Creative Writing with Ms Wee

Buy My New Book!!!

2011-06-14T00:17:00.000-07:00

Buy My New Book!!!

Sypnosis:

Sylvia's mum, Marjorie, gives her an ugly wooden chest. That very night, Sylvia hears strange sounds and gets the shock of her life when she realises that the carvings on the chest have come alive. She befriends Tukty and his little family and is told that they have a condition that can only be cured by another little family that lives in another chest.

In this story, Sylvia goes through many adventures to find the other chest, while keeping Marjorie in the dark. Eventually, she manages to track down the other chest. There is an emotional reunion between the two little families who are related and used to belong to one chest. Then the search for the materials needed for the antidote begins.

Will Sylvia let Marjorie in on the secret and can they race against time to make the antidote and save the lives of Tuktu and his family?

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Nine Little People Who Lived In a Chest by Wee Su May can be bought in any MPH Bookstore in Malaysia and Singapore at RM29.90.

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Click here for a book review of Nine Little People Who Lived In a Chest.

Click here for MPH Online Store.

Click here to buy Nine Little People from abroad

Have a good day!

Student Essay 32: Television by Eugenia Kwon

2010-05-09T20:51:00.000-07:00

Should children be allowed to watch television? By Eugenia Kwon, Grade 6, ISKL

Today, there is at least one television in everyone’s houses. Most people in developed countries watch television for at least two hours a day. The television has become an important machine to us. They show us other countries, news, history of ancient times and so much more. Sometimes they are useful but sometimes they are not. Watching too many cartoons or comedies isn’t good for us. Moreover, we should watch television for a reasonable amount of time because it isn’t good to waste time. Sometimes, parents tell their children not to watch television. However, I believe that children should be allowed to watch television for several reasons.

Firstly, children should be allowed to watch television because it is educational. There are useful documentaries on some channels. If children watch documentaries, they can learn about other countries’ history and culture. They can also learn about nature and the animal kingdom. There are many channels that can help us increase our knowledge. For example, there is a program in Korea called ‘Master of Study’. This program teaches us how to study. It gives us good tips on how to study for different subjects such as Math, Science and languages. On top of that, children can also learn about current affairs from the news. They will know what is going on in their country and the world. The news also tells us bad things like crime and diseases so we will be careful.

Secondly, students can learn a language more easily by watching television. Students can hear how native people use the language. For example, I am learning Spanish and I don’t get to hear it much because it is mostly spoken in South America. When there are any Spanish programs on television, I watch them and listen to how the language is spoken. Therefore, when a student learns another language, it is useful to hear it. Also, they might hear new words that they can use somewhere else. Whenever I hear a new word, I ask my teacher about it. That is how I improve on my language. Thus, children will be able to speak more fluently if they are allowed to watch television. Hearing a conversation can change their pronunciation and help them develop a more natural way of speaking the language.

Thirdly, television is entertaining. It helps children to relieve their stress and boredom. If students get too stressed, they can become ill. Every day, after I finish my homework, I ask my mother if I could rest for a while. After she says, “Yes,” I either watch television or use the computer. Before starting the next homework, I often rest first. This prevents me from getting stressed. It isn’t good for children to study non-stop because they will get bored of doing their work. Children should rest and play too. Playing helps them to relax. Watching television also helps. If students study all the time, they won’t be good at socializing with their friends. Before I got cable television, I felt so isolated because I couldn’t participate in conversations about television programs. Hence, watching television is also a good way to become more sociable.

These are the reasons why watching television is good for children. It helps children to relax, it increases their knowledge and it is entertaining. It also helps them socialize with their friends. These are the ways television help children all around the world.

Student Essay 31: Pets by Shin Tae Min

2010-05-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

Should pets be treated like family members? By Shin Tae Min, Year 9, Sayfol.

Do you like your family to be kicked? In the past, many people used dogs for hunting because they are wild, fast and they have sensitive noses so they could track targets easily. Nowadays, not many people hunt and they keep dogs as pets instead. Unfortunately, some owners hit their pets or treat them badly. Pets used to do whatever their owners ordered them to do but now they have rights to be treated as well as a family member. I think pets also have the right to be taken care of like a family member.

