ABC? Nope MBC...

Being a Malaysia and growing up in a multi-ethnics country is a privilege. A Chinese descent, I would always tell people that I am Chinese Malaysian. I am proud of my heritage as a Malaysian. I learned to speak in three languages fluently, amidst Malaysian ‘slang’ and also few other dialects.

            However, while growing up in Malaysia, I have also been labeled as  ‘ABC’ (American born Chinese: not sure why, when MBC might be more appropriate since I am born in Malaysia!), banana (being yellow on the outside and white inside), OCBC (Orang Cina bukan Cina; translated as A Chinese who is not Chinese) and what’s not! I have learned to take all that in my stride but sometimes I don’t feel comfortable when people, CHINESE, gave me a ‘kind’ of look when I said I don’t read and write Chinese! They always said how you could forget your root! *You know who you are!

            Since moving to the States in July 2010, I am comfortable here because everyone speaks what I understand. United State being culture melting pot of many nations and peoples, English is the common uniting language. Being a Malaysian who speaks three languages and few more dialects, people are always amazed with our abilities to speak more than one language. However, I faced one stereotype here, since I speak English differently from how a Chinese (from countries whose native language is Mandarin) speaks, people (read Chinese) thinks that I don't speak or understand Mandarin at all!

          I can't count number of times people are surprise when I spoke in Mandarin and they will stop what they are doing and look at me strangely and amazed! Many times, I have used that to my advantage. Once, I uttered something in Mandarin to distract my opponents in badminton to distract them from the game and won that crucial point! Many times too I have keep quite and just observed the conversation they are having!

           Here is one situation during the course of my work. I wanted to collect some East Asian DNA and I asked from some people I work with in the department. After explaining what I am doing and what I am going to do, here is the conversation that took place.

Me: So, would you help me by spitting some saliva in this kit? It's painless took about 5 minutes!

Chinese 1 (turned to her another friend and started to speak in Mandarin):  I don't want give him this sample. Not sure what he is going to do.

Chinese 2 (relying in Mandarin): Yah, me too.

Chinese 1 (turning back to me and replying in English): Let me think of this and will give you the samples later!

Me: Ok (and at the same time in my mind thinking, no you don't! Don't you think I don't understand?)

            I felt like answering them in Mandarin and look at the smirk in their faces, surprised that I can understand all their conversation all these while! However the sense in me hold that back and just smile and said thank you!

That is not just the first time I participate in 'silent' conversation and smiling in my heart!

Playing Angry birds using football...anyone?

I wonder how many shots they have to do in order to hit the birds?

Updates

Since the last post, which was 4 months ago, we have done a lot and a lot changes too. I, in particular, finding harder to have the time to post anything and felt that nothing much is there to write about since I have fall into the routine of work, home and church. However, in that short period of 4 months, MANY things changed.

1.     Went back to Malaysia for 2 weeks. It was a work-related trip and didn’t get a chance to meet up with many friends and relatives. I was ‘jailed’ in the lab most of the time.

2.     Visited Washington D.C. for the first time. Also work-related!

3.     Being a part of new cellgroup startup for our local church and has been busy preparing all the training materials.

4.     Work is hectic. The pace picked up so much since we returned from Malaysia and a lot of ups and downs too. Not complaining though, at least it is moving.

5.     Wrote 2 posts that I never posted on my blog. One might be sensitive and another I never get the chance to complete what I started. Maybe one day, I will have the courage to post it!

6.     Had been following a lot of news (social, politic, business, sport, etc) about Malaysia and most time, it is with certain feelings about how things are turning out…though most time angry and sad!

7.     Found out that I was terminated from work since July started…but now re-appointed again. So, my status now shows ACTIVE. Well, it’s computer glitch and now all has been fixed! Never know computer do take summer vacation too!

8.     And YES! Got a piece of news that a stock is flying our way! Yes, I am going to be a DAD! I still have 6 more months before packing my ‘social life’ into the box. Nevertheless, OVERJOYED. Hopefully, later, I won’t be one of those who will flood my own FB page with all the baby pictures and updates! If I do, you can ‘unfriend’ me!

So, there you go! A nutshell of what I can think of happened in the last four months! I might update my blog more often or I might be AWOL even for a longer period since I need to prepare for the arrival of the stock! After all, it’s summer time too!

Cioa!

