Think Multiculturally

• ·         excessive concern over cleanliness and the feeling that what is new and strange is "dirty." This could be in relation to drinking water, food, dishes, and bedding.
• ·         fear of physical contact with attendants or servants
• ·         a feeling of helplessness and a desire for dependence on long-term residents of one's own nationality
• ·         irritation over delays and other minor frustrations out of proportion to their causes
• ·         delay and outright refusal to learn the language of the host country
• ·         excessive fear of being cheated, robbed, or injured; great concern over minor pains and irruptions of the skin
• ·         terrible longing to be back home, to be in familiar surroundings, to visit one's relatives, and, in general, to talk to people who really "make sense."

• ·         A girl who comes from a ‘girl school’ since her primary school up till secondary school for example untill Form 6 and lives with her family and never experience being in a hostel might have cultural shock when she step into university to further her study. Of course, she will meet variety kinds of people out there. Without a proper adjustment, many problems can occur.

• ·         In Greece, for example, smiling when you meet someone for the first time appears as a weakness. Many Greeks think that Americans smile too much and therefore are weak, and many Americans think that the Greeks are too stoic!!

By Noor Fazalina

When  I  was  small, I was not really aware  about  my  surrounding.  My culture as well. Since  I  grew  up at a small village which all of  them are  Malays, I was  not really  acknowledge about other  cultures like Chinese and Indians.  And when I  grew  up bigger up  to  secondary  school, my  friends   and colleague,  all  of them are  also  Malays.  I did not have time to think about other races and always keep in my mind that my race, Malay is the best. For  me, compared to other  races and cultures, Malay  culture  is  solely  give  us an expressive of  our  thinking and perceptions  about  life  because Malay is  Islam. And apart from Malay, non-malay who are Muslim are not  my choice to be my friends.

All of the negative perception has changed when I step into this university. During my first semester in UIAM, I have to stay at CELPAD  for one semester. In that class, I have to mingle with various people from the world with different cultures, races, traditions, norms and also skins. But of course they are muslims. Getting involved with them in one group for discussion and presentation really made me feel enthusiastic and excited to know them more about themselves.

During Hari Raya   Gathering. We  shared lots  of  Kuih  Raya  and    soto sponsored by  our  lecturer,  Mdm  Radziah

Here, I've got lots of  friends from   Yemen,  Afghanistan, Guinea,  Somalia, Indonesia, Singapore, Palestin, Vietnam and many mores. My perceptions towards them  changed to  360 degree. I learn on  how to make conversation   in English with them  although we were same  in  using broken English,  asking them  about their families and  traditions,  exploring their point  of views  about our cultures  and join  their cultural activities  at hall.  What an  excitement and unforgettable  moment  in my life!

My best  friends,  Ezra  and  Eshrak which  are   from Turkey  and  Yemen

At CELPAD also, I remembered one thing. It's quite funny I think. One  of my friends  from Afghanistan asked  me  about  my opinion regarding interracial marriage.  He  just want  to know whether  I agree or not with that. I  just answered it depends  on people on how they arrange and adapt to it.  If they assure that they can get many benefits through it, why not. Then he scolded me and told me that by hook or by crook I must agree with that. No depends he said. Erkk, I think that he already fall in love with some malay girls at here perhaps. And that's why he asked for my opinion, as a Malay.

In reality also, I am not a pure Malay. Yes, I was brought up as Malay people with full traditions and norms, but the truth is, my accent is mix with chinese. My grandfather was from Hong Kong and he came here on early 90s to do his business. I am not sure what kind of business that he had but my father said that he got married with my grandmother, which is Malay after converted to Islam. Then the couple stayed at here till their death. My father believed that we may have many relatives which stay at Hong Kong untill now, but since I did not get ample information regarding this truth, I did not find that evidence to prove this. But I'm sure that one day if we are meant to be, surely we will meet and shake our hands as blood relatives.


by  Farihah Mohamad