Confession of A Malaysian

Until now, I am still unsure about what really happened in “Alice in Wonderland”.

Heh.

What Makes a Good Friend?

I love these people

I never really expected to have a social life in my first few months here in America. I have always thought of myself as friendly, but never adept enough in gaining a social circle in a foreign land. I must admit, that I am very blessed to have such amazing peers, who would share my highest highs and my lowest lows.

Surprisingly, the qualities that constitute a good friend is universal. I am unable to pin-point a specific factor that differs a good American friend from a Malaysian one. Well, for starters, both are friendly, caring, reliable and trustworthy. Sure, we may possess different hair and eye colors, but the values we cherish are nevertheless, similar.

I came into America with 3 Malaysian friends, and I have gotten to know so many interesting people who continue to wow me with their stellar achievements. This is why I have come miles away from family and home to pursue an education — to get a global, holistic, and liberal education.

I am confident that the skills I will built throughout college life will be vital for my future endeavors. But the people I have met, and will soon meet are invaluable. These are people who I hope to be able to call up, in the near future, and ask for help when I am dire need. These are people who care.

***

This note is dedicated to the pledges and actives of the Zeta Beta Chapter of Phi Chi Theta. Cheers to the semester that has come to an end and to the good times ahead. Thank you for making me feel at home, although I may not understand half of the jokes you guys make.

Best,

Fu Han Liang

Thing-I-Wish-I-Had-Known #2 : Calculus is Mind-Boggling

There is something totally different than the Calculus I used to take back home in Malaysia. Something fishy.

Calculus here is SO MUCH TOUGHER.

Coming all the way from Malaysia, students are taught Mathematics in a different light. We are given the formula, trained to practice with confounding mathematical equations, and subsequently forced to regurgitate it during exams. Students are graded based on their capabilities to “regurgitate” instead of their application skills. There rarely are logical explanations attached with the worksheet; just digits after digits.

Excuse the terrible handwriting.

This is one reason why I find myself drowning in Calculus work here in America, because I am expected to reason things out with words, instead of mathematical equations, in a Math class — something I was never trained to do, but definitely would like to improve on.

The notion that memory work is key doesn’t only apply to Mathematics in Malaysia. From English taught in China (yes, students literally memorize vocabulary off a list and use them in their daily lives) to Science in virtually all Asian countries, memory is key. However, Malaysia has a balance, but with the curriculum still leaning towards memory work.

Coming to America, I notice a vast difference in the way students are taught to think. For example, in America, class participation in discussions are encouraged, while listening is key in Malaysia.

It would be unfair of me to depict Malaysia as a country with the weirdest, conservative education system. As time passed, I would say that our education system is starting to open up to many interesting concepts. Gone were the times when my father would get beaten on his knuckles just for the pettiest issues (and by petty, I mean talking a wee too much in class).

That, ladies and gentlemen, is education in Malaysia.

Thing-I-Wish-I-Had-Known #1 : 20-Degree Weathers Do Exist

I am not ready for the winter. Coming in from a country where its climate averages around 85 degrees Fahrenheit and is always humid, I wished I had known that I should stock up on a lot of winter wear, or at least bought more during the sales.

Talking to a lot of people whom have creatively described to me the season, I am certainly worried about it. I have heard over-dramatized stories about cracked heels, frost bites and students not waking up because of the cold. A highly ambitious and constantly tensed student like me wouldn’t like the thought of winter disrupting my studies. Sigh.

As of now, I am nearly all-set to endure the long, gruelling, and wicked winter. I finally got myself a down jacket, a scarf (I don’t think it keeps me warm, I bought it because of the color), a pair of gloves, and a beanie. All I need is a pair of snow boots and I am done.

Any suggestions of what type I should get?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008’s Thanksgiving celebration is the first Thanksgiving I have celebrated! I have heard a lot about it through TV shows, but never really had the chance to experience to joys of this holiday. These joys include more than turkey-eating, but spending it with the ones you love and Black Friday.

This year, I was fortunate enough to have been invited by a friend to her house for a weekend full of food, fun… and food! Just getting away from hectic college life to a nice peaceful town really gave me what I needed — a break.