Things that I missed about Malaysia

Having been in Hershey, PA for the past 8 months, I started to miss Malaysia a lot, well, maybe things in and about Malaysia. Here are some of the stuff...

1. Thunderstorms, it comes nearly every evening,
2. Nasi Kandar,
3. Single season weather, that I don't need to have so many sets of clothes and changes according to the seasons,
4. Gas stove, things seems to heat up faster and food to have 'extra flavor',
5. Wok, stir fried vegetables or even deep frying fish,
6. Mamak - nasi lemak,  teh tarik and roti canai, nearly a staple food for most Malaysian,
7.  Hawker stalls, the variety of foods and the noises and all in between,
8.Warm and humid weather; I can't believe I say this, but yes, after the winter and shoveling snow,
9. Friends, though new good friends were found and friendship built, friends at home still dearly missed,
10. Families, the last two seems to be understatement!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

This year is our first time celebrating ‘White Christmas’. Since it’s a first time for us and I thought I should have a new way of wishing you all a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year too…
Here it is in the video…

iBand

I did not say I recorded the video myself… Hope you like it. I like what technology can do for us.

Happy Thanksgiving

This is our first time that we are celebrating Thanksgiving in US. We are excited to experience the celebration here. We are invited by our church friend to celebrate with their family and we are looking forward to it!

This year, we are thankful for God’s provisions and blessings upon our life. He has led us into new phase of life and a journey that is nothing short of excitement! Ezra 3:11 says

With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: “He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid

Anyway, we just want to wish you Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Garden Tomato Salsa vs Vertigo

This is my second time making salsa. The reason I choose this recipe is because I have all the ingredients in my fridge, except cilantro and all I need to do is chop or blend. It’s pretty easy, simple BUT tasty!! KC is not a salsa fans (because he doesn’t like cilantro) but surprisingly, he said this is a good one.

Ingredient:

• 6 fresh tomatoes
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 5 slices pickled jalapeno peppers, or to taste
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
• 1/2 lemon, juiced (or lime)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instruction:

1. Coarsely chop 3 tomatoes and quarter 3 tomatoes.

2. Place onion, bell pepper, cilantro, garlic and jalapeno peppers into a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.

3. Add the quartered tomatoes, and pulse just a few times until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl with a tight-fitting lid.

4. Add in the coarsely chopped tomatoes and mix well.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, and salt.

6. Pour dressing over tomatoes, and stir well. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

I made this for the young married couple meeting but we ended up in ER  because KC was sick. At first, we had no idea what had happened to him. He was happily drinking Pepsi and the next moment, he felt very dizzy, as if the whole room was spinning. He could not move his head, not even open his eyes!! Once he moved his head, he would start throwing up. I was very worried because we are in a foreign place and I have no one to turn to. I prayed for him and for myself. We hoped that he would get better after a nap, but no! So, I decided to bring him to ER at around 6pm with a friend’s help because by then he had threw up for at least 5 times and he could be dehydrated.

We spent almost 5 hours in ER but praise the Lord that KC did not have to spend a night in the hospital. He was on drip and feeling better but he started to vomit again when we were leaving the ER. I could see that water was all that he threw up then. He did not eat anything and that was the 10^th time…According to doctor, viral infection was the reason to it and the dizziness will last for few days, even up to a week. It’s very common here but this is our first encounter with this fancy friend- VERTIGO!

He is on medication and resting at home. He still feels dizzy when he moves his head but praise the Lord that he has stopped vomiting. We have a walker at home which helps him to move around a bit. Get well soon, dear… I need you to finish the salsa!!

He has been having minced meat porridge for the whole day, but he is happy to have chai-boh nui (prickled raddish with eggs).

New author

I have just added my wife as an author to this blog too. So, hopefully you will get more postings and updates from us. I am almost sure, we shall add a new category of posting to the blog too, which will be classified as ’recipe’.

Mac advertisment

Currently, I am reading a book called ‘Inside Steve’s Brain’. It’s about how Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, work and well, how he operate!

In the book also it talks about the various advertisements that Apple launched over the years. One of the campaigned struck me and I love how they have the tongue in the cheek adverts.

They had stopped this campaign early this year. But their advertisement is really cool. Here is another one.

On the other hand, here are some old advertisements which runs on our TV is the 70s and 80s.

