Candle 25: Carolin Teh

Project Kindle continues with memories from Carolin Teh who currently resides in New Zealand. We want to hear from more of you so keep sending me those stories!

From self-loathing to self-acceptance

Most people begin to ask the big questions of life – who am I, where am I going – at adolescence. It was at BBGS that my socialisation process was catalysed, in no small way, by the battle lines that were drawn there. These lines were hardly distinct but they were there as undercurrents that made you quaver in the company of the girls that were smart, wealthy, good-looking and / or popular. In other words, they separated the economic- and social-haves from the have-nots. However, they led to my self-discovery.

Self-discovery for me was a journey that constituted making comparisons of self with these groups of girls of which I could never be a part. The process was frequently heart-breaking: of course, I wondered why I wasn't one of the bright ones; it wasn't my fault that my parents were of the proletariat, so I didn't have designer colour pencils to bring to school; certainly, I coveted the graceful beauty of the Low sisters – Caroline, Jeanette and Lydia. And very often my internal monologue composed of wishing life had fairly and evenly distributed its bounty of resources and good DNA.

Ironically, it was also in BBGS that the journey towards finding my identity was to consummate in my attaining self-love as the result of the love of God in Jesus Christ. Which is why when I think back on my years in this great school, including the primary ones (1968 – '78), I am only extremely grateful. For when all the chips have been counted, it is really my identity in Jesus Christ that is worth much more than good genes and great wealth.

Here are but some of my favourite school memories:

• Being in the line-up of girls in primary school to cheer on HRM Queen Elizabeth II's motorcade as it passed Jalan Bukit Bintang;
• Demonstrating in front of my fellow-Sports Day folk dancers, because Mrs. Singam thought my extensions were perfect;
• Playing Hopscotch under the Frangipani tree;
• Meeting celebrity sportswoman, Marina Chin, during the netball challenge against Sekolah Air Panas;
• Beating CBN at a Netball Championship finals;
• Mrs Thanen's informing the English class that she thought my writing went after her own heart – I still don't know what she meant, but I thought then it was probably a compliment;
• Being the Careers' Club treasurer for two years;
• Seeing my art creation in final print on the programme cover of the school's production of 'Aladdin';
• Dancing the Charleston on Teachers' Day (despite being out of sync with the music and the hideous dress - which resembled nothing like those in the flapper era - I had to wear);
• Performing in 'Noah's Ark' as one of the skeptics who drowned. That was fun to do; as was helping to make the costumes and props;
• Beating my friends at 'Five Stones' - this was a game I always looked forward to playing between classes;
• Chowing down on 'chee cheong fun' at the 'Hilton Drive-in' after swimming lessons with the Swimming Club.

BBGS – memories of you can always put a spring back in my steps. Thank you for eleven proud years.

On leaving BBGS in 1978, I read English Literature at Monash University in Victoria, Australia. I was there for four years and returned to KL to teach at Taylor's College. At various times, I held a range of posts in the educational arena that included being Academic Director of ELS Language Centres in Ipoh and Founding Principal of the Keris College School of Languages. I authored or co-authored five publications in Malaysia including the award-winning "Malaysia Wonders and Contrasts" (Fototeknik, 1986). I emigrated to New Zealand in 2003 where I now live with my husband, Christopher, and teach part-time at a Catholic School. The rest of the time is spent assisting my husband in his Outreach Ministry and blogging!

Finally, I'd like to share my tribute to Miss Cooke with the BBGS alumni. Read it here: http://themilitantchipmunk.blogspot.com/2009/01/still-fundie-after-all-these-years.html

If you would like to connect with me on Facebook, please use this link: http://www.facebook.com/carolin.hehir?ref=profile

Candle 24: Foo Soo Wei

Again thanks to the publicity from the gala night, I've re-connected with some of my classmates from Class of 1987. Foo Soo Wei and I were together from primary right through to secondary school. She is now a respiratory specialist practising in Sydney. Here she is in her own words...

