(NOTA: Harap diberi izin untuk bercerita dalam bahasa global *wah gitu*.)
People who live in Kuala Lumpur will most certainly know what it feels like to be inside an LRT at least once a week. The LRT (which is only almost 3 years younger than me 😂) has been an integral part in KL's continuous development & in some way, it has changed the way regular people go through their daily life.
I am one of those 'regular people' & this is my story about it.
It has been more than 2 years (3, if I include my days in PASUM) since I called KL my second home. Hence, going around KL via the LRT is like a weekly routine (if not daily) for me. And every time I do so, there will always be a unique story for me to remember.
As our country's capital (& the main transportation hub for the Malaysian peninsula), it's no surprise that you can find so many foreign tourists in KL. Backpacks, cameras, & hats.. it's not really that hard to instantly recognize them 😝, especially once they're inside one of our many rail networks.
Being a TESL student, it's obviously important for me to have an excellent English proficiency. However, being surrounded by an almost-totally Malay environment, for sure that itself presents a challenge for me (faham-faham je lah kenapa *ngee*). Hence, most of the time when I bump into any tourists (especially those from the West), I would utilize the exact moment to put my linguistic knowledge to the test & learn something along the way.
As usual (being a typical Malay) the lack of confidence would always be there to hinder me from having the courage to initiate a warm conversation with them, but I put that aside in order to gain experience. Just ignore what other people inside the LRT will perceive, as long as I can talk to them, that will be awesome enough. Just a simple "Hi!" or "Where do you come from?" or even "First time visiting Malaysia?" shall be a good way to start communicating with them.
Not just that, I get to be their unofficial tour guide, even for less than 5 minutes. Since I've been an avid explorer throughout KL 😁 & also a fan of Malaysia's general knowledge, I can share related info about KL with them. On one occasion, I even explained about the Wilayah flag (!).
And just like that, you will be able to get connected to many parts of the world. Also, by listening to their stories, you will appreciate more about the diversity of our human race. Soon-to-be banker, musician, & community tutor are among those people I've come across with.
 |
| From top right [clockwise]: Germany (& Skudai *tetiba*); Lithuania; Germany (again); Wales & England; the Netherlands; the US |
Every time I encounter with these kind of people (especially Western travelers), it gives me a great chance not just to brush up my English skills, but also to be an ambassador in my own country.
It's always a fantastic feeling to tell them about the ingredients of nasi lemak and also what they can find around Masjid Jamek.
Nothing at those moment can beat the satisfaction upon seeing them smiling, knowing for that brief moment (at least) I can be assured that they feel welcomed here.
There's nothing wrong with trying to show them just how friendly we are as Malaysians (or KLites to be specific). That's the least we can do amid our local.. political.. well.. you get it 😁.
Don't be afraid to slip of your tongue, because that's a part of learning process. Keep on trying & eventually you'll master it.
Tiada ulasan:
Catat Ulasan