.: One fine day :.

An interview.

Barely a few months after starting my first job, a group of students from a neighboring university paid a visit. Apparently, they were doing research for their assignment concerning racial communications. Friends decided to send them over to my office.

:: Our conversation started off as so ::

Girls:: How do you communicate with other races?
Me:: I beg your pardon?
Girl:: How do you converse? Do you eat with them? What do you guys talk about? What do they think of you? Do you have problems with other races?
Me:: How do you do it?
Girls:: We don't.

I was flabbergasted. Before I could blurt something else ...

Girls:: Well, actually we do. Just that we never got to do much. You know, difference of religion, language, race, culture etc. those barriers.
Me:: It is only a barrier if you see it as one. Once you liberate yourself from it, there really isn't any restrictions comparatively when you commune with someone from your own circle. People are generally the same inside. Surely you don't want to be treated any different from anyone else?

--- total silence ---

The next 1 hour plus, our discussion touched on understanding, accepting, respecting and accommodating to the diversity of others. By the end of it, my colleague alleged that I may had just corrupted their innocent minds or perhaps twisted their very beliefs. For a moment there, I was paranoid whether I'll be chased allover campus by a bunch of furious parents blaring curses at my brainwashing act. No doubt I can outrun them on any given day, though why take the risk?

:: Our final words were ::

Girls:: What if the others don't accept us?
Me:: By accepting others first, in due time will they accept us. Acceptance doesn't come immediately.
Girls:: You're not from around here are you? *that's a loaded one*

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My former colleagues and close friends often say that I'm different. Whether it is a good thing or the other, beats me. The most recent comment I got from my present colleagues of 7 weeks was, "Why are you so different from other girls?". "What is that supposed to mean?". "Well, you don't do girl stuff.". "Like I can do girl stuff with you guys."

All my friends think that I'm destined with someone of a different race and from another country. The idea of me being with a Malay or Malaysian just doesn't fit. *I wonder why* Sis stressed that since I'm the closest to dad I will definitely follow his footsteps. *dad used to say how he's able to trace his relations anywhere in the world.* Mum remains neutral on this. *she did marry dad*

Update 3.03pm :: meeting up with a friend for advanced calculus ... really, using calculus to meet up has got to be the lamest excuse. surely she knows that works like 5 years ago plus I'm all rusty at it ::

Pretty strange world we're living in.

2.07pm Malaysian Time