Dear Joanna,

Greetings from Down Under! This is ( Foo) Soo Wei here. We were in the same class for a number of years. It has been a while since I have returned to KL for any great length of time.

I have been directed (by my sister, Soo Yee) to your blog for BBGSians and I just want to commend you on your efforts including the reunion you help to organise. It is so great to see that BBGS spirit and motto continue to live on in people's lives despite losing the building etc. It was very sad to see the school torn down ........

Anyhow, I am currently in Sydney working as a respiratory consultant at one of the metropolitan hospitals here. Enclosed is a photo of me and my other better half - got married not long ago in Melbourne. (Joanna says: Congratulations Soo Wei and hubby!)

Please send my regards to your mother. I will always remember her as Mrs. Yeoh and though I can't remember the details of what she taught, I always enjoyed her lessons. It is hard to find good teachers nowadays - I kinda know what it's feels like to teach as I'm involved in teaching medical students. I even enrolled myself in a course last year in effective teaching methods!!!

Lastly, THANK YOU again for the blog site. It is great fun just meandering through the bibs and bobs of your blog. The words Nisi Dominus Frustra brings back many pleasant memories of BBGS....

With best wishes
Soo Wei

Candle 23: Chong Wei Lian

Hi Joanna,

I came across your blog after reading about the "do" at the Pavilion. I am residing in Sydney and missed it. Thank God for the internet. At least I can read about some of the happenings and also see Miss Cooke in the photos.

OK, details about me:-
Name : Chong Wei Lian
BBGS Primary School : from 1967 to 1972
BBGS Secondary School : from 1973 - 1977

My years with BBGS? Much has been said about the teachers, games, choir speaking, the gym, etc, etc. Maybe I can spice things up by reminiscing about my personal experiences (apologies to those who I am going to borrow materials from for I cannot have experiences without interacting with others). My favourite memory is cooking. I have this wonderful, crazy friend who thinks there's "more to eat" by adding more salt, more flour, more of everything that we didn't have to bring ourselves. Needless to say the food is inedible! We still laugh about this till today.

Another wonderful, wonderful friend once borrowed a Mills & Boon book from me which I had borrowed from another friend (not from BBGS). For those of you who know how strict Miss Cooke is, this is right at the top of the "NO, NO" list. Of course we got caught. Miss Cooke has eyes behind her head.

Talking about saving us young ones from the evils of the world.....does anyone remember when the movie "The Exorcist" was released? There was such a huge public outcry that we were actually warned at assembly not to go and see this movie. Phew! Just as well or else there will be a few hundred more people at the Pavilion cinema :)

I suppose I can go on and on but it's getting late and I have more to cover. I noticed in your blog there is a

Noor Ashikin Ishak looking to connect with others in her year. I do not recall the face even though there's a photo but her name does ring a bell. Please ask her to write to me, would be good to catch up. There is also a Jenny Yim whom I had the pleasure of catching up with on my last trip back to KL and hope to be able to catch up again next trip.

If it is not too much trouble can you also please insert in your blog that I am trying to trace a Dorothy Ooi Kee Lim also of 1977. We have lost touch almost as soon as we left school.

Lastly, thank you very much for your effort of re-connecting all and sundry who have any connection with BBGS.

Well done!!!

Cheers!
Wei Lian

Candle 22: Ho Wai Suet

This candle by Ho Wai Suet is a real treat! She has generously shared with us her treasure trove of BBGS photos from the 1960s and 70s. Enjoy...

Hi Joanna

Let me introduce myself. I am Ho Wai Suet (Sixth form 1972, being the 3rd batch of Sixth Formers) - a thorough bred BBGSian . Sow Yoong and Wei Meng were my classmates. I am a retired homemaker (opted for retirement at the age of 40 ! ). I read Geography at University of Malaya and tutored there till 1993.

