Lobo's Lessons

Photo credit here It's hard growing up in a foreign country. I went through that almost my entire childhood. Oh don't get me wrong, I love the UK and I would never trade my childhood there for anything in the world. It's just that it tickles me to reflect on some of the things that my sister and I (and a few of our other Malay friends) would do just so that we wouldn't get singled out. One very funny example just recently cropped up in my head, and I knew I had to write about it immediately. In the UK we would have the option of taking packed lunches from home or eat catered lunches called 'school dinners' or 'din-dins' there, though I don't know exactly why lunch was called dinner... it still leaves me baffled to this very day. Having school dinners was sometimes a challenge for us Muslims because we can only eat Halal of Kosher food, and so it was the usual custom that we bring our own lunches. When the bell rings, you walk out of your classroom, s...

Image credit here (Dear reader, I know this entry is a bit long but I really need your opinion on this matter. Don't worry it's not a heavy read) PROLOGUE I have this friend. I remember him being an OK friend.. a bit of halitosis, but nothing holding one's breath can't fix. Like I said, he's an OK (in a sort of so-so way) friend. Academics wasn't his thing (anything that involved learning), though he did try ever so hard, bless his soul. Then he got into business in a big way doing MLM, and because of his family connections he managed to become quite prosperous. Calls every once in around 6 months, usually when he's in JB for his business. But starting from around a year ago I was loathe to pick up his calls. When I see the number on my phone I cringe because I can't stand what a cheapskate he is. Here is a chronology. Judge for yourselves. 1) Four years ago. I was a struggling language instructor. He comes down to JB for business. We meet up for the fir...