I just got home from Kerala, India after a delightful one week.
India is pure madness, a country of such incredible contrasts that it is Incredible India.
But before I delve into that post, here’s something more important.
This is a free talk that my businesswomen’s group is organizing on 12th October.
Josephine, one of my friends and a die-hard fan of Joan Hon’s books, mooted this idea and asked if we could help her organize a talk for the Singaporean author.
Joan is a 67 year old Singaporean who has ties with Penang. She has written both fiction and non-fiction, with her most popular fiction being “Star Sapphire”, a sci-fi novel about a headstrong girl called Yva Yolan on her adventures in space.
Her science-fiction romance Star Sapphire won a High Commendation Award from the Book Development Council of Singapore in 1986, the same year when she was also awarded a Commendation prize for her better-known book Relatively Speaking on her family and childhood memories.
Josephine had presented me an autographed copy of Star Sapphire; I am halfway reading it now (as I am also halfway reading Edward de Bono’s Simplicity, Brian Tracy’s The Psychology of Selling and a book I got from India called Healing Mantras).
Come join us as we pick Joan’s brains about writing and being a writer. The fact is, it is rare for writers to come to Penang so this is really your golden chance to speak to a writer who is making a special trip here and whom you get to meet, for free!
We have limited space though as it will be held at 56, Lorong Selamat (1st floor). Here’s a map to the venue.
Title: A Writer’s Journey by Joan Hon
Date: 12 October (Tues)
Time: 2.30pm
Venue: 1st Floor, 56, Lorong Selamat, Penang
[Open to public, men and women alike]
Please spread the message to your friends too, especially those who love writing, love books and want to meet Joan, who is also the daughter of the former Finance Minister of S’pore (her father, the late Hon Sui Sen, was actually from Balik Pulau).
She wrote a book “Relatively Speaking” chronicling her father’s growing up years in Balik Pulau and later his position as the Finance Minister of Singapore. Among the anecdotes were about her father’s attempt to learn Mandarin together with Lee Kuan Yew, and how they shared tapes and monitored each other’s progress!
Her late father was often regarded as one of Southeast Asia’s most successful economic planners besides being one with the most integrity! A British official, upon meeting Joan’s mother, says, “Pleased to meet you. I hear your husband is the most honest man in the [Singapore] civil service”. This remark, says Joan, was to her the highest accolade and the most meaningful among all her father’s achievements.
The Star will be publishing an interview they did with her, hopefully before Joan comes on the 12th.
Joan will share snippets of her writer’s life and how a physics teacher like her ended up a sci-fi writer!
Below are some areas she will be talking about on 12 October (as copied off her email to Josephine):
* I would tell my “accidental author” story how I came to be writing books.
* Account of how each of my books came to be written.
* How I seem to have three identities: Joan Hon writes non-fiction, Joan Fong writes Physics, Han May writes fiction.
* Giving talks to sell my books in schools and libraries, book signings in bookshops.
* My attempts at printing my own books. Setting up Hope Publishers.
* Difficulties of publicising and the options nowadays. POD publishing.
Email (info@womenbizsense.com) to reserve a seat at this talk.
I will also be talking to Joan Hon when I meet her next week so stay tuned, I might dig up more anecdotes from her about the writer’s life! I’m super excited!
The online community is also helping to promote Joan’s talk in Penang, thanks to Josephine who attended Blogfest recently. Thanks Jo and thank you fellow bloggers!
Alice Teh’s blog
Taman Sri Nibong RA Blog
YourPenang.com
PenangBloggers
Maxim & Coral
I’ve been meaning to write more about my Hong Kong trip but so many things have gotten in the way. So now, back to the regular programming until something else catches my blog fancy.
In the first few days in HK, we did the absolute tourist stuff but later we found out that there was more to HK than Disneyland (which I never went anyway) and shopping (I am not that crazy about shopping and carting home clothes and anyway, I’ve never been a brand-conscious person so I didn’t even know if the prices of branded items were cheap or not!). Some people were aghast I didn’t go to Disneyland. Maybe next time, I shrugged.
HK Urban Planning Is Marvelous!
The convenience of living in HK cannot be underestimated. SP’s apartment was located above a shopping mall. While her location wasn’t exactly in the heart of the city, HK urban planning is such that you’re really not missing anything even if you don’t enter the fast-paced city.
