Candle 5: Sujatha Rajagopal

My name is Sujatha Rajagopal or Suji for short. I entered BBGS (Primary School One) as a shy 7-year-old in 1980 and left at 19 after Upper 6 in 1992. The highlights of my life in BB were from Forms 3 to Upper 6.

Anyone remember The Croakers? 8 madcap girls belting out acapella versions of Silent Night and Starmaker and winning The Rotary Club's Annual Talentime in 1988? I amaze myself when I say I was one of them. Another memorable moment was in Lower 6 when we performed an eleventh hour hash-up of nursery rhymes for the Choral Speaking quarter finals. If I remember correctly, you were one of the judges Joanna! We didn't get through of course but boy did we have the time of our lives!

There are just so many things I love and remember about BB...choral speaking of course, using rafia string to get the straightest rows of desks possible, sharing one plate of chee cheong fun or nasi lemak during recess time with the other Croakers, and practising behind the Hall or Gym for our performances (if we cracked glass doors in the process, we never found out about it). Participating in Interact Club activities. Enjoying those "floating" Form 4 classes when we lingered for as long as possible on our walks from one classroom to another. The delightful Sr and Jr libraries that regularly quenched my thirst for books. The beautiful Prouse Wing. And trading dog stories with Ms Yeap in her office.

I miss everyone so terribly...wonderful 3S 1988, 4Sc2 1989 and 5Sc5 1990 and Lower 6/ Upper 6 1991-92 classmates, Julie Yeoh (who I'm so happy to report, I bump into now and then) and the rest of The Croakers scattered around the world. Plus teachers like Mrs Kangeson and Mrs Singham (primary school), Ms Mani, Mrs Abraham, Mrs Lai, and my beloved, beloved Ms Yeap.

Between 1992 and 1993 I had the opportunity to return to BB to help my younger sister Sumitha's class with choral speaking (that's her -in a t-shirt- in the photo with me). But after enrolling at Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang, my only sojourn with BB was in my heart. I was very saddened to hear that the building is no more. So sad that I avoid going to Jalan Bukit Bintang whenever I visit my folks in KL.

After USM, I got married to a varsity mate, worked as a copywriter for a while in Penang and then moved to Singapore where my son was born. I now live in San Jose, California and am a freelance writer. Despite our own wonderful school experiences, my hubby and I have decided to homeschool our 6 year old boy. Believe me, public schools here in California are as unlike BBGS and Penang Free as you can imagine (LOL). You can read about our homeschooling adventures on my blog: http://www.funschooling.net/ I would like to end by thanking Joanna for writing a fabulous blog like back2bbgs and starting Project Kindle. It's almost like visiting BB again at the click of a mouse :)