America, my second home

Bob and Joyce, a couple of 4 children- and now they have another two from Malaysia and Indonesia!



Achie and I – we were “fostered” by this loving couple for our one-night-homestay on Friday. It was Joyce’s birthday as well, so we had a birthday party at Bob’s farm in the outskirts of Red Bud.


Let me tell you a bit about my American family.

The foster dad- Bob, is a great man, I have to say. It seems to me that there’s nothing he can’t do- he goes deer-hunting, running a business, built the house and even made a lake in his farm! (Yes no kidding he made a big LAKE!) And our foster mom- Joyce is a teacher in Red Bud High School. She teaches cooking! (ain’t she cool!!) and certainly she cooks well.


Bob is a quiet and shy person but deep down inside he’s truly warm-hearted. (And he’s good at grilling too! :P ) He married Joyce about 27 years ago, and they both have had a partner before they met each other. “we’ve finally found the right person!” One should really see the happiness shown on Joyce’s face when she said this.

We had the chance to meet some family members- their son Zac and his wife Casey; Bob’s daughters Collette and her husband Mike; Cari and her husband Dave together with their 3 adorable kids- Samantha, Easton and Chase. We had a fun time with the kids, even though I can’t remember how many times of piggy rides I did with them. Samantha is a sweet small lady, Easton is extremely energetic and Chase is simply a little angel!

After the dinner, I did the very first time fishing in my life. Thanks to my fishing coach- Uncle MIKE! I managed to catch 2 medium sized catfish and 2 small I-forgotten-their-name fish. It was compleeetely fun and I really enjoyed my time with them! (P/s: I didn't eat them... freedom of swimming!!)

I had a short conversation with Uncle Mike. We exchanged some ideas and views on the perspective of American life. From this conversation that I had with him, I can see that Uncle Mike is truly a patriot. “This is the best country and I would never want to live in another country!” Yeah he’s true, and like what I’ve said before, everybody has a sense of belonging and equal rights here. Obviously Uncle Mike is very proud of his homeland! :)

The next morning, we went touring around the small town of Red Bud- Red Bud high school (where my foster mom’s teaching), the small park in Red Bud where the kids do sports, a gym, Joyce’s cousin’s house, Uncle Dave’s house and also a yard sale!


Uncle Dave, like my foster dad, was the one who built the house they’re living now. I really wonder how he did that- he’s a football coach in profession! ><

We then had a cookout with Barb’s family and soon before we realized, it was the time to say goodbye. I’m amazed by the relation that we developed in the past 24hours. I really like my first American family, and this will definitely make America my second home. Saying goodbye is never easy, but life moves on. Even though the time we spent together was short, somehow I have the feeling of togetherness with them. I strongly believe that we’ll meet again in the future and they’ll always have a place in my heart. God bless them, my foster parents.

Crash Course in Culture

Like what I've said before, the voluntary spirit of the American people is one of the things which influenced me the most during my life in America. We had a chance to pay a visit to the Boys and Girls Club in Carbondale for a 3-hour-volunteer activity. 

Arvin, Farah and me were divided into a small group and we had a talk and discussion with the kids, and they were asking intersting questions such as "How did Kuala Lumpur got its name?", "do you have TV in your place?", "Have you tried McDonald's?" etc. Some of them even taught us how to dance! :) We had games together in the gym and I really wonder how many times I did the piggyride for the kids... Not really easy for an old woman like me!

The kids are adorable, and I really hope that they will grow up healthy and happily...... They will be in my prayers always. :)

Well the next morning after the voluntary work, I was told by Dr.Jackson that three of us were on the university's press- Daily Egytian!!

Well, ehem~ I would like to say thank you to Diana Soliwon from Daily Egytian for featuring my "constipated-looked" expression on the paper. And... hugs and kisses to my fellow classmates for looking at it.

