Brunei, 2017-19 & 2023

 

My last blog post was a whopping 8 years ago in 2016, and soon afterwards my blog website TravelPod ceased operating. Thankfully I saved my writings from the 12 years of travelling prior to that, and now the platform Blogger will reignite the storytelling spirit within me. I must thank my friend David Schlaphorst for his keen interest in my travels, and his question "What happened in Brunei?" will now be addressed! I know I can also count on my sweet mum as my top fan, and my gorgeous wife Raquel as my biggest cheerleader.

Raquel and I worked as coaches for 2.5 years from January 2017 until June 2019, helping up-skill local Bruneian teachers, in the fields of literacy and numeracy, across primary and secondary. This ambitious nationwide programme involved 60 international coaches and every school in the country. It was fascinating to work closely with such a diverse spectrum of individuals (coaches, teachers and school leaders), who were all passionate about education and making a positive difference. By the end of the project, we had helped train local coaches to support their colleagues into the future, and children were more engaged in learning, facilitated by their enthusiastic teachers.

There were many magical aspects to living in Brunei. As the country was small (half a million people and half the size of N. Ireland) and quite remote (a little corner of Borneo island), tourism was minimal and you gained an immediate feel for how the locals live. Being close to the equator, the climate is tropical and the vegetation is lush. Luckily, riches gained from oil and gas have saved the wilderness from being replaced with destructive palm oil plantations, which has happened extensively in neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia. Raquel and I were able to enjoy regular jungle runs and hikes, often spotting silver leaf monkeys and hornbills, and having our hearts skip a beat while cycling, as huge monitor lizards raced for safety as we passed.

A personal highlight of my time on Borneo island was regularly running races (70 in all), getting podium finishes, and receiving cash prizes (my total haul was €3210)! I would quickly recognise my competition at start lines and test different tactics in order to win, revelling in the feeling of being a champion, albeit as 'a big fish in a small sea'. My pretty decent sprint finish was employed on many occasions, providing the ultimate endorphin high as I powered to a big cash prize and a giant trophy/cheque. At the National Day 10km in 2018, Moroccan elite runner Ammouta Younes sped off into the distance, while I clung on to the chasing group, which included local legend Sefli Ahar. My body wanted to me to drop off the pace, but mental strength told me to hang in there. On Sefli's shoulder, upon rounding the final bend, I zoomed past him at top speed all the way to the finishing line, and a mighty second place prize of €430! During my whole time in Brunei, this was the only time I got the better of him. Raquel also bravely competed in many of these races, including one arduous 6 hour trail race, and she picked up a total of €200 in prize money! 

In 2023 I jumped at an exciting opportunity to return to Brunei for 2.5 months, through a part-time maths teaching maternity cover position at the outstanding Jerudong International School. Raquel and our new pup Joy stayed in Portugal, so this was a very lonely time, and I had to be creative keeping myself entertained outside of work. I brought my Brompton foldable bicycle, which was my main mode of transport for the 4km commute to school, and my main form of entertainment at weekends. Most people in Brunei drive, there is little public transport, and the only cyclists tend to be speedy racers. Hence, I was quite the novelty for the locals, toodling around on my Brompton, and wheeling it around shops and restaurants folded up. 

I was thrilled to find three running races during my stay - a 10km in the capital Bandar, a 15km beach race in Kuala Belait, and a 10km in Miri across the border in Malaysia. Some of the top local runners must have groaned when they saw me, while others expressed thanks I would help push them to a higher level. One even recounted my beating Sefli in that National Day race, five years before! In what was an immense sense of pride, with plenty of dedication and determination, I succeeded in winning all three races, beating 700+ others, and leaving with €550 in prize money! 

This was potentially my last stint of classroom teaching, and it was a delight to finish with this rich experience in such a brilliant school. It was a huge relief to return to Lisbon and to my love, Raquel, and be sure I did not want to spend so much time apart from her again. But through throwing oneself into challenges such as these, I'm left with immensely fond memories of Brunei, and even greater appreciation for my excellent life in Portugal.