You know you are a Bruneian when...(2)

Previously on...

hmmm why do i have to start with that opening words...like I'm quoting Heroes (which I'm not trying to. :P)

well in this edition of 'You know you are a Bruneian when...', I will try to talk about:-

-You must send your kids overseas or else they will have no future-

the above statement rings particularly familiar. The truth is sometimes stretch too far and we ended up with a particularly untrue statement. However, I have to agree, most parents (well this only applies to those who are either stinking rich or have connections) must send their kids overseas so that they can have 'future' (I have a feeling they do not want to send their kids to the local university). There are many possible scenarios in sending their kids overseas to study:

1. Their kids will excel in their studies and have great future (the rich becomes richer...)
2. Their kids will flunk their studies 'cause the kids think their parents will definitely support them no matter how many times they flunk
3. The parents will continue supporting their flunked child and ended up with useless kids with their only future is taking over the family business but with no qualifications at all...
4. I haven't got anything else..but you get my drift.


I just wonder with so much talk about patriotism and developing our nation, isn't it time to support the local university? I mean, those who studies at the local university aren't so bad and the academic staff are quite experienced...why not send your kids to the local learning institution and I am sure they will have a future as well.

I'm lucky to be sent overseas (thanks to the generosity of the government), but I do miss studying at the local university...It was fun there! and the local air provides a conducive environment to learning, and friends back home are not so 'karit' (selfish) with learning as well. Compared to here, I barely know and warmed up to my coursemates...they all keep to themselves and there is no co-operation at all. Like I said, everyone keeps to themselves.

I hope more well-off parents will try to think of sending their kids to the local university, because not only they can save their money but it will help the government as well. Support LOCAL products! hahaha

That's it for today's segment of "You know you are Bruneian when..."

next, I'll try to talk about Bruneian spendings... :)

I am just stating what my opinion is.
Anyone who feels offended (unintentionally by me), please feel free to comment or express your dissatisfaction through me.

ciao

Happiness depends on the person

Warning:
the usual crap, don't read if you don't want to hear my complete and random ramblings

Try being happy for a moment. It's not difficult to be. Just think of happy thoughts. Why would you sulk in those dreadful stormy clouds of depression? why? the world's not gonna end tomorrow..don't blame me...I do get depressed once in a while, but I try to get that out of my head and managed to suppress it. Let loose some of the depression at times. But not all the time!

I guess, what I'm trying to say here is that I'm more of a happy person and I'm not used to treating people who is so deep in their sorrows. I'd rather be with those who are always on cloud nine (not always) but preferably those who do not spit around their pieces of cr*p and put a thunderclouds on my head. I like my days to be as bright as possible for as long as possible. There are days that I will become unhappy but those are the days that I rarely show...even so I'd try to form my own globe of sun, just to brighten my day and those around me. I mean it's unfair for someone expecting a good day, then there I come with stormy clouds complete with flashes of lightning to destroy their day.

The thing about being happy is...don't be scared of what's gonna happen in the future (but not so carefree that you forget to protect your future). Risk it but not risk it all. Live life to the fullest, and try to smile sincerely everyday. Positivity and negativity comes hand in hand, after all if you add them up they will cancel each other, this is to maintain a good balance..but try to have more positive thoughts rather than negative ones.

let's see if you can try be happy for those around you. Because you owe them that much! :)

You know you are a Bruneian when...

A couple of years ago - around the time I first got my internet subscription from the then JTB (now TelBru) back in 1997 - I received an e-mail with more or less the same subject as above. It got me curious...I read..and some of it (alright! most of it) are true. It's quite funny to read it and most of them are not so bad! After all it does reflect on us.

What prompt me to write a post about it? Well, I was browsing through the internet (what else!) and found a very resourceful website - bruneiresources.com - it contained a lot of cool stuff about Brunei, and any Bruneians out there who want to be more knowledgeable about our country, I suggest this is the best (maybe one of the best) online resources to date. Back to my post, it catches my eye that the list of the 'You know you are a Bruneian when...' has grown to a whopping 116 items to identify if you are a Bruneian...(it might not be true for some people, but what the heck, its fun to read).

Well, what I am gonna do is:-

1. Not to list it all out
2. To write a short commentary (or I might go overboard) of the 'kenapas' (the whys) such item is considered as a possible indication that you are a Bruneian
3. To have fun writing about it and
4. To relate (or at least try to relate) such item to my own personal experience heheheh

Without further delay, I will feature the first item

You know you are a Bruneian when...

