Ng Chui Yi
1120098
Over 23 years of my life in Malaysia, I am now here residing in Hawaii. I am attending school here in this multicultural and multiracial little town. When I first got here, a friend of mine came and pick me up from the airport. He came walking towards me with a big smile and give me a big hug that I can never imagine! We never did that back home. He came with a friend, because he cannot drive off campus. Then, we talked and walk to the car, me being so excited stepping my foot in the United States for the first time just ran to the car and opens up the door on the left side of the car. His friend was like, giving me a look and both of them laughs. A fast glance into the car, I went, “Oh my gosh! Driver seat!” It was a good laugh for them, from then onwards I knew I had to get used to the new cultures and laws.
On the way to campus, my friend Boon told me that I will enjoy my life here for as long as I am here. He said that the living status is Hawaii is slow and easy, not much stress and no hassle at all. I didn’t believe him at first, because of how fast Brian was driving, I was thinking to myself, I drove this speed at home. The scenery, is awesome. I started to plant a feeling in my heart, “I love this place!” We finally got to campus that day, safe and sound. My first glance at the campus, “Awesome!” my first glance at the temple, “Beautiful!” That’s when the seed of the feeling I have planted started to grow.
I was sent to my friend’s place Junko, I was staying with her two days before I get to move in Hale 5. I got out form the car, I was welcomed by the Hawaiian breeze. I love it. I met Junko’s housemate, they are just the prettiest and friendliest people I have ever met. We hugs and kissed on each other’s cheek. I was like “WOW, that’s how things work here?” I was a very warm welcome besides the breeze. Surprised? Of course I was. Me and my friends never did that back home! That was the very first culture that I’ve learned in Hawaii. It was weird at first, but it’s not that bad at all. It’s just a way people show love and a “really nice to meet you” attitude.
Once I have settled down in her house, we went to Foodland. How? We walked! Besides the both of us, I noticed MOST people walked 5 to 10mins to get to the closest market to get their daily or personal things. I remember back home, to get to a market just 5 minutes walk away, we took a cab. Besides that, there’s a lot of walking around campus! But, walking around in this little La’ie, is so much of fun. Windy all day long, sometimes you even have to put on a jacket and walk around under the sun at 3pm! Can you not imagine now, how wonderful is the weather here? I honestly love it here!
Boon took me to the café for the first time in the campus on the first day. Food, yes food, there is not other reason but food if you go to the café. “American food!” was the very first thing that comes to my head. Burritos, sandwiches, salad, orange juice, clam chowdery soup, bagles, and so much more! I was thinking to myself “There is no place like home!” Where is mum’s stir fried spinach? Herbal chicken soup? Steam white tofu? I left those yummy food 18hours behind! American food, I do like them back home, I thought I will have no problem dealing with it, but when I got here I don’t think so I was right! I can’t! I miss my home cook food!
As days goes by, I am getting use to the food there. As long as they fill me up and I am not starving I will be fine with the food. So, here I am today, eating café food for the pass 3 weeks I was here. It’s not that bad. At least they don’t cook the same thing every day. One more thing is that, I thought I eat a lot when I was back home. One bowl of rice is not enough for me and at least 2 bowls of delicious home cook herbal chicken soup to satisfy my hungry stomach! I dropped my jaw, when I see how people eat here! Amazing! They eat MORE than I do! So, there we go, it explains so clearly why Polynesians are so huge! But, no further comments, because that is how they are. It is just so nice to see I am not the only one that eats a lot.
Two days later, I moved out from Junko’s place and moving into dorm. I was very excited! Can’t wait to get in here, unfortunately, the room wasn’t ready because the seniors hasn’t move out yet due to busy with finals. I was okay with it, TV lounge has air-conditioning! Stayed in there with three more girls. One from Singapore (my country neighbor), Mongolian and New Zealand. Four of us are from different countries, it was awesome.
People here are just so warmth. Everywhere you go, no matter off or on campus, they will just smile at you, sometimes they’ll even say “Good morning” , “How are you doing?” and everything else that comes to their head. They portrait’s a very friendly environment here for me, and I like it so very much. Although I am from a country that resides many different races, religions and cultures, we don’t walk around and greet each other like this, even neighbors. People here are just so different from back home. More friendly and warmth. Sometimes it just made the communication easier.
But still there are some difficulties being in a multiracial and multicultural places. I do made a lot of friends during orientations, classes and activities. Some are from Malaysia, some are local, some are from the mainland, some from other countries and some are from difference islands. When I happened to tag along with Tahitian, if they are in a group they just tend to speak in their own language. It really irritates me a lot, because I do not understand their language, and I do not know how to response to that. They just made me feel left out, because I feel like I am not part of them.
It might sound mean to tell them to “Speak in English please?” but I’ll have to explain to them, it be easier for me to communicate and interact with them. They would say that they are sorry and they would start speaking in English again. Just about five minutes later, it goes back to the original, that it’s when it really starting to annoy me. In this situation, I would just keep quiet and let them be. Did not really want to offend them, so I quit asking to the speak in English. They are just comfortable speaking in their own language. I was thinking to myself, I might do this as well if I am with some of my Chinese friends. So, here I learned to compromise.
Sometimes, we can get along very well with someone who is not from the country we are from. That would be amazing, but sometimes it’s just a lot more comfortable to hang out with people who are form the same country we are from. Because we know what to talk about, and we can speak with a language that we are able to communicate with each other. It just makes us feel like home, we are not alienated within our own people. We complained about the food that we do not like, we talk about the best food we have had back home. Being with people from our own country keeps us alive and visible.
However, being with people who are different helps us to learn about ourselves, especially the culture differences. My roommate, she is Tahitian and non-sponsored student. Last week she bought a lot of food home from Walmart, roasted chicken, cheese and hams, and she puts everything in the fridge. The next day she invited me to have lunch with in the room, and being me, I said okay! She took out the chicken and bread. I asked her “Do you want me to go kitchen with you?” and she answered “Why? I don’t need to go there”. I was like “Don’t you need to heat up the chicken?” and she answers again “Nope, no need.”
Because we are going to have sandwich with cold roasted chicken! Isn’t this something new to venture about? I was worrying about getting stomachache! Anyhow, I had it anyways, and it wasn’t really that bad of a taste. So, I am beginning to accept the cold chicken sandwich. I am somehow beginning to accept the food here, it is not as bad as the first time anymore.
After being here for almost three weeks, I begin to feel like I have adapted to the culture here. Hugs and kisses on the cheek is no longer weird and strange thing for me. I begin to find myself doing things the locals do. Back home, we dress up to get out of the house, over here people just walk about with shirts and jeans and flip-flops. Fashion isn’t really something big here, as long as everyone puts on anything that is comfortable, that’s it.
I now, believe and take heed of the words Boon told me, life here is so slow and easy and no hassle. I am from a city that practices “Time is money” everything has to be done quick, time is not enough. Coming here, there is a huge adjustments that I have to make, in order to be in tune with the living style here. I just have to slow down in doing things that I did faster the last time. However, time will really help me in fully adapting the living style and cultures in this little small town Laie.