The mall had everything one wanted. Let’s see… there was a fairly large JUSCO supermarket, fastfood chains like Burger King and KFC, Chinese/dim sum restaurants, hair salons, bakeries, boutiques, PC shops, Mannings (HK version of Guardian pharmacy), Popular bookstore, heck, anything you wanted was inside this mall. I realized even in places we considered the boondocks, their malls were heck of a lot superior than our Penang malls! It was absolutely crazy.
On days when we were too tired to eat (after a day of walking about and jumping on and off MTR), we’d gone to the JUSCO downstairs to check out what’s good. They had all types of sushi which were sold cheaper after 9pm.
(While I am talking about food, let it be known that Milo sold in HK cannot rival the original Malaysian Milo. We found out why SP’s stash of Milo was so precious (just like the cili padi she bought in some rural area of HK). She buys her Milo when she comes back to Malaysia because the HK Milo just does not cut it! I agree. The HK Milo is too milky and sweet. Yeccchhhhh!)
Their Version of Kopi Tiam
Before we set off for a day of wandering, we had to fill our tummies. Luckily, we could pick the HK version of our local kopitiam in the downstairs mall. This was a superfast cafe called Maxim. The concept is like a factory production line. And it helps A LOT if you are fluent in Cantonese. The cashier will give you a blank stare if you speak in English. Pick up some regular Cantonese to bluff your way through, especially when it comes to ordering food.
We ate a lot at Maxim’s during our HK trip partly because Nic marvelled at their efficiency. Their system was quick, quiet and orderly. The variety of food was good and tasty, and most were sets like breakfast sets, lunch sets and dinner sets. If you eat at Kim Gary’s a lot, it’s somewhat like that but in Kim Gary, at least they come and get your order.
In Maxim’s, you first looked at the menu of the day which was on this board at the cafe entrance. Decide what you want. Then order and pay at the cashier. Do not hesitate and dilly-dally or she gets impatient, giving you THE STARE. HK people are always in a rush somehow. Even if they are behind a cashier’s counter. As a Malaysian, I am made to feel a teeny weeny bit slow like a turtle. They zip past you like Dash.
Order in Cantonese. Make it quick as this is breakfast time and people are lining up behind you. When you get your receipt, you go stand at another counter. You pass the receipt to the workers who are quietly assembling your food as you wait. If you order the famous nai-cha (HK milk tea), the tea appears. Your food tray slides to the next counter for your bowl of noodles or bread or whatever. And if the item you order isn’t ready, you are asked to take a seat. They will announce your number when the food’s ready.
All the while, the workers slapping together your order are not talking, not bitching, not stressed. They wear gloves and have mouth covers. It’s clean, bright and fast. Everything flows methodically. They work fast but they are not stressed. I’ve seen them in action during the very hectic lunch hour and still they aren’t a bit fazed. Amazing.
As good as they are, Maxim’s isn’t just the only fastfood cafe for Chinese-style food. I wanted to try Cafe Coral which is similar to Maxim’s but didn’t have the chance. Maybe on my next trip then. Cafe Coral’s concept is similar. It is also all day dining from breakfast onwards till dinner. And Cafe Maxim and Cafe Coral are everywhere in HK, especially in shopping malls. With such a big variety of food, you’ll never get bored even if you eat at these cafes every day! Price-wise, they are very good value for money.
Tea-time is also a good time to drop in as they have fantastic yet filling tea sets. Don’t expect the Queen’s tea with cucumber sandwiches. This is the hearty HK fare of noodles, chicken wings, toasts and soups. Again I like the tea-time sets because tea time is such a major event for HK folks. Everyone converges at 3pm to have something to nibble! (Actually it’s more than a nibble. For me, it was a complete meal!).
Next time: Checking Out The HK Supermarkets…My Other Pastime
For Merdeka Day
May we really embody the colours of Merdeka and not be hypocrites. We may say something but the media says something else. Especially media which panders to their own racial group and become ‘batu api’.
May we really mean what we say when we say we are one nation. This nation consists of people who were never natives to begin with. We’re all migrants, with mixed ancestries and blood. The only true natives are the ones who still need our help.
May we really honour each other and respect each other. I don’t want to ‘tolerate’ you because in my mind, tolerate just means I need patience because I need to bear with you.
