THE GOOD OLD DAYS

Teaching at LIA Pramuka is really beyond my reach now. Not only because it is geographically far from where I live and work, but also because I have 1001 reasons why I decided to postpone teaching English--at least for the time being.

LIA Pramuka is indeed a memorable place. The place has changed too much though--broken windows that create water cascade, late lunch because Ibu Yati has no more competitors, smelly mushola caused by the wet carpet due to the leaking windows and ceiling. But one thing I really cannot bear with is the fact that the branch management decided to lock the big window at the ladies' restroom. Oh, it was the spot where I marked my territory! Not that I used to pee by the window, NO! Do I look like a cat or a dog to you? Well... my Chinese zodiac is dog but... anyway... From THAT window I used to observe how the mi ayam and bakso sellers prepared their stuff. I used to enjoy looking at people strolling peacefully along Jl. Pengayoman. Houses lining up. Yellow flowers blooming. What a view. I always wanted to take a picture of that, but I kept postponing and... the moment is gone.

Oh, and I also miss being one of the teachers. I mean REALLY being one of them. Now that I'm part of the test and materials writers, people's perspective has changed as well. Only a few people can talk to me for quite some time without attacking my guilty conscious: protesting every single thing printed in LIA books and tests. I miss Kampret. I miss my locker (filling it up with realias, coffee and pingpong bat was really something!). I even miss class observations!!! I miss all the craziness and togetherness in the teachers' room, in the pantry, and... toilet.

I also miss my lovely (some are) students. One of them is a teacher now :) , another appeared on Empat Mata (well she wasn't really a good student, no wonder she has to wear skimpy outfit to make ends meet :( , but the gang who's still in touch with me up to now is my Intermediate 4. It was somebody else's class, given to me because the students were considered a little wild. Well, Allah permitted me to tame them and we became friends (and now cyber pals).

Meski terkadang pesona keindahan masa lalu tidak seindah kenyataan ketika masa itu sedang berlangsung aku tetap rindu LIA Pramuka. Ah, mungkin memang sifat dasar manusia... gak mau lepas sama masa lalu.

BTW, sblom recording trakhir gw mampir k ruang guru LIA Pramuka n ktmu Lela. Trus dosq kasi unjuk undangan outing di era keemasan Kampret dulu, gw nyaris meleleh, sumpah!!!

Oh, the good old days. I miss them like a cat misses a warm blanket on a rainy day.