Cambodia 2009
Hello from Cambodia (while I'm still here).
The month has gone by pretty fast. I left on the 28th of January and leaving here on the 26th of February and now's the 21st already.
We touched down Phnom Penh where we (See Lian, Keane, Desmond, Jessica, Christine and myself) stayed at Steve Hyde's place which look like a palace full of Mahogany goodness. Not to mention the hospitality and kindness they showed us when we're there. He brought us to his office to show us quite abit of their bible translation programs and workers there. After 2 days, we left for Kratie which is pronounce as (Cra-che) on a bus.
We stayed at the centre where all the kids are with ps. Saret and wife (Tida). There we met Dan and Heidi (the two American's who came along with another girl Elizabeth as soon as Reuben and I left). Elizabeth went back to the States while Dan and Heidi stayed back to teach the children English and Typing. The centre is very beautiful compared to the rest of Kratie. The children planted lots of vegetable in the centre along with Dan and Heidi so we get our very own freshly grown vegetables some times.
I was so pleased and excited to see the kids fervently worshipping God with all their hearts. They certainly improved so much that I ended up teaching them what I taught myself 3 years ago (the last time I came with Reuben) and am still learning now in Cambodia. We bought a guitar from Phnom Penh to be given to the centre for the kids too. It can be quite tiring teaching the same lesson over and over again because I have to conduct a few classes as the kids are not all around at once but thank God for Heidi as she knew Khemai and some guitar too and was able to assist in the teaching and eventually, teach the kids herself. She bore the burden of teaching the kids more as she has to interpret and explain further.
Speaking about interpreting, the kids know a fair ammount of English already, thanks to Heidi and Dan for teaching them and just being around. They took lessons to learn Khemai starting from kindergarden Khemai books. Their love and grace enabled them to have the patience and love for the kids and the nation of Cambodia to learn their language, eat their food and sleep on mats.
Heidi bought a violin and it's a good one for 50 Dollars including the case. Really tempting me to get one myself. I might get one if I find a good one in Phnom Penh which I will be going on Tuesday 24th. I think there may be room for worship in music in church to incorporate the violin. Hmmmm.... I guess I can explore for 50 dollars.
Now, I can't wait to get back to the comforts of Malaysia. I would really miss the dryness in Cambodia. Although it's really hot now, and I get all sweaty at night and sleeping while you're sweaty isn't exactly the best thing in the world. But when it's cool and cold during the month of January, it's so cold and niceee... Something equivalent to Fraser's Hill.
Anyway, this is for you Michelle. LOL~~!! I just saw your comment on my previous post and thought, yeah, why not write about the experience here. So here it is. The kids can play drums, bass, acoustic guitar, some electric guitar, and some keyboard. They can play Santana's songs!
I made a kid cry. LOL~! I love him so much. He's 17 this year and I wasn't scolding him or anything. But I think the pressure was too much. Poor kid. I really love him as my own. Wish I could smuggle some kids back to Malaysia with me. Their all so nice and loving and kind. Some more than others but they all have such good hearts.
Oh well, that's it for now. Be back soon.
Invitation to Somo
Hey everyone,
Just did my second acoustic gig at Somo with my good singer friend Afdiza, Mount Kiara (Next to Coffee Bean, Next to Baskin Robins, opposite Sun Rise / McDonalds).
It went well this time. Better sound mix overall compared to the first time we performed there and better response also. yey!
Had this opportunity to perform there coz of our "manager - Sherry" who writes for Seventeen Magazine (obviously not 17 years old). She got us (me and diza) the job.
Do come by if you're interested. Appreciate the support. =)
Dream @ work
I have an idea of what I want life to be like.
Hopefully getting a 9-5 job and a steady income monthly and have a harmonious family.
But one idea keep coming back to me from people around me and I'm starting to consider it as well. Not too sure how feasible it is, but I think I can see a blue print for now.
Teaching Acoustic Guitar.It is a passion of mine to teach something that I'm passionate about, acoustic guitars. The definition of an acoustic guitar is a hollow guitar with steel strings and the last 4 strings are coated with bronze. Semi-acoustic are those with pick-ups installed to be plugged in to amplify the guitar sound.
I've been playing guitars for the past 6 years and was wondering whether are there people outside who are interested to play:
1.
Songs - This includes chords mainly. Yes, you don't have to know how to read notes to play a song. One can strum chords and read tabs to do so (I find this the easiest and more interesting way to begin learning guitar. Yes, your pretty fingers will begin to hurt depending on the amount of practice you put in). You can opt to read notes as well. I can teach Gred 1 classical guitar. =D
2.
Fingerstyle/plucking - A wide range of guitar dynamics can be expressed through fingerstyle.
3.
For fun/personal pleasure4.
Performing - This is mainly playing and singing or playing for a singer or band.
5.
Worship - Leading worship with the guitar or playing for the church band.
For nowIt will probably start in my house or I'll start by traveling to my students house around P.J. for now. Which is fine. But hopefully in a year or two I may be able to get a base of students an a place to teach and sell guitars etc. Yes, you guessed, like a music shop.