*Deep bow* shy and proud~

(*___*)

for further reading: http://dailyegyptian.com/2010/07/07/crash-course-in-culture/

America : What I see & what I found – Reflections on the panel discussion by graduate mentors

Declining hegemon, egoistic, materialistic, snobbishness and war- these are the relating terms when talk about United States. Not that I’m bias, but perhaps the America’s invasion of Iraq portrayed negative images on the running of the previous government’s administration. As a liberal country, there are somehow some elements of abuse of power and assault on democracy in its governance’s strategy in order to stake out the globe. The United States has repeatedly asserted its right to intervene against countries with inner conflicts militarily, which they call the “failed states.”

With its prerogative and having veto in the United Nations Security Council, the United States had also made national interest-oriented decisions causing the inefficiency and failure of UN in solving genocide issues in Rwanda, Bosnia-Herzegovina as well as Darfur, Sudan. The level of commitment very much depends on the relative benefit in return.

The images of the war refugees being starved to death, massive killing of the innocents, poverty, food crisis, hunger and famine when there is more than enough food supply for everyone in the world are simply devastating. Even Walmart- (just to mention this for Angga!) had been implicated in labor issues before.

Some people said that the SUSI program is just another propaganda manipulated by the US government for diplomacy purposes. However, as a scholar, neutrality is essential for thinking and making further analysis and I’m really curious and want to see how life is for the Americans. I wanna look into the inner side of America, and see the differences between the civil society and the ruling classes.

Well from what I’ve observed, the American society is very different from the earlier impressions I mentioned. I’m only here for the second week but, I’ve learned the very essence of American life.

First of all, most Americans are peace-lover. They detested war and imprinted the spirit of “One for all”. I’m truly amazed by the voluntary spirit to serve for the community as demonstrated by the people here. Be it young or aged, most people have at least involved themselves in the field of social work and volunteer activities through organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, Old Folks’ Home, environmental bodies etc. Most of the people possess the consciousness towards their social responsibilities as well as the contemporary issues.

Plus, they are open-minded and accept things at a wide range. They accept who you are and what you are, like you for you being you and very straight forward in a sense that you don’t really have to worry about “what if they don’t mean what they say“. (No hypocrite!) They are warm-hearted, fun and happening, and nobody’s going to say that you can’t do anything! In short, you can experience freedom, express your minds freely, build up self-confidence, and chances are waiting for you as long as you are willing to work on it. It’s effort that matters!

Also, another significant discovery is, the welfare of the disabled is very much being concerned in the society. Disabled access is everywhere- you can easily see special pathways, automatic doors, compartment in the bathroom and buttons in lifts specially prepared for them. Even for the drinking water machine- you can always see one which is lowered down and easier for them to use. The disabled group in America can live independently and create their own social network. In this context, I sincerely urge the Malaysian government to improve the facilities that we have back there and create a disabled-friendly environment for those needing it.

What makes America special: tolerance, the belief of life will be better (pursuit of happiness) and everyone here has a sense of belonging, no matter from where you come from. The inner beauty of the society has been overlooked as a result of the negative reputation of the past government. What we see from outsight is different from what we experience inside. Therefore, one should really dispel prejudice before making any judgement.

Better understanding, more communications, and we’ll have the world in peace!

Najib congrats Obama on 4th July; SUSI's celebration in Kaskaskia

In conjuction with the 234th independence anniversary of the United States, the Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has sent a congratulatory letter to the President Barack Obama.

"On behalf of the government and the people of Malaysia, it is my great pleasure to extend my heartiest congratulations and best wishes to you and the government and the people of the United States of America on the occasion of the 234th anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America on July 4."

"I recall with satisfaction the productive discussions we have had during our bilateral meeting on April 12, 2010 in Washington D.C.

And I am pleased with the optimism that both you (Obama) and I share on the future direction of Malaysia-US bilateral relations."

