabah but the roads and lack of funding mean that it will be hopefully kept a secret for a little longer. Meantime I continue to lead a nomadic life staying with friends and in backpackers and then this weekend I have returned to Ranau and the Homestay where Emily and I arrived on our first evening in Ranau - nearly three years ago.

Mount Kinabalu looking splendid this morning

   Four months isn't so long since I left Ranau, however it did feel strange returning and my goodness what a lovely welcome I had from Lungkaim and Othman and the staff of the homestay. They really thought they wouldn't see me again and as I wandered around Ranau yesterday afternoon I visited my old haunts - the sarong shop, roti chanai restaurant, the market etc... it felt good to be back. This morning I had lunch with my dear friends and mentees, Sister Caroline and Asmah and it was so great to see them again even though KFC was not my preferred choice. It was then that I learnt that there had been 2 tremors on Saturday evening which I'm afraid I didn't notice. Apparently it was about 4.5 on the richter scale which isn't very large but apparently they haven't had any tremors since 1994 when a relatively large one broke windows and cracked walls. Now I never knew that I had been living in a seismic area before! I have promised I will visit my village school at Kinapulidan tomorrow who seem to one of the few schools open. As with every Chinese New Year the school holidays seem to vary according to the whim of the schools although the official line is only one day. Well I wish everyone a prosperous and lucky New Year and hopefully the fire element in the horse doesn't spark off any more tremors.

Dear friends in KFC !