JOURNAL 3: Differences...

Differences can be in terms of many things..

Lately I can see major differences as I observed what was happened in IIUM community. It just happened that I have subscribed Internet connection in my phone, which enable me to log in and out my FB account all my days and nights. Since the notifications are received 24/7, so I can easily read all the discussions in the group I entered; which substitute IIUM students and community (let me just keep the name secret ok?). Over there, I can see the quarrel segments happened between the students with different political beliefs.

As we all know, our GE is now coming our way. Either it be on May or June, 2012 we can expect. Therefore, the threads discussing (or I can say 'provoking') about something similar to GE are clearly shown. They started to come out with condemnation and blaming each other. The chaotic scenario are not ended even until now.

Here I mean of differences. Even though we are studying in a same place, studying almost 10 same subject as IIUM made it compulsory for us, we are still different at believing in a same political parties. Even worst, they are irresponsible party purposely create chaos among our harmony community.

I keep myself wondering when the irresponsible party will end all these chaotic segments? n when they will unite probably?

It looks like impossible rite?

But I did believe in RCID; Racial/Cultural Identity Development and several other cultural developmental models, that tells us, people will definitely changed when they have undergo the phases. In RCID, the earlier phases which are Conformity, Dissonance, and Resistance and Immersion may be the phase that I named 'irresponsible party' currently undergoes. That is why they purposely create the quarrel segments which can made themselves satisfied even though they will never accepted by the rest. In the later phases, they will undergo another phases which are Introspection, and Integrative phase where they will start to discover the uselessness of their actions and start to create a balance situation and have a inner peace of security by integrate themselves to the rest..

I hope, I hope and indeed really hope they will change, or at least, not being too extreme in politic until creating chaos among people.

That is all from me this time.. Till we meet again.. :)

(read more)

#JOURNAL 2: taste of the food

Among Malaysian people, we tend to eat the same food and drinks since we are living in the same country yet, different in terms of the taste and how about the ways of preparing the food? Is it same or different? Which one you prefer the most? Spicy or original and where are you come from?

Actually, by knowing someone’s hometown we can detect their preference in selecting their food. People who come from different state have their own preferences in serving a food and eat the taste that they like. For example, people from Negeri Sembilan like spicy foods, and people from Kelantan like food which contains lots of sugar the most.

Thus, when we have different taste of certain food, of course the way we serve the food also different.  Based on my experience last two weeks, I have to cook for my members of the club and I being paired with Kelantanesse friends. That is my first time cook with a friend of mine from Kelantan and at first we are fine with everything and when she testing the food that I made, she keep on complaining. Because she was professional in cooking, I follow her style in cooking. We are sharing and comparing our methods in cooking and finally when the food has done, people praising her for be the best cooker. 

Here, acceptance is really important as to avoid any fight and any miscommunication issue. My grandmother once has said that “Manusia ni ada macam-macam warna”. Meaning, people comes from various places, brought up by different environment and different method so as a result they being a different person and sometimes in our culture, thing that cannot be done is permissible in other’s culture.

So, as for the counselor, things like this should be taking into considerations and even though its look likes a small issue, it might be a big issue to others.

Since I wrote all these based on my observation and experience, there is no link I will attach here and correct me if I am wrong as I just live in this world compared to you who has travel a lot and your experience is gazillion more than me. 

thank you. 

(read more)

#JOURNAL 1: color and culture

'Red, yellow, green, blue, orange, pink, etc. it's just a color, what's a big deal?' –this is what we are going to say if we look on it with no idea in mind.

Actually color brings many meaning. It can describe our identity, personality, preference, career that suit person, etc. Somehow I believe on this-color-thing interpretation. Seriously.

'Sir, is it color part of culture?'

'Yes'

I found a website explain about what people in some culture and country belief on certain types of color. WEBSITE LINK

Based on the table at that website, I can’t find too much different between the meaning of color from other country and mine. But the most obvious and I honestly I found it little bit weird is, when the few country like Egypt and Mexico, they used yellow and orange color as a part of mourning.

