Learning how to drive

I haven't been updating this blog as often as I ought to. Just a short update here, to let everyone know that I'm still alive over here :P

Hmm.. what have I been doing these days?

I've been taking my driving lessons for some time now (I have yet to fulfill the 15 hours minimum of driving practice). I'm hoping to get my driver's license soon but I'm not  very confident that I'll pass in one go. I have tiny fears while driving on the road. It's not all that easy and fun as many thought it would be.. well, for me that is. It'll definitely ease my parents' burdens if I could drive.

Well, here in Brunei, all driving learners must drive and learn with a MANUAL car. Manual car scares me! An automatic car has only two pedals -the brakes and the accelerator. Meanwhile, in a manual car, there's an extra pedal - the clutch, other than than the 2 mentioned before.

I hate stick driving! For some of you that don't know, stick driving means driving a manual car. It's like you have to change the gear stick all the time and while you change, you got to press on the clutch. Also, if you don't have good handling on the clutch.. oh boy, you're gonna have a hard time driving a manual car because your car will stall like crazy!!

I stalled far too many times during my first lesson. It was my first time ever behind the wheels (yes, I'm a law abiding citizen, not secretly driving out and about without a license) and driving a manual is quite a handful or in this case, feetful? :P

Your hands and feet must coordinate together. Some people will tell me that it's easy just because playing the piano, which I do, also requires hand and foot coordination. It's very different and much more difficult from playing the piano. While driving on the road, looking out for cars, you also have to move your hands, one changing the gears and another one on the steering wheel.

When on the slopes, you've got to listen to the correct engine sound to change pedals so that your car wouldn't fall backwards. While parking, you've got to learn how to estimate the space correctly . On the roundabouts, make sure you don't stall, drive and signal correctly when changing lanes. All these... I haven't yet a perfect grasp but I'm still practicing and I'm sure one day I'll be as good as all the other experienced drivers out there.

When driving, you not only have to consider your own safety but also the safety of your passengers and other road users as well. There are many road bullies on the road and I've met quite a few of them while practicing driving on the main roads other than practicing in the driving circuit at the Land Transport Department. They just cut your lane without signalling in a really fast speed and all... and that sometimes make my driving instructor go mad as well. :( 

While on this topic, I'll apologise to the other road users that I've met while practicing driving. Sorry for being so slow, sorry for lacking in better driving skills and confidence, sorry for being a possible road hazard. Thank you to all the nice drivers for understanding a learning driver - for making way and slowing down or even flashing your headlights, giving us good opportunities to proceed especially at the U-turns whenever you see a practice car on the road. Nice drivers do help me gain more confidence when using the roads.

To all the drivers out there, be nice to the learning and new drivers (not referring to myself only but also to the rest of the new road users). You were also once a rookie driver. It'll help us, the new drivers, a lot. To the nice and kind drivers that I've encounter, thank you so much and keep on looking out for the new drivers. It could be irritating at times, but your patience does helps and would not intimidate the new drivers as much as being on the road is already a scary experience especially for first-timers.

To a certain friend, Jonathan, who tried to change my mind about stick driving... nope, I still hate stick driving as much as I hate it in the first place. I'll stick to auto driving when I get my driver's license. :)

This short update turned out to be such a long-winded post. Sorry about that. I do get carried away at times while writing a post. :P

Drive safe :)

Hannah

Happy Teachers' Day 2012

In Brunei, Teachers' Day falls on the 23rd of September every year which coincides with the birthday of the 28th Sultan of Brunei. Hopefully, it's not too late to wish all the teachers of the world a HAPPY TEACHERS' DAY! 

I'm rather blessed to have met many good and wonderful teachers during all my studying years. Many of which I will remember for as long as I live. That's how great you are to me, teachers. Teaching is a noble job. It takes patience, love, commitment, perseverance  and passion! It might sound cliche but without teachers, I really would be nothing and I would not be where I am today, finishing my last year of A Level.

I've been schooling for 15 years of my life and each teacher plays a different role to me. 

Kindergarten teachers have taught me to spell and count and to read and write, also to sing and dance.

Primary school teachers have taught me the many lessons and skills that are needed to lay the foundation for the years of education ahead after primary school.

Secondary school teachers have taught me uncountable school and life lessons. Other than the normal school stuff, they have taught me that it's okay to make life mistakes while we're young and if we fall down, we have to learn to get up again. To never give up when we stumble and fall.

College teachers have taught me all the further education needed to prepare myself for the university life ahead. They have encouraged me, directly and indirectly, on and on to not give up and to continue press on when I feel discouraged during my 2 years of A Level.

School life has been a challenging road to travel but with the help of teachers, they make it easier for us, students, to keep walking on. I appreciate my teachers and you should too because they are the people, other than your parents, to mould your being and to guide you to the right path. Also not forgetting my ECA teachers, like my piano teacher, my ex-English mentor/teacher, my Sunday School teachers and my Bible Class teachers, you guys are great and I thank you for your tutelage. 

So, a BIG THANK YOU to my teachers for being there and HAPPY TEACHERS' DAY! May all of you continue to share your wisdom and passion to the many generations after.

Thank you, teachers.