Firstly, pets are living things. Even though they are animals and have lower intelligence than we do, they have rights too because they are living things like human beings. They also like to enjoy their life and have fun. I once saw a dog that was abandoned by its owner and it was roaming around a rubbish yard. I was so sad to see that. I do not think that animals should be mistreated this way. In addition, a lot of these animals have lost their natural habitats because of human activity. Therefore, we have the responsibility to take care of them. We must take care of them like a family member because they are also creatures that breathe and live.

Next, pets have feelings, like we do. If we are sad, pets can play with us so that we don’t feel lonely. There is a Korean belief that feeding our pets can help us overcome our depression. Animals, like us, have feelings such as hunger, sadness and happiness. They are very similar to us in that respect. Besides that, they are also very loyal. There is a story about a man who woke up the middle of the night and found that he was surrounded by fire. His dog ran to a nearby river, wet itself, ran back and rolled itself on the fire to put it out. It sacrificed its own life so that its owner could survive. Stories like this abound and they show that animals are not only similar to us in many ways, but they may be better than us in some ways. Thus, we should take good care of them.

Finally, if we respect our pets, they will be more ready to obey us. If we treat them well, they will listen to us because they regard us as family. However, if we don’t respect or ill-treat them, they could harm us. I once saw on television a dog which often bit its mistress. Its master and the children were puzzled. Finally, they found out that she often beat the dog and didn’t feed it whenever she was left alone with it. So, if we treat our pets well, they will do whatever we tell them to do in order to earn our love. We will be able to discipline them if they behave badly like like we discipline our children. Hence, we must treat them well so that they will also treat us well and respect us.

In summary, pets should be treated like family members because they are living creatures with emotions. In my opinion, we should take good care of them because they are very helpful so we must repay their kindness. We should definitely not ill-treat or destroy the habitats of animals.

Student Essay 30: Family Traditions by Kwag Kyung Seo

2010-05-05T18:54:00.000-07:00

Important Family Traditions by Kwag Kyung Seo, Year 11, ISKL

Do you have any important family traditions? My family has several important traditions and I would like to tell you about two of them.

To begin with, among all the traditions that my family has, the one that I like the most involves playing traditional games whenever our extended families meet up at my grandparents’ house. We play many different types of traditional games, including card games, board games and yard games. These games are important because we area all equal – regardless of age, gender or status. Everyone has an equal chance to win. Often, we play a game called ‘Yut-Nol-Yi’, a traditional game which originated from the ancient Korean Empire ‘Goguryeo’. To play the game, we form teams of four. The members of each team must be from different nuclear families. We have to work closely together to win the game. This really helps us to maintain a good relationship with each other. Moreover, it is fun and makes us look forward to gatherings at our grandparents’ house every holiday.

Furthermore, on every important holiday, like New Year’s Day and Thanksgiving Day, my family holds a huge feast for the entire village. It is our way of giving back to the people. As my grandparents are generous and pro-active people, they often help poor people, even when they were poor themselves. Now, their children continue their kind deeds. Since I was born, my family have been holding parties for everyone in the village. I enjoy the parties because they are attended by everyone I know in the village. Although we spend a large amount of money on the feasts, we don’t mind because what we get back is far greater than what we put in. However, our party has gotten smaller recently due to economic recession.

Overall, these two traditions are my favorite ones. Because of them, my family can maintain close relationships with each other and with the villagers. We also learn how important it is to spread happiness to others, especially the poor and suffering.

Student Essay 29: Twenty Cents Coin by Wee Su Lin

2010-05-04T20:44:00.001-07:00

A day in the life of a twenty cents coin by Wee Su Lin, Year 8, Sayfol International School

I am a twenty cents coin. I was in a wealthy man’s wallet. I was content with my life because I was not in the trash, street or a beggar’s hand. Some of my friends were suffering in beggars’ hands. I pitied them because they were unimportant. I didn’t have to suffer because I thought I would always be in the rich man’s wallet. But that was only my illusion.

One morning, my owner went out. He drove his limousine to town and there was a bad traffic jam. Beside his limousine was a beggar asking for money. My owner took out his wallet and opened the window. My friends and I wondered who would be sacrificed. Unfortunately, it was me! My owner placed me on the beggar’s palm and the beggar threw me into his basket. I felt like the world was crashing down. I really hated to be in the beggar’s basket.

