Childhood Memories: Happy Less Perfect Life

Kampung Mangka, is where I spent my childhood, is a rural area in Muara Tuang, Samarahan. I lived in an old zinc house, which is surrounded by the bushes & jungle until I was 14 years old. My house was far apart from other houses, at least 150-200M in distance......so generally, I can say that I didn't have any neighbour.

brothers & sister...which one is me?

I owned few playgrounds nearby my house, however neither swing, seesaw, rocking horse, nor sliding board is found here. The vegetable farm, black pepper farm & the cocoa farm are the playgrounds, where I played & worked under the hot sun, and sometime in the wind & rain. I went for bird hunting with slingshot & fishing at the river in the jungle occasionally too......

school's group photo (I'm in Primary 2, year 1987)

I woke up at 5:30a.m & walked to school at 6:15a.m. on school days. The journey roughly took 45-60 minutes, is around 2 miles (equal to 3.2 KM) away from my home. Most pupils wore the cheapest sandal to school (as shown by red circle in the 2nd photo), only minority were afford to wear the white school shoes, and 3-5 pupils were actually came to school with naked foots! ^ ^ Ya, do you know that, my headmaster is father to the 何海其 (Ho Hai Chyi), one of the presenters in AEC's Evening Edition (新闻报报看)?

my x-classmates & teachers (Primary 6, year 1991)

No matter how bad is the weather, I didn't care if it was a hot sun, heavy rain or strong wind, I walked 6.4KM on a rocky road every school day. I never manage to escape any class, unless I was sicked. It was really a hard time, when the sandal strap is broken in the middle of the journey! Yeah, is time to buy a new pair of sandals......Oop, don't desire too much, my mum is a very good shoe-maker, she will repair it for us, joined back the broken part by a nail or a wire.

my school shoes, your sandal in the toilet

Hey, small kids in the modern time, what happen to you all? Why some of you seem not willing go for classes in the air-conditional school? Your parents will never ever ask you walk to school on foots, if they are afford to send you to the school at least in a school van or bus, or even in a Merz, BMW or may be a Ferrari or what ever! You should feel lucky to born in a much perfect enviroment, so please do appreciate it.

Oh ya, while I had a happy less perfect childhood, you seem have a not so happy perfect childhood. Ok, I think now I have an answer why lots of rich people prefer move & stay at a rural area? It is because of a simple & less perfect village's life shall bring them more joys & happiness, and create less troubles & pressure......!