Culture Shock

Decided to create Flickr as there's a lot of new pictures coming in. Click *here* to view pictures for S.H.E's auto session and the ATQ finale. All of the pictures are from my friend as I did not have my camera with me. Thanks to Ju-Yen, Yi Lin, Lay Leng, Yuh Jen and many more who sent me pictures.

I wanted to blog about 200 Pounds Beauty that I watched on Friday night. But I decided to blog about this first. Tomorrow, I will blog about that show. I wish to rewatch the movie for the 3rd time to comment though. In two days, I watched it twice already.

So nice, but not mine. =(

Today, I went 'oversea' to Kepala Batas with my family to attend a small celebration held by one of my mum's ex-colleague who worked with my mum in order to pass her Uni. Anyway, we got there at about 2 something. At around 3 something, we left and decided to drop by Sunway Carnival Mall since its a new shopping complex and I am free. =P I am on my holidays. When we reached Sunway Carnival Mall, it was not bad actually. Looks kinda big and quite nice on the outside. Not like Pacific which I think is very badly maintained.

The Mall. From outside only. There's not much shops inside. But good enough for a two hour shopping if you get hooked up in the boutiques or Popular.

The culture shock happens here actually. Everywhere we see, we see couples. With kids. And the couples are like those we see in Penang just that the couples we usually see are NOT married. These couples are around 21-24 years old for the father and probably 18-21 for the mother. There are a few with the girl or lady in her 24 maybe? But she has a 3 year old kid for God's sake. Everywhere you see, you will see young couples pushing the pram. At first I did not think too much or observe too much. I just assumed that these guys probably are pushing it for their sisters or something. Although I see many many many couples around, it was pretty normal.

It was still okay until I got into car and my sis started commenting how young the couples are. The mother are still very 'chio' with very nice body shape but all are mothers already. I then realised that it was true. Since the 1st moment we step out of our car, we already saw many guys at their early twenties are pushing the pram. Honestly, no offense to Penang Island guys. There are very matured guys around also. But as far as I am concern, unless that guy was careless and create some life/lives, they do not get married early. Not in Penang Island. The guys here are still playing around like big babies at the age of 20-25. My cousin for instance, really like a monkey. They do not have plans to get married, yet. And they do not expect to earn money to support a family of his own yet. That is why it is a culture shock to me.

'Oversea' is also counted as Penang but why is the culture so much different? According to my sister, its because Penang, there's a lot of things we are after. We are after fun time as in clubbing, we are after money which lead us to long hours of working and we are not after commitments. The people in 'overseas' especially girls, they do not think that much actually. Some of them don't even finish their education to a minimum of Form5. They grow up, meet boyfriend and at the tender age of 17 or 18, they got married. I cannot accept that.

After that, we started talking about this relative of mine who is 3 years older than I. That means he just turned 22 this year and he stopped studying before he finished his Form5. I think he barely finished his Form3 either. I am not so sure. Anyway, it was just last CNY which was in February I actually saw him. I don't think I met him before. Even if I did, I couldn't remember seeing him. I remember his cousins, just not him. I go there like 4 years once? Or longer. Anyway, he was with his girlfriend who I suspect is only 16 or maybe the most, 18. They were like young couples we always see. Very young one indeed. Suddenly, my sister told me that they got married already. I was like WHAT??? That girl only 16 kut. Most also 18 la. She looks so young. Don't she need to study? So young leh. Then my sis said it was an accident and they had to get married la. No choice. But then, I don't understand. Why are they doing this? They must be extra careful when it comes to lives. But still, they are getting married, so no problem. However, I cannot picture this happening to any of my friends. This is probably because even the one who hates studying the most is hoping to be someone successful, to be able to have at least a diploma in hand. Being pregnant ends all those beautiful dreams.

Those I know from 'overseas', dropping out seems to be okay to them. I seriously cannot accept this fact. Not having much educations means that they will have to be rich enough or intelligent enough to be a boss or create a business which people cannot think of and break the chain of being uneducated and less developed. This also means that if one day should 'oversea' be advanced with many many job opportunities, these people who dropped out will less likely have the chance to work there. They will still be the sell pork, sell groceries, sell vegetables, hawkers or any other jobs. They will miss out a lot. If one day should their place be develop, they will not be able to break the shell they've created to protect them and to separate them from the world. They will stay in 'oversea' forever. Perhaps they just need a simple, peaceful lifestyle. So much different from us who are on the island who often hopes to get out of the place and see the world. And then again, perhaps these people are the majority. Let's not forget about the minorities who are as ambitious as everyone out there.

ps: I do respect those who are hawkers as they earn a living on their own. I do not despise those who did not continue their education to a higher level. I do not look down on people who are less educated. I was only saying that I cannot accept myself being like that. Its completely my own problem. =)