May we truly understand what being sensitive is about. Let’s not be sensitive about the wrong issues. Why can’t there be healthy discussion and debate? Why must everything be “you don’t know, therefore you should not comment”?
May we truly be sincere when we say we want to become better Malaysians. That means stop bribing the cops, stop acting like the bourgeoisie that you are, stop pushing your kids to be top scorers, stop throwing rubbish, stop being stupid and juvenile.
May we understand that the enemy is not within. There has never been an enemy within. The enemy is all in your head.
May we live up to what Yasmin always imagined in her mini story adverts.
May we celebrate our freedom and independence from shortsightedness and mediocrity.
May we celebrate the uniqueness that we are Malaysian.
Selamat Menyambut Hari Merdeka to you and me. We need to remind ourselves what 53 years of independence really mean. Especially now. Especially when this is as much my home as it is yours.
The Amazing Sri Nibong Hunt
UPDATE: See this for more of what happened during our fun hunt. Plus pictures too!
Finally, we’ve gotten our sponsors and Jay’s done his recce (and setting questions soon) and so now we’re officially announcing that the Amazing Sri Nibong Hunt is open! (Our banners will be going up around the taman latest by 1 Sept.)
Get the entry form by downloading the PDF here.
Participation is FREE for all Malaysians.
The prizes with a total worth RM4,500 are generously sponsored by Langkawi Online, Penang Adventist Hospital, Mizz Studio, Penang Passion, La Herballe, Priority Fitness, Tropical Spice Garden and lots more.
We have 3 top prizes plus a bunch of consolation prizes and lucky pick prizes up for grabs.
1st Prize: 3D/2N Hotel Stay at The Lanai, Langkawi for 4 persons (worth RM1200)
sponsored by Langkawi-Online.com
2nd Prize: Coral Island Cruise to Pulau Payar Marine Park for 4 persons (worth RM800)
sponsored by Langkawi-Online.com
3rd Prize: Family Photo Session + Exclusive Photobook Album (worth RM800)
sponsored by MizzStudio.com
How To Join
Participation is open to all Malaysians, regardless whether you live in Taman Sri Nibong or not. Children above 12 years old and adults are welcome to join.
Of course if you live here, the advantage is that you know this area well and might probably do better during the walking hunt on the morning of 16 September (which is a public holiday by the way).
Please read the rules and regulations carefully before you fill up the entry form. Remember we are accepting a limited number of teams so it really is a matter of first-come, first-serve.
The objective of this walking hunt is to enable all of us to get to know our neighbours, have fun and remember what Hari Malaysia truly means to each of us.
The walking hunt will have questions about this area, puzzles to solve and some physical activities.
So what are you waiting for? Round up your friends/family and join this hunt!
Where to Submit Entry Form
You can pass the entry form back to me directly or you can submit the entry form at the Taman Sri Nibong RA Hall on 4 Sept and 13 Sept (between 6pm to 7pm).
Closing date for entry form submission: 13 September, 7pm.
We're Like The Aussies
Jo told me that Malaysians are a bit like the Aussies.
Whenever friends from abroad come to visit, we tend to invite them to stay with us (with open arms). Just like the Aussies, she says, They will even tell you that their house key is in the third flower pot and “just make yourself at home”.
We had this funny conversation when we were having lunch at Pastamania just last week and I was telling her how we love looking up friends when we are abroad.
It’s just fun to catch up with friends this way especially if we know them really well.
Like my childhood friend in London. She’s been asking me to visit her and stay with her when I do go. I’ve known her since we were both six years old.
And remember my HK trip? All made possible because dear SP gave us her entire apartment to stay in during the 10 days we were there (not to mention her extra set of keys so we could waltz in and out of her apartment as and when we wished).
And of course, when I am in KL, I am so fortunate that I have friends I can stay with, any time. They’ll open their guest rooms for me and that’s so Malaysian right?
And guess what? I do the same too.
I told Nir, my uni mate, that she is welcome to come and stay with me any time she comes back from Germany. And she also means it when she tells me,”Come visit me in Dortmund and come stay with me. And this is not ajak-ajak ayam, okay.” And I know she means it.
That’s the Malaysian way of being hospitable.
But that’s not the Singaporean style, I heard from Jo. Singaporeans would never think of impinging on the privacy of their friends so they’d rather go to a hotel room. When a Singaporean does ask about accommodation, she asks, “So which hotel are you staying at?” The very (Malaysian) offer of “come bunk with me” isn’t done.
