CAUTION!! This post contains some statement that will offend some readers. Read at your own risk.
I'm working as a teacher at one of language center around Ampang. The job is easy, working hours are short and the salary is quite high. I have to teach a few Grade 3 and Grade 7's Korean students just for 5 hours. So, its great for me. When I write this post, I have just a few days left to finish my work there. Oh, this is a one-month job because this is some kind of English intensive program for them. They can speak English very well but for the other parts of English, well they have to improve that. So that's why they joined this intensive program.
The other thing is the students are Korean so I can (at last) say something in Korean to a native speaker. Aha! Well, I just knew a few words only but still, the students said I can speak well. Haha...I'm not bragging but it's the truth. I don't feel like I'm in Malaysia at all.
Well, that's some of the fun things there. But of course, there are some things that makes me uncomfortable with that place and Koreans. I will list down some of the questions that bother me so much and I can't help to let it run through my mind over and over again. This maybe controversial but I heard it with my own ears and some from my friend too. This is the result of observation of the students about Malaysia and Malays. Here goes:~
1. Why Malay people are so ugly?
2. Why Malay are not white?
3. Why there's a lot of fat people in Malaysia?
This is just some questions that my students asked. It offended me in a way. Because I'm Malay. Don't be surprised, they even told me I'm ugly, and I should do some plastic surgery on my face. I have just heard about how high standard Korean about appearance in Korea but I never thought that I will be one of the victim of this standard. Here. In Malaysia.
A few days ago, there are 1 new student enter the class but she's afraid. I'm not sure why. But the Grade 3 students said because of my face so ugly, that's why the student afraid to come to the class. It's hurt to hear that come out from a Grade 3's student. I neither ugly nor pretty, I'm plain. I've told I'm ugly a lot and I didn't bother about it at all but this?
Something more shocking was revealed just before I finished class on last Friday. Student A talked to student B in Korean when they are doing their work. But I can quite understand what they talked about. She's talking about her mother perception towards Malay (or Malaysia people, I'm not sure). Her mother said Malay are ugly people. See? How parents brainwashed their children about judging others appearance? No wonder the daughter also do the same.
This is racist. Okay2, I know. Maybe not all Koreans are like this. It's just the same like Malay. Some Malay are racist too. Even between Malaysian. But I never thought this is happening in front of me. I've been verbally abuse. There are some people there who didn't like me at all and hope to get rid of me as fast as they can. Well, good news. A few days more and I will be leaving that place.
I like K-pop. To get rid of my building hatred towards them, I watched lots of Korean variety show, music videos etc. That way, it will soothe a little. I want to work there a little longer. I'm sick of job-hunting but ah...I don't know.
I want to apologize for this post but I have to get rid this uneasy feeling that keep lingering around me. Let's make the world a better place for all of us. Peace~