And yes, like all parent's concern, and so is my concern, which is to finish my studies first. Currently a little busy with my dissertation for my final semester doing a
Degree in Business Management Majoring in Marketing zzzzzz. Man! I would rather do a
Degree in Ownage Guitaring Masterclass for Uber genius!!Of course even if there is such a thing, I'll probably fail or get kicked out or both, after the first class. For those who want to know about me, (those few)... I'll be finishing my little degree
in January...Further in the FutureAlso planning to target surrounding churches to have worship courses to teach/ground existing/future musicians in the worship band to firstly know the heart of God/worship and to play the guitar in a worship in song setting (and maybe to lead worship in song).
And to maybe go to smaller towns around Malaysia to conduct guitar workshops for the guitarist in those churches around Malaysia, probably with smaller churches that we can keep in relationship with and keep coming back and help in anyway we can.
Hopefully I can send some of my students to teach with me and down the road to conduct clinics by themselves to help the poorer churches around. (Maybe persecution may come more strongly and evidently then ;D I'm NOT prophesying. Don't shoot me!!)
Materials
I also want to come out with my own material to be used for my classes as well as combining materials from other good books that are relevant to conduct my classes. As for now, I teach according to what the students want to learn, ie Cool songs! emo songs, church songs, kiddy songs, RAWK songs, and all sorts of easy to advance fingerstyle technique in all those songs.
My students are from 9 years old, YES Keane, that's YOU I'm talking about, and my previous student age around 40++? Basically, there's no age limit when you.... no no, there IS an age limit as I'm not specialize to teach 1/2 month old baby or 92 years old granny when their fingers aren't really steady and firm to press on those semi-hard steel, bronze coated strings yea... yea...
Job Offer - Materials
I just went to Guitar Store yesterday the one in Hartamas and they offered me a job to be a guitar teacher there to teach acoustic guitar. I went in there (as usual trying to play some really good guitars only to 'crave' owning one myself) and picked up a "Farida" (a not so expensive and impressive piece of wood) and plugged it into an AER amp (an amplifier that's the best in the world for acoustic guitars) and played a few finger style pieces to tease myself with my limited skills before a gig in lepaq in Hartamas. After playing a few minutes, I'm off to eat dinner with Huey, so I handed the guitar back to "Lee" the guy that sold Kevin's guitar to Kevin... Yeah, that makes sense. And then he commented on my playing and ask if I wanted a job. In my heart I was like "ALRIGHTZ! Some one recognize UBER authentic rare talent!!" mmm.... Only to find out they just lack in guitar teachers *ego crushed, brought back to reality*. So I filled in some form and left.
Oh yea, the purpose of me telling you this story is so that I can comment on their material! yes! Getting to the point, they told me that I must follow strictly to their "materials" and Lady: "anything other than that you are free to do ie like using your phone to record video of me playing so students won't forget what they've just learn when they go home". By materials I mean books that, Same Lady: "we don't really have much acoustic guitar material as well, but you must follow our materials..." ???? Alright?? Basically all students are instructed to buy those books as material from Guitar Store when they opt to learn from the company. And I've yet to look at their materials but I can kinda guess it might be very stiff and not very fluid as other acoustic guitar materials I've seen before.
So with this understanding, I feel compelled to write my own materials where I find it relevant to what I teach my students. I suppose I'll drag-n-drop stuff from various books (with careful thought of copyright laws) to aid my materials. This is quite far in the future assuming that all goes well. And then I can also give the materials to other churches that will hopefully aid their guitarist if they have one.
Oh well, small plans, small dreams... It may just all be a dream after all. Which is fine. A man's allowed to dream yea?
For now the fees are:
Fees RM100 monthly - 45 minutes per lesson, 4 x a month
Location - For now I travel to my student's house. Next time hopefully I'll base myself some where.
Subject - Acoustic Guitar - This includes basic to intermediate strumming technique and fingerstlye (in other words, plucking). Yes, Chords are included. xD
Crash course - RM25 per lesson - up to 3 times a week (Mainly for students who are having year end holidays of breaks for a month or more). Not as effective but still workable.
Because behind everything that we do on the outside, the more important thing is the reason behind all that we do in the inside.
Personal Lessons of Love
Love endures when you don't feel like loving.
Love is being patient.
Love is not just a feeling or emotion.
Love is being gentle when others around you are harsh at you.
Love is a commitment.
Love is taking shit when some times you don't deserve it but you choose to look at the bigger picture beyond yourself.
Love is defending your friend when your friend is being bad mouthed by people.
Love is (sometimes) taking a stranger into your car when it's quite a dangerous thing to do but you choose to do it anyway because Kenneth was there with you to help the stanger find her way home.
Love is sending the blind man back to his house at night.
Love is helping a stanger man to the hospital when it's the most inconvenient thing to do at the middle of the night - and following up on his heath the next day and the next week.
Love is reflected in the life of Jesus.
Love in action is seen on the cross.
Love is sincerely caring for people not just for the fame of being praised or looked at.
Love is best exercised in the quiet places where no one notices.
Love is from Him, through you, to others.
Love is one of the simplest theory but hardest to execute and requires the most of you - [for some one else].
Joshua T.
January 2008
Time to deliver.
Season of Change
This is surely a season of change.
Time to grow and learn from pains and hardship.
Time to trust God that His plans are good.
There is time for everything.
And now is the time to put faith into actions.
