I remember

Today is the first day of school, yes, but cold, wet Thursday back to school 2008 for the children in Kuantan. Rained! Puterihanglipoh remembered her early primary school days. I too studied in CHIJ Melaka from kindergarten till Form 5. I remember how we had to walk, in twos, from the Convent primary to another building(a chapel) somewhere near the junction Banda Hilir and Praya Lane to our kindergarten. Then during primary school years, I was in the express class too. I missed Std. 2. I remember too how one of the nuns, Sr St Nunis, I think, used to ask me to bring veils from my bapak's shop for the orphans. Our bapak's shop also produced embroidered veils, sewn by one of the men workers using a special sewing machine. The Catholic ladies and girls wore these pretty white veils during their prayers. I remember whenever Mother Superior came to visit the school, I would be chosen as one of the flower girls, like bridesmaid lah, welcoming her. I remember too doing the Scottish dance, with the famous checkered box pleated skirt and a sash. My dancing partner would be Chan Swee Lan (wonder where she is ) Whether on stage for concert during Parents' Day or on the field during Sports Day, I would be hopping, skipping, side-side, doe-she-doe, turn your partner with my friends, the dancing girls, to the famous Scottish dance songs. I remember my Std 5 class was across the road, that was in the CHIJ Secondary building, because there was not enough classroom in the primary school building. So we had the chance to mix with the super, super seniors. I remember being a model. My darling sister, Miss Nazli Abbas, was in her apron (she sewed this as class project) holding her small sister's hand who was wearing a pretty small print flowered pink frock. She sewed the frock as her needlework project too. (such talent she has)! So she and some of her friends had to parade their master piece round the school hall. I remember too using my first glasses when I was in primary 6. Each time the teacher wrote on the blackboard I had to squint my eyes. Her writing was soooo small. What else do I remember during my primary school days? My first Kad Pengenalan? Well. a special photographer would take all the twelve year old girls picture. Each one of us had to stand against the wall to have our IC pic taken. Of course, I remember some of my teachers -my kindergarten teacher, Mrs Woodford, Std 1 teacher, Miss Tan, Std 4 was Miss Kessler, Std 5- Miss Sheila Holloway (Mrs Gan), Std 6 was an Indian lady teacher. I remember too some of my classmate's name such as Jennifer Roe, Yvette Thomas, Shirley Lee,Susan Tan, Chan Yong Mui etc. And whenever I fetched Amal and Iman from school, I can still remember,my former classes, the school canteen, the school hall,the school office, all nooks and corners of CHIJ Primary, the building still the same(except for the Summer House, by the sea, is now by the road) But I can't remember my first day in school in Std One!

Std One.....look @ my skirt!