Colours of Life_A Book of Short Stories_Ebook

Unforgettable Dream by Entesar Algburi
(English Language Teacher at Alnahdha Secondary School for Girls, Iraq)

I come from an uneducated family. I think this is why my parents emphasise much on the
significance of education. I went to public primary and secondary schools in Baghdad. I chose to study
English language, so I attended lectures at the English Language Department of Al-Musstansryah
University, and worked as an EFL teacher in a primary school at the same time. I love teaching young
learners. Even though the wage at that time was very low, I continued teaching and tried to enhance my
skills and learn more about how to teach English language effectively because I have a dream to be an
ESL/EFL expert. I attended several courses in educational technology and read articles as well and finally,
I attended an MA (TESL) programme at the Baghdad University.

After one year of the MA programme, I was engaged to my husband for three months before my
family finally agreed to our marriage. In the mid of 2004, it was of difficult times (civil war). My husband was
a police officer, and it was definitely of hard times due to his job, but we spent a lot of pleasant time together.
Unexpectedly, just after a few months, my doctor told me that I was pregnant with a pair of twins. This was
a dream came true for both of us! A few months later, my life took a turning point, when my husband was
killed in Baghdad (on a Monday night, six people died and 22 were wounded in a car bomb attack against
Al-Yarmouk Hospital in Baghdad and most of the victims were policemen). This was in the peak of the civil
war in Iraq. I was 29 years old at that time, and had only been married for four months. At that time, my
only dream was to give birth to my twins and I dared not ask for more.

The sudden loss of someone can be devastating. I was alone, I could do nothing but crying. I moved
back to my dad’s (that was what have to be done when a husband died), thinking of what had happened to
me, and why it happened to me. I felt that my life and future was destroyed when my husband was killed.
For five months, and the rest of my pregnancy period, I felt such overwhelming loneliness, depression and
anger; however, I felt I had to be strong. I found life not easy without a husband (what more, as a single
future mother too), especially when I was pregnant, and at the same time, an MA student. My dreams were
surrounded by many challenges. However, I acknowledged all these emotions bravely.

Even though I experienced mixed emotions of sadness and grief, one source of happiness for me
was my little twins; they were very small and cute babies, a boy and a girl. They are my best friends to
share my life with; they make me smile again and I insist on achieving my dream to become an expert in
ESL/EFL field. In September 2007, a classmate of mine who works at the College of Education for Women
asked me to give lectures on Methods of Teaching English as a Foreign Language course for a whole year
(two semesters). To be honest, my three wishes have become a reality for me.

Being a tough mother for two children, owning a house to live in a peace and comfortable zone and
applying for PhD degree in TESOL are always on my mind; thinking which one will be the next. Priorities
have to be given to the homeownership. That has really given a huge impact on my children, career, my
next dream, and me. To my surprise, a small house with a beautiful garden in my hometown called Dora in
Baghdad has been put under my name.

Thinking about my dream of having a PhD degree comes into my mind from time to time. “As a
single mother, will this affect my children negatively? If I choose to study abroad, which is the best country
to fulfill my dream? Can I get study leave?” I have found myself asking all these questions from time to
time. Finally, these questions and others have helped me to choose
studying abroad and select Malaysia as an excellent educational site.

Due to certain unavoidable circumstances, I postponed my study
plan twice. My parents encourage me to travel abroad to achieve my goal.
Everything has been done and things are progressing well. Now I am on
my way to get PhD degree in the field of TESL. Though I still experience
feelings of losing my beloved husband, I have felt that the inner strength
inside me is magnificent and I can do more. I hope that I could finish my
PhD studies by the end of this year and move to my next dream. Lastly,
all of my wishes and dreams are fulfilled by the assistance of Allah.
Alhamdulillah.