Miss Cooke and Mr Chew ( our maths & physics teacher ) in a skit. Miss Cooke proposing to Mr Chew ?

Sunday School girls with Miss Gibson at a camp at Luther House in 1968

The late Sakinah Ibrahim was the princess in The Persian Market. Thanks to Mrs Jega Deva who proposed, produced and directed the play. She was our 5E form teacher. We still have fond memories of The Persian Market. It was a remarkable performance and we classmates worked very well with each other to present it at the Speech and Prize-giving Day April 1970

I was one of the camels - the front half and Yee Chong my hind legs. That brown blanket was my father's blanket ! !



I was in Cooke House. Maclay House clinched the gold medal. The late Teh Siew Lin was the anchor runner. Our athletic coach was Mr Yeoh Cheang Swi. I believed that he trained us out of his pure love for athletics and he did it free-of-charge. I remember him telling us that he cycled all the way from Jalan Ipoh (his home) to BBGS on Saturday afternoons just to train us. His daughters also attended BBGS.

Candle 21: Lisa Ng

With all the publicity generated by the Back2BBGS event, so many stories have been flowing in from BBGSians that this blog is practically writing itself. We're re-joining the Project Kindle series with Lisa Ng from the Class of 1990, which was the year she also served as School Captain.

Hi Joanna,

Firstly, great job on the Back2BBGS website and for keeping the school
spirit alive with your many initiatives. I got into the site and listening to the school song again just made me feel really emotional.The words mean so much now whereas when I was younger, I sang the lyrics on autopilot and was perhaps too immature to reflect on their
substance.

I was in BB from 1980 till 1990. I still remember the many carnival
days in primary school. We had to get our mums to cook or buy food
from the market and sell them under the huge tree in the middle of the
school grounds.

I also remember my first teacher - Mrs. Chan - who was really strict
when it came to spelling. Then there was Miss Teh for (petite lady who
raised her eyebrows at me when I said I wanted to become a
"geographist" in standard 4), Pn. Rashimah (standard 5 teacher who
would punish us with an ink-moustache if we didn't do our corrections
after 2 warnings) and Mrs Yeoh (standard 6 teacher who told us
interesting stories about her travels to Europe in between lessons).

My secondary school life was also filled with lasting memories. I am
sure every BBGSian remembers choral speaking, the co-op, and the two
feisty aunties who worked the drink stall. They would sometimes scold
us prefects for being too generous with the orange cordial drinks we
helped sold when on duty.

Also, who can forget the aunty who sold Malay-style economy rice in
the canteen? You could pick two pieces of chicken, some taugeh and a
fried egg every day and the price would vary. Why? Because she was one
human calculator who'd "agak-agak" the price of your plate and your
pickings.

I love the Prefects' Room too. It was a cosy little place where we had
our meetings and talked about issues. In fact, us prefects practised
out Teacher's Day presentation every year in that room.

Cleanliness was a big thing for BBGSians. Classroom duty meant
prefects were assigned to assess the cleanliness of blocks of classes.
Marks were given for how pristinely green the blackboard was (no chalk
dust anywhere at all, please!), how pristinely grey the floor was
(runaway staples were generally tolerated as they blended into the
grey) and how well aligned the desks were (I wonder if many BBGSians
are victims of obssessive-compulsive disorder).

I could go on and on about many other things but I'd like to most
bring up "decency and discipline". Having been a prefect, I could
safely say that even the naughtiest girl in school had decency and the
ability to be polite. It is a BBGS trait I believe and it's due to the
values the school inculcates in her students. We rebel but we never
forget the boundaries that help make us human. I've had a naughty girl
tell me about another girl who has trouble at home even though she's a
friend of a friend.

Discipline has also taught all of us to persevere, to take the "narrow
gate" as it were, and not choose the easy way to our dreams. I believe
we are hardy women with a keen sense of responsibility and hands lined
with deeds done in service to friends, neighbours, family and
community. We are that kind of girls.