Frankly speaking, I love hosting friends. I don’t normally open up my home to people I don’t like or to mere acquaintances. And yes, when friends come and bunk over, I have a set of keys for them too. So they can have the freedom to come and go as they please.
I was telling Jo that when I do go to Singapore, I have friends I can really bunk with. In fact, that’s the best part about travelling right? You meet with friends, you catch up, you save on hotel costs and you have a gala time.
So is it true that Singaporeans are like us in many ways but also NOT like us Malaysians in many ways?
I’d really love to hear what you think!
Walk, Hunt and Win
As I’m part of the Taman Sri Nibong RA Committee, I’m using all means to get our little residential area in the news. I’m new to this area, having moved here late last year but immediately I was roped in by a friend to help in the committee. (Thanks to our intern Jensen who helped me design the banner above which can now be seen around Taman Sri Nibong.)
Anyway, I’ve also been roped into the sub-committee to organize Hari Malaysia which falls on 16 September (which will be a public holiday!). Finally Nic’s gotten his wish to really celebrate the formation of Malaysia. For Sarawakians and Sabahans, it is quite unfair to celebrate Hari Merdeka without giving due respect to Hari Malaysia.
This time around, I’ve suggested that the Hari Malaysia celebration include something special, something other than the buffet dinner and performances and lucky draws.
I’m organizing a 3-hour walk-a-hunt on the morning of 16 September for the residents of Taman Sri Nibong. Not only is it FREE (don’t we just love free stuff!) to join, winners will also get good prizes.
Jay of WebMazers has agreed to help me set up the questions for the walk-a-hunt. It will be simple, he assures me. I’ve taken part in Jay’s treasure hunts and they’re quite cryptic!
But he knows that this will be a hunt for residents to get to know each other and cultivate a sense of neighbourliness so he’s going to make it really easy for the participants. And I’ve asked him to do it pro bono for us as this is a community event.
I’ve always taken part in treasure hunts but this time, I’ll be the organizer.
We’re limiting participants to 30 teams of 4 persons each as any more than that is simply over stretching our resources.
If you want to take part, it’s simple – you need 4 people in your team and everyone should be Malaysians. You should make yourself available on the morning of 16 September (8am to 12 noon) for the walk-a-hunt around Taman Sri Nibong.
Winners will be awarded prizes during the dinner that night. It is NOT compulsory to buy the dinner ticket but you must be there for the prize-giving. If you do want to attend the dinner, we welcome you with open arms too. It’s only RM18 per adult and RM12 for per child with food, fun and lucky draw galore. To buy tickets, you can email me.
It’s a brilliant way to get to know your neighbours! And win some cool prizes.
The first prize is a 3 Day-2 Night hotel accommodation in Langkawi for 4 persons.
With some 10 other prizes too. In total we’re looking at some RM4,500 worth of prizes for this community treasure hunt. Thanks to all my fantastic and generous supporters who immediately said yes when I asked them to help out with the prizes!
Did I tell you I’ve arranged for a pole dancing performer during the buffet dinner too? 😉 I am now trying to get the Penang Dhol Blasters to come and perform. I’ve watched this bunch of Sikh guys do their drum thing and I think they’ll be such a fab addition to the Hari Malaysia celebrations.
Stay tuned for the treasure hunt entry forms for the Amazing Sri Nibong Hunt! They’re coming up real soon!
The Heady Smell of Herbs
I’ve been dutifully composting my food scraps using the 10-pot system and it’s been about 7 months now.
Don of Green Crusaders (that’s him below) taught me this system and since using it, I’ve never had to throw out any food scraps! I have actually reduced the amount of rubbish I throw out as I compost mostly everything (except unedible and inorganic stuff).
I can safely report that all’s fine and I couldn’t tell you how pleased I was to find big, fat earthworms in my compost a few months ago. Earthworms make the job easier! Of course besides the earthworms, there’s a host of bugs, milipedes, ants and such but that’s part and parcel of the composting process.
But there is no smell. No stink. That is the beauty of Don’s 10-pot system. It’s really simple once you get the system all set up. And you don’t need to buy those plastic bins or composting contraptions which look really huge and ugly.