1. Nespray MIlkpowder – susu segera yang sebenar

2. State Express 555- cigarette advertisement which I you won’t find it anymore.

3. Cadbury Chocolate – look at the wrapper.

4. Guinness Stout – baik untuk anda?

5. Kotek pink – who still throw around ball and having fund with it.

6. Carrier air conditioner – Globalization.

You should try to watch this too.

I don’t recognize some of the brand advertised here but Guinness or bulldog (Or Kau in Hokkien) as it was called, is good for pregnant mother? Mum’s now are not even allow to drink and to imagine bulldog is good for pregnant mum?

The Milo advertisement is good too, I like it.

What do you think?

3 months @ Hershey

I have been missing from this blog for a month now. Well, life gets more hectic when we get more settled down everyday.

Today officially marked that we have been here for 3 months. It’s also fall/ autumn season now. Weather is definitely colder as compared to the time when we arrived here 3 months ago in the middle of summer. Then it was around 80F and now, its around 55F.

 

Nevertheless, everyday, we are enjoying the cold weather, for the time being. Maybe, comes January or February, I will be crying out for summer to come faster.

What we have learned so far? Well, one thing definitely, put on more layers of clothes.

Secondly, trees are now turning yellowish and red and soon, brown and then all will FALL. While it’s a sight to behold, having about 6 HUMONGOUS trees around the house compound is not fun!

Squirrels. Cute! Now, a pest! Definitely. They are digging holes around the garden and turning grass into patches while at the same time, covering the whole place with nuts and corns! I still love the rabbits and occasionally the birds.

Food. Oh yes, food. While Facebook is good to catch up with friends and see what people are doing back in food haven- Malaysia, it’s not nice to see pictures of food. Emm…let me correct myself, it’s TORTURING! Yes, we miss Malaysian food. The smell, the rowdiness of restaurant and mamak. The varieties of food of all cultures. And yes, the hawker centers too!

People. We miss you all the most. There, I have said it! We miss our families and friends. We make new friends here but the fond memories we have with families and friends back home simply are treasured.

Affordability. Well, maybe the greenback value is more than the RM, but then, you earn and you spend here. In fact, it’s more expensive! Utilities bill are expensive. You pay for your sewer, gas, electric, trash and water. Apart from these, there are internet and phone bill too. So, how much? Let’s put it this way; it costs as much as my groceries bill for a month. Bare in mind, we buy a lot of groceries because we cook everyday for every meal!

AirAsia. Well, that’s affordability too! Travelling around here is so expensive. A three hours train ride from here to NYC cost USD45 one way. I guess, AA can do it for half the price! Hotel is expensive too!

Anyway, I love it here too. I love the simple fact that I can walk for 30 minutes to work and I don’t sweat, or at least not as much as in Malaysia. I love it that when I forget to tie my chips, it does not turn soft the next hour. I love the evening walk everyday after dinner. I love the dry weather here.

 

 

There are lots more. Shall blog about it in the next post!

Selamat Hari Malaysia

To all Malaysian and everyone who lives in Malaysia.

Selamat Hari Malaysia

Dismantle and Rebuild a Jeep under 4 Minutes

5 reasons why you should do Science

5. You can play with fire and not worry about being scolded

4. You can play with dangerous chemicals, mixed it together and makes some nice sound and ‘blast’!

3. You can play with glass and breaks it. No, you don’t have to pay for the glass that you break or smashed!

2. You can write grants and get hundred of thousands dollars, but as the saying goes, great power comes with great responsibilities. So, great monies comes with great difficulties too…

1. Occasionally, you do and create something wrong and dumb and you become rich because of it. That’s how Viagra was invented!

One month in Hershey

1.  Got a Pennsylvania ID but then, it has expired. Still waiting for new permanent ID to arrive.

2. Met an accident but unhurt. The car belong to our friend is a write-off. Not because the damage is bad but the cost of repairing it is higher than the value of the car itself.

3. Bought a car and enjoying it.

4. Found a church, the first church we attended, and has since decided to be there. Trying to look for avenue to serve now.

5. Drove around Hershey and to the next town or city nearby. Nothing to shout about but then, driving on the different side of the road as I am used to is a major achievement, especially the bigger truck is always on your rear view mirror!

