Merry Christmas!!

Three little pigs went out one day, shaking their tails and wiggle their body...
It's Christmas and they took their Santa Cap and snap some Shots!

Chemistry sparks

It’s not an easy task to bond with others. Now, I could think of four.

First, you can do it by Nationality.

Secondly, bond by Ethnic.

Thirdly, through the language you speak.

Forth, Religion.

As a Chinese, English, Malay, and some other dialects not good enough to be mentioned, or having attended an English speaking International College, I tend to be proud of my ability to differentiate people from different countries and places. For instance English, I could quite easily identify the different accent from different countries and places that I have been.

As a Chinese speaker, I hate to be called a Chinese from Mainland China. I called myself Malaysian Chinese. We are Chinese, but we are different. With a linguist tongue, tough fighter for the survival of culture and language in a ‘foreign’ land, I somehow want to justify that Malaysian Chinese are ‘better’ than the others from around the world thus we are a unique group. Funny that I enjoy being mistaken as Japanese or Koreans, people with the same slit eyes but different ethnics.

However, being called a Malaysian, I am not particularly proud of my own country’s political situation either. I feel reluctant to represent my country sometimes, telling others the ‘harmonious’ society of multiracial and colors are only as a result of separate ruling methods and settlements. For generations we have been talking about the opportunities not given evenly to different ethnics, and yet until today, the problems have not been solved, and the people are still continuing to mumble in the dark, fearing to define the reality of the freedom of speech in the country. I condemn the political decision that has made the society ‘color’ conscious more than ever (even we tend to explain we are only joking).

Then in a foreign land, where you are known as the ‘Farang’ ( foreigner in Thai),where you are supposed to be lost and confused, I feel free like a bird. I am suddenly given the benefits of both foreigners and locals. Simple, I speak fluent English which I can share information 'secretly' with the farangs, enjoy the rights of being an outsider oversee and comment different situations critically, not abide (or often forgiven) by the culture and rules of what is ‘appropriate’ or not to do or say.

On the other hand, due to my ethnic (or looks), religion and interest in Thai, I am easily being accepted locally. I can blend into the crowd easily, I can enjoy local price, I know about the inside stories within any groups without much pressure to choose a specific social group to hang out with. I stroll from groups to groups, forming the map of relations in my head, improving my Thai.

Moreover, in a foreign land, I am bonded with my own ethnic faster and easier due to the knowledge of our roots and language. Suddenly, the ‘other’ Chinese that are different before are my friends now. From our common superstar idols to little family talks, we have nothing to hide. The different accent and dialects are tolerable now. We started to prioritize these friends over the others, thinking that they can understand us better.

And so I tried, my sister and I went out with our new Taiwanese friend to a Chinese Temple, another place which I never thought that I would meet so many Chinese from different Nationalities in Bangkok. Our common topic? Cynical enough, it was about how the locals ‘bullied’ the Chinese wherever we go. Well it is understood that these Chinese are from the older generations who had experienced the changes before and after war. They had seen Government closing down the Chinese stall and tearing the Chinese business plate apart, for the sake of equality economically; taking away our common Mother tongue, (which I think they are still gradually trying to make it happen in Malaysia), by changing names and closing schools…We have come this far, and yet, we are still striving, sharing our story of success, from our new homelands.

A trip to the temple made me understand it is always up to me to decide what links me to the others. There are many different dots to link, we, the citizens of the world, are so different, yet so similar in many ways.

Would I try to ignite a spark if I am home in my comfort zone?

Gorgeous Garden of Rama9(Click)

Although this has nothing to do with my work, I would like to share these marvelous pictures that I have taken during last weekend!

It was the King's Birthday on 5th of December and this garden of Rama9 was dedicated to him. The gardeners took 15 days to arrange and decorate the flowers , with all the colours you can ever imagine. First time for a very long time, I am enlightened simply just by the colours and all kinds of flowers!

Live Today or Tomorrow?

Well, I don't like to put people into categories, but in HDF, I think there are two obvious groups of people.

Number 1, those that I am trying to get them understand the word 'future'. Understanding Something beyond their daily life, something meaningful but yet to be discovered by them, something in them that they have not known. Potentials, courages, discipline, self-esteem, confidence, I was trying to stuff all those things in one person overnight. Yeah, I am beware of the Microwave effect, hot outside but yet to cooked inside? (Interesting description I once heard from a friend). However, these are qualities that they don't seem to appreciate and even if they have, they are NOT PLANNING something out of it! Fighting for a scholarship, going abroad, going to school, education, expand their skills ...then again, one will argue, they have scars and wound that need to be sewed up, fixed....

Of course their 'parent'- the foundation is planning, thinking, improving their lifestyle all the time. One houseparent told me that when he used to be a boy in the Mercy home ten years ago, he has to work in order to help the centre survive. No plasma TV, dvd players, computer games, you can imagine how far they have gone from nothing to something.

Number 2, those who are fighting against their fate from God since birth, those who are fighting to live one more day, one more year. When I arrived, I persuaded myself not to think about the 'future' , and just enjoy their wonderful company. I had so much fun going to the beach, having drawing lessons, dancing with the cuties. Yes, they are living normally, going to school, representing the centre in alot of fundraising occations, Thai-dancing, even winning numerous medals in sports day! You wouldn't know if you aren't told that they are the HIV infected children....

Then again reality check, I was told that one boy( actually I overheard the conversation) that I admire very much, an artist, sportsman, potential-percussionist, is going through his 3rd stage of medication. The kids will take their medicines from 1st stage, and if their body don't react well to the medication, after some time they have to move on to the next stage. We don't know how long will the body accepts the medicines, can be years, months, but once it rejects the medicine, We have to pray for a better solution , hopefully some more advanced medication is available by then.

3rd stage is the final stage, 5 other kids out of 50 of them are on that same stage. I kept quiet for quite a while after hearing the news....

Then Tom said, " Don't worry, they will still be around when you are here. I think they can make it, Just live Today, enjoy Today, when there is one."

So yesterday, Me and my sister( Yes, my sister is here for visit!) sat with them and watched a really handsome- looking Thai superstar, acting as an idiotic-clumsy Spy and the movie is about how he Spys on a women's husband.

The images on the screen tell it all, you don't need to understand the language to know their humour or the story, but looking at the kids' expression... I can never tell what is in their head, and the way they deal with- Life.