Merdeka Day and accents

A Merdeka Costume

I'm trying to think of something interesting to write about this week as all week I've been listening to mentors telling me all about their work plans and achievements over the past 8 months. It has been very interesting to me and not at all repetitive as I thought it might be but somehow I don't feel it would grab everyone else's attention on the blog. I ended up in Kudat at the Tip of Borneo yet again and spent Friday evening and Saturday there. As always I had an interesting time except that the weather was very wild and there was no time on the beach but I did meet a lady a little younger than me that had attended Methodist College Belfast - my old school. She asked me about the wi-fi and the remnants of my Northern Ireland accent were strong enough for her to pick up and before long we were chatting like old friends. She had been living in Australia for the past 30 years but her accent was instantly recogniseable too.

Why is that some people adopt other accents very quickly and others don't I wonder. Some of my children are in the category who change their accents according to who they are speaking to and even though they say they are trying not to, they just can't help it! A mentor who has only been here a few weeks, has been complimented on her English Malay accent and she feels herself also being sucked into the malay intonation. I wonder are some accents stronger than others and dominate the intonation pattern or is it that some people have a more adept ear to the musicality of a language. I feel I must do some more research on the matter...!

31 August 1957

    It was 31 August, 1957 when the British flag was lowered and the Malaysian Federation formed , although not including Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak until 6 years later. It was a momentous occasion in the history of Malaysia and the moment of merdeka (independence) is remembered every year with many flags being flown from cars, bikes, buildings and celebrations in all the schools. Happy Merdeka Day Malaysians everywhere.

Sunset Charity Run / Walk Completed!

When I commented on my new running shoes last week I had certainly not a notion that by next week I would have completed my first race! I said farewell to Kuching and the Hilton and  finally returned back to my house in Tuaran and my army of little geckos on Friday. On Saturday I wandered over to have a chat with my lovely neighbour Sophia, who was getting ready to go into KK for the 7 km charity race in Sutera Harbour. "Come along too" she coaxed "I'll check to see if you can register there."  and so she did and off I went in my denim shorts, a scuffy t-shirt and my new shoes.

Sophia and Sylvia 

  The Sutera Harbour is a posh hotel and apparently has been organising this huge charity run for several years now and this year over 10,000 people registered. There were people of all ages from babies to old and it was very much a family event. Some of you may be surprised at the number of "runners" in Sabah but around KK it is very popular and there are more and more gyms, tracks and pressure to lead a more healthy life-style. Anyway, I registered and got my t-shirt and at 5.30 pm we all set off in a mass crowd. Of course there are always those who have to prove themselves and run ahead but most of us just jogged and walked and amazingly I went through the finish in about 45 minutes not feeling too tired or feeling I had done too much damage to myself.

  After we had all gone through the finishing line there was a carnival atmosphere with zumba dancing and then lots of singers and artists keeping us all entertained in the undercover area. Food was for sale and just as I was finishing my delicious chicken and rice, a television crew came and asked me if I would mind being interviewed about the race! Well, after checking my name, a very beautiful interviewer asked me "So Fiona from Ireland,  what made you want to run this race?" and I replied with some very pathetic answer about coming along with my friends, praying that no one will ever see the clip as with sweaty hair and greasy lips, I certainly looked my worst!  .

Sunset and the finish

Island Schools and Kuching

On Tuesday morning I set off to visit SK Pulau Gaya which is one of the schools that has been on the ELTD project since the beginning in 2011. The island (pulau) of Gaya is the largest island off Kota Kinabalu and is part of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine nature reserve and is a strange place containing the most expensive resort in Sabah and a population of 10,000 people living in water villages around the coast. Many of the people living in the water villages are without their official papers and therefore are not allowed to attend the local school, however I was amazed at how large it was and also the excellent condition it seemed to be in in comparison to some other schools I have visited.

Arriving at school

The teachers' boat

 We westerners tend to have a very romantic idea of life living in a water village but seeing the actual living conditions makes you realise how difficult it must be and actually getting the children to school is in itself a challenge and as for educational support for the children from the parents I suspect is a very low priority. For the teachers and children it is just normal life and if there is a storm then you wait at school until it is finished.

The gym and assembly hall

The Power of Reading Room

 I spent a lovely morning in the school and was able to see the Year 3 classes enjoy the Power of Reading room which was the result of a book flood last year sponsored by the Malaysia Government and British Council. There are some delightful books and it was lovely to see the pupils enjoying them and I couldn't resist telling a story to them.

The view from the hotel window

The human beings waiting for orang utans

  Since Wednesday I have been in Kuching at meetings and enjoying the luxury of the Hilton. Yesterday I decided to go out to the Semenggoh Nature reserve to see the orang utans at the rehabilitation centre but sadly none of them appeared at the feeding platform. We all stood quietly waiting and I had the distinct impression that we were being watched and that they would appear after we all left - which makes sense if you don't want lots of tourists watching you eating! This morning I was up early to cheer and watch the marathon, half marathon and 10 km runners - some of them on our project. It is always very inspiring seeing people of all ages, shapes and sizes completing the race and I have bought myself a pair of running shoes - the first new pair for about 7 years- in an attempt to get myself to start running....... we will see!

