Nothing fosters racial harmony more than being overseas.
Being educated in an MRSM, I've gotten used to having mostly Malay friends. Even when I managed to obtain a scholarship to study A-levels and to pursue medicine in the UK, the majority of the group were malay.
When I started fourth year, I moved to Biggart House (the Halls of Residence for medic students) and here I forged wonderful friendships with the best bunch of people I could ever hope to meet.
Chantal Anne is the motherly, no-nonsense type. She was the one who would always manage to cajole people into joining gatherings or outings. Chantal always had the biggest smile on her face (unless you make the mistake of waking her up from her beauty sleep lah!) and has an even larger heart.
Kok Hoon is the sometimes ditzy, most of the time 'blur' one. She's so gullible that I think if I tell her the same lie twice, she'd believe me everytime. Always game for a fun time and so good natured.
Chee Peng and Pek Joo is the golden couple of Biggart House. I remember the time when Pek Joo cut Chee Peng's hair and for ten whole minutes we were so shocked at the result that we couldn't volunteer any comment. I love the lilting way Chee Peng would call Pek Joo 'Daaarr' and just adore the way Pek Joo takes care of his 'Bee' whenever she's sick.
Adzuan can be seen to be superficial but he has a kind heart. His hair is never out of place and he is such a stylo dresser. Which is a shame as he always refuses to take pictures with us!
Yin Min is my 'chicken legs'. I only got to know this guy well when we travelled in India together with Kok Hoon. Getting to know him only made me regret not getting to know him better earlier. A guy so well read you can talk about anything with him.
Ching Yin - so bubbly, so fun to be with. Loves taking midnight trips to the 24 hour Sainsbury's, never forgetting to take us people who are 'car-less'. Many times I'd spend my meals in Chantal and Ching Yin's kitchen and end up talking late into the night while sipping on hot crysanthemum tea. Yes, yes - LATE for me rarely goes beyond 11-12 midnight people but I can't help it if I like to wake up early! :)
I'm sure I've forgotten some names - Chin Lian, Amelia, Alvin, Priya and the rest of you. You guys were my 'family' and made my time in Belfast so much more bearable. I miss those times when we would sit in the kitchen and bitch about the Filipino nurses and how they would cook everything with vinegar and how at one time I caught a bunch of them 'tasting' my chicken curry.
Remember whenever there were Balls or Malaysian Nite and my room would be turned into a makeshift salon? Kok Hoon and Chee Peng looked damn gorgeous in their dresses and Pek Joo and Yin Min almost (almost, ok?) made me swoon at the sight of them in tuxes.
It has been three years now - some of you got registered, got a baby, moved in together, got a gwailo boyfriend (you know who you are!) but I still miss you all. I will always miss you all.
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