For me, yellow and orange is the bright color, however the mourning related with the sad mood which related to the not-so-bright-color like, white, black, grey, or brown. So, here the culture differences occur. But it needs to be respect because, for different culture, we have the different belief on something.

I also realize for different age, people have different interpretation on some types of color. I did hear my friend said, ‘My mom do not want to wear this kind of color, because it makes she looks weird.’ And I did have the experienced regarding with this. My grandmother gave the bag I gave to her as her birthday present to my cousin because she said; she is not suitable with the color. It’s a blue-beautiful-bag. But she doesn’t want it. Perhaps the color is quite bright, she feels ashamed.

See, the color obviously have few hidden culture interpretation on it. Oh before I forget, the color of flag of a country also one of the influenced factor to make someone feels energetic as well as like that color and make those color part of them.

As a prove, the jersey color of the football player normally represent the country flag or anything that is symbolic to that country. Like Malaysian football player wear the yellow-black jersey represent the ‘Harimau Malaya’. By looking at those jersey colors it can make the Malaysian feels more belong to the color as well as feel more spirit. Same goes to the other country I assumed.

In a nutshell, the color also part of the culture aspect. To study about it, will give the researcher or counsellor can understand the person well. However, the color only part of the people culture or belief, it’s not appropriate to understand people only by looking at it. Look into other aspects in order to understand the people comprehensively.

It is just my humble point of view. Do comment for any mistakes and feel free to add and idea of yours. Thank you for reading. =)

(read more)

Introduction

Assalamualaikum to all visitors.. Thank you for coming.. :)

As the introduction, we will brief you about this blog and our group members.

This blog is created as we want to put our reflective journals regarding with what we had learn from EDG 4008; Cross Cultural Counseling along this semester. Our instructor is Assoc Prof Dr. Ssekamaya Siraje Abdullah, or we called him Dr Siraje.

This blog is named 'A part from us' just because we would like to share a part of our life just to all readers and visitors. Part of our life is about our counseling profession, and particularly we focused on multicultural issue that arose around us, and we will try to put on our perspectives in dealing with it, as a future counselor.

So before we start further, it is most appropriate if we introduced ourselves first. Isn't it? So you don't feel strange to read all those word that come from us later on... So let's begin....

This one is Alya Farhana bt Suhaimi. she's from Kelantan. what can i say about her is, she's good at manage the whole task in her life. she has the very proper way to handle things. and we did call her as guard in a class coz she seems like know many things and good helper for a lecturer i think. ohh by the way, did you melted with my good word, huh alya? (please a plate of roti canai, huh?)

the one with the orange scarf is Ummu Kulthun Bt Senafi. she's from Kedah. honestly she's has the lovely and motherly, i could say, toward children. hey i know la, i did go the program with her. plus, her patient toward thing... i could say it's great. ehemmm, this is not the free praise yeah, i wish i could get a dinner plate perhaps? pffft!

This one is Nur Najihah Bt Mohd Sah. she's from Johor. Even she seems like do not really confident with herself but i can say she has the high determination. And her idea sometimes is very good. Again, she's always complete my weakness. Auuww. Plus i believe one day she can go in her way successfully. Pstt she's very pampered... grrr.

This one is Solehah Bt Md Hata. she's from Perak. She's good at drawing. look at this tree laa. Honestly i'm jealous. Seems like she don't care with class, but she's very serious while finishing the assignment. ohh, she's have the very great sense of humor. I'm getting jealous more and more. pfft!

The woman with the orange scarf is me. 'Aisyah 'Inani Bt Mohd. Saad. i'm from Perak. Nothing else i would say about myself. Heyy, it's kinda weird right if someone praise herself? Huh? What can i say is......... GIRLS ABOVE, I'M WAITING FOR YOUR'S TREAT! wahhhh. (joke!)


We had been in a group since the first semester we are in this course. And they are my best friends, I guess. Each of us have some weakness and strengthen that could help us to be in a team and honestly all of us are compliment each other. 

So i think such a long introduction. keep reading sir, we will put as much as we get in your class after this. thank you.

(read more)