Program Institute & Comprehensive Exam

Graduation Graphics

Obviously, for an M.Ed student like me, the Program Institute is really helpful this time.

The Indian cuisine is yummy; the instructors and those who tool the exam are nice and willing to provide lots of tips for preparing and writing comps. We have some thorough discussion on the sample questions that may appear in comps; we now know more details about how a comps will be like and its general procedure. We now know roughly how much we should write in a comps, how we can write it, and how much time we have in writing comps...

What I have from the Program Institute is more than the aforementioned, though. It makes me realize how far I fall behind if I want to pass the comps with a satisfying grade. Technically, this is not true, as we will only get feedback such as suggestions for revision, pass, or failed, but not the exact marks. Reading and discussing the sample question make me realize I am really poor at critical thinking, reasoning / defending / justifying my position. I don't know how to interpret the question, nor do I know how to set the context for me to compose the content. Worse than that, I can hardly relate all the readings I used to read with the question. These will definately weaken my statement afterwards. Also, I have huge room for improvement regarding my English writing...

During the session I actually start to think what I can do to prepare the comps. I wanna take advantage of this blog to imrpove my English writing skills. It would be better if I can find someone to review my composition then or to have similar writing training with me so that we can encourage and monitor each other. The idea of forming a study group for reading the assigned readings and training for reasoning also comes to my mind. Yet I am not sure if I can make it or not. It is reasonable that I think of forming a study group, 'cause I had similar experience before. It's just that different cultures in different contry and different demands that may matter if I can establish this group. Oh, my determination also matters, for sure.

I think I may have these "brilliant(?)" ideas, yet what's more important is that whether or not I can realize them step by step. Currently I am busy with this semester and might not have so much extra time and efforts. I hope I can start to realize them once this semester finishes. Let's see how far I can go. I hope it's more than 85%. We'll see.

This is the PROMISE to myself.

Procrastinator as I am

Or maybe it is because I lose my passion and direction toward future again.

Not so clear how I feel right at this moment. Only to know that I was so inefficient during the past two days, spending almost all day long sitting in front of my Toshiba laptop and working on Flash, which is so challenging to me that I don't know if I can make it on my assignment...

So true that last week I was so diligent in getting everything done, effieciently and in a well-organized way. Seems that I was way too hard last week so that I feel kind of exhausted right now...So true that people do need to take a break once in a while to move forward...right?

How much I hope myself can be back to normal, mentally and physically. Minimize as much negative feeling and procrastination and bewilderment as possible. Can I? On my Plurk the title is "construct a future I envision," yet I'm not sure what I envion for...Very often I told myself I can only move forward while keeping learning and failing and correcting at the same time...Maybe what I encounter now is nothing but the periodical depression...

Yes they must be periodical depression and I shall not be defeated by it.

My Strong Yonger Sister

Annie is my younger sister. She is two years old younger than me. However, most of the time, she turns out to be more matured and stronger than I am.

Like during the past several weeks, my father was hopspitalized due to serious cellulitis, diabetes, and sort of hypertension. He underwent three surgery, one of which is amputation. There are only Father, Mother, me, and Annie in our family, and now I study in Canada. Both Annie and Mother have full time job, accountant in an accounting company and restaurant accountant, respectively. Since Father was hospitalized, both of them have to take turns to take care of Father in hospital, which also means that both of them need to take days-off from company frequently recently. During the past several years, quarrels between Mather and Father were of high frequency, which is too complicated a thing that I don't want to talk now. Due to the past dispute and lack of money, Mother needs to work and is not willing to take too many days-off to take care of Father, which leaves two-thirds (maybe) of responsibility of taking care of Father to Annie. I don't blame any of them, for I am the one who should be blamed most, since I am abroad and cannot take even a look at Father.

Seems too detailed concerning the whole situation. Anyway, I just want to say thank you to all my family menmbers and God. At the same time, I also want to let you know how strong my Annie is. Very often when we two go window shopping and encountered with some friends, they regard Annie as elder sister and me as younger one. Annie is good at taking care of others, though sometimes she is really unwilling to do so. However, she is really nice, tender, and thoughtful. She cares everyone but herself.

So I, as her elder sister, will protect her, forever and ever.

Amputation the Result

So it is, the amputation.

Don't know what to respond when hearing such bad news from Mom, for I was totally blank then. They didn't tell me before the amputation, which, I suppose, was because they didn't want me to worry about it. Several days ago when I lain on the bed and prepared to sleep, all of sudden I thought of Father, who was amputated then. How would he feel when he realized the amputation is unavoidable? How will he feel when he is faced with being physically-challenged? How to habdle the daily routines that used to be a piece of cake to him?

I tried to put myself in Father's shoes, discovering that I had little tears in my eyes.

Don't know what to say about such result. Were it be checked and treated by docotors earlier, maybe things would have been different. Were it not for the stubbornness and superstition deep-rooted in Father's mind, were it not for the timely care we family members can provide with, how different the result we can expect?

Whatever, it is too late to regret. ALL I HOPE is that all of us can learn from so pricey a lesson.

Hope to Get Better Soon

My father was sick and now stays in hospital. According to doctors' check, it's diabetes, serious cellulitis, and a little hypertension. He underwent surgery that cleaned his wound several days ago. However, he will undergo another surgery these days for the doctor said the wound (of cellulitis) is so serious that the second treatment is needed. If the second surgey still cannot get rid of the pustule from Father's wound, then an amputation surgery is likely needed...

Hope everything will be fine with my father. (though our relationship is not good...)

Hope Mother and younger sister can be fine as well. Both of them must be exhausted recently, for they have to take care of Father and their job at the same time, which is never easy for common people, not to mention their job is full-time and they are all females. I'm really sorry for not being able to help even a little...

Also hope that I can catch up with the scheduled progress quickly. It's October now and mid of the term. I promise to start with my final thesis and project during this month, but so far it turned out to be a huge lag for me. How to design the learning tool? How to build a social-learning website with Dreamweaver? How to write the thesis? Why am I so serious a procrastinator?

Hope everything will get BETTER SOON.

Do not hesitate and stop complaining, for you don't have the luxury.

Well, then, just GO FOR IT.

Depression again

Don’t know why I felt so tired today. Seems everything I assumed getting better is starting to become bad again. Am I too optimistic and taking everything not serious enough? Or is it really because I take too many courses? The nightmare that I forgot to pay attention to class schedule keeps bombarding me, and I don’t know how to deal with it, not to mention cheering up, facing the music, and fighting with all the challenges.

While I was overjoyed by the phenomenon that I seem to be able to get adapted and catch up with the schedule gradually, all of a sudden it occurred to me that how time really flies—all of the final projects of the courses I attend this term are by no means far away from me at all. They are INDEED just around the corner!!!!

No more words. Instead, keep alert, keep diligent, and most important of all, keep FIGHTING!!!!

Here I am! SFU!

A little bit late, though. But still better late than never!

This blog is to keep track of my study in SFU and life in Vancouver, courses, feelings, experiences, insights, so on and so forth. Sharpening my English writing can be the added value as well.

Here are things that you might want to know from me:

Angela Liao (Liao, Ying-Chu in Chinese)
Pursuing Master degree in Simon Fraser University, Vancouver
Enrolled in the Program of M.Ed of Educational Technology and Learning Design

Career plan?
No need to mention now, I guess. I just want to earn my master degree A.S.A.P. and devote myself to those really in need. My belief is that only when people's basic needs is met can they seek self-actulization. So I will put myself into meeting people's basic needs.

Yes, I'm kind of being persuaded by the culture of curriculum that education is to train for work and life.