I left school after Form 5 with the fondest memories of Ms. Yeap, the
headmistress then, whom I remember gave me advice about my future
career while driving me somewhere (can't remember what I was doing in
her car now). Did my university years in Australia and returned with a
degree in Marketing and Business Communications. I've been a
copywriter in the advertising industry now for 14 years and have my
own creative department to lead. But I can tell you that despite the
kind of politics that occur in corporations and the fact that I work
in an industry that's partially reponsible for an increasingly
consumerism-numbed society, it's my years at BBGS that have shaped the
voice of reason I hear in my head when tough decisions have to be
made.

I am married to a St.John's boy and have a 5-month-old boy who gives
me the kind of joy no fancy house or car could. And I think that too,
is something our school has given me: an appreciation for the things
that truly matter at the end of the day.

Blog Status

Update: Please note that Joanna Yeoh has resigned from the BBGS OGA Executive Committee on 16 August 2009 and is no longer able to represent the views of the Association. Kindly contact the President for any further information. Thank you.

Dear Friends,

It's been such a pleasure to serve the BBGS community through this blog and I've been so blessed by your kind words, support and love. Thank you for recognising and greeting me at the gala reunion last week.

Our readership passed the 37,000 mark this morning and we're only two years' old. I can only hope that the blog will grow from strength to strength in the coming years and more of us will be re-united with kindred spirits from our school days.

Back2BBGS is my personal blog which was set up to preserve BBGS memories in cyberspace. I take great care to ensure that the facts are correct, sources are credible and permissions are obtained for the stories and images. It is a matter of personal integrity, in addition to copyright.

From today onwards, this blog will revert back to its original intent and will remain a personal blog.

I am unable to adequately represent or be personally responsible for matters relating to the BBGS Old Girls' Association (OGA) or the Elena Cooke Education Fund (ECEF). The OGA has agreed to set up an official website as the channel of communication amongst its members. Meanwhile, all queries regarding monies and administrative matters should be addressed to the OGA President at syphang@gmail.com.

All other personal stories of girls, teachers, staff and reunions are welcome and will continue to be published as per the original intent of the blog.

Thank you for your kind understanding.

Regards,
Joanna Yeoh
Founder of Back2BBGS Blog a.k.a "The Blogger" :-)

More gala photos

Here's another treat for those of you who are clamouring for more photos of the Back2BBGS event. These pictures are being shared with us by Moonlake Lee (Class of 1986) who did a brilliant job capturing a variety of shots.

Miss Yeap Gaik Khoon was our guest of honour for the evening gala. Her candid style and heartfelt stories held the audience in rapt attention. At the piano was Saidah Rastam, one of Malaysia's acclaimed composers (remember M the Musical?), who is also a BBGSian. Saidah conducted the choir and provided live music for the event....she is soooo good...swoon...

A large number of ex-teachers and staff turned up for the evening gala. Remember the jaga and Chandran (the office staff who prepared all our exam papers?)

Moonlake (in red) with Elizabeth Lee (in purple), her college principal, and her friends Darina, Salwa and Sunitha

Friends from the Class of 1986

Women of Vision: 1893 - 1925

The "Timeless Traditions" exhibition took place on 4 August 2009 at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. It showcased the pioneers of BBGS as well as school activities through the decades. Some readers who couldn't attend the function have asked me to share the exhibition online. So here it is...enjoy!

This exhibition has been researched, written and sponsored by Joanna Yeoh and photos have been re-produced with permission from Miss YL Moey. Please obtain written copyright permission from the author before reproducing any information and images for print or digital use. Thank you.

Miss Betty Langlands, 1893 - 1895

The British Empire was at its height of glory when Miss Betty Langlands left England for Malaya, an equatorial colonial outpost.

Her vision?

To educate the women in this country and elevate their status in society, in order that they might live fuller lives. In 1893, this determined missionary lady gathered a few women in Brickfields and taught them to read.

The first girls’ school in Selangor was born.