Baronesses, Murders and World War One

Baroness Warsi - SK Piasau

   An interesting title this week and I'm not sure how I will do the links but it is not often that Borneo is in the headlines for a crime and sadly this week it has been because of the sad tragic murders of two British medical students. I think everyone is truly shocked as there is very little violent crime in Kuching and all the people seem very peaceful. The victims and the murderers were all drunk apparently and unfortunately for the two students, one of the men was a fishmonger and was carrying a knife and was obviously bolstered up with the alcohol and perhaps other substances. What a tragedy for everyone involved and as I will be in Kuching next week, somewhere I have always felt very safe, I know that it will be the uppermost in everyone's mind. Gen left Sabah on Thursday on her way for the last leg of her trip to Bali and I trust she will be safe. No one can know what lies ahead but I suppose travelling or not, wandering around the streets at 4 am, drunk, is not a sensible thing to do.
  I am finding looking at the news this week is more and more depressing and I can't bear to hear of more and more people, especially children being slaughtered. I was though, impressed by  Baroness Warsi, who you may remember I met in Kampong Piasau (April), who resigned from the cabinet and has openly criticised the British Conservative government about their lack of stance against Israel. She felt she could no longer keep quiet and I admire her for standing up for her  principals which is rare in a politician! Her attack and remarks about the cabinet have continued to make the news today and it looks like she is just warming up - At a girl Sayeeda!

My Grandmother - MA. 1913
a feminist and suffragette

   There were of course many memorials this week about the start of the First World War - a hundred years ago- and despite the horrendous loss of life during that war, mankind has failed to learn it's lesson and appears to be continuing to kill as much as ever. A hundred years ago my grandparents met on a boat whilst both fleeing "the Continent" when war was declared. My grandfather was a trainee architect and my grandmother was a MA graduate from Edinburgh University. The story goes that my grandfather saw her name on the cabin door - Margaret Broatch - and made a silly pun about wearing the brooch on his heart. They did somehow meet and obviously fell in love much to the horror of both families as my grandmother was already engaged to a Scotsman and to welcome an Englishman was not what the family wanted. I remember Gran telling me the story so well but I'm afraid the details and questions I would like to ask now will have to go unanswered.
  However they did get married and my grandfather went off to war and fought in the Battle of the Somme. Somehow my mother and uncle Graham were born in 1917 at the barracks in Stafford where I believe my grandmother must have been visiting my grandfather on leave - the arrival of twins was a complete surprise.  My grandfather did not return until 1919, staying on in the army and fighting in India and Afghanistan. When he returned , continuing with his architect studies seemed impossible and somehow he had to find a job to support his family...... and so the story continues.
  The chance meeting on the boat when the First World War was declared made me who I am. The war  killed over sixteen million people not taking into account the casualties and the terrible mental injuries that affected so many soldiers. I feel very ashamed that I never once asked my grandfather about the war but amazingly he did survive and for that I am very grateful.

Turtles and the return of Gen

Gen relaxing at a 5 star hotel

 Enough of weddings now and back to life in Borneo which I believe is what the blog is supposed to be about... or is about me?  I'm not sure about that question. Anyway Gen is with me starting the round of second visits from my dear children. She arrived on Tuesday after a great week in Sri Lanka and is now with me until next Thursday when she departs to Bali to spend her final 5 days before returning to Scotland. Fortunately with the Hari Raya holidays we were able to have a lovely day out in a boat island hopping around the beautiful islands in KK. The rest of the week has been "settling"in new mentors into my zone which is not exactly arduous but does involve driving and  socialising with lots of mentors. On Friday afternoon we found ourselves back at the Tip of Borneo and had a very exciting evening. About 6 pm someone came into Howard's to tell everyone that the turtle eggs had hatched.

 We all raced down to the beach and there in two buckets were about a hundred tiny little turtles all squirming around frantically trying to get started on their voyage. This is apparently the huge adrenalin rush that gives them the start in life that they need for their journey to the sea and onwards and it only lasts for 24 hours so is crucial that it is used. The send off was to be at 8 pm so we all went back and waited and by the time the designated time had arrived our numbers had increased and we were quite a crowd. Fran, who you may remember from the beach clean blog, is the dynamo behind the turtle conservation and has several beach areas that turtle "hatcheries are placed.

 She of course was in charge and we were all told in no uncertain terms to not have our flashes on whilst the brave little hawksbill turtles made their way to the sea. A man stood in the sea with his torch and we made a long avenue of people to allow them to make their way. It didn't take long before they were all on their way but it was very intense few minutes with everyone willing and wishing them luck. Some got there quicker than others; a few got tangled up in our feet but we all just waited for the tide to take them away and no one disobeyed Fran with their cameras so we all just have a very " David Attenborough" moment imprinted in our memories but no record.

The villagers of Bangkau-Bangkau

   On the way back to Tuaran we stopped off in Pitas and we visited a friend I made in 2011 when I first arrived. She and her family had been living in Lahad Datu for years but had finally moved back to her little village of Bangkau-Bangkau recently where all her family live. It was a lovely reunion and Rosniah hadn't changed at all but of course her children had. They were in the middle of a community project of building a hall so we were welcomed to a kampong makan and of course disrupted all the work until we left again.The people of Sabah never cease to amaze me as to how welcoming they are to strangers.

Sunset at Tuaran beach