Language Barrier

Something I noticed for a long while, but being in Malaysia, I gave it a brush. But it really hit on me the other day when I witnessed the similar annoying scene at the airport. What I am referring to was the lack of sensitivity of those in the service industry in communicating with their customers.

Yes, we are in Malaysia and most of us would understand our National language, Bahasa Malaysia (BM). Even if we may not master it that well, we will still be able to comprehend the basic of it.

However, I find it most disturbing having seen, the other day, at the airport where a crew were communication in BM to a foreignor - to be precise, a Vietnamese. As I was in queue waiting for my bags to be scanned, a Vietnamese visitor who does not comprehend how the scanning system works, walk pass with her mobile phone. The airport crew asked her to go back in queue and place her mobile - talking to her in BM. I find it most humiliating as not only one but few of the crew continues to make fun of her in BM. In short - they have no respect for foreignors, - speaking BM to a Vietnamese??

Likewise for the crew in the service industry, particularly fast food outlets. Each time you go to the counter, they speak to you in BM. If anything at all, they should be speaking the International language, especially so if the outlets are located in the vicinity of the airport. I may look Chinese, but what if I am not a Malaysian Chinese? With my darker skin, I can even be mistaken for a Thai girl. How can they assume that every customer that walks in, is a Malaysian? If anything at all, they should speak in English - afterall, it is indeed an International Language. As much as I have respect for our National Language, I find it to be redundant when I travel to other destination - Mongolia, Vietnam, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Macau and many many more - our National Language is really of no use - no offence. Especially so, when we are promoting Malaysia as a destination to be, we must first of all change our attitude and mentality to be more more sensitive towards those that we serve - particularly those in the service industry.

Reality

Another wonderful article sent through email by a friend. I have read this similar article many years ago. It somehow slipped my mind but reading it again, somehow reminds me of how much we have taken the life we have for granted. This is for sharing!


A friend of mine opened his wife's underwear drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package:

'This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package.'

He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.

'She got this the first time we went to New York , 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on , was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is it.

He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died.

He turned to me and said:

'Never save something for a special occasion.

Every day in your life is a special occasion'.

I still think those words changed my life.

Now I read more and clean less.

I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.

spend more time with the ones You Love, and less at work.

I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.

I no longer keep anything.

I use crystal glasses every day...

I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if I feel like it.

I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to.

T he words 'Someday.....' and ' One Day...' are fading away from my dictionary.
;
If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now....

I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell.

I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends. She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.

I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favourite food.

It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come..

Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.

Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one..

Prayer

I am not a Christian, but this is a wonderful prayer to share. Please have it in your heart to send your prayers and well wishers to the people in Japan.


Lord, I just want to say THANK YOU,

Because this morning I woke up and knew where my children were.

Because this morning my home was still standing,

Because this morning I am not crying

Because my spouse, my child, my brother or sister, my parent does not need to be buried or to be pulled out from underneath a pile of concrete,

Because this morning I was able to drink a glass of water,

Because this morning I was able to turn on the light,

Because this morning I was able to take a shower,

Because this morning I was not planning a funeral,

But most of all I thank you this morning because I still have life and a voice to cry out for the people of Japan .

Lord I cry out to you, the One that makes the impossible, possible,

The One that turns darkness into light,

I cry out that You give those mothers strength,

That You give them peace that surpasses all understanding,

That You may open the streets so that help can come,

That You may provide doctors, nurses, food, water, and all that they need in a blink of an eye.


For all those that have lost family members, give them peace, give them hope, give them courage to continue to go on!

Protect the children and shield them with your power.

I pray all this in the name of Jesus!!!

Weekends

I bumped into my colleague at the lift. He look tired and weary and upon query, he said he has relationship problem. He says he dreads weekend during moments like this. I come to conclude that weekends are only for couples. When you are single, you dread weekends. Simply because, you will be all ALONE. That is the reality of it. Weekends seemed to drag longer when you are alone and fly too fast when you get to spend it with the ones you love.

I guess when you are used to spend your time with the someone and suddenly the someone is no longer there, you will feel a sense of emptiness. You do not know what to do with the weekends or holidays that you have. Your work becomes your passion and before you know it, you are a workaholic.

When you get to spend your weekends with the ones you love, your working days become a dread. You look forward to Thursday, Friday and yea! is Friday night and that is the best night towards weekend. Saturday is a bliss, Sunday comes too fast and heck is Monday already! So it goes on and on. Then you start to ramble through the calender for holidays and plan the perfect holidays with your someone.

Well, to the singles, it can be tough sometimes, but with the time that you have, perhaps is time to do the things you always wanted - go to gym, help out in the orphanage homes, have a blast with your Xbox, learn up photoshop, take up physchology course, watch Astro 24 hours, blast your Harmon Kardon speakers.... and the list goes on and on. But yet again, nothing is more fulfilling than do this with the special someone.

Happy or Not??

Yea! Congratulations! You have got a good increment! Actually, I do not know whether to laugh or cry. With our tax system, an increment is hardly seen as increment at all, especially so when you are being taxed so heavily by the *&%$#@& government. Sigh sigh sigh. A big chunk of my bonus is given to them! &^%$#%$!

Truly, honestly, I do not know whether to be happy or not... Jialat!

Life is Uncertain - Death is.

Is 4.56am on the 1st January 2011. It is the start of a new year. Just hours ago, I was doing my countdown and moments after that I learned about the passing away of a friend. It comes as a big shock. While many are gallavanting celebrating the new year, a friend passed away on the last day of 2010. He did not even have the chance to hop into the new year.

Just about a month ago, I wrote about the passing away of an acquitance. This time round, it is more of an acquitance.

Again, news like this takes a while to sink in. The impact of such news hits you so hard that you find it hard to believe. Especially so when the death is so sudden and tragic.

It is of course a disturbing news. Life has to go on for the family members. Question is, how do you cope with situation like this. When I hear such news, I often wonder how my family will feel if life takes a turn for me. What bothers me more, I realised is whether I have live my life the way I want, if I have love them the way I should and if I have put things in order ie insurance and will? I know that when that has been done, whenever life takes a sudden twist, perhaps then we will be prepared to go. Death is always a hush hush word. Something that many would not like to discuss. The reality is, in life only one thing is of certain - and that is death. Of course, everyone wants long fulfilling life. But there is a certain truth when they say we should live everyday as if is the last day. Perhaps in that way, we will be more kinder, less angry and happier.

Rest in peace, Brother James Pang - life was unexpectedly taken away from you but I know you have left a significant mark in the lives of others.

Rest in peace

I just learned of a death of an acquaintance through facebook. I only met him in one of the wedding shoots where he was one of the bride's closest friend. Even though I hardly know him, his image stays clear in my mind for he is one of the warm and friendly personality. So when I found out about his sudden death due to illness and when I read all the messages that his friends put out in facebook, it touches me. When you can put a name to a face and when the person, eventhough he is not close to you, dies, it does still somehow have that profound effect.

Now I see facebook as not only a platform of socialising but it is indeed a platform for consolation and sharing of despair, thoughts and emotions. With the many words of encouragement and love from his friends when he was hospitalised till the day that he passes, it shows how much people cares. It is known that he is not alone and that he has a lot of friends who cares. Rest in peace dear acquaintance.