Miss Bessie Maclay and the five orphans she adopted

Miss Bessie Maclay (1895 - 1914)

Miss Maclay arrived from China in 1895 to take over the reins of the school, then known as the Chinese Girls’ School. The school grew under her care, even while it was physically moved to Petaling Hill and Davidson Road.

A hardworking, broadminded and strict Headmistress, Miss Maclay was feared but loved by all her pupils. Coming from a well-to-do family, Miss Maclay gave generously to all who needed help. As a nurse, she welcomed everyone who came to the dispensary at her house. Babies were left on her doorstep. She raised five of these children, all of whom grew up to be a credit to her.

In 1914, she went on leave via USA on board the Lusitania. The First World War broke out and the ship was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland and she was drowned. Maclay House was named in her honour.

Miss Shirtliff and her pupils in the early twentieth century

Miss Shirtliff arrived from New Zealand in 1898 and came to Kuala Lumpur in the early 1900’s. Firm, forthright and outspoken, she soon became well-known to the schoolgirls of that era. She planted a rain tree under which the girls loved to shelter at recess time. The much-loved raintree continued to provide welcome respite for over half a century. Shirtliff House was named in her honour.

L-R: Miss Ruth Lewis, Miss Molly Ham (1914 - 1918)

From 1914 – 1918, during the difficult days of the First World War, the school continued under the joint leadership of Miss Ruth Lewis and Miss Molly Ham.

Miss Lewis also came from New Zealand. She later married and became Mrs Robert Austin.

Miss Ham left Malaya after the war and went to live in Cheddar, England.

L-R: Mrs Green, Miss Luke, Miss O' Connor

Mrs W.H. Green, 1918 - 1919

Mrs Green, the sister of Miss Shirtliff, took over the reins of the school for a year. One of Mrs Green’s pupils was heard to remark, “Oh dear, she was very, very strict but most efficient as a Principal.” Green House was named after her.


Miss A. Luke, 1919 – 1925

Miss A Luke arrived in 1919, and led the school until 1925. She married and became Mrs. Bennett, and went on to reside in Brisbane, Australia.


Miss O’ Connor, circa 1922

When Miss Luke went on leave, Miss O’ Connor who later became Mrs G. Gough, was given the headship in 1922. She was the first graduate teacher of the school.

Women of Vision: 1925 - 1993

This is the second part of the "Timeless Traditions" exhibition that took place on 4 August 2009 at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. This exhibition has been researched, written and sponsored by Joanna Yeoh and photos have been re-produced with permission from Miss YL Moey. Please obtain written copyright permission from the author before reproducing any information and images for print or digital use. Thank you.

Miss Prouse and the first class of Senior Students presented for the

Cambridge School Certificate Examination

Miss Eva Prouse, 1925 - 1941

Miss Eva Prouse arrived from Rockhampton, Queensland in April 1925. During her tenure as Headmistress, the school presented students for the Cambridge School Certificate Examination for the first time in 1928.

Miss Prouse was strict but fair, and a stickler for neatness and tidiness. Straight and tall, she was always impeccably dressed and walked round the school with a firm and purposeful tread.

She took a keen interest in sports and would attend all the badminton matches in which the school participated. Before leaving for the venue, the school players and supporters were usually given a talk on fair play and sportsmanship.

When the Second World War broke out, Miss Prouse was interned in Palembang, Sumatra. On 8 February 1945, just six months before the Japanese surrender, Miss Prouse died from malaria. Prouse House carried her name and Prouse Wing was built with the savings she left the school.


Miss Mary Glasgow, 1946 - 1957

In 1930, Miss Mary Glasgow arrived to serve with Miss Prouse as the school moved to Bukit Bintang Road. Together, they worked tirelessly to improve the school until the Second World War. Serving until the last possible moment, Miss Glasgow and Miss Prouse were both captured and interned in Sumatra.