Now with enough compost, I can start my little herb garden. (Compost must be mixed well with regular red earth in 1:1 portions. Compost on its own will kill plants as it is too ‘nutritious’!)
I’ve always been interested in gardening. I wouldn’t say I’m Miss Green Finger but I do enjoy getting my hands dirty, watching plants grow and best of all, eating what I grow. That’s the best organic kind of food.
Of late, I’ve been poking around C&L Nursery (opposite Convent Green Lane) and buying pots of herbs.
Rosemary is one herb I really adore, especially its heady aroma as one brushes against its spiny leaves. I am still figuring if it needs direct sunlight or not as my previous pot of rosemary died after 2 years (that pot was kept on the balcony away from direct light). I don’t really use rosemary for cooking – I just want to inhale its fragrance!
Next I came across a type of mint which smells like lemon. Its mint leaves are thin and papery but again, it smells like lemon and lemongrass when you light brush your hands over its leaves. Again I bought this because of its citrusy smell.
Recently a friend gave me two cuttings of Indian borage. It is also known as local oregano because it smells just like that!
The heart-shaped leaves of the Indian borage are thick. big and hairy. In Malay, it is known as Daun Bangun-bangun. Apparently it is a hardy plant but what makes it attractive as a must-have herb in the garden is its ability to help with coughs. A fresh leaf boiled with some water is a good tea to sip if you have persistent coughing. Or pick a leaf and chew it if you have a sore throat.
And here’s more uses for Indian borage – if you have a blocked nose, crush some leaves and inhale.
If you have skin problems or insect bites, crush the leaves and use as a poultice.
If you have dandruff, use an infusion to rinse your hair.
This herb seems to be multipurpose. You can use it for increasing milk flow for new moms, to reduce flatulence and stomach cramps, to reduce menstrual pain and insomnia. Oh yes, it can also get rid of kidney stones!
Besides these herbs, I am also trying my hand at growing turmeric, plantago, basil and Thai basil. There’s something really special when you can eat the stuff you grow!
My Teacher, Skritter
I was going through my thumb drive when I chanced upon my resolutions. I am a sucker for this kind of things and so I actually make lists during the first week of January each year. Anyway for me it’s quite fun to track what I set out to achieve and what I really achieve.
It’s funny how I saw my 2009 and 2010 lists and just reviewed them (though technically I still have a few more months to go before 2010 officially ends).
On my 2009 list, I was pleased to note that I had achieved a major goal I set out for myself.
On my 2010 list, I managed to achieve 3 items!
While reviewing my 2010 list, it gave me a renewed focus on what I want to go for this year. Some are spiritual and personal goals while others are business goals.
Among the 3 items is one which I have been wanting to achieve for a long time now, ever since I could be regretful.
I’ve always regretted that I didn’t pay much attention in my Mandarin classes while at primary school. My teacher was in his 60s and he just taught us on Saturdays and I used to play around. I didn’t think learning Chinese was THAT important.
Well, not until I got into my 20s and thought, heck, if only I could write and read Mandarin. It would be so wonderful (I speak Mandarin and it would have been complete!).
Over the years, I’ve tried to learn using CDs and Chinese learning software. To no avail.
So I made up my mind to engage a teacher only to be slightly intimidated by the fact that I’d need to go for Chinese tuition! I was even thinking of joining some kids in the Kumon centres – I heard they taught Mandarin too. A friend had learnt Mandarin this way!
A few weeks ago, I came upon Skritter and knew that my search was over.
Skritter is an online subscription website where you can sign up to learn Chinese or Japanese. I’ve signed up to learn simplified Chinese. It’s been the cat’s whiskers so far. I’m dutifully engaged because it actually tracks my progress.
I do know that nothing beats a real teacher but this can be a good replacement teacher if you’re eager to learn at your own pace.
Let’s see how it goes!
To The Gurdwara We Will Go
We were at the Sikh Gurdwara yesterday as part of the Penang Heritage Trust monthly site visits. I often look forward to these events as we get an insider’s view of the historical building or place.
I am sure you’ve passed by this place of worship if you drive along Jalan Gurdwara going to GAMA or the Four Leaves Bakery. Most likely you would have thought it was a Sikh temple. It is but it is also more than that. And what with it being built in 1903, this building has seen more than 100 years of development in Penang!
