Things To do on Friday

I have to tell you this. I was dead bored during the children's Fardhu Ain class. For two hours I do nothing except light chat with the ladies and glance whether my food is finished or not. I mean the ladies are all nice. As a matter of fact is they are all very, very nice ladies.

First of all coming here, I must get myself use to talking to ladies. In my line of work I am used to interact with men. Not many ladies in my department really. My close friends are mostly man. But well I can get myself use to this.

But talking about what they cook last night or what they will cook next week or how they make the curry puff pastry so crispy but yet soft can be a bit hard on me sometimes. Not that I don't welcome cooking tips, I just wanted more than this. Light chatting about who does what and what my kids do are also okay. But is this all I will do every Friday? Gulp!

I could first off all stay at home of course. No one is forcing me to go and join them. Now that Haziq was rejected from the Fardhu Ain class because apparently he is too young. (!@#%^&*!!!!) I don't even have to go there. Plus I don't need to do the pot luck, which would be easier.

But somehow, I still need to be out. To be with other people. Regardless they are group of ladies. It may not be my first choice of friends, but I can always get along. I can do what the Romans do.

So I thought, we should do something during the Fardhu Ain class. Something more beneficial perhaps. Then I remembered Ms. Salw, one of the ladies there. I happen to find out that she is good in tajweed. So I toyed with the idea of having a tajweed or a quran session among the ladies. I was still toying with the idea, when Ms. Salw, unannounced, came to my house one night. Without thinking I popped the idea to her and she gleefully accepted the idea.

But Ms. Salw is really a humble person. She was worried. She didn't want to give people the impression that she is clever by accepting being the teacher. Don't you just love her humble self? She said she is not cleverer than any of us. I said but we are all here to share. Perhaps each of us can learn something from one another. Each of us is a teacher in our own way. In fact that very night I thought her how to google. My only talent.

I also dared myself to go further. Oh dear! Oh dear! I usually am not like this. I said to Ms. Salw, I was thinking if time does permit us on Friday, I would like to do a little read aloud to the "straying" children. She was delighted and excited. She wants it done only in English. She said she like her children to pick up more English words.

So that Friday we started off with three ladies. A few other ladies heard about it and thought of coming in next Friday. Most of the ladies here are already in a formal tajweed class. It is very unfortunate for people like me with little children, can't go, because the class is during working days and on working hours. So if more of these ladies are in the class, we can share even more and perhaps their notes as well. Heh heh. I learned a lot. Ms. Salw was patient, admirable and excellent. She made the class very relax because she doesn't rush things. I wish I have all her attributes.

I read "A Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle" because first I like the book and second it is the only one I have. It is an easy book for the young kids though. So it went well especially for a first timer. The children and I (except my own kids) are first timers. Haziq volunteered to recite two poems and Ms. Salw learned two new words – School's out from Haziq's poem and dimple because I pointed out that her daughter has beautiful dimples.

In my opinion this will do Ms. Salw good because I believe everyone needs to do something that belongs to oneself. Something that one can give to everybody. People acknowledge that it's yours. And soon will be recognize as an individual rather than somebody's wife. (I do not know about the other ladies, but I find this rather annoying.) I heard the embassy is looking for someone who can teach children Quran, so who knows. Let's wish her well.

As for me. Well, I don't have any talent. The only thing I do well is manipulate. I manipulate people so I can gain something in the end. In this case I hope to tap Ms. Salw's brain and the other ladies' notes. Look at me ladies & Gentlemen. Look at me biting my little finger at the corner of my mouth and occasionally laughing. MUAHAHAHAH MUAHAHAHAHA MUAHAHAHA