I realized that I would never get back into the rich man’s wallet again. I had to live in the unpleasant beggar’s basket. However, I made some friends there. They told me their life stories. Some of them had also been in rich men’s wallets, just like me. Soon, more coins joined us in the basket. Passers-by were throwing coins into the beggar’s basket. They didn’t know how we felt. How sad we were when we were with the beggar!
Suddenly, there was a heavy storm, the beggar quickly took his money and ran under the shade of a tree. It was raining heavily. Out of the blue, a man pushed the beggar and I was flung out of the basket. Nobody noticed it. When I fell onto the ground, everybody had disappeared from my sight. How could this happen? It was the worst day of my life. It was better to be in the beggar’s basket than on the wet and dirty ground. I regretted my previous attitude towards the beggar and his basket.

After a few hours, the rain stopped. I was still on the ground, unnoticed. Then a woman came. She was a sweeper. She swept me, among rubbish and dirt, into a dustpan and threw me into a garbage bin. I was totally helpless. So my day ended up in the garbage bin.

Student Essay 28: Friday Night by Jo Min Kyoung

2010-05-03T19:06:00.000-07:00

Friday Night, by Jo Min Kyoung, Year 5, Sayfol

Anita and Betty always went to school together. They were good friends. On Betty’s birthday, Anita and I went to Betty’s house. Anita’s present to Betty was a doll and my present was a ‘Hello Kitty’ pencil-case. On the way to Betty’s home, we talked about her birthday party.

We arrived at Betty’s home and Betty said, “Welcome to my house!” Inside Betty’s home was a very large, two-layered cake. It was so amazing! Our jaws dropped.

Anita said, “This is a cheese cake! I love cheese! My nickname is Cheesy Mouse, did you know that? I like that name!”

Betty said, “It is fresh cream cake!”

I said, “I love fresh cream cake! I love it!”

Betty’s mom said, “The candles are missing!”

The candles were like this: B.I.R.T.H.D.A.Y. They were expensive! We looked for them but we couldn’t find them. We said, “The mouse stole them! The mouse stole them!” We found the mouse hole and the mouse was eating a blue ‘A’. Betty said, “That is my ‘A’! Give it back to me, you bad mouse!” Betty shouted. The mouse ran away and we ran after it.

“Hey! Stop! You bad mouse!” We were so tired and we slept.

We were still tired. The birthday party changed into a pajama party. We slept and slept. Then Betty and I woke up. “I want to eat this cake,” Anita said. So we ate some cake. We also ate some sugar flowers, chocolate bears and cream roses. Umm, I loved them. I wanted to eat more. I wanted to eat all of them but they were so fattening. We found another candle but it wasn’t pretty. We had Betty’s birthday party again. We had so much fun but Betty and her mom were curious about the first layer of the cake. Anita and I giggled because we had eaten the first layer! After that I became fat. Before that I was thin and now I was fat!

Student Essay 27: A Talking Doll by Chung Hye Won

2010-05-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

A Talking Doll, by Chung Hye Won, Year 8, Sayfol International School

When I was in Year Seven, I experienced an amazing incident. It was ten years ago. I often like to think back about it. I bought a doll at a flea market. It looked really pretty and precious but it was free for anyone who wanted it. I felt uneasy about it at first but I forgot every uneasy feeling as soon as I looked at it. When I stood in front of the doll, the hag who was selling the doll put her face close to mine. I flinched because of the fiendish face and foul breath. Her face was in complete contrast to that of the doll which was her possession. I didn’t want to talk with her but that doll was too precious to give up. I felt like the doll was dazzling me.

While I was being hypnotised by the doll, the hag’s metallic voice woke me up from my fancy. “Will you have this pretty doll? It is not just any normal doll. It is uncommon and extraordinary.” I looked at the doll again for a short few seconds and when I looked up again to tell the hag that I would take it, she was not there anymore. Only the doll was sitting quietly and haughtily on the table. She looked very lonely so I felt I needed to take her with me. Automatically, my hands moved forward to take it. I went home and observed it for a long time. Her hair was a captivating blonde and her fair skin contrasted with her ruddy lips. Her dress was a little worn out but its antique characteristic was enough to fascinate me.

“Why have you been looking at me for such a long time?” she asked me.

“I am looking at you because … Aaaaahhh!” While I was answering her, I realized that no one could have spoken except the doll! I blinked my eyes in shock. Her eyes were flickering.