Like everyone else, we were deeply curious about the Gurdwara. What is inside this place? What do the Sikhs do here besides pray? And we could finally get our myths righted then and there by asking the turbanned leaders.
I mean, have you ever wondered about the Sikhs? They are probably the most misunderstood people here in Malaysia. Everyone thinks Punjabis are Sikhs (the term is usually used interchangeably – I cannot think how annoyed the Sikhs are!). This is a misconception as Punjab is a state and in this state, the Punjabis could be of any religion – not necessarily Sikhism! Or the perennial favourite – Bengali as a term for the Sikhs. Again, it is misconstrued.
The Gurdwara is not only a place of worship but also a community centre for the Sikhs. It is a place for travellers (in those days of ship travel) to rest and have some clean accommodation before they moved on elsewhere. The accommodation is basic – the netting bed or charpoy doubled up as an easy bed without the need for mattress. (That is quite innovative because there won’t be any bedsheets to lug about!).
Everyone, regardless of their faith, could come into the Gurdwara for a free vegetarian meal. Their communal kitchen is fairly large. We were told not to miss the special milk tea and pakoras the Sikh ladies had prepared for us at the end of our visit. It was true. The milk tea was smooth and delicious (better than Hong Kong milk tea!) without being too sweet while the deep-fried vegetable fritters were simple and homely fare.
The first floor of the Gurdwara housed their prayer hall. To enter, we had to cover our heads with scarves. While we women looked rather sweet and demure, men with scarves just looked quite Taliban! We were told that the Sikhs would read from their Holy Book and in this hall, prayers would be recited every day.
We were also given booklets explaining about the Sikh religion and what their core beliefs are. Although I had friends who were Sikhs when I was in school, it never occurred to me to probe more. Now I know better of course.
If we could all visit each other’s place of worship and have the religion explained to us, we could all understand more. Understanding each other and appreciating each other’s uniqueness will alleviate fear. It is only fear which creates misunderstandings about religion.
Just the other night, I was speaking to Fabian and feeling really lucky that I have access to his Catholic mind and all the theology he’s learnt. Again, I may have Catholic friends but I sure did not dare ask too many questions back then. It is only with friends who are open enough does one dare approach the subject of religion. It’s all very curiously interesting!
One Woman's Inspiration
When Nancy invited me and Nic to join her and the rest of the Adventist Hospital staff to visit Tzu Chi Society building in Macalister Road, she had warned me.
“Bring lots of tissues.” It would be emotional.
I just didn’t know how emotional it would turn out to be.
In the end, I came home pretty humbled and yet inspired. I have written about Master Cheng Yen, the founder of this non-profit organisation, sometime before. I have friends who are volunteers in Tzu Chi. I myself contribute monthly towards Tzu Chi.
Master Cheng Yen embodies a woman with absolute strength of character, infused with a resilience that’s awe-inspiring. All this through the one video I saw of her. I can imagine seeing her in the flesh in Taiwan, if I am that fortunate to visit her country (she does not travel out of Taiwan for health reasons I believe).
4 Hours, 3 Times A Week
The first stop of our visit was the Tzu Chi Dialysis Centre on Gottlieb Road. Being a Sunday, we didn’t expect that many people around. The nurses had especially come in earlier at morning to prepare for our visit. The dialysis patients turned volunteers were also there to greet us!
Mr Lee, the centre manager, showed us around and explained about the dialysis machines. Every kidney patient would be hooked up to the machine for 4 hours each time, 3 times a week.
And Tzu Chi does not charge for these sessions – they are FREE.
(Under normal circumstances, each session would cost approximately RM150 to RM250 at private hospitals. In the Government hospital/general hospital, it would be cheaper but there is a long wait list.) Added to that, there are medications. So each kidney patient would need to spend at least RM2500 every month for dialysis and medicines.
For the first time, it dawned on me how magnificent our bodies really are. How each organ works to give us good health; when it breaks down, it becomes tedious, even exhausting. What our kidneys do naturally, the machine takes a good 4 hours each time.
The one thing I noticed is that the nurses were upbeat and cheerful (despite having to come in as early as 7 am on a Sunday so they could rehearse their performance for us, their guests). They beamed when they performed a song for us together with the dialysis patients/volunteers.
They were all smiles when they presented their gifts to us – white hankies folded to resemble cute rabbits with red eyes!