1. People ask where you're from and the easiest explanation is saying that it's next to Singapore


This is particularly true, Bruneians often find it difficult to explain to other people outside the ASEAN region about the location of Brunei. So we Bruneians tend to resort to our internationally famous neighbours to give a vague idea where our country is. Most often we will describe it to them,

- it's on Borneo island, and then the person asking will still look a bit lost

- then we will tell them somewhere below Malaysia...we're fortunate if the person asking will have a positive response.

- However if the person is still clueless, we will try to remember our Geography lessons way back in primary one till secondary 3 (or for some, form five or six) that it is near Singapore...

"ahhh...I know where Singapore is" said the person

we might as well give them a brief description of Brunei, being the smallest country but bigger than Singapore. Rich in oil. No taxes (except for road taxes)...then (being uninformed that we are) we will try to change the topic -to avoid further embarrassment (not because of our country, but just because we are not a very good conversationalists)


why so? why do we Bruneians need to do this? why?

I am not sure why. Sometimes I am even surprised that some of our neighbors do not know where Brunei is. I met one girl from Singapore who does not know where Bruneian is. Well she knows it is in the ASEAN region, but not the location of Brunei. I can't exactly recall what she said but I remembered it wasn't near Malaysia and not on Borneo Island (Gasps!).

So weird eh?!

I suppose Bruneians are well taught to exactly know where other countries are. But is Brunei that insignificant to the eyes of the international community? I don't think so.

Perhaps, we need to infiltrate other countries' media more. Infiltrate meaning, we need to advertise more about Brunei to other country. I suppose this issue has been addressed by relevant government agency in our country and probably we all need to help them as well. Not just put it on their shoulders. :)

I remembered when I was sent to China, I was bored in the hotel room. Out of that boredom I flicked through the channels on the TV and I saw a Malaysian advertisement...about how good it will be to travel to Malaysia, and I was kinda waiting for a Bruneian advertisement of similar concept. But there was none!

anyways, this lead to another "You know you are a Bruneian when..."

2. People are still clueless about where Brunei is and then you mention how the Sultan of Brunei was once the richest man in the world and everyone instantly remembers.

Hey, this actually makes me a bit proud and smug! ahaha I have to have some misgivings. :P

but I don't have lengthy comment on this. It true that our beloved Sultan is the richest man in the world (once the richest man in the world). BUT STILL RICH!


Well I guess that's it for this post about You know you are a Bruneian when...

there will be more!
ehehhe

p/s: pardon my english today...i think it's kinda out of sorts. hehe

note:
this post is not in any ways intended to degrade any Bruneians.
To any of my readers (if i have any) please feel free to give me any suggestions or complaints or just a plain comment.

thank you :)

This will get you all kickin'

-Warning-
Do not click play if you're gonna blame me afterwards

Disclaimer
You're clicking play because you're willing to see the visual trick effect

Hallucination trick

Tired-ness

All is well, I'm just physically tired. Can't say for certain whether I'm emotionally tired or not, but that's another matter I suppose.

Lately, I was just browsing through the internet to update myself on what's happening around the world (not!) just what's happening back home, in Brunei.

First I wanna highlight Brunei's 23rd National Day (23rd February 2007). It brought lots of memories...cause since I was in form 1, I never missed participating in the event. Whether in marching pass in the 'padang'. Joining others to create a formation on the field...to waving flags for the Royal personages and dignitaries...it was fun and I kinda felt left out not being there on our national day...I remembered my first time was in Primary 6, back in 1996. It was cool! basically it reminded me of my age..23. ahahaha old! but hey...i was born in the independence year.

Anyways. The next thing I wanna highlight is the weather around Brunei, unlike the crazy British weather, Brunei weather is a bit more predictable. Months like December, January and February would probably have bouts of rains. Heavy thunderstorms and flash floods everywhere. It worried me a bit, not because of the rain, but what the rain is causing - road accidents caused by slippery roads. The Borneo Bulletin (a local bulletin), reported that there was increased deaths caused by road accidents. Its scary. But well, we need to be extra careful during the rainy season and be more patient with the situation. No use losing our life. Its not worth it. Nothing is worth losing our life to...hmmm maybe some.


Well guys...that's it for now. :)

Heck if i know anything

Yes?

Why?

Would you?

I don't know. But would it be interesting to know why I do such things?

Heck if I know anything

There's a night, and that night was sweet..It was a sweet sorrow. Sweet. Mignon.

Deep in the dark..Lies a great shadow. In the shadow who knows what dwells in it. The darker thoughts are not beyond reason. Its reason that's beyond it.

Heck if I know what it means.

well its completely random..or just plain ramblings that I am allowed to.