Gracy Bee

I found out that…

Posted on January 29th, 2007 by GracyBee.
Categories: Everyday life.

I am fortunate to be able to go different countries to experience their local cultures. However, it is the differences in cultures that is most interesting! Of course, there is no one culture that is superior nor one is inferior. Just differences.

From where I came back from, I have adopted their way of life, but I can’t bring in the same when living here in my hometown. So I’m slowly gaining awareness about the way of life here.

Here’s what: my experiences so far.

•  Driving here and have a car are really a big thing. It can be almost equivalent to earning a prestigious honours degree.

•  Some people I know hate walking. They drive even the distance is less than 100m.

•  Some people I know lost their way while walking to the destination, but they don’t lost their way while driving. Me is otherwise

•  The buying behaviour is different. Here is must be cheap. Quality can be sacrificed. and must have free gifts. (!!)

•  People keep telling me things are a lot cheaper here. So why I do have to take out more money than usual to pay for the same things I have paid for in other countries? (for eg, talking about local terms: I paid 0.50p to pay for a loaf of bread. Here, for the same thing I have to fork out RM 2.20.)

•  The quality of the goods no matter what is deteoriating. Those quality goods I usually pay rather cheaply in the past has become premium goods at premium prices. Those inferior goods have become normal goods. AH?? why like that?? Like that mong teng teng my cost increased!

• Kiasuism is quite evident here though they don’t wanna admit it.

•  Some people can be quite impatient that ‘wait’ is not in their dictionary. (alas…no wonder the pace of life is fast here cos anything else cannot wait one. MUST BE FAST).

• Time keeping is really bad here. Some cannot be punctual for anything: meetings, dinners etc. Some are not too bad: 15 - 30 min late. The rest: at least 1hr late. Alas…cos of them, the functions have to be delayed. Hey, did you know how much can be done during the time? Time to go back to sch!

•  Some particular people ask like draggers when they ask you about (1) got bf/gf? (2)when getting married? (3)don’t got car or not? (4)which country u go to study? (5) drive already?

•  People loves to look into rubbish bins. Fine if you want to look for precious stuffs like the cardboard or metal (they are not there anyway) BUT PLSSSSSSS tie back the bag properly and don’t throw the rubbish all over the place!! Can’t believe you can be so unhygienic! So bo-chap attitudes!

•  Some people think I reply solely on my grandfather for my 20 years expenses, holidaying and all. OEI…Mr. XXX and YYY, PLS DON forget I was overseas to STUDY not to play, ok? And do you know that for 15 years my parents slogged hard to earn that money, and for the remaining 5 years I faced financial difficulties at some point that I have to hold 2 jobs to survive?!! PLEASE GET ALL YOUR FACTS RIGHT!

•  Some people tell me, no need to work and can rely on inheritance to survive, to get a rich husband stay at home and enjoy life like a tai tai. ALAMAK, what era are we in now? I hate that kind of life: so bored! Plus I have to work to earn my worth what…BUT in the future, if circumstances allow, I would stay at home to look after my future children. OK?

Hmmmmm…..But I can’t help thinking though: why you like that leh? Culture shocks?!

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Manglish

Posted on January 20th, 2007 by GracyBee.
Categories: Everyday life.

Ever since I have returned 4 months ago, I realised that in my hometown, the ‘official’ languages used are (according to ranks; as so I experienced): Manglish, Hokkien, Malay, Cantonese, Mandarin and English. YUP, Manglish….

Manglish is fun. Though the usage of it has made many frowned, I like to use it when I’m communicating informally with my friends. This is also the very language that I used to identify Malaysians/ Singaporeans when I was in the UK! There is a sense of closeness. Of course, I’m not encouraging everyone to use it, but to use it informally should be all right. For business and formal occasions, of course a proper respective language is needed.

^^^^^^

Manglish, as I have experienced right here in my hometown is more from my grandparent’s generation, mainly hokkien - English to go about understanding different things in their context. It can get pretty interesting. For example,

#1: Tan Guan Sir: It actually means Town Council
#2: Rocket Man: This refers to the astronaut in NASA. haha…that is what i 1st thought but no…actually means the Opposition Party in Malaysia. (Derived from the logo.forget the name)
#3: Teng Miah Hor (long life rain): means the monsoon rain
#4: liao lai zho ayam (lost money become chicken): typically means lost money. (why the chicken?!)
There are still many others I believe I will come across, and in due time, I think I can compile them into my own dictionary of hokkien-english. haha

1 comment.

Happy New Year 2007!

Posted on January 13th, 2007 by GracyBee.
Categories: General.

OK.

I know I’m 13 days late but still, HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!!

The first sparks of 2007
(nope, not from Bintang, but somewhere else~)

2007’s resolutions will be different from previous years. Previous years’ resolutions (if I’m bothered to do any) would be all about academical stuffs and all. This year have to be about my career and what I plan to do in Malaysia. Awawww…..

^^^^^^

Resolution #1: Improve on my Malay language
Since I don’t learn Malay during my school years, I bascially pick up my Malay language via listening and looking at Malay subtitles in TV series. Ok….those basic ones are enough to get me about and ‘cari makan’, but I still need to improve on it…HEY, I can’t read Malay! So, need to find time.

Resolution #2: Learn Cantonese
ahah……another language! (no diff from being academic resolutions huh!) I find out that Cantonese is kinda an ‘official’ language in KL. Ok….I can understand Cantonese…BUT I can’t really speak well. Let’s just say my current standard is kindergarden’s standard. *BLANK LOOK*. So I plan to listen to more Cantonese TV serials with subtitles. YEAH. Shouldn’t be difficult I hope.