6. Went apple picking, but then, now looking for ways to finish the apples.

7. Trimmed the trees, raked the leaves and threw away 16 bags of yard waste. I have 3 more now on my lawn.

8. No more lizards and cockroaches, but spiders and ants!

9. Back home, there are stray dogs and cats. But here, it’s rabbits and squirrels and …fireflies.

10. Finally, smelled the chocolate-filled air in town. But it’s more like cookies rather than chocolate. Now I can truly tell people, I live in Hershey!

Is it in your shopping list?

I saw this ad in the newspaper last week. Man, this is a good ad with interesting pictures too. 

 

I turned in and saw this wonderful camouflage suits which make you feel like you are living a good summer time. But I am sure, you will stand out when you walk down the New York Times Square!

There are also the boots which help you to have a better footing and protect your feet when you go for a hike and walk in the jungle or the woods.

And then, there are nice tents for you to use too. If you like the higher view, well, there are chairs which you can hang up on the tree too..:)

And if you like what you see, you can but a sling shot and better still a bow for $329 only. This will guarantee at least a meal for you while you are in the wild. A deer maybe…

And you can find the arrow head with fancy design too. It’s all metal and with different designs to make sure your catch don’t run away.

Don’t like it? Too heavy or too much of a hassle? You need something which you can get it quick and clean? Don’t worry. There are more…

 

Shortgun anyone? And it’s cheaper than a desktop. You can get one at $299.99. Want a fancier one? Well, you can get better shortgun. After all, it’s mostly below $1k.

No? Ok. I get it. More impact. More style!

Pump gun? How do you like that? From a rifle that costs $99.99, which is cheaper than my handphone, and to the more expensive model of $1399.99. You like some semi auto, you got it.

Man…Do you use all this while you go hunting?

And the best of all, the target loads, or bullets…It’s only $6.49 for a box of 25 and it’s on sale. 20% sale! Too expensive. Well, you can buy in bulks too.

And it’s only $16.99 for 525 rounds!

Man…now, remember, all these come in the Sunday newspaper advertisement, there is a toll-free number to call and the website to access to.

And I have to be credit checked and pay a $500 deposit just to get a handphone here?!

Moving

Soon, we will be moving to US. Well, Hershey in particular. I don’t like to call it migrating, well, it is not. We hope to come back here in another few years. However, as the date draw nearer, more and more stuff is cropping up for us to settle. Anyway, I know we are having a mixed feeling about everything now.

For once, a lot seems to be a lot mores sentimental. I start to have the ‘this-will-be-the-last-and-don’t-know-when-will-be-back’ feeling now. The last time I am going to cut my hair in this barber shop, last time dining in the various restaurants, last time meeting up with our friends in Malaysia. A lot of last time, at least before our trip to US…

Packing. The number of bags seems to be increasing and the weight too. It doesn’t help especially when ‘this also I want, that also I want’ and keep asking question like, Do you think I can get that there? Let’s be safe!

Family members. It’s always the hardest to be away or part with them. Close friends too. Have been praying hard that we don’t cry on the day.

Trying to expect what to be expected. It’s an exciting but scary experience to go to a new place. It’s always very easy if it’s for a month or two, but when you know it’s for a long term and you don’t have your return ticket, it’s scary. How will be people be like? How will your colleague like? how is the working experience? How will be the weather? a lot of uncertainty and questions but I guess, that’s life and have to trust God. 

Nevertheless, it will be exciting to try to stay in a different country and culture. It will be new experience for us from the all-year-round summer country and to enjoy the new four seasons and having sun rises at 5am and set at 10pm during summer.

It will be exciting to learn new things and although the same language but might be a bit different of how we are going to use the word or even to pronounce it!

Let see how it goes and I do hope I can have time to continue to update this blog. If not, let’s hope my wife will get on the bandwagon of blogging!

Adios!

Chinese New Year

This year will be one of my last year to celebrate Chinese New Year in Malaysia before I re-locate to US. As such, it is such a heart warming experience to be among the company of family members. I took this opportunity to spend more time with my aging grandparents.

Chinese New Year has taken on a new meaning when I became Christian about 6 years back. It’s no longer about preparation to usher in the new year with a lot of emphasis on the prayer preparation but more so to meet up with family members whom I rarely see now as I lived in KL.

 

I loves to meet up with all my relatives and cousins and to catch up on what is everyone doing now. Most of them are staying far from each other and some are in overseas but this is the opportunity that we have to meet.

