by Illa
THE JOURNEY
After what seemed to be an endless journey from my hometown in Perak to Kangar, Perlis and running around Kangar town looking for SM Derma, my family and I finally made it to the school hostel. But.. we were told that the registration was being held at the school hall. So off we went to the "hall". It was already packed-full of happy, smiling families and downcast, almost tearful would-be form-mates.
"Illa, maghi sini," my mum beckoned me. She had been conversing with a parent and they seemed to know each other well. I walked over and salam'ed with the lady. "Anok makcik ni, sama masuk Tingkatan 1. Nanti boleh kawan kat sekoloh ni. Kau orang dua ni kiranya sepupulah".
As both our mums introduced us, we acknowledged each other and exchanged desultory smiles. "Oh, why can't you have been a girl.. " I remember thinking in my heart. "Then I would really have a friend here..." I looked around at the mass of students around, wondering who would become my friends here.
[Say, what? Okay, okay... if you really want to know... this "cousin" is none other than our illustrous AAT - Azizi Ahmad Termizi].
Then, before I could properly digest this info, another family came over and greeted mum and dad. "Illa," my mum said happily, "Ini ada sorang lagi sedara kita. Anok dia pun sama Tingkatan 1. Boleh kawan dengan dia jugak."
[Right, you got it... It just wasn't my day... It was another boy. He is the well-known "good guy" KAK - Khairul Anuar Khalid. Sorry Azizi, the "budak baik" title doesn't go to you!]
... After finally completing the necessary for the registration, my family and I went back to the hostel.
THE HOSTEL
The hostel at SM Derma is a two-storey building consisting of what... 4 dorms? [If someone has a better memory, please correct me..!]. There's a study room on the ground floor also serving as our "Sewing Room" for our Domestic Science classes. [Girlz, remember?]. A short corridor leads to a canteen where we have all our meals.
"Let's see the dorm upstairs," my sister urged.
As we entered the dorm, I noticed that it was almost filled-up. [The name of the dorm quite escaped me... Aizuddin, I salute you for remembering all those details. Fujie, Kamsiah.. ingat lagi ke nama dorm kita?].
Anyway, several of the dorm-mates were busy unpacking their stuff while others were chatting and exchanging news with each other. These would be our seniors of SMSPs'77 with the likes of Kak Norida, Kak Elsie, Kak Firdaus, Kak Zaini (my kakak angkat.. it was the 'fashion' those days), Kak Balkis, etc. [I gather from Aizuddin and Azizi's memoirs that the boys' asrama at Padang Katong do not house the seniors as well..? Hmm, interesting..].
"Ambek katey kat ujung tu," mum instructed, eyeing an empty bed on the lower deck. As we were busy unpacking and arranging my stuff, I noticed the girl sitting on the bed beside mine, smiling at me. I smiled back at her and introduced myself. "I'm Chung Lily," she responded, giving me the most friendliest, impish smile I've ever seen! "I'm from Selama, Perak. What about you?" "Sungai Siput (U), Perak."
That was it... and we started chatting excitedly with each other like crazy! There was an instant comraderie between us.
Then a parent came over to my bed and introduced his daughter to us. "Ini anak pakcik, Nurlizah... Nanti kawan dengan dia ye.."
Lily and I smiled at her and invited her to sit and chat with us. But after exchanging a few information,she excused herself, as her family were leaving for home.
Soon all the families left.
The seniors informed us that we had to change into pyjama-top and wear a sarong (kain batik) for dinner. [Lily, do you still remember how hilarious it was teaching you how to wear the sarong and making sure it didn't fall off your hips throughout dinner?!] We were also told that there would be a "row call"(?) prior to dinner.
The 3 of us stood outside at the balcony as it was still too early to get ready for dinner. Besides, none of us had any appetite to eat anyway. The horrible fact that our families had left us (abandon us?) to face the unknown on our own, at the tender age of 12+, was becoming alarmingly apparent to us!
It was then that I had my first taste of the Perligh slang. Roslina (I think) who was passing by us, greeted us, "You all tak mau mandi ka? Baik-baik tau, tandaih dia lincin. Ada yang koto' ".
"Ye ke? Terima kasih.." I smiled at her as I puzzled over the info given... Why would it matter if the tandas looks like a "kotak"? I don't understand...
Later, Olie introduced us to Fujie, who has the bed beside hers. Ah, here's the born-leader. From then on, Fujie decides what's to be done... and the rest of us follows, more than willingly. She seems to know exactly what to do and where to go. She was so strong emotionally. She's like the beacon to ships lost and floundering at sea...
FIRST NIGHT AWAY FROM HOME.