That was the last memory I had of that day. I fainted. I woke up when the morning sunlight pricked my eyes. I blinked a few times. I rearranged my hair and coughed a few times. Then I moved slyly towards the doll and talked cautiously to her, “H .. He … Hello …”

She answered arrogantly, “Hey! Stop treating me like a ghost. I am just a normal person like you but I am trapped in here because of that horrible hag. But I can predict everything about you.” It was such a special doll. From that day, I started to discuss everything with her and she gave me great solutions to my problems. The time passed like a second hand. I went to high school and college and I realized that she was getting older. Some days, she didn’t say anything because of her pain and sorrow. It continued for about a few months so I decided to find the hag to help her. The doll cared about me like a mother and a friend. So I couldn’t leave her like that. I packed my things and some money. Then I put her inside my bag. I made a hole for her to breathe and to talk to her. When our money was finished, I told fortune for people with her help and we earned some money that way.

Finally, we found the hag by enquiring here and there. When we arrived at her hut, we frowned because of the mess at her place. We approached her and saw that she was scruffy. Beside her, liquor bottles made a small hill. I snatched the liquor bottle from her hand while she was drinking from it. She saw me and laughed like a beast. “Oh, aren’t you that little girl who took the doll from me? How is it? Ah! I know you are here to help her, right? Well, you need to give me everything you have.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“Like your money and the house which your parents gave you. Do you know why I gave you this? It’s so that I can take money from you like this! You don’t have any relatives so I knew that you would rely on this doll and finally you would come to me to help her. Isn’t it true?”

I signed all the documents for her to take my house away. When the doll came back to me, I forgot my losses. The doll was so pretty and so precious to me. When I went back to town, I started to study and she helped and supported me. But two years ago, she left this world and I am now all alone.

Student Essay 26: Someone I admire by Moon Tae Eun

2010-04-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

Write about someone you really admire – by Moon Tae Eun, Year 11, Sri Utama

If not for him, I would not be what I am today. I came to Malaysia when I was in Primary Six. Before that, I’d never heard of Malaysia. At first, I was really scared to leave my country because I was weak, both physically and mentally. In my first year in Malaysia, I faced many problems such as the language barrier and racism issues. At that time, Mr. Lee, a friend of my mother’s, gave me a lot of help. I really admire Mr. Lee Joon Tae who has given me lots of good advice, made me stronger and turned me into a good person.

First and foremost, Me. Lee always counsels me. I had many problems at school when I first came to Malaysia so I got very stressed. Due to that, I also got depressed. I confided in Mr. Lee and he gave me some advice. After talking many times to him, my depression dissipated and I became more confident. Mr. Lee showed me how to be happy and relaxed. After that, I was able to solve my problems on my own. Without his precious guidance, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Therefore, I admire him because he is a good mentor.

Secondly, Mr. Lee helped me to become strong. One of the biggest problems I had in Malaysia was that I got bullied by the other Koreans. I was very small compared to them so I was too weak to fight back. I was afraid to tell anyone except my mother who told Mr. Lee. Mr. Lee has four certificates in martial arts. He then taught me self-defense. During the school holidays, I exercised and practiced martial arts. After the holidays, I challenged those bullies to a fight. I was very nervous but I did exactly as Mr. Lee told me to. I finally won and got rid of the bullies. I was so happy and thanked Mr. Lee profusely. Therefore, I respect him because of the invaluable self-defense lessons that he gave me.

Last but not least, Mr. Lee transformed me into a good student. After beating the bullies, I became complacent. I often got into fights and even recruited some followers. I hung out with older boys and started picking up some bad habits. I smoked and drank. I even started bullying some of my younger schoolmates! My mother cried every day because of my behavior and blamed Mr. Lee for having taught me martial arts. When Mr. Lee heard the news that I had become a gangster, he explained to me that he had taught me martial arts to defend myself, not to bully others. His words were gentle but he was shedding tears. I felt so ashamed of myself and apologized to him for having been such a fool. I promised him that I would change my ways and up till this day, I am grateful to Mr. Lee for having corrected me.

In conclusion, I admire Mr. Lee immensely because of his wisdom, love and faith in me. I will always thank him for everything that I have become today and will be in the future. I believe that everyone needs a person like him that they can look up to.