Miss Glasgow survived the internment and returned to head BBGS in August 1946. Before the war, many parents preferred to keep their daughters at home so the numbers were small. However following the war, there was
tremendous pressure to get girls admitted to the school. The buildings could not rise fast enough to meet soaring enrolment.

Miss Glasgow was known for her ability to make Literature come alive and was brilliant in Mathematics. She was loved because she took personal interest in the girls, while demanding that they gave of their best. She taught, guided and inspired the next generation of Malaysian educators including Miss Elena Cooke, who took over from Miss Glasgow as Principal of BBGS in 1958.

In recognition of her contribution to education in Malaya, Miss Glasgow was awarded the MBE (Master of the Order of the British Empire) in 1955. In 1960, she retired from teaching after 30 years of dedicated service and returned home to Ireland.


Miss Elena Cooke, 1958 - 1977

Miss Elena Cooke had the rare distinction of being a student, teacher, headmistress and chairman of the Board of Governors of Bukit Bintang Girls’ School (BBGS). Her student days began in 1928 and she started her teaching career in 1945, having earned a degree from Queen’s University in Belfast.

She went on to become one of the most well-respected headmistresses of BBGS, leading the school from 1958 – 1977. Renowned as a perfectionist who demanded nothing but the best from her staff and pupils, she took on her responsibilities with thoroughness and dedication. She is known for her sharp eye for detail, her insistence on excellent pronunciation, her intolerance for laziness, rudeness and untidiness and preoccupation with discipline.

Under her leadership, BBGS flourished. The school buildings, enrolment and reputation grew from strength to strength, earning her the title of Master Builder. She was awarded a KMN in 1977 for her excellent service and dedication to the field of education in Malaysia.


Miss Yeap Gaik Khoon, 1980 - 1993

Miss Yeap came to BBGS from another well-known missionary school - Methodist Girls’ School Taiping. She is a graduate of the University of Malaya (Singapore) and University of Southampton (United Kingdom). When Miss Yeap took over the reins of BBGS, she faced the formidable task of maintaining the high standards of BBGS while carrying on the school traditions.

Fortunately, Miss Yeap has one special quality that helped her cope with the challenges – she cares. She always had a listening and sympathetic ear for her students and staff. She encouraged open dialogue between teachers and parents to talk about their children’s progress in school.

Sports, especially hockey, was close to Miss Yeap’s heart. She was always there to encourage and support the BBGS hockey team, which went on to win district, state and national championships.

Miss Yeap retired as Principal of BBGS in 1993, and went on to become Principal of Fairview International School. Today, she is retired from active teaching and resides in Kuala Lumpur.

Notice of EGM

This message is posted on behalf of the OGA 2009/10. This EGM notice was mailed to existing members on 2 August 2009. Kindly note that attendance is by membership only and to discuss specific resolutions in the notice. New members may sign up at the meeting venue on the 16 August 2009. Please click here to obtain attachments.


Dear Member,

NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

Notice is hereby given that an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Bukit Bintang Girls School Old Girls’ Association (the “OGA”) will be held at 3.00pm on Sunday, 16 August 2009 at Meeting Room, 25th Floor, Menara Multi -Purpose, Capital Square, 8, Jalan Munshi Abdullah, 50100 Kuala Lumpur for the purpose of considering and, if thought fit, passing the following resolutions:

1. THAT the current constitution of the OGA be amended as per Annexure of this notice; and

2. THAT the minutes of the previous annual general meetings of the OGA from 1998 until 2008 and all the relevant documents thereto be ratified and accepted for the purposes of filing the same at the Registrar of Societies of Malaysia.

BY ORDER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Wan Anniza SM Jamaluddin
Secretary
Kuala Lumpur
2 August 2009

Enclosures:

1. A copy of the unamended constitution of the OGA; and
2. A copy of the proposed amendments to the constitution of the OGA

Thank your for making my dreams come true

This week, I saw my dreams come true:

I heard our school song reverberate around the Pavilion,

I saw our school badge emblazoned all over the mall,

I embraced the teachers who inspired me to think, question and love

I watched grown women cry openly as Miss Cooke walked onto the concourse,

I took delight in Miss Moey's speech that with God all things are possible and how we must always stand noble and true

I was greeted as "The Blogger" instead of "You were my School Captain and I was terrified of you!"

