Kirsten's 2nd Week of School

This week the Kindergarten class is split into Morning (starts 9 am) & Afternoon (starts 1 pm) session. Kirsten was registered in the morning class. This arrangement was so that the kids get the feel of what school is all about & gradually the class session will increase. On Monday & Tuesday it was a 1 hr session, Wed was 1 and half hours and Thursday & Friday was 2 hrs session. On Wed Recess was introduce & we prepared some snacks for Kirsten to have at school. During Recess kids are ask to have 15 mins of snack & play time outside the class. This is true for all kids in other Grades as well.

Kirsten's class teacher seems to be very well organize & nice too. She gets every kids to recognize their name cards & place it on the attendance board before the class starts. Then she gets them to sit on the carpet area & wait for the others before starting to sing a song. When heading home time, she will get the kids to clean up all the toys together followed by getting the backpack & jackets on while lining up. Then one by one student in the queue she will ask the child if there are anyone picking he/she up .... else he/she has to stand aside & wait for the guardian to pick the child up. The reason I said she was well organize cause I didn't see the other classes doing this routine. In total there are 4 Kindergarten class in the school & roughly abt 20 students in each class.

Next week all the students will attend the morning class & gradually increase the class session.... from 9 to 12 pm then 9 to 1 pm then 9 to 2 pm & finally 9 to 3 pm. Moreover, all student will be introduce to Lunch at 12 pm on next Tuesday ... it will be a 30 mins Lunch & 30 mins play time outside. All K-class student will be wearing a Purple Vest as a safety precaution so that the teachers & other Grade's kids will keep a look out for any of them who wander away from the group.

One thing we found out while at Kirsten's school is that they do not have textbooks that we used to lug all the way to school during our Primary days in Malaysia .... here the learning session is more lively for all Grade 1 to 7. Teacher regularly bring the kids out of the classroom to learn about stuff .... & more interactive sort of learning .... not like the old method of teacher at the front of the board teaching & kids on their tables listening. Kids here really have a better life ... & better learning environment.

Kirsten's 1st week of School ...

Basically the 1st week of school is more of an introductory & no classes was held. On the 1st day (7th Sept), we went to the school at abt 10:15 am & was to assembled in the GYM. The Principal of the school gave us a Welcome Speech & then got us to register for the time for the Classroom Visit which was yesterday & the Parents Interview which happened today.

Classroom Visit on 8th Sept 1pm

We brought Kayden along to Kirsten's School for the Class Room visit. At the beginning the teacher (Mrs. Ellis) requested all the kids to sit in a circle on the carpet while she took out a Apple Pictured Cards with individual student's name written on them. By coincidence Kayden was also sitting on the carpet with the other new student. Then the teacher begin to pronounce each name that was written in the Apple Picture Cards ... Kirsten quickly acknowledge her name when it was called.

To our amusement, Kayden waited patiently for his name & when the teacher was done.... he turned over & told us "Missing My Name !!" ... then when the teacher re-counted the number of kids on the carpet & the name Pictured Card place side by side on the floor & realised 2 more name Pictured card is not in place. When she look around & ask Kayden ... "Are you sure you are in Kindergarten ?? Or you are somebody's little brother ??" ... Kayden quickly stood up & cling on to his MUM's leg & broke into tears. The teacher was shock by his reaction ... hence ask him to join & wrote his name in another Picture Card.

Then we started with singing some songs ... which it is Kirsten's turn to broke in to tears ... she was upset because she doesn't know the songs & refuse to dance N sing along. Next the teacher took the name cards out individually & ask each student which activities (Painting, Drawing, Lego, Straws, Logs, Train, Blocks) they wanted to play ... Kirsten was 1st up & she chose Painting while Kayden chose the Train. While all the student was doing the activities, the teacher made round to mingle with the Parents & Student .. when she reaches us .. she ask how old is Kayden & said that he is very Adorable.

After the activities ended, the teacher requested all the student the clean up & work together to put away the toys / building materials. Then they all sat down back on the carpet for a Story Telling session .. Finally, the teacher ended the 1 hour session with asking all the students which activity they like best .... again Kayden waited patiently for his name to be called ..... & when asked he shouted "TOO TOO TRAIN !!" ... which made everyone Burst into Laughter.

Family Interview on 9th Sept 10am

Today's family interview was short & swift. The teacher just ask a few question to Kirsten & she was a bit held back hence all her answer was short. Then the teacher ask us if we had any question regarding the school, classroom, schedule or anything. Then she collected the School Supplies with the help of Kayden & Kirsten by asking them to sort each stationaries into the correct Bin. Then we went back to the table & the teacher requested Kirsten to show her the Summer Memories stuff that she had brought along ... hence she showed teacher the Picture Collage of us @ Stanley Park which I made & also a Picture Kirsten drew herself regarding the things she saw @ Stanley Park. Finally, the teacher requested to take the picture of Kirsten but she just doesn't want too ... then the teacher ask if Kayden is to take picture as well... will she do it too ... she said NO again.... lastly the teacher ask her .. "If Daddy take it for you... is it ok?" then she submitted. While we are leaving ... the teacher made a joking remark ... "Can we get Kayden to join Kindergarten ? He seems ready"...

