A Sweet Breather

大家 thank you! I feel that I’m loved, that my friends took the time to spend time with me, talk to me, and hear my experiences that I have to tell.

I’ve been to another land, and back, and when I’m back, I’m warmly greeted. Thank you.

I have been pretty out of Facebook, social networking and stuff. And I dare say that it felt good. To talk to people face to face, to genuinely spend time with people.

Now I’m back in Singapore, I have to re-adjust to the life here again. Ah, I just received a package from SMU on reverse culture shock – receiving culture shock back home after an exchange.

Somehow I feel that I would receive more culture shock in Singapore than in Penang. I tidak suka Singapore in the first place, hurhurhur.

I’m glad that I have some Penang friends who made the decision to stay in Penang instead of settling where they study. Admittedly, it makes me feel not so out of the pond for having such thoughts.

I’ll see my niece here! Yay!

peaceout~

Just watched a part of “Malaysia, My Home” on Astro AEC just now. And it was showing Penang! Hahaha. My dad was like “oh, I know this person and that person”. Lol, so old, know so many people in Penang, haha.

It reminded me of Penang, hahaha. I think it reminded me of the reasons why I liked Penang. 有山有水. It’s not that developed, but developed enough.

It also reminded me the reason that I’m proud of Penang in China, that I can boast that there are loads of old stuff here, like you can walk the streets of Georgetown and get a feeling of what Penang was like in the past (albeit according to the AEC programme, the feeling of “olden days Penang” is kinda lost in the streets today).

And yes, certain culture and traditions of Chinese here in Penang are even more traditional than those in China, because we keep those traditions. (as compared to China, whom I think keeps traditions or ideas that make their citizens proud of the ruling party, loyal to them)That is what makes Penang special. 🙂

I like Penang. 🙂

It’s nice to be able to talk about China to someone, and understand what I mean. 🙂

It also makes it seem more real to me, that I really did go to China.

PQ: 我没有中国腔，好不好？

YH：There, there, there, 那个还不是中国腔啊，what an irony!

PQ: *laughs to myself*

Yup, I have developed a China Chinese accent! Hahaha. But I can switch back to the Malaysian Chinese! But I think my China Chinese accent is okay, so I don’t mind speaking it. 😛

Nice to know that it is known that China is screwed up, knowing that China Chinese don’t know about the Tiananmen incident, and people like us know. etc. etc.

But more to it than meets the eye, it’s nice to catch up with a primary school friend, whom I did neglect for a period of time, but realised that I should make an effort to catch up with him, and still manage to withhold the friendship within these few years. 🙂

I don’t know. 真的. I feel that I have lived a dream, and that suddenly, I woke up, and it is as if I have never left Penang, that I was still on holiday in Penang in February, and some how, time fast forwarded to early August, and all things still the same, ceteris peribus. The only thing that has changed is what I went through, what I dreamt of.

The only reminders of my exchange are the things that I got from my friends there – Japanese sweets and a bag, notebooks, souvenirs. The New Zealand music I copied from Josh. Did I really do all that things? Did I really travel to 4 cities/towns in 6 days, and still manage to stay in one piece, in China? It’s really unbelievable.

Everything feels so normal here – but to an outsider, they may think that Malaysia is a screwed up country.

I have to agree that it is – racial discrimination within each person within (maybe it’s just me), front pages of newspapers (and the subsequent many pages) having frivolous talks by politicians that care only of gaining power but not for the people. Politics based on race. etc. etc.

But yet, all this screwed-up-ness seems normal to me. I have lived with it for a whole 15 years of my life, believe it or not.

I hate to admit this, but China is a more screwed up country than it seemed to me prior to going there. People think that Taiwan is part of China, strongly believing in it. They will argue with you if you say otherwise. People who act like mongrels. People who shout at you – at the restaurant (hellooo, you’re suppose to serve me, not shoo me away!)

I hate to say this, but the cultural revolution (and whatever policies that China has implemented) has caused China to be as screwed up as it is today. It’s saddening, to see people not acting like people, no smiles on the streets. Thank God that the current batch of students in university today act more like civilised human beings.

People spitting everywhere, people not knowing that you’re an overseas Chinese (assuming that you’re Chinese! It’s irritating, cus they assume that I know stuff, and treat me like a China Chinese).

Students thinking that US is the way out of their current situation (of not getting a job that suits their qualification and smartness), that it’s the American Dream. I hate to break this to you, but America is not as good as it seems.Neither is any country anyway. I haven’t been to America myself, but I think they have a warped view, that all Chinese know kung fu and have small eyes. Portrayed by Bruce Lee, Jet Li and Jackie Chan. What to do.

Sad to see that Chinese students strive so hard for TOEFL/IELTS, but they can’t really have a proper conversation with foreigners. That’s because they have been instilled with pre-concepts of what to say when you speak English, what to say. But the thing is what they say, is not what you usually say in conversations anyway. They put their Chinese thoughts in English, and it gets funny. Just like how I put my English thoughts in Chinese, I get laughed at, but oh well, it is funny, and I learn from my mistakes.

Sad to see, that some Chinese gals go ga-ga over white guys, as if they haven’t seen one before (yea, I think they really haven’t man), and just hope to listen to him speak in his English accent, and take a picture with him. And what makes me feel worse is that I’m standing beside him, and they don’t know that I am a foreigner too, and I do also speak good English.