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Epilogue
The inclusion of TSLB3252 Creative Writing (i.e., one course included in the Bachelor's Degree in
Teaching (PISMP) for the TESL programme) at the Institutes of Teacher Education nationwide provides
opportunity to all TESL pre-service teachers to produce creative writing entries. Pre-service teachers from
the U Unit at the Institute of Teacher Education Ipoh Campus, which consists of U5, U6 and U7, write
numerous creative writing pieces in their fourth semester.
The writings include flash fictions, short stories for young learners and young adults, poems (e.g.,
concrete poems, haikus, modern poems and acrostic poems), memoirs, blogs and e-books. The course
provides a stepping-stone for pre-service teachers to embark on their writing journey; they write different
genres of creative writing, they identify their voices in their writing and they partake the writing process to
reach the final written products. It is a wonderful discovery for all; when the writing process is done
adequately, the final products turn out to be big surprises for all.
It is important to note that all pre-service teachers have shown their cooperation, enthusiasm and
passion towards the course and the production of numerous creative writing pieces. This leads to the
successful compilation of all short stories and the publication of Colours of Life: A Book of Short Stories. In
addition, TESL lecturers as well as invited national and international writers have made the collection more
colourful by the inclusion of their creative writing pieces too. Also, thank you so much to the wonderful
sharing given by Jeff Kortenbosch in Youtube and for the free illustrated characters’ moulds in which pre-
service teachers used as the base for their characters’ creation.
With this publication, the team would like to extend the small accomplishment to more possible
publications of TESL lecturers and pre-service teachers’ other creative writing entries. The first successful
move will lead to other publications, hopefully. More written works too will reach the readers’ eyes, minds
and souls. May the initial writing acts prompt more writers or authors to produce more and more creative
writing entries in the future, especially from all TESL lecturers and pre-service teachers for their targeted
audience. Thank you very much.

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The collection of writings in Colours of Life: A Book of Short Stories is unique in which each writer has
displayed his or her creativity by writing a prose fiction (i.e., short story). The production of creative writing
through the genre of short story is heightened by the writers’ abilities in bringing to life the characters found
in their creative writing entries. Some highlights are as follows:

“Give it to me, girl!” the ghoul spat. His voice was hoarse and he looked as if he had not eaten for
weeks. Despite being some distance apart, I could smell his rancid breath, which almost triggered
me to puke and spill whatever human flesh my insides were only starting to digest. It was all I could
do, not to gag and look like a fool by throwing up right there. “This is my hunting ground!” growled
the ghoul. “Mine!” – The Reaper’s Scythe

However, little did they knew, she was not a free bird after all. Her tightly bonded golden wings would
not fly, and her sweet voice would not sing. Would you dare to ask her why? She would shake her
head in disappointment; looking at you in the eyes, she would whisper, “Why? Because I’m a
woman!” – Lady “Bird”

Lang opened her eyes; tears were running down her calm expression. The sunset truly was beautiful,
she thought, as she gripped her daughter’s tiny hand in her calloused one. – Life of A Young Woman

There, in front of her stood a young, beautiful man surrounded by radiant blooming sunflowers. He
had milky skin, rosy lips, silky grey hair and perfectly slender hazel eyes. “You’re late, my dear,” Niho
chuckled softly as he gave the warmest smile to his lover. “Would you stay with me here, forever,
Mai?” said Niho while reaching out his hands to Mai. - Kiete Shimau

The night is here, and darkness descends. The city should be brimming with people at this time until
the arrival of Z-Virus. Nevertheless, it is still crowded but not with ordinary residents anymore.
Throughout the dead silence, there were sounds of footsteps coming from a dim alley in the midst of
the vast city. They come from four survivors, or humans. – Dark Escape

Read on to explore the states of minds of all writers in Colours of Life: A Book of Short Stories. You will be
enthralled by the surprising elements found in every short story.

INSTITUTE OF TEACHER EDUCATION IPOH CAMPUS e ISBN 978-967-2863-04-5
31150 Hulu Kinta 97 8 9 6 7 2 8 6 3 0 4 5
Perak
Malaysia
Tel +605 533 1311
Fax +605 533 2743

Published 2021