Resolution #3: Driving
I have not drove any car for ages, despite getting a license. The lack of practice, lack of car and lack of knowledge of Malaysian roads don’t help at all! I really felt like a limbless person. AAAHHHhhh……..it is so inconvenient here and even to get the simplest thing done without a car can be such a big HASSLE.

My parents say they will get me practise the car asap….OK…….either they get too tired after work or they ain’t just got enough time. Not that I don’t appreciate their efforts, but sometimes I need to depend on myself to get things done. FAST.

So no matter what, I need to get driving. I want my ‘limbs’ back.

Resolution #4: To get my future career path line up.
This has bugged me for quite a while now. My current line up is to take over my parents’ business. The business has went on for 2 generations, and so me the 3rd generation, it is kinda expect me to take over. I have 2 other plans too, and that would take me to other countries. Really a tug of war.

Yes, a career path is important but I remind myself that I do want a family in the future and wouldn’t like to have my career stalled this future plan too. So I need to plan up very careful plan..Cross fingers now!

Resolution #5: To build up network and make more friends
This can sound very weird, but since Malaysia is like a new country to me, this is the most basic thing I need to survive here. After all, I’m a human right? I do make some friends here and that is really a welcome break from my pretty dead usual routines I have currently.

^^^^^^

Ok…these are the 5 resolutions I have drawn up for 2007.

CROSS FINGERS!

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Christmas Celebrations

Posted on January 13th, 2007 by GracyBee.
Categories: General.

I rarely has a chance to celebrate Christmas even when I was in the UK.

Christmas Eves was always the busy period for restaurants and my colleagues and I would be working round the clock and rushing like busy bees, and can get pretty tired. So 25th Dec for the last 7 years remained a day of rest from work and studies. Beside, ALL places will be closed on that day. Supermarkets, shops, shopping malls and even public transport are ALL closed. Yes, you guess it: it is literally a ghost town. So other than ‘bus 11′, you can’t go anywhere except to cook and eat with house mates. AH…lucky the tv programs are still broadcasting on Xmas, if not you sure can see me rotting on Xmas day! LOL

^^^^^^

2006 Christmas was different. Christmas Eve saw me and my family to go to my parents’ business friend’s house to celebrate. We had porridge steamboat with their family members and visit their dogs! The dogs are just so adorable; they never fail to remind me of my long deceased beloved Miki.

hmm….i forgot what is its name.

These two dogs I know are named Phoebe and Lucky, but I can’t differentiate the two of them! OOoooOOps…..They have the inkling and know that someone is trying to shoot pictures of them (ah, are you talking about me? *grins*) and so either they pose like a statue or they look away from the camera…Aiyah~

They just don’t want to look into the camera.

Christmas day itself, I went to my friend, P’s house. He just came back from UK for holidays. There I have known more friends, D, B and PY. Nice time there. Thanks P.

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Life in transition

Posted on January 2nd, 2007 by GracyBee.
Categories: Everyday life.

It has 3 months since I have returned to Malaysia. I don’t consider Malaysia my home as yet, but rather another new place for me to explore, just like how l lead my life in Spore and England.

I only come back to Malaysia during school holidays for the last 20 years, and that would be around 3 mths in total in Malaysia per year, translated to 5 years in 20. Whenever I was in Malaysia, life was pretty routine, went to the same places, with people ferrying you around and such. Such a boring life that I admit, I was happy to leave when the holidays end.

^^^^^^

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1 comment.

2006 Overview

Posted on January 2nd, 2007 by GracyBee.
Categories: General.

I have decided after much debate, internal struggle and discussions, to leave UK and go back home for my future career advancement. It has not been an easy decision at all, after staying in UK for nearly 7 years. In fact, I have called other places ‘home’ since 1986, and to name Malaysia my home seems to be inappropriate as I don’t live in Malaysia and only go back during holidays. In a way, I’m more like a tourist rather than a citizen.
Tug of War

Just like in 1998, a big decision time whether to stay on in where I am now, or to go back to hometown for good. I have stayed in Spore for 13 years before I finally give up my place in NUS and my lifestyle to pursue overseas degree in UK. I haven’t regretted that decision, but I do regret not taking up the PR first. (more…)

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What is the matter with them?

Posted on January 2nd, 2007 by GracyBee.
Categories: General.

Still In England~

This conversation took place while I was still in England. Had talked to my mother just now on the phone, and she started to update me with all the family matters. It has been such complicated issues with family ties and all. Being kiasu and all, the family ties have been affected so much so that either my cousins and I are ‘forbidden’ to be closer than we would have like; or the relatives becoming so proud and kiasu that they have totally changed, sadly for the worst.

Things get worse during my final year in university, and it hasn’t stop since then. It seem like they like to copy one another way of living life, as if it can make them very proud. For example, to get pregnant before marriage etc…it has become a trend in my generation…which I think is sad and unnecessary. Ok…it is none of my business, but to gossip and look down on the other about what happen, and then make it happen onto oneself….that is totally unnecessary and rude.

Just because you want to be better doesn’t mean you have to change for the worst. Promote healthy competition rather than becoming a poison tongue that look down on people. Really, I don’t think it really help and only hurt many people around you.

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Family Talk (29 Nov 2005)

Posted on January 2nd, 2007 by GracyBee.
Categories: Talks.

A Talk (29 Nov 2005)

This was the talk I had attended and decided to put it online.

It was a talk at a church about relationships - maintaining healthy relationships in couple hood. Though it was under Christianity’s context, but the important and main points are there.

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