A Wee`Bit of Me

Lose Some, Get Some

You know what they say about always to thinking positively towards things and everything in life. I've watched Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret" and browsing its website (haven't start to read the book), and that the most of it. Gratitude and Positive Thinking. Before that I've been trying to see my illness from different side of angle...

These are -some of it- what I found....

1. I'm not losing hair that much.

It is also because I don't have to get through chemotherapy like other cancer patient. My tumor grows from the nerves, and they've decided not to take chemo-treatment because it will affect me so much. Chemotherapy will drop your stamina into the lowest level and, of course, makes you lose your hair. I lose some of my hair, and it keeps thining but I don't go bald. It can be pretty scary once you really find bunch of your hair laying on your head pillow (like I did), and everytime you comb your hair....

2. I get to travel around.

Okay, this might sound silly. But I do got chances to go to China for the 1st time because of my treatment. ALthough it was a grueling treatment, which I have to stayed in the hospital, but after that I got chances to go places for few days and my Mom and I met my grand-uncle (my Grandma's brother--My Mom haven't see him for almost 50 years!). Added to it, I also got chances to go to Penang, Malaysia for several times. Next destination (if this treatment's not working): Japan! (of course I have to save money for that....)

3. I got new friends.

I got new extended family from over the world, the patient and family that were staying in the same hospital. :) They are making me stronger with their stories and life....

4. My Insomnia "cured".

Okay, not exactly "cured". It is because I have a bunch of medicine that can makes me fall asleep almost everytime during bright or night! .... Boozeddd and Doozeddd.......

5. I feel special.

For having this and many things happening in my life? Definitely!

6. ....

7. ...

I will add more to it later... any idea?

::Counting Blessing::... Volunteer Teacher - Guru Sukwan...

I read about this in the daily paper, yesterday.

An article about Volunteer Teachers in Indonesia, called "Guru Sukwan". I'm not sure why they called it "Sukwan", maybe they just make it short from what it supposed to be: "Sukarelawan" (which is mean Volunteer in Bahasa Indonesia, Guru=Teacher).

"Guru Sukwan" usually dutied to teach in suburban or very rural area in Indonesia. Looking at the picture from the daily paper, I can see that the school building are not in very good condition. They are lucky to have half of broken roof to cover them from direct sunlight or rainy day. One school only got One teacher.

It was said that  "Guru Sukwan" doesn't even get paid to teach everyday. What do they get is a total combined money from parents (who apparently poor) around Rp. 100.000,- per month (around USD 10). If they were lucky, they'll get around Rp. 300.000,- per month (around USD 30). While to pay home bill and daily life will cause them more than that.

Unlike First-World country,  we don't have 401K Plan or Pension Plan, unless we have enough money to pay the plan on our own. One way to get the pension plan is by getting hired to work as government employee.

One of the "Guru Sukwan" even have to work 12 years, till she can get Rp. 1.200.000,- per month (USD 120) as salary. Others have to work part time as construction workers during the night. Yet, according to the daily paper, we still need 89.000 teachers just around West Java Area. 

Well, the picture showed below, speak more than what we see.

My "Mother Teresa" syndrome, again, smack me in the head....

What do you think?

(read more on http://kompas.co.id/kompascetak/read.php?cnt=.xml.2008.04.10.00415681&channel=2&mn=154&idx=154, pic taken from the same link)