It has been such a long time that I have not updated this blog of mine. So much paper work. The never-ending number of theses to be read as an external and internal examiner. As soon as I completed, then another arrived... Postgrads to supervise and to stand in during their vivas…
Pressures of living up to be an academic in a university chosen to spearhead the APEX programme is really taking its toll…And most recently, we thought that ever since USM has been upgraded to APEX status (for information on this, it is here and here) then the number of undergraduates would be reduced. That was what we thought..until last week. The new enrolment in September 2011/2012 session for our school (School Electrical & Electronic Engineering – NOT other schools) would be at least 200! Horror! That would be just like the small creeks Down Under bursting at their brims and river banks – hence the devastations and floodings…How could and should people like us in the department keep up? We would be stretched to the limits. God forbid, please…
Just recently, I had 1 more Ph.D student registering under my wings – I could not remember agreeing to this in the first place. While in a state of blurriness, another one showed up at my office doorstep, showing me his registration letter as yet another of my student….But of course, it is not always grey skies. Once in a while, it is so heartening when you supervise students from Palestine especially – with their good manners and sincere prayers (doa) for Allah's blessings bestowed upon their supervisors whenever we try to help as best we can…(will share some of these stories later…)
And so, when a group of young girls (from various colleges around Tg. Malim, Banting, Shah Alam and KL) decided to come over up north for a little bit of sharing and to spend the night filled with spiritual and motivational activities – one of the initiatives under IKRAM (formerly known as JIM), I was thrilled. They were more than welcomed to my humble abode in Ipoh. All 30 of them will be flying off to Germany, Ireland and Australia (doing Engineering, Medicine and Biotech) as early as July, as late as January 2012.
I was glad too that an ole' friend of mine, Yati could also spare some time with us over the weekend. We had such wonderful moments, sharing our past, more than 30 years’ of experiences in the UK (I was in Sheffield while Yati was in Cardiff). The good and not so good ones..The good ones – for them to emulate, the not so good ones – hopefully these new breed would be wary of…
The whole bunch of girls had some morning activities..some tazkirah (reminders presented in a chicken soup for the soul kind of way..using the multi media - these young folks of today are ever so creative, I learnt something new then and there...) and I shared my motivational talk which I usually do share with my own first year students once in a while. About focusing on their target and never to lose sight of their goals, about the true meaning of success and the roadmap towards it, about discovering their full potential and then harnessing their talents….Most important thing of all is that both Yati and I stressed the importance of remembering the sacrifices of our elderly parents and kins, about preserving our own identity as Muslims and our faith – to safeguard them as precious pearls – especially out there where ‘prying hands’ are always everywhere trying to take it away from our hearts…
I have uploaded these pictures here so that these young girls will always remember the good moments that we shared together…I pray that they will accomplish all their dreams..and may Allah bestow upon them success and make things easy for them in their pursuit for knowledge…Amin.
PS. I thank my other half for making all the necessary arrangements for the instant meals (tea break, dinner and breakfast) that he purchased from the eateries around our place. In so doing, our weekend programme went smoothly without a hitch…My gratefulness to Mumtaz of UTP and Ain Nasim for making this possible. Thank you for giving us this opportunity to sow some seeds of goodness…May Allah accept our good deeds..Amin…
