HUMBLED, ONCE AGAIN...

Did anyone of you read Fong Po Kuan's blog entry on her friend becoming an American?

Such stories... pretty sad I'd say, come in truckloads as far as (non-Malay?) Malaysians are concerned... (Non-Malaysian friends may be scratching their heads, wondering why...)

Like Po Kuan's friend, I am no straight A student...

I obtained only two A2s for my G.C.E. exam... my grades were not solid like hers... and I was not particularly fond of studying... urrrggghh...

Of course, there was no place for a yellow man like me in the local universities in Malaysia...

While she had a relative to sponsor her to university, my saving grace was Singapore Airlines...

Go ahead, call me unpatriotic... and yes, I remain proud and forever thankful to Singapore Airlines for putting me on track that eventually leads to where I am now...

Today, 30th March 2007... 6 months after my promotion to professor... the Vice President of my university announced that the President is appointing me as Director of International Student Center, effective 1st April 2007, for a period of two years...

Frankly, I am just fine with being a plain, low profile professor... a workhorse toiling in the field, mingling with students, dirtying my hands with chalk, and sweating along with my colleagues...

I am just turning 49 this July and I think the university should appoint someone in the late fifties... I should be about ready in ten years' time...

Furthermore, the prospects of meetings upon meetings do not titillate my senses...

Still, it is too much of an honor for me...

I recall reading an article in an in-flight magazine on the way back from Melbourne...

A Japanese cook based in Sydney was just conferred some kind of medal by the Australian government...

Rather that considering it as another feather on his cap, he says something to the effect that he is humbled by the award... and that he owes it to the Australian people and government for giving him the opportunity to push the limits of his potential as a professional cook...

While I am nowhere compared to him (no medals for me...), my feelings concur with his...

Japan has, and continues to give me opportunities that I can only dream of if I were to remain in my beloved homeland, Malaysia...

Don't get me wrong here... you can call me a runaway if you like, but you can never take away the Malaysian in me...

Anyway, when the April rains come, I shall be wearing a new hat... and a darn heavy one too, I'd expect...

So my dear friends... wish me 'strength' as I would need lots of it...

DIVING AT ROACH REEF RESORT

Dived at Roach Reef Resort some time ago...

Originally just a sandbar, RRR was transformed into a man-made island with about 10 chalets...

Some months before we went, high tides destroyed some of the chalets...

We flew to Tawau, transfered to a small fishing village, and from there, about 30 minutes by speed boat...

Food was pretty good... but fresh water was scarce...

Diving was mainly boat diving...



Picture shows RRR from diving boat... looks good eh?



Underwater... the scene was just as good, if not better...

Frequented the house reef several times just to see this octopus fellow...

The first time I dived past this bugger, I thought it was a rock...

Funny because I had thought that octopus is a nocturnal animal...

But this one was out there in full daylight...

Japanese folks love to chew on octopus meat... I do too...

But I have yet to see octopus being sold in Malaysian fish markets... have you?

CLOSING SHOP (Updated)

I have merged all my postings from different blogs into Kedahan-Malaysian in Japan (Updated on 31 March 2010).

Folks, due to work load (that's what 'they' always say) that continues to become heavier by the day, I have decided to close shop on Lrong Lim Photos and 'consolidate' my energies...

There shall be no more uploading of photos at Lrong Lim Photos...

However, please do check Kedahan-Malaysian in Japan as I shall be uploading photos in there instead...

GRADUATION DAY IN JAPAN

Yes, they do toss graduating students up in the air...


But this??

Never in my twenty over years in Japan have I seen such a scene...

Aaah... such a nice feeling to be around these youngsters...

Anyway, the day was beautiful, and the air... fresh and sweet...

Had a ball of a time just watching these youngters roll...

RACIST AUSTRALIA?

Is Australia racist? To a certain extent, quips Anwar Ibrahim...

Was taking a train from Perth Station to Joondalup late last February...

Witnessed a Caucasian boy in uniform taunting a girl...

Might be mistaken, but she looked African by her skin tones, and Muslim by her headscarf...

You live on trees! Yeah, you live on trees!!

No, I don't! I don't!! She responded while shaking her head...

Yes you do!

No I don't!
So, it goes...

Then, riding on a Melbourne city tram along Swanston Street a few days later, I became a witness to a similar antic...

A tall Caucasian looking student, again in uniform, performed an incomprehensible mimic of, purportedly, a Chinese language...

The target of his goading was a shorter Asian looking student... crew-cut, and even a little cocky looking...

I don't speak Chinese... he spewed through clenched teeth, his face, smiling slightly ...

The Caucasian boy persisted...

Shut the f*ck up! The Asian looking boy hissed clearly, still half smiling, teeth clenched, and not looking away...

And to think that they were standing just beside me in a pretty crowded tram along a busy thoroughfare in the city...

Well, on a personal front, I think Australia is fine place to live and work despite these occasional, minor hiccups...

And while we are at Australia, my thoughts switched to an article I read some time ago...

It argued that Aussies are increasingly looking outside their country in search for a university education...

A 'compelling' reason being, Australia's finest university, Australian National University is still only ranked 16th in the world, followed by the University of Melbourne at 22nd by the Times Higher Education Supplement World University Rankings.

Woah... sitting pretty at number 16th in the world, on top of a massive heap of faceless universities... and still, Australia is feeling uneasy?

MELBOURNE!!

Yeap... Melbourne...

They mean it when they say that Melbourne is a magnificient city...

Pretty parks, benches by the roads, tree-lined streets...

For the tourists especially, the free buses and trams are godsend...

The food choices are almost limitless...

Am actually here for a few days to visit a university...

But the sights and sounds of the city are getting the better of me...

Wooh... got to go rolling to the parks by the river now...