Obviously, there are a lot of get-together and food is a big part of the celebration. How can we forgo that when it comes to occasion like this? And yes, we also do have firecrackers though I am not a fan of it now.

So, how does your Chinese New Year goes? I am enjoying every moment of it.

I am typing this on my flight to Sibu to continue the celebration. After all, Chinese New Year last for 15 days!

And everything in between – Malaysian Drivers

Some questions (and suggestions) I always have about (for)  Malaysian driver.

1. Don’t they know how to use the indicator light when they want to change lane or to stop at the side?

2. Green light GO, yellow light, ready to stop and red light STOP and NOT, I mean NOT Yellow light is still CAN GO and Red light, GO lah…colour blind ka?

3. Don’t you know how to use the ‘round-about’? I know some countries don’t have that but if you stay at the outer lane, you have to exit at the next exit. You don’t keep circling at the outer lane!. NO, indicator doesn’t apply here because we can’t see at that angle!

4. Hey! Yellow box is there for a reason. You don’t stop in it and turn your head away and ignoring the driver that you just stop in their way. And by the way, you are causing all the jam too!

5. Oh…road is for you to drive and not to park your car! If you want to park your car, there is something call CAR PARK!

6. Motorist, I know that you can go faster than a lot of cars and you can squeeze in between cars, but you don’t have to show your skills at the outer lane of the highway. I know you are good and skillful but, my car can be more POWERFUL. Safety first man.

7. Why you must turn on your radio so loud that I can also hear what you are listen too…actually, to think of it, do all of you play the same music? It always goes boom, boom, boom…Do you hear my music too? It goes honk, honk, honk…

8. I wonder how many of you actually know there are designated lanes to turn right, left or to go straight at the traffic light and junctions. Not all lanes can do everything you like. Right lane to turn right, left lane to turn left…oh…you don’t know which is left and right? Then, I would suggest that you…… STOP DRIVING!

9. Come on, driving can’t be that hard. You don’t need to tailgate someone else car to eliminate the wind drag to your car. And by the way, it doesn’t save you any petrol too. I know because I watch Mythbusters and they said so! Don’t believe me, next time watch that too! Oh…by the way, some times I do apply brake to my car to slow down because cars in front are slowing down too and they are STOPPING. Sorry, I can’t twitter to inform you earlier because you DON’T twit and drive!

10. Don’t talk on handphone while driving applies at ALL speed. No, you are NOT safer if you travel at 20kph and talk on the phone while you hog the road. And no, the polices still see you while you travel at that speed while talking on the phone, you don’t go invisible!Summon doesn’t come in speed categories (I hope so and yes, pun intended!) except when you over-speed! Oh, by the way, the same goes for those who want to smoke and drive, twit and drive, snap-a-pic and drive, tour-guide and drive and drink and drive too…maybe not drink and drive – you can’t even go straight what more to follow traffic rules!

Happy driving folks! And welcome to Driving in Malaysia 101: Do’s and Don’ts or is it vice-versa?

I wonder why

Some of my random thoughts of Chinese New Year.

1. Why do people gives ang pow (red packet with money inside) during Chinese New Year?

2. Why we must have so much of food during Chinese New Year reunion dinner and at the end, ended up eating the left over for days?

3. Why everything must be new?

4. Why do people put up red lantern?

5. Why more Malays are playing fire crackers during CNY then Chinese ? (at least at where I stay in Penang)

6. Why more houses are decorated in the Christmas mood rather the Chinese New Year atmosphere?

7. It’s reunion time. Can we have reunion elsewhere together, like in KL? It save a lot of trouble like traffic jams, packed sardines at every supermarket/ shops/ market, etc.

8. Which is the real, original Chinese New Year song?

9. Why do we celebrate Chinese New Year for 15 days? Isn’t New Year is just on the first day?

10. What is it about  new red under garments? WHO CARES!

 

I guess I am a Chinese but still have a lot to learn! And obviously I do have ONE last question…

Can we forget and ABOLISH the ang pow tradition? or can I don’t gives this year?

Have a great and blessed Chinese New Year everyone! Have a good reunion and fellowship with loved ones!

Remember, don’t drive too fast and keep to the speed limit!

Don’t go faster than the angels do!

Happy Chinese New Year

Hi. I want to wish everyone a Happy Chinese New Year.

May the year to Tiger be a roaring year for everyone.

But…you don’t be a tiger ya…:)