Until now, I don’t really get what the Thanksgiving rituals and celebration are, but I sure am enjoying it.

Happy Holidays!

Urban Malaysian Town to American Suburb

I grew up in an urban Malaysian town. Inside my humble abode, I have learned to love the seemingly petty things that have become very vital to me.

From the simple home-cooked food that my mother would whip with her Chinese woks, to the nice, Malaysian cuisines in restaurants

From the shopping malls that I would make “mandatory” weekly visits, to the busy streets of night markets that don’t smell pleasant, but serve amazing food.

From the sweet smell of grass in the evergreen park that sits right in front of my house, to the pungent smell of Kuala Lumpur city.

These are things that I took for granted, and have only realized how important they are to me when I have left them all. I cannot wait for the day when I can finally return home, to the family that I have spent 18 years of my life with, to the mother who loves me very much, to the father who taught me life lessons, to the sisters who spoilt me, and to the nephews and niece who I want to hug very much.

Don’t get me wrong, America is amazing, and I have really enjoyed my college life thus far. But traversing a foreign land isn’t the same as being in a country where you grew up in.

Your home country is more than the sight of familiar buildings and the recognizable sound of cars honking. Instead, what really matters is the culture you have grown up in, and in my life, my culture is my family, my home, and my friends.

My friend who left for college in Hong Kong a year ago told me that she appreciated her country more ever since she left it.

I couldn’t agree more.

I grew up in an urban Malaysian town, I am now in an American suburb.

Snow

First day of noticeable amount of snow!

While I have seen plenty of snow in Christmas-themed movies, I have not seen snow for approximately 17 years! When the first day of noticeable amount of snow arrived, I was extremely excited! I sound like a total freak, but you would know how I feel if you come from a country where it is 90 degrees all year round, and is extremely humid.

Bon Appetit

We all have a different perception to what constitutes a “meal”. For some, a meal is a nice, sizzling steak, while for others, it might be a plate of General Tsao chicken. And well… let’s just take it that the Vietnamese have revolutionized food.

Dog meat are sold in the streets of Hanoi

Malaysian food may not be as extreme and eye-popping as those of countries like China, Thailand, and Vietnam, where scorpions and monkey brain are the norms of the society. Nevertheless, since we are many latitudes and longitudes apart, there are still bound to be major differences in what appeals to our tastebuds.

Malaysians are fond of chilli, lots of them. To the extent where people start tearing during lunch. I wouldn’t be proud of my tolerance for chilli, but I must admit that spicy food is good. Because Malaysia is comprised of three major races, the Malays, the Chinese, and the Indians, we have a diverse array of delicacies. But a lot of these dishes have a common theme — spice. Rich in pepper, chilli, and herbs, Malaysian dishes are very different than food found in America, even Chinese-American food.

The Nasi Lemak, is what defines Malaysia. The below picture doesn’t do the dish justice (it looks disgusting, but that’s the best picture I could find on the Internet, and do not have the resources to cook one of my own):

Pathetic Nasi Lemak

How does this affect my transition as a college student? Well, I have to confess that I am very picky with what I eat, and while I love American food, I feel that my taste buds are more accustomed to Asian dishes.

1 Blimpy Burger may be amazing, I’m fine with 2, but 30 Blimpy Burgers make me nauseous.

Humble Abode

We all have a place we call home.

Malaysia is home.

I miss home.

Mat Rempits

Aren’t all of us always thrilled by the thought of participation in extreme sports? Oh, the rush in adrenaline you get when you are the center of attraction of Freestyle BMX! Or the mind-numbing feeling when hand-gliding across the beautiful mountains of Colorado!

Well, Malaysians have a different definition of extreme sports. It’s extreme because… well… it’s illegal, and yet people find thrill in breaking the laws. And let’s just all put it this way – law enforcement isn’t very efficient there.

A person who participates in this unnamed sport (let’s just call it sport X, for convenience) is known as a “Mat Rempit“. A “Mat Rempit” is a young man, roughly in the age circle of mid-20s, who constantly races illegally on the highways. Along the way, they also find great pleasure in performing extreme stunts with no prior training or supervision. I would analogize it to dirt biking, just a little more brainless. The attached video explains it all: