Random Talk

The following is a conversation between me and a fellow friend and blogger, Amanda NYC on ASEAN, Malaysia and traditional costumes. Find her on her blog at Her Effervescence.

I recently(very!) had a considerably long chat with Amanda, also an ASEAN scholar (Junior College) heading to Singapore next year. It started out normal, but as the issues we turned to are rather relevant to many of you Malaysians out there(doesn't matter if you're not), I decided to compose it into a something...readable for both our blogs.


Me = T Amanda = A

T: Hey, Amanda.

A: Hey.

T: You went down to kl to do the signing right?

A: Yup, you?

T: Went to Singapore yesterday.

A: Whoa. Expensive lah. But good to have a look around, I guess. How was it?

T: Quite OK. Met a potential classmate: Form 3 Sarawakian. The reason why we went is because of PMR

A: Oh yeah.

T: If i went to KL, I would still have to send it to Singapore. So going straight would have been easier...

A: $$$!!!

T: Money? Yeah. A problem. But still...We didn't have much choice.

A: Have relatives in KL. Lots of them. Got to play simulated golf. :D Every trip to kl is like a vacation.

T: "Simulated golf"? >.<

A: Do you know your school yet?

T: No. They’ll only tell later.

A: Yeah same here. Upon arrival?

T: Yup. Haiz... Suspense, suspense

A: Lol I’m numb right now. SPM and graduation day and night are more pressing matters.

T: Did they ask you to bring a traditional costume?

A: Yes they did. I’m going to get a turquoise Punjabi suit! :D

T: Hahahaha. Imma look hideous later on.

A: In?

T: I have no idea. >.<

A: Embrace it. Great excuse to go shopping. :P What are your current thoughts about Singapore and this scholarship thingy?

T: Whew....That's a load...But generally? Just go with it. I’m worried about their standards, though.

A: How so?

T: Math, Science and Higher Chinese. To be specific.

A: Every challenge comes with lessons learnt. C: And like someone told me, you don't have to be 'top dog' there. As long as you survive, you'll be more than good wherever you go after.

T: That's good to know. :) But no matter what, I’m determined to have a good time on the side of work.

A: What about the OTHER side?

T: The non-work side? Even better...

A: For me, I’m trying to 'envision' (using the word the interviewers used numerous times) life there

T: Don’t worry. I do it all the time. Esp. yesterday. I think i like the airport. However, next time I’ll make sure the return flight is just like the arrival one=in the main terminals, NOT budget. =.=

A: Lol. Changi airport. The name's pretty lousy though. But that's beside the point.

T: Haha I don't care much for it.

A: Any idea which CCAs you'll be involved in?

T: Debate, for starters. Anything to do with language. And maybe IT.

A: Everything we can't have here. Or at least, not enough.

T: Exactly. Esp. the language part. I’m very curious of what they have to offer.

A: But I’m keeping my expectations low. FREEDOM....Lost. Gone. 17 years, now snatched away for 2 years. :( Curfews. Rules. Need to meet targets for academic results . I do NOT follow rules. Ever. Hmph.

T: Well, I’m not too worried about that...My friend's been there. And he's...doing quite well. Apparently as long as you do well enough, you can afford to hang around and have fun.

A: Yeah. But still, here, keeping grades up is an OPTION. There, you get your scholarship terminated if you don't.

T: I know. It’s a trade-off lah.

A: Yes, yes. But i always thought freedom should increase with age, not decrease.

T: I know something I’ll lose, though. There are no public speaking "chances" that we have here.

A: No? Really?

T: Because everyone's supposed to be a good speaker. There’s still debate, though. That’s very active... I'm not sure whether there really are NO public speaking activities, just that it's maybe not that special to be a good one there.

A: Oh i see...Hmm. public speaking was a TORTUROUS experience for me at age 10, but i faced my fear this year (and conquered it too, by placing second ;p) It’s not something I’ll miss tremendously, though. My teacher told me, "speaking is the art of lying." So true.

T: I was very apprehensive about it just last year, but gave it a go this year. And LOVED it. :D It just comes naturally, you know? I love the flow, the feeling.

A: Hmm, which comp did you go for? Didn’t see you at state.

T: Haiz...I got second in district, which I felt was rather controversial.

A: Ah.

T: Hint: The winner was a Malay girl who basically sucked at impromptu. While i was the only one who used no paper....

A: Yeah i had the same issue with my district too. Very surprised that we beat SGGS, for the first time in YEARS, not that they have better speakers. Whoa no paper? Cool. Which school represented your district?

T: That girl was from a science boarding school. I like it without paper. I don't like being conformed to the words, to have to remember everything I want to say. I just like to whiz it all out, if you get what I mean.

A: Oh my god...She was horrible. If I remember correctly. The very dramatic girl? If that's the right one. Very, very serious in person, but over the top on stage. I almost fell out of my seat in my attempt to contain my laughter. But if she wasn't that bad, then I’ve got the wrong person. :P There were two other girls, both tudung-clad, at the state competition. The other was more normal. Nothing special that I remember. She used this one bulat-bulat: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=184008128340892

T: Well i didn't like her style, to put it plainly. So you see... It was one of them, definitely. Get now why I feel it was unfair?

A: Yeah. But that's life. In Malaysia. And this kind of injustice is present wherever you go. Just have to learn how to work your way around it, and change it if you can. C:

T: I know. I was rather happy, as this was my absolute first try...

A: Mine too C:

T: But still...Being SECOND just blocked my way. To all the other levels.

A: You’ll have plenty of other opportunities next year.

T: Yeah. True. And I’ll use them.

A: The guy who won, Thevesh, was awesome. Seriously.

T: I guess he probably was. They’re fairer at state or nationals. The people who won really deserve it.

A: Yup. That’s what my teacher says too.

T: But at district...My teacher himself told me not to expect anything.

A: The judges at district are less experienced. And less sane :P So did mine....I don't actually like the thought of studying in a Chinese school, like what I’m doing now. I feel like we're judged by national school people. And there's that stereotype of being nerdy and having crappy English. And it does make 'integrasi nasional' harder, you know.

T: I know!

A: What's the point? Most of the people I know, they'll graduate and keep on mixing with Chinese people only. Meh. And everyone is supposedly more kiasu. And there's better Math but wth.

T: Exactly...In fact, one of my teachers even suggested that I wear the long pants used my national schools. I have to do THAT to win?!

A: What?Whoa lol...I was the only one in a pinafore, even at district.

T: And your point about the graduating and not mixing with others is very true. I’ve ranted about this a lot.

A: Yeah I think I remember reading one or two of your blog posts...

T: This problem is partly caused by the Gov., partly by teachers, and partly...by the Chinese community 'elders' influencing the school's direction. They want to make everything "separate".

A: Everyone’s contributed a bit. What to do? The Chinese want their language and culture to live on. And the government is trying to clamp down on us. I’m not in favor of the whole Chinese pride thing, but to go to the other extreme isn't right either .

T: You know...I should take this conversation, edit it and put it on both our blogs as a co-piece.

A: Lol, co-piece. If this is going to be published on a blog, I’d better think straight and write better.

T: That’s whree the editing comes in. *wheer. *whre *where. WTH. Lololol. I always have a problem typing "where" Ah good i got it right

A: Lol. Very fitting time to have multiple typos lol. Editing indeed. Anyways i ought to go now. Toodles, talk to you sometime later. Or just message me, I’ll reply with a novel (albeit one probably shorter than yours).

T: Alright. Hahahaha. Bye.

-End-