Mr Lee explained that these young nurses would also go beyond their call of duty – they’d drop in to visit dialysis patients after their work hours. All this without extra OT pay. And it is not a secret that they’re not paid as highly as private nurses either. But they do it with grace and cheerfulness.
What was the secret in Tzu Chi which motivated these nurses (who could work in any hospital given their dedication) to be more than they were? It was inspiring to know that there’s a deeper sense of purpose in these young nurses’ lives. It shone in their eyes. It shone in their heart. That word comes back to me – it was like staring at pure joy.
Stories of Hope and Humility
We were then whisked back to the main grey-coloured Tzu Chi building on Macalister Road. It was mid-morning but we were served a mini snack in the form of ‘ang koo kuih’ and jelly, to be downed by fragrant Chinese tea.
Before we drank our tea, we were taught the proper method of appreciating tea. When we sipped the tea, we had to be mindful and remember the 3 Goodness (a sip for good thoughts, a sip for good words and a sip for good deeds). The Tzu Chi staff mentioned that they were going to start their tea appreciation class soon. This class is held once a year and for free. You can call up and ask them when the next class is beginning.
I couldn’t help but admire the humility, tenacity and inherent mindfulness of these Tzu Chi volunteers, from the ladies dressed in demure dark blue cheongsams (very elegant!) to the men dressed in grey t-shirts or white t-shirts. When we were on the first floor watching a presentation of Tzu Chi, Sunday school for children was in session on the ground floor. In a way, this was a Sunday school with a difference because parents are enrolled with their children with the belief that good values must be taught from young but also with the direct support of the parents.
I was touched by so many things I saw that day in Tzu Chi. They believed in doing things with passion, loving-kindness and mindfulness. As a 10 million strong organisation worldwide, they are always the first to attend to any disaster area and the last to leave. Due to their strong belief in helping people, they have also come up with their own innovation such as instant rice which does not need to be cooked. In disaster areas, fuel is hard to come by so instant rice (which is now part of a range of products they sell in their Tzu Chi shop) with the addition of hot water for 20 minutes makes a nutritious and quick meal. This is also a good product for campers!
They also showed us a short video which made all of us weep once more (we wept when Mr Muck, a dialysis patient recounted his story of how he went from being a patient to actively volunteering with Tzu Chi).
The video was of an 80-year old woman who still holds onto her job as an office cleaner because she is the sole breadwinner in her family of four – her husband is blind and cannot work while her 2 grown-up children are disabled and cannot take care of themselves. She has in total 7 children but the other 5 children were also disabled and had passed away.
And yet, this old woman who rides her motorbike to work daily never once complained about her lot in life. The hunched up little old lady cheerfully goes to work, riding her old little Honda motorbike. Incredibly, after she heard how Tzu Chi gets money to help dialysis patients from recycling household wastes, she started collecting newspapers, tins and plastics to do her bit for Tzu Chi!
I was absolutely floored by this story.
Mr Lee then took over to show us via some slides about Tzu Chi’s work in Indonesia. Tzu Chi volunteers helped to clean up one of Jakarta’s dirtiest rivers and squatter areas. Together with the Indonesian Government, they built flats for the squatter families. They also helped rebuilt tsunami-hit Acheh – rebuilding schools, mosque and houses for the Achehnese.
The local religious leader of the town was so touched by the generosity of Tzu Chi that he asked for 60 pieces of Master Cheng Yen’s photo to be place in every classroom. He wanted the Muslim school children to give thanks and remember the woman who started Tzu Chi, the organisation which helped them.
This contrasts so strongly with what we know and perceive about religions. Would this happen in Malaysia? Would a Muslim religious leader ask for photos of his benefactor to be put in every classroom so that the children do not forget to be grateful each day to the woman and the organisation which helped them? While watching the video of the Muslim children sing a Bahasa Indonesian version of the Mandarin Tzu Chi song, I was terribly moved by the Indonesians’ ability to be all encompassing in their thankfulness.
All I can say is, Tzu Chi is an amazing organisation just like many of the amazing organisations out there who are helping people in their own ways.
Life is sometimes about the lessons we learn and also about the lessons we re-learn.
** You can read more about the inspiring life journey of Master Cheng Yen.
** If you want to help, you can contribute money on a monthly basis with a minimum of RM1 per month. Please contact the nearest Tzu Chi in your town/city.