Najib recalled the very first bilateral meeting between U.S. and Malaysia in the Nuclear Security Summit 2010 held in Washington. The meeting had undoubtedly propelled the U.S.-Malaysia's relation to a new level and Malaysia does look forward to continue building up mutual beneficial relations on an upward trajectory in the future ahead.

ON the other hand, the participants of the SUSI program had a great honor to attend the 40th Annual Independence Day celebration with the 306-year old Illinois community held in the Kaskaskia Island, which was free and open to the public.

The ceremony was a big success- Opening remarks was given by Don Welge; Emily Lyons from Randolph County Archives and Museum gave warm welcome to everyone and Randolph County Circuit Clerk Barb Brown made special introductions to the participants of SUSI program. Other important guests included Mayor Joe Eggemeyer of Chester and Mayor Deborah Gahan of Perryville, Missouri.

The Chester Municipal Band directed by Steve Colonel performed patriotic music such as "Let Freedom Ring", "America the Beautiful" and "God Bless America" ; area Boy and Girl Scouts, as well as French Marines from nearby Fort de Chartres State Historic Site also participated in the ceremony. The 1874 church bells next door was rung by family of John Schmerbauch to signify the freedom for the American people, which was one of the highlights for the whole event.

Called the Liberty Bell of the West, the 650-pound Kaskaskia bell was given by King Louis XV of Franceto the church of Kaskaskia in 1741. It is older than the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. The bell was cast in La Rochelle, France in 1741 and inscribed with the words: POUR LEGLISE DES ILLINOIS PAR LES SOINS DU ROI D’OUTRE L’EAU which means "For the Church of the Illinois, by gift of the King across the water."

On July 4, 1778, during the American Revolution, the bell was rung to celebrate the liberation of Kaskaskia from the British by the American forces of George Rogers Clark and his Long Knives.

In short, being in the celebration is totally a brand new experience and the American's strong spirit of patriotism is definitely an indelible hallmark inherent among the nation. 

God bless America!

Foreign relations: Traditional or Non-traditional?

Every time we talk about foreign relations we tend to give primacy on security issues. And when we talk about security issues we tend to focus on the narrow definition of military-linked national security. As time has changed, in this new decade of the new century- we cannot afford to ignore the non-military threats which cannot be solved through merely military force. Human trafficking, pollutions, global warming, food crisis etc., are emerging paradigms and what scholars of International Relations called “non-traditional security issues”.

In April 2010, a joint seminar between CSIS and ISIS, two leading think tanks on international affairs of the United States and Malaysia has outlined some of the most urgent issues needed to be redressed.
Some of the issues addressed by the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak included:-

1. The cooperation to fight global terrorism.

2. The pirates’ threat to Malacca Strait.

3. Natural disaster relief to those countries who affected by unfortunate events such as Indian Ocean tsunami and Cyclone Nargis.

4. Cross-border organized crimes such as human trafficking, and after all,

5. To relook at the issue of nuclear proliferation- achieve the noble idea on “a world without nuclear weapons” of Mr. Obama.

However, all these visions cannot be achieved just by joint forces between two countries, it needs larger cooperation involving the international community, which is best represented by the United Nations.

As we know, these new challenges know no borders, and no one nation can afford to face these challenges all by itself. Clearly, a constructive relation between Malaysia, the United States, and the United Nations is vital in facing all these challenges of our time: terrorism and nuclear proliferation, climate change and poverty, genocide and disease, etc. Therefore, it's time to develop a new form of foreign relation between the countries around the world. As one of the leading powers, I'm hoping to see what the United States- the administration of Barack Obama would do in curbing those issues.

May god bless America, Malaysia and the rest of the world. :-)

Relations between Malaysia & United States: A review

Since Malaysia's independence in 1957, Malaysia and the United States have enjoyed cordial relations in trade, investment, narcotics control, defence, cultural and educational exchanges program etc. The bilateral interaction between Malaysia and United States is dated back to even 19th century, when the merchants from the United States traded at several ports in Malaysia, then known as Malaya.

