A teacher's journey: From land of Mandela to Abode of Peace

AFTER 16 years teaching and living in Thailand, 49-year-old South African Malcolm Paul still finds it "a whole new experience" when he decided to relocate to neighbouring Brunei two years ago. Responding to an advertisement by Centre for British Teachers (CfBT) in 2009 seeking teachers to come to Brunei to teach, he became the sole candidate selected out of 30-plus applicants.

"I decided that I needed to get away from Bangkok's 'rat race'," Malcolm says. After conducting an extensive research on Brunei and on expatriates living in the Sultanate, he was convinced that he has made the right choice.

The pace of living and tranquility that Brunei offers is like "a breath of fresh air" for him and his family. "Brunei offers a peaceful and stress-free environment in which to work and be with my family," he says, adding: "My wife, who is from Thailand, and my 16-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter are all with me in Brunei."

He was posted to the Awang Semaun secondary school in Kampong Ayer and as he was housed nearby, he appreciates the morning walks to the jetty to catch the boat which takes him to school. "This is such a big contrast to my daily three to four hours of daily commuting to my job in Bangkok! Actually, I have forgotten what breathing in clean air was like after 16 years in smoggy Bangkok!" Malcolm says delightfully.

But the initial difficulty he encountered in Brunei was trying to find his way around although he could manage 16 years of driving in "a maze" in Bangkok. "It was quite funny how I kept getting lost trying to find my way from Tungku to CfBT in Kiarong during the first few days! I thought that after Bangkok, finding my way around in Bandar would be a breeze."

"In retrospect, I think the roundabouts and U-turns kept interfering with my sense of direction. Anyway, I eventually worked it all out and now find my way around quite easily and stress-free," he says.

Another difficulty he had to adjust to was the oppressive heat that can sometimes engulf Bandar, although he was used to the heat in Bangkok. Nevertheless, it is the non-confrontational aspect of Brunei's culture and the warmth, friendliness and genuine sincerity demonstrated by the Bruneians that made him feels like home here.'

During his first year, Malcolm was a little cautious when integrating into the general community in Brunei. But his second year was much better as he made new friends and contacts and now has a fast-growing network of friends and students. "I also found that as I get to know my students better at my school, I really got to experience a glimpse of what the average Bruneian student experiences and I discovered that my students had lots of potentials. They just needed to be gently steered in the right direction gently."

He brought with him an extensive teaching experience that include teaching at international schools, private universities, the United Nations Education Commission, private language schools, the Thai Army Command Centre and Thai (MOE-run) government schools. However, he was impressed by the teaching techniques and practices in Brunei. The fundamental difference, according to him, lies in the general framework of the UK/Singapore-based system here as opposed to the US-based system in Thailand. "As we approach the 'common ASEAN community era' I also believe that Bruneian students are at an advantage in terms of exposure to higher levels/standards of global English usage," he says.

Besides teaching, Malcolm is involved with various activities in Brunei, such as getting to know the many cultures in Brunei and indulging in his passion for music, mainly playing the piano.

"Well, I have been playing the piano for about 30 years and wanted to keep in touch and maintain my level of performance while I'm here. I started playing at the Empire around July 2010," he shares. Malcolm loves jazz and some highlights he had while in Thailand were playing in front of dignitaries such as Madeleine Albright, former US Secretary of State, and former US President Bill Clinton. He also received some encouraging comments from Grammy Award-winning jazz singer/pianist Diana Krall, who "once told me that my jazzy version of 'My Funny Valentine' was the best she had ever heard".

After two years in the Sultanate, Malcolm says he is looking forward to spending more years here and contribute as much as he could to its education and, hopefully, the music scene as well. "I hope to share my (Western) musical experience with Malay musicians here," he says. Currently involved in promoting an IGCSE Form 5 (Year 11) Intervention Programme at his school, he says he is " excited about the prospects of making a difference in some of these talented student's lives". This programme, he says, will continue until September this year and thereafter.

"I hope to organise and conduct a programme along similar lines with 'O' Level students next year".

The Brunei Times