I met up with some old friends the other day. Both of them are studying overseas for some years. They said that they only mingle with foreigner when they are oversea with loud and proud. I understand that some people who spent all time with Malaysian when they are oversea will had a tough life when they are away from home. I know that the way to survive at a foreign land is to live their life. If you don't enjoy your life there and keep on thinking about your life back at home, you will have a miserable time when you are abroad.
At Norway, it is not your choice whether you want to hang out with Malaysian or not because for you to meet a Malaysian also will be an issue. Due to Malaysian is a rare species there, whenever I met a Malaysian oversea or heard someone who speak Malaysian's English, I would feel so so happy. The language with mixture of Malay, Hokkien, Cantonese, everything "rojak" together, a type of conversation that makes me feel home. I speak ok English. American said I speak good English (although I can't pronounce Florida right after people praise about my English). Still, when Nic and I met Edgard and Ken at San Francisco or I met Yeen Chow and his friends at Berlin, the moment when everyone can speak Malaysian's style of English, we are so enjoy our self with it. Everyone feels connected somehow in a way.
I enjoy European food. Norwegian raw fish, Italian's simple salad or spaghetti, Spanish's Paella, German's pork cuisine, Japaneses sushi, Indian's curry.... However, how can those food compare to my Penang's Wan Tan noodle, Fried Kueh Teow, Hainan Chicken Rice?
Yes, I enjoy all the low price with good quality wine or beer oversea. Bud which is so cheap at US, France or Italy wine which is cheap at Norway compare to Malaysia. However, I can't forget my teh tarik at Mamak stall. Starbucks? Yes, it is good. Espresso? good as well. Still....I loves Penang's kopi O.
Travelling? I like different culture, architecture, religious site. But whenever the plane is landing at KLIA, once you heard the air stewardess said, Selamat Datang or Welcome Home...the feeling in the heart...as if my heart had really touch the ground at the same time with the plane too. Feeling home...
Sometimes I will think, if without the one and half year stint at Norway, will I still love Malaysia as I sound today?
I love this land. I do...really really do. No matter how much you don't like me for being here with asking me to go back to the mainland china or my ancestor is not from this land, how bad/dangerous/dirty/uncivilised/corrupted you are, how other people criticize you, I am still very very happy to be a Malaysian.
At Norway, it is not your choice whether you want to hang out with Malaysian or not because for you to meet a Malaysian also will be an issue. Due to Malaysian is a rare species there, whenever I met a Malaysian oversea or heard someone who speak Malaysian's English, I would feel so so happy. The language with mixture of Malay, Hokkien, Cantonese, everything "rojak" together, a type of conversation that makes me feel home. I speak ok English. American said I speak good English (although I can't pronounce Florida right after people praise about my English). Still, when Nic and I met Edgard and Ken at San Francisco or I met Yeen Chow and his friends at Berlin, the moment when everyone can speak Malaysian's style of English, we are so enjoy our self with it. Everyone feels connected somehow in a way.
I enjoy European food. Norwegian raw fish, Italian's simple salad or spaghetti, Spanish's Paella, German's pork cuisine, Japaneses sushi, Indian's curry.... However, how can those food compare to my Penang's Wan Tan noodle, Fried Kueh Teow, Hainan Chicken Rice?
Yes, I enjoy all the low price with good quality wine or beer oversea. Bud which is so cheap at US, France or Italy wine which is cheap at Norway compare to Malaysia. However, I can't forget my teh tarik at Mamak stall. Starbucks? Yes, it is good. Espresso? good as well. Still....I loves Penang's kopi O.
Travelling? I like different culture, architecture, religious site. But whenever the plane is landing at KLIA, once you heard the air stewardess said, Selamat Datang or Welcome Home...the feeling in the heart...as if my heart had really touch the ground at the same time with the plane too. Feeling home...
Sometimes I will think, if without the one and half year stint at Norway, will I still love Malaysia as I sound today?
I love this land. I do...really really do. No matter how much you don't like me for being here with asking me to go back to the mainland china or my ancestor is not from this land, how bad/dangerous/dirty/uncivilised/corrupted you are, how other people criticize you, I am still very very happy to be a Malaysian.
4 comments:
Dear CL,
How i wish i share you sentiments! I long for the days that i can feel proud about my country. I do love many aspects of it. I love the people, i love the food. i miss the colourful KL streets, i miss the manglish and the kiasu neighbours. I yearn for the pan mee, malay songs and even chinese movies. Strangely enough, part of me have died in the past years.
I am still very excited about many thing Malaysians and Malaysia. I spent hours a week to read about our country. I spent similar amount of hours, thinking and talking about how things can be changed and be better. Why? Do i feel Malaysia being inferior - Not really. Do i feel Western/foreign's culture to be superior - Not really either.
The root of my disillusions, i think, lies is the gradual decay of my hope for the country. It lies in me, losing trust in Malaysians as a whole, would be able to resolves our differences, and embrace the reality of us being a nation. Or perhaps, i have been corrupted with Western values of fairness, justice, and meritocacy - in that - i failed to see a future in our nation.
it's a terrible feeling - for being stateless. it's a terrible feeling - for not feeling proud of one's nation. it's a terrible feeling to be lost.
my heart and soul cry for the nation. our nation. yet, i wonder these are tears of farewell, or tears of absymal sadness.
Merdeka...
hey girl, free to meet up??
Yes proud of you...im malay, u r chinese, but we are still malaysians! now and forever.
now and forever. =)
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