Back in 2014 when I first started teaching, I had no idea what to do. Sure, we received 4 days of TA training before school started but there is so much more to teaching that you could not pre-empt for. I was probably using a position of authority to conceal my fears and weaknesses. As a result, my first mid-semester evaluations were harsh and I ( Read more... )

Hurrah! I passed my written with only minor reservations! Praise God for that, truly none of this would have been possible without God's grace and mercy. DL's patience and faithfulness in dealing with my high-strung emotions throughout this period was certainly helpful. Even though I always knew that I will not fail, it was reassuring to receive ( Read more... )

By God's grace, I made it through the submission of the written and the outcome is out tomorrow. I surely know that I have work to do but I do not think that I will fail. And now, I am just focused on reading papers and thinking of ideas for my oral. Generating ideas has always been my weakest link and it is time to take the bull by its horns. Time ( Read more... )

Today is D-5 day to the submission of my written preliminary examinations. I have been in the high-strung stressed out mode for the past 1 - 2 months. Every waking moment aside from teaching seem to be one of frantic writing in front of the laptop. The greeting statement that I get from people these days seem to be 'You look exhausted/stressed' ( Read more... )

I have witnessed my first baptism service in Maranatha yesterday when one of my friend made the decision to go for one, just before he leaves the USA for good and return to Malaysia. Because MCF is a small church, the entire event was very unlike BBTC's, this was small, intimate and powerful. The baptism service was conducted after the regular ( Read more... )

It has been 366 days since I said "I do" and what a ride it has been. I might not have the purest of reasons agreeing to go for baptism, but he has remained faithful and loving, bringing me on adventures that I have never imagined in my wildest dreams. Here I am typing this post in the mid-winter of Minnesota experiencing new things every day ( Read more... )

Before I knew it, one semester has passed by in the blink of an eye and 2014 is about to close. More importantly now that I have chosen an advisor, I need to start getting serious. It is time for me to start taking responsibility of my own career.
I very well know that in my career I would need to keep up with literature and read widely to generate ( Read more... )

I always feel that there is a magical,, special, tingling feeling originating from within annually on this day. Happy birthday to me :) My first birthday in Minneapolis.

Being a student once again meant being poor :( Even though I have left the student lifestyle only 2 years ago, this time round it certainly felt different. Back at home, I did not have to worry about paying a rent, buying groceries and even paying school administration fees, my parents paid them all for me. I got a scare today when I saw that I had ( Read more... )