Oh my English! (is it considered double standard?)

Now I am at the Ford auto dealer to service my mother's car. It will take approximately 2 hours to service the car. As usual, when dealing with the front desk/sales rep/cashier I initiate the conversation in English. Not that I am a snob, it's my second nature to speak English in an 'air-conditioned establishment' like hotels, supermarkets or offices. I'm conditioned like a Pavlov dog in any air-conditioned building... how is that for today's pun?

Earlier, I test drive the new Ford car, Ford Eco Sport. It's a mini SUV. Officially, that's the first automatic car I drive in here... All this while I drive manual car here and automatic in the capital city. It's like driving a sedan car. Key-less entry, sun-roof. Wow! So I drive to the nearest drive-thru McDonald's as the sales rep accompanying haven had his breakfast. Poor him. I wish my best friend is with me. The last time I really test-drive a car was with my best friend. We drove a BMW. So, no, I am not a test drive virgin.

Upon reaching the sales centre cum service centre/ car dealer. The receptionist needs to verify something with me. As I initiated the conversation in English earlier, she asked me: "Sir, these are the things that we need to change...." We continued our conversation in English until a mechanic entered the reception area. He's the one servicing my mother's car. He wants to confirm what needs to be changed. Speaking in our regional dialect. The receptionist got shocked as I spoke to the mechanic in our regional dialect. She kinda scolded me for not speaking our regional dialect because she struggled earlier. I speak in our regional dialect to most blue collared worker. (It is considered double standard to do such thing?)

Speaking English here can change other people's perception towards you. Some would treat you better i.e. white collared worker. Some would not be pleased, they would think of you as a snob i.e. blue collared worker. My primary reason why I speak English is to improve my English. As you can see, my English is not that perfect. As the adage goes, Practice makes perfect. It's a self improvement act. Not an act to show off superiority (as some might see)

I've been called a banana* in the past. With my Eastern Asian feature i.e. my hooded (slightly slit) eye, and my parentage. An 'auntie' called me banana* for trying hard to speak English, not Mandarin or Hokkien or Hakka... Honestly, despite my parentage, I only know a meager amount of Mandarin. Thanks to a year posting in a town by the river with high Chinese concentration. I only know my Yi kwai, liang kwai, pu yao, mei yo, and pu huis. As basic as that.

In this region, speaking in English is quite bothersome. However, I really admire the receptionist's effort to speak English. Her English is not that bad. She should keep on practicing her English. Kudos! I hope everyone here are comfortable when speaking English and take the opportunity to speak in everyday conversation. And by doing that, we can improve our English command.

p/s
As I said earlier, I don't speak perfect English. I don't speak RP/BBC English. But I tried and tried... and keep an open mind to criticism. Never give up when somebody correct you. Thank them.
English is not my first language. Nobody, even native speaker speaks English right after the come out of their mother's womb.

*banana = Chinese looking person who doesn't speak Chinese, trying hard to speak English. Not just speaking English, trying hard to be English (Ang mo)... Like banana, Yellow outside, white inside.

 It's Native American/First Nation equivalent to Apple. Red outside, white inside.

There's always first...

I reckon this is my first post, posted not in October. It's November. It's also my first Sabbath here. (but obviously, I didn't go church, typing my blog...) Still in the transitioning mood.

I was watching TEDx on music education by Anita Collins. Yup, music education is mandatory here but only in elementary/primary/year 1-6 school. I hate music classes back then. In the first 3 years, I enjoyed music classes. Singing, making noises. But in the later year, we had a new music teacher. He would hit you if you play your recorder terribly. I kinda have stage fright. My music was horrible, I played the recorder until it literally 'shriek'... (try blowing the recorder very hard and you'll get the most annoying sound in the world... teeth shattering high pitch sound. One might have perforated their eardrums. Enough with the hyperbolic expression.

Besides that, I have problem with the musical notes. To me crochet is an activity akin to knitting. Musical notes look like bean sprouts dangling from the transmission line.

Playing a recorder is also a challenge to me. I had clinodactyly... my little fingers... (nope, I don't have Down Syndrome. I have a friend with simian crease... and again he's not...) The last hole is a challenge. I can't cover the whole hole (uhhh whole hole, nice word play). And I hate every music class.... Until........

During my second year in Uni, we had to choose a complementary subject. One of it is Music. I got out of my comfort zone and enrolled. Actually, the other subject wasn't that appealing. Music seem to be the lesser evil. Most of the people enrolled played at least one musical instrument. I have none. it's a leap of faith. Luckily, one does not need to know how to play instrument to pass. It's mostly on history, musical notes and basic musical knowledge.

I scored the highest albeit having no knowledge on playing musical instrument. Yup, it's actually mathematics, specifically fractions. Our teacher is also a fun person. She's Japanese. A soprano singer, and played a lot of musical instrument, keyed instrument to stringed instrument. She is very nurturing. I strengthened our stereotype on Japanese... very good at music. Initially, we had some problem communicating. Yes, she speaks English but with Japanese accent. Eventually, after a few classes, we are able to comprehend. She's not strict, but we do respect her. She said music should be fun. I wish my former music teacher had the same philosophy.

Since I scored the highest in Music, it helped my GPA and CGPA. I failed my haematology and immunology the previous year. :P

If only I enjoyed musical class earlier, I would have no problem with my maths. I would recommend parents to enroll their children into music classes. But make sure it's fun. Let your children learn music for fun, not just to pass their music exam. In this part of the world, parents tend to brag their children achievement.

example:
Scene 1.
Madam A and Madam B was chatting outside a musical academy. They are waiting for their children.

Madam A: My son is in grade 6 piano.
Madam B: My son is still in grade 5.
Madam A: How old is he? Mine is 7 years old
Madam B: My son is 12.
Madam A: That's my son. See you tomorrow.

Back home, Madam B is scolding her son
Madam B: When are you gonna finish your grade 5, Madam A's son is in Grade 6, and he's 7. Look at you

And Madam A is playing Madama Butterfly... (not related to the situation I want to show you)

See? That's why our children are stressed.  That's why we hate music classes. A colleague of mine hate music classes so much, she blackout the whole memory of playing a piano. How bizarre!


Bye, I need to unpack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueqgenARzlE

First post from Great White North Hill...

To keep my anonymity, from now on, I'm gonna refer this city as Great White North Hill. (Why so secretive?)

Am I a typical middle child with middle child syndrome? Does the current event, a manifestation of my middle childness? I do feel that I am a typical middle child, but my parents would beg to differ.

Could not write long this time. I suspect I have acute gastroenteritis. The toilet had seen my ass many times today.

Miss, your toilet stuck... (I can't imagine a walking, moving commode... If I find one, I should call it the commuting commode)

If you're having gastroenteritis like me, a commode is a commodity.... !muy importante!
What a relief after visiting the toilet, !muy feliz!

Enough with the toilet joke, I need to use one

Bye