Student Essay 25: My Ideal Career, by Choi Hwan Seong

2010-03-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

My Ideal Career, by Choi Hwan Seong, Year 11, Sri Utama International School

We often find aeroplanes in the sky. They look beautiful at night. There are usually two pilots on every plane. One pilot drives at night and the other drives in the day. A lot of people dream about being a pilot. That is because it is a respectable job, especially for boys. Thus, my ideal career is to be a pilot. There are three main reasons why I want to be a pilot.

The first reason why my ideal career is being a pilot is because of the freedom that comes with the job. Pilots travel all over the world. They work only once a week. For example, a pilot may fly from Korea to France on a Tuesday. He would arrive in France the next day and stay in France for a week. His airline pays for his hotel and food while he is there. On the next Tuesday or Wednesday, he would fly back to Korea and stay there for a week. His next journey could take him to America or Africa if he is a capable pilot. I want to be a pilot like this person and travel all over the world.

The second reason I choose to be a pilot is because of the good pay that aviators get. Pilots with Korean Airlines usually start with a salary of 83,000 dollars a year. The pilot’s salary depends on the size of the plane which he flies. The bigger the plane, the higher the salary he gets. Veterans usually fly bigger planes and get higher salaries. Therefore, the older I become, the higher my salary will be.

The third reason is the favourable working conditions that pilots enjoy. I naturally like to be on aeroplanes because my mother used to be a stewardess. She was still working on aeroplanes when she was pregnant with me. Thanks to this, I feel comfortable when I am in the air. Most importantly, if I become a pilot, I will have a chance to talk to pretty stewardesses. Every time I go to the airport, I see a pilot talking to many stewardesses. Thus, my dream is to be like him.

In conclusion, being a pilot is ideal because I will have the chance to travel all around the world, earn a lot of money and meet pretty girls. My dream is to go globe-trotting with my beautiful wife, an air-stewardess.

Student Essay 24: Today's World is a Dangerous Place by Yeo Seul Ke

2010-03-24T19:25:00.001-07:00

Today’s world is a dangerous place in which to live. Do you agree? By Yeo Seul Kee, Year 11, Sri Utama International School

Can you remember 9-11? Most people know about that infamous act of terrorism. Unfortunately, it was not the only one. Some people say that the world is becoming a better place in which to live, but we are exposed to an increasing number of dangerous situations. Hence, I think that the world is a dangerous place in which to live for several reasons.

Firstly, we are living in an era of wars. There aren’t any big wars such as World War II, but there are many acts of violence and threats of mass destruction. These are due to terrorism and experimentation on nuclear weapons. We often hear of suicide bombers in Iraq and the building of nuclear weapons by North Korea. Therefore, it is difficult to say that today’s world is a safer one.

Secondly, we face, see and hear about a lot more crime today than we did in the past. If you watch the news, you will hear about a lot of crime such as hijack, killing or kidnap. Some murderers are psychopaths who don’t have any feelings. They kill people without reasons. If you have heard of any kidnap cases, you will notice that they are very violent and cruel, sometimes involving torture. Not only do they ask for ransom, they sometimes sell the victims to brothels. Thus, it is scary to think that what is in the news can happen to us at any time.

Thirdly, some people die because of money. Nowadays, it is difficult to live without money. So people work hard to earn money. Some try to make ends meet by cheating others or gambling. If they get into a desperate situation, they may borrow money from loan sharks. Loan sharks are notorious for threatening people who can’t return the money in time. Debtors sometimes commit suicide because of the threats. Hence, money can become a knife for people to kill themselves.

In conclusion, these are just some of the dangers. There are more dangerous situations involving gangsters, drugs and accidents. We don’t know when misfortune may befall us so we have to be cautious all the time.

Student Essay23: At the Shopping Mall, by Lee Yun Su

2010-03-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

At the Shopping Mall by Lee Yun Su, Grade 2, ISKL

I was going to the shopping mall. It was my first time going to that mall so I didn’t know my way around. I took a taxi there. Half an hour after I got into the mall, I heard a bell which meant it was closing time. Then I realized that I was lost!

The shopping mall was too big for me to find my way out. I walked around but couldn’t find the exit. I checked my pockets to see if I had a cell phone. I did. I called the security but it was too late. The security officers were sleeping so I was locked in.

