Last Class With My First Batch of Business Students

This week is my last teaching week this year. My groups are usually homogeneous--The Tourism students enjoy all kinds of trips, the TESL (Teaching English As A Second Language) students are active in interaction, the Administrative Science students look serious, the Finance students are shy and quiet. Last two semesters, I had a new group of Business students from different programmes--twenty over boys and girls major in either Marketing, Human Resource or International Banking.

At the end of the first semester, we had lunch together at a cafe. The following semester, they organised a breakfast.

My stomach began to get used to having spaghetti and hot dogs instead of bread or biscuits only in the morning.

My eyes also began to get used to seeing Malays who cannot stand hot chillies.

These boys called themselves "Bujang Mewah (Luxurious Bachelors) Hot, Hot, Hot!". With a grin on their faces, they liked to talk among them and laugh loudly. Even during tests, I had to constantly remind them "This is a test, not a group discussion!"

Their demeanour always cheered up the whole class. Although most of the girls were not so talkative, they definitely smiled more with their lively classmates' presence.

This Monday, they submitted their final project. After one and a half year's "training", they had gained language competence as well as acting skills.

A few thoughtful girls had bought a cake on behalf of the class to thank me. I jokingly said to them, "Is this for me? Then no need to take it out from the box. I'll bring it back to my house!" Of course, each of the twenty-seven of us finally had a share of this moist and creamy cake.

Dear students, I'll see you somewhere in the corridors or at the staircase and say "bonjour" again!