Hannah

Disclaimer: All the photos uploaded aren't mine unless stated so. Credits to the original photo uploaders.

2 Birthdays and a Royal Wedding

I haven't been using the laptop for the past week and hence, the no post for last week. I've been busy, you know, with the finals coming up and all. I'm currently bogged up with assignments and revisions which I'm not liking and enjoying as much. But even with all these dull activities, I still spared some of my time for a few more exciting stuff. (I'll be writing on the dates itself, so, today doesn't really means today. :P)

21 September 2012, Friday:

Today is my daddy's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!! However, it's rather boring and sad today because my dad isn't exactly at home. My dad went back to KK, Sabah which is our hometown. Dad is the peacemaker in my family. With all the constant fights and bickering between siblings and the defiance against mum sometimes (not that my siblings and I are very naughty but there's always these moments right?), dad is always there at the end to fix everything out. So, daddy left on Wednesday evening and will be back Saturday noon, so hopefully he comes home soon. 

Well, dad had to go back to KK to attend the funeral of his elder cousin which is also my uncle and this is not a very nice reason to go back home to. As far and as much as I can remember, there have been 4 funerals of the people whom I know of this year, as of September 2012. They were family members and friends. Well, it is a hard time especially to their respective families but there's always the fond memories spent together to cherish on. That's what I told myself after the passing of a dear family member of mine. It is painful but as time passes, things would get a little better. :) Below is something that I  said and wrote, not forgetting you, baby chubbs, as each day passes by. :')

"Remembering you every single day, keeping you in my heart. The memories still fresh and the love for you is always there. I miss you. "

Okay, enough of that and moving back to the main story. Since dad's birthday falls during his stay back in KK, he had the honour of celebrating his birthday with his mother, sisters, nieces and nephew, simply speaking they're just my grandma, aunts and cousins. :P They had a birthday dinner together at a Korean restaurant and I sort of gatecrashed their party. Hehehe.. the restaurant, coincidentally, had WiFi and dad was whatsapp-ing me with pictures of their food and fun. So, I was a little jealous because I wasn't there so I FaceTime-d my dad. When I FaceTime-d my dad, I was just in time to sing the birthday song and see my dad cutting his birthday cake! Thank God for modern technology! 

After the cake cutting, my aunts and cousins were surprised at this FaceTime thing and also they haven't seen and heard from me a long time, it became a catching up session for me and my aunts, cousins and grandma. Haha.. it's like stealing the spotlight away from my dad to me. :P But I had fun, they had fun and I led them to discover the wonders of FaceTime. Even when we're miles apart, it can make you feel like you was there too. I had a nice day seeing my KK family. Can't wait to go back to my hometown for a stay after my exams. :)

22 September 2012, Saturday:

Today is Mel's birthday. Yay!! You're finally 19!! I'm so happy for you. We had a normal school day but I for one, was excited about the party happening later tonight. School went well as well as everything else. I carpooled with Alicia and Bums to the party. However, in the car, Alicia informed Bums and I that Mel had gotten into a car accident. Further details weren't known at that time. So, when we arrived at Mel's residence, Mel still wasn't back. She had to go to record a police statement as a result of the accident and to the hospital to check on her injuries.

Mel came home not long after we arrived. Thank goodness that nothing serious has happened to her. What a birthday for her to remember. Poor Mel. Other than that unfortunate event, the party went fine. She had invited our school gang as well as other schoolmates. It was a fun party and I got to talked to friends whom I haven't talked to in a very long time even though we see each other in school. Mel, of course, was in a lot of discomfort from her injuries but it didn't really stop her from having a good time. What a champ she is!

Mel is one friend that I appreciate a lot. She and I share a lot of similar situations in life, though being different in personalities and all. She's always the one who talks practical sense into me for I sometimes have a fantasied view of life. Mel has a unique persona. She's a very straightforward person, so don't get offended by what she says really and she's a bubbly and happy-go-lucky girl. I've known her for 9 years and it's been amazing getting to know her. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL!! You're the bomb and I love you! 

23 September 2012, Sunday:

In Brunei today and for the past week, people have been busy and getting ready for a big occasion. There's a royal wedding in the Sultanate today! One of Sultan's daughter, Princess Hafizah, is getting married. Though there's no wedding procession along the streets this time, we can still watch the wedding through TV. Wow.. I'm ever so amazed by how grand royal weddings in Brunei can be. It's really great. I've seen the repeat telecast of the wedding at night and  I can feel the excitement of the royal wedding.

This wedding has been full and rich in Bruneian rituals and culture, as like the many other weddings in the past. The items that I see in the Royal Regalia is used in the wedding and all. There's also so many people being invited to the royal wedding being held in the Royal Palace including foreign dignitaries. One thing that attracts me most is the outfit and the many blings. ;) 

You can clearly see how happy the Sultan is. When I looked at him through the TV, he's smiling from ear to ear, seeing his princess (like literally :P) get married. Ahh.. so heartwarming. SELAMAT PENGANTIN DIRAJA! :)

What an eventful weekend!

Hannah

Disclaimer: All photos aren't mine unless stated so. Credits to the original photo uploader.