Grace.C: OPA 80th Anniversary Dinner

Like every other year. started like 8 years ago, my dad got in contact with the OPA committee. OPA means Old Paulian Association. as you see, my dad is an ex-paulian in st paul who graduated in 1978. st paul is a very well-known school, a prestige school back then, and still is until now, in seremban. it's an all-boys school but coet for form 6. they have this really good alumni for all ex students, who organise dinner every single year in aim to gather all ex-paulians to once again reunite. and this year itself, they are celebrating students who pass-out on the 1981. (every year, they celebrate a different pass-out year)

it was again in Royal Adelphi Hotel. i remember going there getting an academic award for SPM 2 years ago (they give out awards to their kids). so,we followed uncle ro's car, as my dad was already there the day before for a golf tournament, also under OPA. i was just on time, placing my butt on the chair, when dinner was served. lights were off, and from the main entrance, came a motorbike, i dont know what you call those, but it's some canggih motorbike like we see in Shah Ruth Khan movie, and behind the motorbiker, a girl, the chief waitress i guess, was seating there holding a dish high up on top of her hand. and followed by many many waiters and waitresses coming in to serve us. the concept was really good, but the exhaust was terrible, smoke everywhere. then the master of ceremony came on stage, he is also an ex-paulian, now working as a DJ in Traxx Fm. that explains why his voice sounded so familiar to me once he spoke. while eating, we're entertained by some performances, namely, the wizards, magic show, mardi grass dancers and so on. the wizards is actually a band, formed by a dad and a son, both ex-paulian also. nice. another hightlight was the magic show, the guest were from HK, if you remember the bald man who acted in the show 'zui kai pak thong' (2 best friends) one very popular show back in the 90s, yea, this bald man, robert were on stage performing some martial arts cum magic show.

well, i wasnt bored sitting there the whole night, as there are lots of things to see. i see old man all talking to each other, remiscing the good old days, and in my mind, i visualize them when they were young, wearing school uniform going to school. there is this bunch of uncles, who are all from class of 1969, they took a photo with their then-principal, brother felix, lots of them came, about 30 of them. and that's like almost the whole class right? that's so cool !! it was really fun. i mean if i have anniversary like that, i cant imagine meeting my classmates after 20 or 30 years, when we bring our kids and hubby for the dinner, talking about the things happen in school last time, all naughty things, how we copied during exam, hehe, and which teacher we didnt like etc etc. and speaking about flashback, the mc did a great job in getting the crowd's attention by talking about some funny stuff that happen in school last time. he greeted everyone in BM like, murid murid, sila diam, and so on. those phrases that the teachers like to use last time. also, he make fun of some of the ex principals and ex dicipline teachers (who were present that night also). sayings things like, when mr so and so, walk past the corridor, no one would make a single noise, and how brother felix caught students smoking in the toilet and punish them by asking them to smoke a pack in front of him. etc etc. which then, came to the slide show, with all black and white photos of students as early as 1933, showing pictures of the famous hockey team that was at its peak in 1965, photos of the school, the classroom, and the basement together with words like 'remember the office?' and 'remember this basement?' the powerpoint lasted for about 10 mins, and right after that, the 1981 students were invited on stage to lead the school rally. and you see many many uncles with beers on their hand, would sing together. proud, happy, smiling faces, hugging friends, all re-united singing the school song. well, eventhough im not one of them, but i could feel the sense of reuniting, the feeling of contentment, it was really good, and i wish i would have this one day. but i doubt, hehe, pess's alumni is not really an active one. fingers-cross.