As for tomorrow's school activity there will be a Family Picnic @ the School Park which most likely we will not be there. Classes will officially start next week .... stay tuned for some updates then....

Sorry for the long winded story !!

SUMMER IS OVER !!

It has been a long while since I posted anything on the blog ..... today officially Summer is over as the temp plummeted to within the teens while it was always around 20++ degrees past week & the highest it went up to 30 degrees. Summer here is different from Malaysia as you can feel the HEAT & the scorching sun burning your skin ... whereas in Malaysia it is more HUMID & HOT. The UV here is very high as you can really feel the burn & your skin turn dark very quickly.

Fall has finally arrive today & to be so in the following weeks. Cool & Sunny days .... but what is dreadful about Vancouver is that it rains almost 70% of the time during Fall, Winter & Spring ...

Driving License Received ...

Yeah !! Just received my driving license today. Driving license here seems much more important than the PR card / Identity card ... most of the time when ask for identification, they will ask for driving licenses first. Hence there are also several security feature in it.

1) Picture with Signature below
2) Small hologram picture with Birth Year
3) Magnetic Strip at the back
4) 1D & 2D Barcode at the back
5) Hologram Sticker of the BC logo at the back



My wife says my picture on the driving license looks like a Wanted Criminal !!!

Road Test !!

YAHOO !!!!! I got my interim full fledge Class 5 Driving License today, I can now drive - the actual driving license will come by mail in 10 days. Normally, when you pass the Knowledge test you will be only allow to take the Class 7 Road Test which is a "N" license & the license has many limitation regarding passenger & stuff. Since I have a Malaysian license & have more than 2 years experience they allow me to skip the Class 7 & take the Class 5 right away.

At the beginning when I heard from the others that the Road Test here is difficult, I thought to myself that I'm gonna probably take the test 2-3 times before I pass. I was really happy I manage to PASS it with just 1 try .... although I did take about 7 driving lessons from a instructor. (i.e. each lesson is 2 hours & cost CAD 70)

Getting a driving license here really cost a BOMB !! The "Road Test" itself cost CAD 50 & since I do not have a car I need to rent my instructor's car which cost CAD 100. (this include 1 hr pre-test lesson & 1hr rental for the car to take the test) After I passed the test I need to pay another CAD 31 for the 2 years validity of my driving license. Nevertheless, I'm really delighted that I have PASS.

ps. Will go to Burnaby ICBC on Mon to pick up my Malaysian Driving License which was taken away by them when I pass my knowledge test.

Most memorable Interview.

Had a Face to Face interview today with the Director of Manufacturing of the hiring company, it was a new established & small company hence I believe they do not have HR personnel involved in the hiring process. I was sort of dumbfounded by most of the questions ask, this is because during my working experience most of the job description & knowledge needed was from another department / designated engineer's responsibility hence I have limited knowledge to the job description he mentioned. What astound me even further is that he made a remark ..... "Who trained you to become a Manufacturing Engineer ?" ... I didn't actually answer him & he was not looking for an answer either. Truthfully, nobody ever teaches me much on becoming a Manufacturing Engineer ... most of the stuff I know was self-taught & follow what the predecessor has done. After his remark I look back & realized I have been doing CRAP all these years.

Finally , the Director shared his 20+ experience in the Manufacturing & I was really impress with his experience and what he has done to achieve this position. I was not so much disheartened by his remarks or experience but it made me wanting to work under him even more & hopefully he can mentor me on this job. The only worry I had is that with my Crappy experience, will I be able to meet up to his EXPECTATION ???

Anyway, I will be knowing the outcome by the end of the week or is it by next week .... so FINGER CROSS !!

Volunteering Job

Just started the 1st day of my Volunteering Job here as a Senior's Computer Class Assistant. When you are looking for work here many people around will tell you about the infamous question by HR ...... 'Do You Have Canadian Experience ?'. Hence many new migrant will be pissed cause how are we ever gonna get Canadian Experience unless someone gives us a chance & hire us. To me... I'm not really pissed & I haven't encounter anyone from HR asking me that "YET" .... HR has the benefit of doubt because the references you gave maybe from your home country & difficult for them to check & they also wants you to know the way they work here in Canada .... "MORE LAID BACK" I presume.

Therefor, I opted to do volunteer jobs from speaking to other people here & some research on the Internet. By doing this you will show the potential employer that you are gaining "Canadian Experience" while giving back to the COMMUNITY which is the large part of life here. Young Kids here are being taught in school to participate in teamwork & community work .... this help establish a good base for them.

Another option to gain "Canadian Experience" is also by starting with a lower paying job i.e. work at a supermarket or departmental store ... which I have difficulty looking cause they do not usual post online & they wanted resume sometimes ... which I do not know how to make one .... do I tell them I have a degree? Shall I LIE about my experiences? (definitely NOT cause you lose all Reliability & Trustworthy if you do so). Just don't know where to start.

Hopefully, this Volunteer Job will all PAN out to be a good starting & help me build my creditability.