Then I saw a door. I shouted, “Help me, I’m locked in!” I shouted again and again, banging the door. There was no answer. I put my hands in my pocket and realized I had a map of the mall in my pocket. I read the map the find my way to the main entrance.

Finally, I found the way to go out. The front door was locked but there was a camera up on the ceiling. The camera saw me and it opened the door. I got out. As soon as I got out, the bus came so I took it home.

When I got home, I realized that I still haven’t bought the clothes that I needed. However, I told myself I never wanted to go to that mall ever again.

Student Essay 22: My friend, by Catty Cho Ye Eun

2010-03-22T19:49:00.000-07:00

My friend, by Catty Cho Ye Eun, Year 2, Cempaka International School

I had a friend called Fornitina. One day, I called my friend, Cany, on my house phone but she did not answer. I heard a sound from my cell phone. It was Fornitina. I quickly hung up the house phone and answered my cell phone. I was very happy because my best friend was calling me.

Fornitina said to me, “I am very sick.”

I was very worried and I said, “What? Where is your mother?”

She said, “She has gone out.”

“I will call your mum,” I said. I was very worried and I walked around the house. I ran to the telephone and called Fornitina’s mum. I told her that Fornitina was very sick and her mum was also very worried. In the house, Fornitina vomited and was in pain.

Fornitina’s mum went home and she was even more worried because Fornitina looked like she was going to die. It was because her mother didn’t go home quickly enough. Her mother brought her to hospital and she went into the surgery room. Fornitina was very scared.

The doctor said she was in danger. Fornitina’s mother and I were too worried to look at Fornitina’s face. We waited for a long time outside the surgery room. We prayed.

Finally, the door of surgery room opened and the doctor came out. He was smiling. He said, “Your daughter is very healthy now.” We were so happy. We hugged Fornitina.

Student Essay 21: The college years are the best time in a person’s life. Do you agree? By Anonymous, Taylor’s College

2010-03-18T18:55:00.000-07:00

The college years are the best time in a person’s life. Do you agree? By Anonymous, Taylor’s College

Have you ever seen how Korean students live? In Korea, college students live like zombies. They study till one o’clock in the morning and then wake up at 4 or 5 o’clock to reserve a seat at the library. Some students even sleep in the library to complete the mountain of work given to them. They do not have weekends off either. Therefore, in my opinion, the college years are definitely not the best time in a person’s life as students are often worried about their future, they study too much and many of them also face financial problems.

First of all, as soon they get into college, students start worrying about getting a job after graduation. When they say they are worried about their future, they usually refer to job prospects rather than other issues such as marriage. This is because the unemployment rate is very high in Korea, especially among young graduates. Having obtained a degree, they expect to get job offers but this often does not happen. To be in a better position to get jobs, they participate actively in extra-curricular activities and pursue internships. However, this does not guarantee them success when seeking employment. Thus, college students do not enjoy their lives due to anxiety about their future.

Moreover, college students suffer from having a huge amount of assignments. They get stressed because of their studies and non-academic related activities such as obtaining a certificate in computer literacy. The volume of their work is extremely daunting. In addition, students in Korea are very competitive so they are constantly trying to be more prepared than their peers. Because of that, students do not have time for other things such as socializing or travelling. This makes relationships between classmates very cold as they see each other as rivals rather than friends. This competitive culture is becoming more intense this generation. Hence, over-studying reduces the quality of life of college students.

Besides, some students have difficulty paying their tuition because tuition increases substantially every year in Korea. Within the last ten years, the inflation rate in Korea was about 34 per cent. However, college tuition has increased by 130 per cent and scholarships are given mainly to well-performing students rather than those who need financial aid. Thus, some students have to work at part-time jobs to make ends meet and they may lose out as they have to allocate time away from studying. These students’ parents are also under a great deal of pressure to provide for their children’s education and this situation sometimes leads to social problems. Some parents blame themselves and some have even been known to commit crimes or suicide. Therefore, exorbitant tuition stresses both parents and students.

In conclusion, college years are definitely not the best time in a person’s life because students are full of anxiety about their future and they are under very high pressure to study all the time. Unfortunately, some of them face financial problems as well. However, the college years are the most important time in a person’s life because they will learn many new skills and obtain important knowledge that will shape their futures.