During "row-call" that first night at the hostel, we were informed by the seniors of the one week of orientation, after which we would be declared as "Hostelites". What do we have to do to be eligible for the declaration? Let's see... We need to find out the names of all our seniors, greet them everytime we meet them, do chores for them when instructed, and, what else...? [Scratching my head..] Sorry, still can't recall the rest of the things we had to do...
After dinner, which almost all of us didn't eat (or didn't taste, for those who managed to swallow their food), we were allowed to rest in our dorm. No prep class for tonite as it was the first day at the hostel.
I remember Ijan and Dariah, Kamsiah too, I'm sure, were battling with their tears. I suddenly felt so homesick... (baru sedar there's no place like home.. ) I went over with the intention of chatting with Olie, but realized that she was crying silently as she writes a letter home. I went back to my bed and started a letter home too. That's when I slowly dissolved into tears and wrote all those goey stuff like, quote, "...mandi tak basah, makan tak kenyang.."(!!) Eew!!
THE CLASS (Form 1 Sc 2)
Classes were conducted in the afternoon session. I can't really remember how we managed to find our classroom. But I can bet my... whatever, that Fujie has a hand in helping to locate it! .... Wait a minute, .. or was it one of you Perligh girls who led us to the classroom? Err, better withdraw my bet....
Anyway, there we were.. 8 girls sitting together, exchanging info, getting to know one another. There's Fujie, Lily and I, of coz. Then there's Roslina, Shimah, Surizah, Kim Chen and Faridah Hanim (I think). Soon after, Tomini, Fyzah, Che Ya, Zuraini and Zainah joined us girlz in the class, making a total of 13 girlz altogether. [Is my listing accurate? Please correct me if I'm wrong and accept my most sincere apologies... Old age and memory loss being my excuse... ].
About the guys, I remember Fujie (of coz) getting friendly with Rosman, WM Sofie, Hisham, Eno and... who else, Fujie? Please enlighten me! Naturally, I got to know them too...
[To be continued]
THE JOURNEY
After what seemed to be an endless journey from my hometown in Perak to Kangar, Perlis and running around Kangar town looking for SM Derma, my family and I finally made it to the school hostel. But.. we were told that the registration was being held at the school hall. So off we went to the "hall". It was already packed-full of happy, smiling families and downcast, almost tearful would-be form-mates.
"Illa, maghi sini," my mum beckoned me. She had been conversing with a parent and they seemed to know each other well. I walked over and salam'ed with the lady. "Anok makcik ni, sama masuk Tingkatan 1. Nanti boleh kawan kat sekoloh ni. Kau orang dua ni kiranya sepupulah".
As both our mums introduced us, we acknowledged each other and exchanged desultory smiles. "Oh, why can't you have been a girl.. " I remember thinking in my heart. "Then I would really have a friend here..." I looked around at the mass of students around, wondering who would become my friends here.
[Say, what? Okay, okay... if you really want to know... this "cousin" is none other than our illustrous AAT - Azizi Ahmad Termizi].
Then, before I could properly digest this info, another family came over and greeted mum and dad. "Illa," my mum said happily, "Ini ada sorang lagi sedara kita. Anok dia pun sama Tingkatan 1. Boleh kawan dengan dia jugak."
[Right, you got it... It just wasn't my day... It was another boy. He is the well-known "good guy" KAK - Khairul Anuar Khalid. Sorry Azizi, the "budak baik" title doesn't go to you!]
... After finally completing the necessary for the registration, my family and I went back to the hostel.
THE HOSTEL
The hostel at SM Derma is a two-storey building consisting of what... 4 dorms? [If someone has a better memory, please correct me..!]. There's a study room on the ground floor also serving as our "Sewing Room" for our Domestic Science classes. [Girlz, remember?]. A short corridor leads to a canteen where we have all our meals.
"Let's see the dorm upstairs," my sister urged.
As we entered the dorm, I noticed that it was almost filled-up. [The name of the dorm quite escaped me... Aizuddin, I salute you for remembering all those details. Fujie, Kamsiah.. ingat lagi ke nama dorm kita?].
Anyway, several of the dorm-mates were busy unpacking their stuff while others were chatting and exchanging news with each other. These would be our seniors of SMSPs'77 with the likes of Kak Norida, Kak Elsie, Kak Firdaus, Kak Zaini (my kakak angkat.. it was the 'fashion' those days), Kak Balkis, etc. [I gather from Aizuddin and Azizi's memoirs that the boys' asrama at Padang Katong do not house the seniors as well..? Hmm, interesting..].
