BELURAN: B. Ravein Raj never envisioned himself as an educator, but arriving to class drenched and seeing students rise in respect on his first day changed his perspective, sparking a newfound passion for teaching.
Affectionately known as Cikgu Vin, he ventured into teaching to fulfil his mother's wish.
After working as a freelance tutor for a few years, he was eventually accepted into the public education sector.
For the first six months, Cikgu Vin was assigned to teach Malay and English languages as an interim teacher at SMK Tinggi St David, Melaka.
He was later assigned to SK Matanggal, a rural school in Sabah, where he has been teaching ever since.
"Melaka is my hometown, and I really enjoyed teaching there, so it was difficult to leave when I was sent to Sabah.
"But as a civil servant, I had to follow the instructions from the authorities. I accepted the offer but cried and experienced culture shock on my first day here, seeing the surroundings.
"There were times when I didn't want to go to the bathroom, and I was even scared to bathe or relieve myself because my living quarters were surrounded by jungle.
"It took me about a month to adjust, and I began to accept the situation after reading motivational quotes and realising that perhaps my presence could make a difference at the school," he said.
As a teacher from outside the local community, Cikgu Vin said it wasn't easy to gain his students' trust in his teaching ability.
"It was hard for some students to accept a teacher who wasn't local, especially someone from Peninsular Malaysia, teaching them Malay and English.
"But my approach was to treat the students like a father or friend to build rapport, and eventually, they warmed up to me.
"To help them understand, I used music elements, teaching proverbs through rap or creating songs so they could sing along while learning.
"The technique worked as students understood the lessons, and I felt fulfilled seeing them improve in Malay and English and score in exams.
"It was even more rewarding when their parents thanked me," said Cikgu Vin, who teaches Standard One, Three and Six students.