The Level Of Racism

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My Chinese friend, let's call him Alex, wait no. Let's call him Ou Yang instead; who's got that nice, sun-kissed Malaysian tan, walks into the Chinese school office with his equally lovely, tanned wife. They're just there to check things out for their 6-year-old. Next year their baby boy will be in Darjah 1 right? So, first step first, lah.
He walks in, all polite, "Good afternoon, can I talk to someone?"

And the office lady? She gives him that look. You know, the one that says, "Oh, another one who doesn't look or sound "Chinese" enough? She starts talking to him in Chinese, and Ou Yang be like: "Sorry, I don't speak Chinese. Can I speak in English?"

The judgment starts. You can practically hear the collective sigh of disappointment from generations past. It’s like she's thinking, "How can a Chinese person not speak Chinese?! Apakah semua ini?!"

Ou Yang pushes through the initial awkwardness, asking a few questions, and then he drops the big one: "We're an English-speaking family at home,"

The lady's expression just… hardens 😑. And then comes the kicker. Ou Yang asks how hard it'll be for his kid if they don't speak Chinese at home.

Her reply? "Uh, it will be hard, ah. But not just your kid has to work hard. You as a parent have to work hard also!"

Ou Yang seperti "Wait? I have to work hard? For Standard 1?! Walaoweyh~"

But she insists, "No, no. You have to work hard. So you send your kid to all the tuition. That's so your kid can also speak Chinese. If you don't work hard together with your kid, it will be hard."

At this point, Ou Yang looks at his wife, and they had a whole silent conversation (with those "eye" language) that went something like: "Government school it is, dear. I'm good, man." It's like they instantly decided that this level of parental commitment to a primary school curriculum was a bridge too far.
The "Welcome, Quota Filler!" Experience
Okay, then my Malay friend, totally flips the script. My friend walk into that same Chinese school, and what happens

"Ah, welcome!" they say

It's like you're a breath of fresh air, a new statistic, a tick on their diversity quota. There's no judgment, no "Why don't you speak Chinese?" stares. Just an open door and a big smile. It's a stark contrast, isn't it? One person walks in and gets the side-eye and a lecture on parental sacrifice, while another gets the red carpet treatment

It really highlights how different people can have wildly different experiences in the same environment eh? It often based on unspoken assumptions or perceived group affiliations. It's a good reminder that "fit" isn't just about the curriculum, but also about the culture and how welcoming it feels. 
So, which one do you choose? Chinese school or government then

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