I have gotten used to it though, not being recognised as a foreigner. And sometimes just pretend that I’m from Guangdong, and see how far I can go with it. But at times, you have to say that you’re a foreigner, so that you can reap the benefits of being one, like better treatment and service.

From this exchange, I realised that I’m more western than I thought I was. I listen to English music, I like them. I have learnt to think critically through this exchange too, cus of the white friend who keeps forcing me to think.  Critical thinking is something that is absent in China’s education (and runs in Singapore/Malaysia education too). Some of the students have learnt to think critically though, having influences from other means. Which is good. Bravo to them! We have so much more foreign products on the shelves in the supermarket than in China. It’s all China made products in the supermarket there, which drives me crazy. Sooo little cornflakes. China made milk (yea, I drink it because I’m cheap. Should be safe la). No curry powder (all of them are imported from Malaysia/Indonesia). Tuna cans are imported from Malaysia too. Ayam brand!

But yet, the question comes again – what is considered Chinese? Confucianism? Chinese dynasties? or China itself? During the cultural revolution, Mao tried to eradicate Chinese culture. Is China today as Chinese as it is thought to be?

It’s a globalised world today. Taiwan has received quite a lot of influences from media, etc. (At least they show their movies in English, instead of in all Chinese!) And it is where it is today because of many factors, including influences from outside. I think China is not receiving as much influence from the outside as compared to Taiwan. Don’t know whether to feel that sad for them or not.

Anyhow, the exchange was good, and I’ve learnt a lot. From the people, from travelling, from experiences. Thank God.

I’ll change back to blogspot soon, maybe after I return to Singapore.

Peace out.

I finally reached home. Not yet, but in transit in the airport.

It was very heart-warming to hear Malay again through the announcements when taking the MAS flight, to know that I can understand what is being said, and know that it’s a language that I grew up and am familiar with.

It is very heart-warming to hear Rasa Sayang in the train from Shanghai to Wuchang, to know that that song, whether it’s owned by Malaysia or Indonesia, or whether it’s sung by Siti Nurhaliza or Lisa Ono, is a song that is has cultural value to it, and that I can proudly say that it’s a song from Malaysia (or Indonesia, doesn’t matter that much. What matters is that it’s a song that represents your culture)

“kepada warganegara, welcome home”. Not warganegara, but heart is here. Malaysia, Penang.

It’s so nice to see Malaysian adverts on the in-seat screens. And for the first time (I don’t know whether it is, but oh well), I felt happy seeing a Malay, who smiled at me once I exited the plane. (Yea, I’m racist, but don know whether it’s more or less after the exchange)

I hardly slept last night, don’t know why, whether it’s because I had loads of thoughts in my mind, or whether I’m excited to go home, or whether the lights were to bright or the bed too small. Anyhow, I’m in Malaysia, where I see normal people around (mix of ppl of different skin colours), and not jus pale, yellow skin all around me (minus the international ppl in Wuhan).

I’m heading back for home, for my bed, for food that I’m familiar with, and hopefully, lose some weight.

Pei Qi, you’re home.

Yay, I’m in Taipei now! Step by step, and whisping here and there, I have finally stepped out of China. I heaved a sigh of relief, when that final exit stamp was stamped onto my passport. I can finally leave China, and for home!

Contrary to what I thought, it was easier leaving for Taiwan from China than I thought it would be. They didn’t check me much, and allowed me to pass through with excess baggage, told them I was returning home from exchange. 🙂

Went to a few places the pass 3 days I was here – the National Palace Museum, Shi Lin night market, Taipei 101 (the outside of it), and Guan Du Wharf. 🙂

小弟弟（家祥)和我 or at least that's how I think his Chinese name is written!

大头和我

Will be meeting Jun Yi tomorrow, then returning home on Aug 2nd the next day for around 1 week. 🙂 finally.

It was great seeing my parents and brother again, after 4 months of not seeing them.

My parents claim that I’m more garang now, cus I have to deal with China Chinese…I think Wuhan trained me to be that way. 😛 But don’t worry, I won’t be fierce to you if you’re nice to me. 🙂

Will be travelling a little more before leaving for Taipei, then going back HOME. 😀

Despite what it may seem to be, I actually do miss home.

I have done a lot of things lately. Meeting up with friends, saying goodbye to them, seeing them for the last time (I don’t know whether it’ll be the last time in my life, but not regrets), meeting new people and saying goodbye, receiving farewell gifts, giving people a piece of my thoughts for them, hugging people…

Ah, the ironies of life.

Gonna meet up with a few more people in the coming days!

So far, I have met up with Swiss Christoph, Kawin and Joe from Thailand, An Qi from my uni who has helped me looaddds, Joseph from Dominican Republic, He Zuo Yu from my uni who has also helped me loadddds.

With the Thais - Joe, Kawin, me. 🙂

Done with my exams on Friday. I can’t say how it goes. But basically it’s easier than I thought it was. 😉

Gonna meet up with a few more people in these few days! Yay. And Josh and WX will finish their exams soon too!!! Yay!

We’re gonna leave for Xia Men on 8th July, Thursday. Da Tou is gonna bring us around!

Home bound I am, July end. 🙂