Student Essay 20: Part-time Jobs by Moon Chan Eun

2010-03-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

Do you think it is a good idea for teenagers to have jobs while they are still students? By David Moon Chan Eun, Year 6, Sri Utama International School

Nowadays, lots of students earn their own pocket money. Some of them work because they are orphaned, others help their parents out because they are poor and some want to save money to buy something special. For example, my friend’s brother worked at a part-time job so that he could buy a PSP. Some people say it is a bad idea for students to have jobs as they should concentrate on their studies. However, there are several good reasons for teenagers to have jobs while they are still students.

Firstly, teenagers gain valuable experience while working at part-time jobs. They can learn skills which cannot be learned in schools. For example, they can learn cooking skills in restaurants and mechanic skills in garages. They can also learn personal and social skills such as responsibility and cooperation. Therefore, it is beneficial for teenagers to have jobs while they are still teenagers.

Secondly, teenagers can earn their own money if they have jobs. They don’t have to constantly ask their parents for money. This takes a lot of pressure off their parents. In addition, teenagers with jobs will learn to be proud of themselves because of their ability to take care of themselves. They can also use the extra money to buy whatever they want. For example, my friend, Jung Hun Kim, is earning money to buy a ‘Wii’. Thus, having jobs will teach teenagers to be financially independent.

Thirdly, teenagers will learn the value of money through hard work. They will know how hard it is to earn money and they will be grateful to their parents for working hard to bring them up. They will also learn to use their money wisely and not to be extravagant. As a result, having jobs will teach teenagers to worth of money and not take things for granted.

In a nutshell, it is a good idea for teenagers to have jobs while they are still in school because it is an excellent opportunity for them to learn and experience new things beyond what they learn in school.

Student Essay 19: Track and Field Competition by Kang Kyung Ho

2010-03-16T19:39:00.000-07:00

Track and Field Competition by Kang Kyung Ho, Grade 4, ISKL

“Mom, hurry!” I was going to the stadium to race with eight other schools, including Japanese school, Garden International School and Mont Kiara International School. It was 6.30 am on a Saturday. I was so excited that my heart was bumping in my chest and I couldn’t eat breakfast. I was jogging in front of my house to warm up for the race. I arrived at the stadium at 7.45. There were so many people so I was nervous.

When I had looked more carefully, I saw that the stadium was as big as an Olympic Stadium. I really wanted to get a medal in front of thousands of people. I was picked by my teacher to run 100 meters, 200 meters and relay. I wanted to participate in high jump too but my teacher thought that I would be too tired. During the 200 meter race, I was really scared. When it was time, my legs were shaking so much I almost couldn’t stand up. I got fourth place.

Finally, it was time for the 100 meter race. This time, I really wanted to get a medal. I was shivering because I was nervous. I really wanted to get a medal but I knew it was impossible because there were so many good runners in the race. “Bang!” I ran as fast as I could. Then I turned to my right and left to see who was winning the race. Because of that distraction, I slowed down and got fifth place. “Oh my god!” I felt really embarrassed.

My father and mother weren’t too upset so I felt a little better. They teased me, saying things like, “No medals!” I was a little irritated but I also felt sorry. Some of my friends got medals but nobody in my grade got one. That was because we were fourth graders racing against fifth graders. So I wasn’t too upset.

It started to rain when we were driving home. I was sad as I looked back at the stadium. I thought God must have been sad too and that was why it was raining. I promised myself I would get hundreds of medals in the future and make my parents proud of me. I would never let them tease me again!

Student Essay 18: The Desert of Death by Jinny Lee

2010-03-16T19:36:00.000-07:00

The desert of death by Jinny Lee Hyo Jin, Grade 4, ISKL

For centuries, there has been a legend about the Desert of Death. The Desert of Death isn’t a desert. It’s a river. Then why is it called a desert? It’s a long story. My family was from Mexico. My father was half Mexican and half Aztec. He drank the cactus wine, like the Aztecs. Fresh cactuses came from the desert so we lived very near the desert. My friends, Nacho Nancy and Tortillas Tom lived near us. One day, it started to rain very hard. It didn’t stop for a long, long time.

The weather was so strange; it wasn’t like a desert at all. It was cold in the day and hot at night, and that made us really scared. We decided to gather in one house, which was owned by my family. There were dark clouds in the low sky. Raindrops shot down like arrows from the clouds. There were millions of them! We could not go out to play and it was terrible. It was raining for days. Our food was running out and so were the drinks. There were less talk and more sighs. Oh, how bored that made us! Finally, the rain stopped and it was sunny again. That was after about three weeks or so. We opened the door and we were shocked!

“Oh my god!” we gurgled. Water rushed in and drowned us in our surprise. We were in simple Mexican clothing, without any swimming apparatus. We hadn’t learned to swim so we were pushed back against the wall and we were drowning! As soon as our toes touched the ground, we felt ourselves getting smaller. It felt curious and wobbly. Then I realized that I could breathe in the water! Was it heaven or paradise? I looked at myself and saw that I had fins and gills! Oh, thank you, god, you saved me! Soon, I found the others. Life was pretty good being a fish. From that day, the desert became a huge river.

People knew us as characters of this long, interesting and unbelievable story. Twenty years later, it turned into a very famous legend. Since this water was special and death-defying, we never died. Lots of people visited us to take pictures of us and drink this death-defying water.

Soon, it became boring to live in the water – just sleeping, eating and playing. So I decided to write something. I started with simple things like, “Hello, my name is Avocado Alex. How are you?” After a week, I could write short essays. My writing grew longer and more sophisticated until I finally wrote about my life. There, you just finished reading it!

Student Essay 17: Friday the 13th by Julia Choi Won Ji

2010-03-16T01:52:00.000-07:00

Friday the 13th by Julia Choi Won Ji, Year 6, Sayfol

I had a best friend called Faith. I first met her in kindergarten. She had long hair and she was very fair. She was tall and also very kind. We did everything together. We were in the same class until Year 6. We were so close that sometimes our friends asked us, “Are you twins?”
That year, her birthday was on Friday the 13th. Her house was not far from mine, so I usually walked to her house. I could even get there with my eyes closed because I’d been there so many times. I heard many stories about Friday the 13th but I didn’t believe any of them and just went out of my house as usual that night. Faith was having a birthday party that night and I was going there at nine o’clock. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me.

It was a soft sound. If I wasn’t a sensitive girl, perhaps I wouldn’t have heard the sound. I was in a panic. Was somebody following me? I turned round. “Who’s there?” I asked. But there was no one behind me. There was not a single sound. It was strange, very strange. After about five minutes, I felt something moving very fast near me. “Is it just an animal, another pedestrian or a kidnapper?” I was frightened. “I shouldn’t go to Faith party tonight,” I thought. Then I saw a big, dark shadow. It was very large.

I screamed, “Yaaaa!” Suddenly, I could feel something soundless around my face. It grabbed me to a place with many trees. I tried to scream again but my voice didn’t come out of my mouth. I put my hands into my pocket to look for my phone but it wasn’t there. I tried to remember where I put it. Then I remembered that I had left it at home. I was sure that my face had changed colour. A man put tape on my mouth and brought me to his house. He tied my hands and legs together with a piece of rope. I struggled but he was too strong. He held his phone to his ear and called my mother. I had no idea how he knew my mother’s phone number.
‘Your daughter is here with me. If you give me $100,000, I will return your child.” I could hear my mother saying something but I could not hear her properly. Then the man went outside. I tried to find something to cut myself free. I hopped to all the drawers and finally found a pair of scissors. How stupid he was! Why hadn’t he hidden them? I cut the rope and looked for a key to the door but I couldn’t find one.

I thought carefully. “How can I get out of this house?” I looked at the window. I saw the duvet on the bed. I wrapped myself in it and jumped out of the window from the third floor! My legs were injured but I didn’t care. I couldn’t feel any pain. I only thought about running away. I ran home as fast as I could. It was morning. My mother was so surprised, relieved and happy to see me. I told her everything that had happened. We went to the police station and told the police the address of the kidnapper. Fortunately, they caught the man. I sighed. I felt sorry to Faith because I couldn’t attend her birthday party. However, she understood. I invited her to my house the next day and she was happy. I gave Faith a pen for her birthday. She said she was very worried because I was late to her party.

Finally, everything was over. I told myself that I would take good care of myself from then on. I would never make my mother worry about me again. That incident made me realize how much she loved me. I told myself that I would never go outside and walk on my own after seven o’clock at night ever again. Thank you, God, for having saved my life!