In the Twentieth century, the United States recognized the Malayan independence from British colonial rule on August 31, 1957. Diplomatic relation was established at that time, when the Consular General in Kuala Lumpur was elevated to the status of Embassy and when the late Dr. Ismail Abdul Rahman was sent as Malaysia's very first ambassador to the United States and also a permenant representative to the United Nations. He played a decisive role in making neutrality the pillar of Malaysia's Foreign Policy and is always refered as the "primary architect of Malaysian Foreign Policy."

The threat of Cold War binded us together and both governments cooperated closely to undermine the Soviet menace in Southeast Asia. After the end of Cold War, the process of globalization and emergence of new economy catalyzed the cooperation in the field of economy, technology, and education between two countries. Apart from that, on the international stage, Malaysia has shown its commitment towards international development and human rights efforts initiated by the United Nations and was accepted as a member of the United Nations in 1957.

Inevitably, tensions did occur between the United States and Malaysia. Past tensions included the tin and rubber stockpile disposal plan, the Vietnamese refugee problem, the fears over the United State's withdrawal of its General System of Preferences (GPS) privileges for Malaysia. HOWever, the both nations also adhere to shared core values such as the belief in democracy, religious tolerance, free enterprise etc., and over the years, cooperations between U.S. and Malaysia have far outweighed these tensions.

Indonesian's confrontation against Malaysia from 1963-66 marks an important benchmark in the Malaysia-America's relations, as it was the very first direct involvement of U.S. into the political affairs of Malaysia. Before this, U.S. had hovered in the background behind the British who continued close relation with Malaysia even after the granting of independence. Therefore, U.S.'s deeper involvement and interaction with Malaysia signified a distinct departure from its earlier policy.

When think about diplomacy, it doesn't have to be too top-down and bureaucratic as people-to-people relations, people-to-people exchange of ideas and communication are of very much importance as well. This is what going to make this SUSI program a wonderful and fruitful journey for everybody. I'm sure that we'll be the one who continue making progress and fostering closer relations among each other and together we'll being prosperity to all. :-)

Women's future: A change to be made

This is an assignment given during one of our lectures:

Gender equality is no longer a new issue. In fact it has been often related to the idea of feminism. The world today is very much globalized and developed but then, there is still some part of it having trouble with the very basic humanity issue of gender. According to Professor True, who is also an author on international relations and politics, “Discrimination against women in all forms-be it education, race, ethnicity etc., has been happening all this while and even seen to be legitimated in some countries. “

India, Pakistan and Egypt are among those countries which have a pronounced gap in the belief of gender equality, according to a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project in association with the International Herald Tribune in April and May. Opportunity for jobs and education are favored to men and boys even when women were as qualified.

The rise of more egalitarian attitudes toward the roles of women and men is a good thing at least, as people starting to question the issues of gender discrimination and injustice. Women rights, which is part of the human rights, has been given adequate attention in United Nations Commissions on Human Rights (UNCHR). Several programs had been carried out to promote the idea of gender equality. In addition, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has been trying to include boys and men as a part of the body to promote women rights and “will make its commitment to gender equality a central and visible element of all its plans, policies, instructions and guidance.”

On the other hand, Women for Women International is a humanitarian organization that provides financial and emotional support to women survivors of war, which is co-founded by Zainab Salbi, an Iraqi-American writer and activist. Their programs help women achieve self-sufficiency through direct aid, rights education, job skills training and small business development. In 2005, the organization distributed $9.3 million in aid to 30,000 women.

As a feminist, I strongly agree that women deserve equal rights and opportunities as men. The entire societies can in fact develop better with contribution from woman and girls. Human- be it man or woman, we were born with the same inalienable rights including life, liberty and property. There should be no gap or differences between gender and women especially, should be given equal access to the opportunities as men. However, “it often took two generations before reality caught up with the changes in attitudes”, said Professor True.