In addition to the outpouring of support and donations, many kind words have also flowed in which I'd like to share with you.

From Miss Elena Cooke: That was great!

From Irene Yu: Wanted to express my thanks and appreciation for organizing the Back2BBGS event at the Pavilion - so much hard work had gone into it - making it a memorable event for every BBGS girl and Miss Cooke - it was certainly a labour of love and I am sure everyone would join me in saying well done! Syabas! It was a superb event! Plase convey this to the following and others whose names I am not aware of - I am sure that there are many more!!

From Valencia: Congratulations on a task well done and all the effort put in to make the event a memorable one. We appreciate your long hours and sleepless nights to ensure its sucess. God bless and regards.

From Chan Wai Fong: Brought my little girl to the BBGS event last night :-) This is the closest she can get to BBGS. Truth is...she did manage to bring home some of the good values and virtues and inspirations by just merely being at the event. Thank you BACK2BBGS committee...YOU ALL DID A SPLENDID JOB!

And since Joanna always has the last word...I'd like to add my personal THANK YOU to the organizing committee. Who are these Amazons who have pulled off a miracle in 6 weeks? Here they are.....

Front Row (L-R): Poesy, Izan, Lai Ying
Back Row (L-R): Khim, Winnie, Izreen, Kit, Wei Lee, Audrey, Anniza

I have seen them write songs (thanks Poesy & Winnie)

I have seen them write poems (thanks Wei Lee)

I have seen them write press releases & press kits (thanks Izan, Kit & Sow Yoong)

I have seen them write meeting minutes and bank resolutions (thanks Anniza, Izreen & Audrey)

I have seen them write application forms for DBKL license approval (thanks Kit & Winnie)

I have seen them write guest lists, purchase orders and sales receipts (thanks Khim, Winnie, Lai Ying, Kit and respective teams)

And here's the kicker...I have seen many of them and their friends write personal cheques because there was nothing in the kitty and vendors had to be paid (thanks...you know who you are...all the Misses Moneybags shall remain anonymous for their personal safety ;-)

THANK YOU SO MUCH for making my dreams come true and MAY GOD BLESS YOU!

P/S: You're welcome to join me in thanking and congratulating the team by adding a comment to this post.

Star reports Big Bang

Wow...the Star has run two more stories on the Back2BBGS reunion today. How cool is that? I haven't seen CBN in the papers six times in the last fortnight, have you? Hehehe... ;-)

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/8/10/central/4457176&sec=central

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/8/10/central/4461758&sec=central

Sneak preview of official photos

Here's a sneak preview of the official photos from the Back2BBGS gala. A DVD of photos and video will be available for sale shortly.

A big THANK YOU to Kit for allowing us to publish these precious photos...

Photos by Andy Kho Photography, www.andykho.com

Back2BBGS Gala Night

The gala night that followed the launch of the Elena Cooke Education Fund was branded the "mother of all mega reunions" - we're so modest aren't we? :-) It was definitely an euphoria extravaganza - with gorgeous sophisticated women reduced to silly shrieking teenagers the moment they saw their classmates from yesteryear! It was no wonder that many missed the cocktails and drinks that were floating around ;-)

Congratulations to the Organizing Committee and OGA for making this happen...here's to many more!

The choir and choral speakers representing multiple decades of BBGSians

It was no surprise to find BB girls shopping at the Pavilion but I was delighted to see Sri Bintang Utara (SBU) boys packing souvenirs all night. Well done boys!

Catching up with teachers all night...how many did you spot?

Catching up with 1987 classmates and church friends whom I didn't even know were from BBGS