Weekssssss of preparing for my Tour licensing.
One huge file of assignment portfolio handed up
and marked. Another two huge files of assignments
and study notes to stuff into my head.
Finally, the day has arrived.
That's us, lined up to meet the examiner
from KL, who is examining our assignments
and study files. Trying to impress the examiner.
A kind word of advice as to our new path ahead.
Passed!
A successful Portfolio examination.
27 March 2017
Next phase, preparing for the objective, short essay
and written exams in two weeks time.
130 million years of rainforest, 966km of highway,
40,000 tiles on the roof of the Sultan Abdul Samad
building,
Brain food
More brain food, and some cooling
drinks to calm the body 'overheated'
by anxiety, overwork and tension.
Wore off five pens after writing away
miles of research and notes on Malaysia
Notes. Notes. Notes.
Researching, sourcing and writing down
more Malaysian facts and notes.
Studied past year exam papers for the seventeenth time.
Committing to memory all the Tourism Awards collected
by Malaysia, and Penang in particular, given
out by various world tourism organisations.
Understanding the Malaysian system of government
so that tour guides can correctly inform or
explain to any tourists who may inquire of the above.
The architecture of the Malay house.
Brain food, again.
One bottle for each day counting down to exam day.
I need all the help I can get.
More reading
And the occasional unconscious spells
that occur about about five times a day
. . . zzzZZ zz ... zzZzz. . . .
Generous Felix suppling everyone exam aids.
And some people want everything free . . .
expect to be supplied with 2B pencils and eraser
for our objective paper😛😜😝
The exam timetable is out!
Last minute fact check!
While others de-stress with empat ekor,
betting on numbers and lottery.
Wow! the number plate of our exam
coach actually came out second prize
in the lottery!!!
D-Day. Subjective & Written Essay Exam.
Exam morning, waiting for the examiner
from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture
to arrive with the exam papers. I am the
only female exam candidate in a room of
male tour guide aspirants. 11April 8.30-1pm.
All of us are dressed in tour guide dress code
- batik shirts for the men, sarong kebaya
for the nyonya, and shiny covered shoes.
Next day, 12 April, 2017.
Next day, 12 April, 2017.
We have finished the oral slides exam, where
the Ministry official randomly pick a slide
that may show any Malaysian location, culture,
craft, dance food, etc and one has, on the spot,
to provide a commentary and facts. My name
first to be called. When the examiner (Senior
Tour guides and past Presidents of the Penang
Tour Guides Association) as me how I am feeling
this morning, I was actually feeling 'strangely
happy and elated.' Must be due to hyperventilation.
Here we are, waiting for our on-coach exam.
Last minute cramming in notes for our
live on-coach tour commentary exam.
Happily posing for a photo before boarding
the coach for the oral and live on-coach
tour commentary. We have a mapped out exam
route that is commonly used for Penang tours.
Yeah, this is the bus with the lottery
winning number plate. We all filed up
the coach, and were aghast to find out
that the exam route has been 'compromised'.
Surprise!
A big cruise liner decided to sail into Penang
port this morning, throwing the city into
confusion. The exam route is now a traffic
dead-lock grid. We have no Plan B. The
coach driver will have to manoeuvre this jittery
bunch of 'surprised' exam candidates on an
entirely new and unplanned route.
Noh doing a great job rambling on confidently
the length and other facts of the Penang Bridge.
Exam over!
Smiles of relief!
Tour Guide exam candidates with
our principal and senior examiners from
the Penang Tour Guides Association
and the Ministry of Tourism & Culture
Exam Question:
"Name the various races that were held
at the Sepang International Circuit"
-The exam question I have no answer for.
How Auntie know the formula la!
Afterwards, some kretek and tobacco
for the men to relieve the morning's stress.
The tobacco flavour (second hand smoke)
smells good. But mother shall not yield
to temptation cos my kids could
be reading this post!
Three months later . . .
after multiple visits to the MOTAC office, whinning,
and harassing the poor MOTAC officials with weekly
calls, an answered prayer came this afternoon!
14 July 2017