"Ambek katey kat ujung tu," mum instructed, eyeing an empty bed on the lower deck. As we were busy unpacking and arranging my stuff, I noticed the girl sitting on the bed beside mine, smiling at me. I smiled back at her and introduced myself. "I'm Chung Lily," she responded, giving me the most friendliest, impish smile I've ever seen! "I'm from Selama, Perak. What about you?" "Sungai Siput (U), Perak."
That was it... and we started chatting excitedly with each other like crazy! There was an instant comraderie between us.
Then a parent came over to my bed and introduced his daughter to us. "Ini anak pakcik, Nurlizah... Nanti kawan dengan dia ye.."
Lily and I smiled at her and invited her to sit and chat with us. But after exchanging a few information,she excused herself, as her family were leaving for home.
Soon all the families left.
The seniors informed us that we had to change into pyjama-top and wear a sarong (kain batik) for dinner. [Lily, do you still remember how hilarious it was teaching you how to wear the sarong and making sure it didn't fall off your hips throughout dinner?!] We were also told that there would be a "row call"(?) prior to dinner.
The 3 of us stood outside at the balcony as it was still too early to get ready for dinner. Besides, none of us had any appetite to eat anyway. The horrible fact that our families had left us (abandon us?) to face the unknown on our own, at the tender age of 12+, was becoming alarmingly apparent to us!
It was then that I had my first taste of the Perligh slang. Roslina (I think) who was passing by us, greeted us, "You all tak mau mandi ka? Baik-baik tau, tandaih dia lincin. Ada yang koto' ".
"Ye ke? Terima kasih.." I smiled at her as I puzzled over the info given... Why would it matter if the tandas looks like a "kotak"? I don't understand...
Later, Olie introduced us to Fujie, who has the bed beside hers. Ah, here's the born-leader. From then on, Fujie decides what's to be done... and the rest of us follows, more than willingly. She seems to know exactly what to do and where to go. She was so strong emotionally. She's like the beacon to ships lost and floundering at sea...
FIRST NIGHT AWAY FROM HOME.
During "row-call" that first night at the hostel, we were informed by the seniors of the one week of orientation, after which we would be declared as "Hostelites". What do we have to do to be eligible for the declaration? Let's see... We need to find out the names of all our seniors, greet them everytime we meet them, do chores for them when instructed, and, what else...? [Scratching my head..] Sorry, still can't recall the rest of the things we had to do...
After dinner, which almost all of us didn't eat (or didn't taste, for those who managed to swallow their food), we were allowed to rest in our dorm. No prep class for tonite as it was the first day at the hostel.
I remember Ijan and Dariah, Kamsiah too, I'm sure, were battling with their tears. I suddenly felt so homesick... (baru sedar there's no place like home.. ) I went over with the intention of chatting with Olie, but realized that she was crying silently as she writes a letter home. I went back to my bed and started a letter home too. That's when I slowly dissolved into tears and wrote all those goey stuff like, quote, "...mandi tak basah, makan tak kenyang.."(!!) Eew!!
THE CLASS (Form 1 Sc 2)
Classes were conducted in the afternoon session. I can't really remember how we managed to find our classroom. But I can bet my... whatever, that Fujie has a hand in helping to locate it! .... Wait a minute, .. or was it one of you Perligh girls who led us to the classroom? Err, better withdraw my bet....
Anyway, there we were.. 8 girls sitting together, exchanging info, getting to know one another. There's Fujie, Lily and I, of coz. Then there's Roslina, Shimah, Surizah, Kim Chen and Faridah Hanim (I think). Soon after, Tomini, Fyzah, Che Ya, Zuraini and Zainah joined us girlz in the class, making a total of 13 girlz altogether. [Is my listing accurate? Please correct me if I'm wrong and accept my most sincere apologies... Old age and memory loss being my excuse... ].
About the guys, I remember Fujie (of coz) getting friendly with Rosman, WM Sofie, Hisham, Eno and... who else, Fujie? Please enlighten me! Naturally, I got to know them too...
[To be continued]
5 comments:
Well done Illa! Now our blog has the feminine touch. Keep on contributing.
Illa,
Interesting insight to the world of SMSPs girlz '78. Keep em coming...
Guys, I think if we collect all the memoirs on our blog, we can publish a book! Publisher: SNT Press. Editor: Zainul Arifin aka Eno.
Err my imagination running wild...but it's a nice thought though. Certainly doable kan??
Sorry that's NST Press (above)
Azizi & All,
I second the motion...
Yup. With royalties. The proceed from the royalties of which, I propose to be allocated to SMTSP citizens or the buildings.
Aizuddin
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