JET Program Disappoints

So I called the Japanese Embassy in KL today and asked about the JET program. I was told that the ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) position is not offered to Malaysians. Only the CIR (Coordinator for International Relations) position is available to Malaysians. I was... devastated, to say the least. I had all my hopes up to apply to for the JET program only to be told that it wasn't offered to Malaysians. Lawyer Chick was right. They are a bit prejudiced in that sense. I guess it's not wrong to want to have native English speakers to teach you English. It still blows though. What is worse is the fact that most of the English teaching posts in Japan require you to be from one of these countries: US, UK, Canada, Australia. Basically, if you're white, you're good to go. Damn the skin politics!

I am completely lost right now. I had a plan. But that plan didn't fall through. Didn't even get a chance to execute the damn plan in the first place. So now I have no idea what I'm going to do. I still want to teach somewhere that's not in Malaysia. At least not right now. I want some international exposure first. I so want it to be Japan. I love Japan. Been there, lived there, loved it there. So what do I do? What do I do? What do I do?

Phew! On Travel Advisory for Women in Malaysia

I was so relieved to hear THIS! At least Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is doing something right. Thank you, Pak Lah!

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‘Better to issue travel advisory’

KUALA LUMPUR: The proposal for women travelling out of the country alone to show a consent letter from their employer or family cannot be implemented, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said yesterday.

He said it was impossible to introduce such a regulation because thousands of Malaysian women travelled overseas annually on official duty or otherwise.

“The proposal to obtain the consent will only create great difficulty, particularly for the Immigration authorities and also the women concerned,” he said.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim had proposed on Saturday that all women travelling out of the country alone be required to show a letter from their employer or family in a move to stop Malaysian women from being duped into becoming drug couriers.

More than 100 Malaysian women have been detained in several countries on suspicion of drug trafficking.

Abdullah said the people would be reminded to be wary of drug trafficking tactics in a move to overcome the problem of syndicates using Malaysian women as drug couriers.

“I will ask Wisma Putra and the Home Ministry to issue a travel advisory asking all Malaysian citizens to be cautious when travelling out of the country,” he said.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said it was not practical to require women wanting to travel out of the country alone to get permission to leave.

He said such a move would restrict their freedom and, as adults, they had every right to travel overseas without restriction if they were eligible to get a passport.

“I think if it’s for children, it’s all right. But they are adults, above 18, and you can’t stop them if they want to go out of the country,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here.

Asked whether the Cabinet had discussed the proposal, Syed Hamid said it had discussed the fact that many young women had fallen victim to drug syndicates and the action taken to monitor those syndicates.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said the ministry would request the authorities, including Wisma Putra, to furnish details of the women who had been arrested.

“The ministry also urges parents and elders to constantly remind young adults to be extremely careful when travelling,” said Dr Ng.

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Note: News taken from The Star Online.

The Holy Room

A friend came up with the idea of a religious reality show called The Holy Room.

What would happen if you put these people in the same room and they were not allowed to kill each other?

1) Black Muslim Extremists
2) Zionist Extremists
3) Ku Klux Klan
4) Buddhist Monks*

Challenges would include:

1) Going out on the streets of Manhattan and try to convert as many people as possible
2) Converting the host**

Note*: The Buddhist Monks are the independent variables. Neutral and all for peace. They're there to make the situation more interesting :)

Note **: The host would be an Atheist.

A Recipe for World Peace

My friends and I were talking last night while sipping mint tea and smoking some shisha. We had one of our "philosophical talks". Selective participants only :) Ms Journalist mentioned that the Venezuelan ambassador had told her that the way to achieve world peace was to have inter-everything marriage. Inter-religion marriage (or is it inter-religious? *shrugs*), inter-racial marriage, etc..etc.. Basically Jews should marry Muslims, Blacks should marry Whites. So if a war ever occurred, it would cause hesitations and confusions.

"Muslims rock! I'm gonna kill you coz you're Jew! Oh wait, I can't kill you. You're half Muslim." *scratches head and puts gun down*

The idea is that with more and more inter-everything marriage, pretty soon everyone would be a mix of something, making everyone equal. Equal means the same. Therefore there would be no hatred towards people who are "different", as there would be no such thing. Hehe. A bit of a stretch, but hey, that could happen :)

Then the Sudanese Thinker came up with his way of achieve world peace. The recipe is as follows:

1) Another Hitler
2) Instead of poisonous gas chambers, laughing gas chambers are put to use.
3) Atomic bombs are replaced with Prozac and Xanax bombs.

We had a good fun with the discussion. I mean, hey, at least no one will get killed with the Sudanese Thinker's recipe for world peace :)

A Crazy Fool

"Wise men say only fools rush in" ~Elvis Presley~

It's been a bit over a month since we first met. And it's been less than that that we got to know each other on a personal level. But here I am, head over heels in love with him. Am I crazy? Am I rushing into it? The answer to both those questions is probably yes. Yes, I'm crazy. Crazy for him. And am I rushing into it? Yes, I am. But you know what? I really don't care. The reason it seems as if I'm rushing into this is the fact that my head has never been this clear. I know exactly who I want. Him. I know exactly what I want. To be with him. I guess I'm just a crazy fool :)

Sometimes I do wonder if I would regret all of this, should things not go the way I plan. I usually do. That's the reason I don't keep anymore diaries. Every time I look back on my diary entries regarding crushes and boyfriends.. I just feel stupid. I think "What the hell was I thinking? I couldn't have been in love with him!" Would I feel the same way about him if things didn't go well and I should read back upon this entry in the future? No. The answer is no. And I am 100% sure of that. I love him and that's that. I have never been more sure of anything in my life.

Estoy enamorada de ti...

P/S: Reason for my torturous ulcer experience was a TESCO toothpaste. Apparently I'm allergic to cheap toothpaste. Bah!

Ulcers, BE GONE!

I am currently sporting three really bright and shiny ulcers in my mouth. One on the inside of my lower lip. One on the inside of my upper lip. And one under my tongue. And the coolest thing is that THEY HURT LIKE HELL! Yeah, not cool at all. I've had them for the last 6 days. Well, actually, the one on the inside of my lower lip is gone. But the other two won't budge. The one on my upper lip has kinda stopped hurting, but the one under my tongue.. I swear, it's got to be the worst mouth ulcers I've ever had. I haven't been able to eat a proper meal for a week now. And I've lost one kilo. If I wasn't so hungry, I'd be really happy about it. But I'm hungry! HUNGRY~! And the pain is getting sooo bad that it has spread to my gums. Now it actually feels as if I have a toothache! AAAUUURGGHH!! BE GONE YOU DAMN ULCERS!!

Amazing Discovery

I discovered what cures bad coughing!!

Spicy food (real spicy! Lots and lots of CHILLI!) and smoking shisha! I'm not kidding!

Went out for shisha last night and I feel a WHOLE LOT BETTER! Hail Shisha!