The Beautiful Tree

Picking the book from the library's bookshelves, I was first attracted by the title. "The Beautiful Tree". Wait a minute, who is the author? James Tooley!!! Isn't he the author of the award winning essay a few years back that really impressed me for its new perspective on education for the less economically endowned group? I must read this.

"The Beautiful Tree: A personal journey into how the World's Poorest people are Educating Themselves" is a perspective book. It challenges the normal conceptions and pre-conceptions that development experts have on how to increase accessibility of education to the poor. It challenges that this can only be done through much more aid and getting more educated teachers into the public schools. The book shows that a possible way is private schools for the poor.

The book is insightful and sets you thinking. Is development really better by following blindly the route of the developed countries where not only are there cultural differences, the society framework may be different? Who knows better? Development experts from developed countries who may not understand the lives of the poor and just proclaim their developed path is the only path or the poor who are facing the issue everyday? More efforts can be made to understand the lives that the poor lead and find solutions that will work in their society framework. We certainly have a lot to learn about and from them.

I am on wireless now!

Wow so happy! :) Previously I am subscribing to two internet plans, mobile broadband and home broadband so that other family members can use internet (the mobile one) should they want to use since the home broadband device is in my room. The mobile one has been very under-used, once a month etc. Now not only can I save money, others can use the wireless broadband which is also at faster speed since is tied to the home broadband! :)

Also waiting for the National day promotions to maybe upgrade the broadband speed further. Think the telcos often roll out good promotions during National Day....3 more weeks.....

Melbourne Library

The library in Melbourne. Cosy and Clean, just like my favorite library, Jurong East Library. Nice, I like it! :)

Gifts

Recently went to a trip to Melbourne. These are all my achievements! :) Spent quite a bit of time getting them. Mostly for my nieces and nephews (8 of them). Some for parent & sisters and snacks for friends.

Can be quite a headache the choice of gift. Especially to balance usability and aesthetics. I was cracking my head, thinking about what I should get for them. Combing Swanston Street up and down. And for myself, I bought a lanolin lip balm for my cracked dry lips and manuka honey.

Deep in thoughts

Wearing the ez-link card over my neck, I waited for the bus. My mind on the many happenings in office that day. I saw my bus and boarded it, choosing a seat at the back of the bus. I was the lone person who boarded the almost full bus at that bus stop.

Strangely after a while, the bus seemed not to have move. I then noticed the bus driver walking towards me. He said loudly " I think you have forgotten to tap your card." I was hmmm.... embarassed. I stood up, apologizing and walked forward to the bus stop to tap my card. I walked back, laughing at my forgetfulness. I could hear some passengers talking about the episode. Brushing it aside, I soon settled back into my original seat.

The whole episode took maybe 5 minutes but I think the bus driver handled it very well. From his tone, he did not give me a feeling that he think I tried to take a free ride. He has managed to perform his duty, getting the errant passenger to tap her card. It was an embarassing incident though.