Speak Mandarin

After reading Nadia's blog I got thinking about my own experiences at being marginalised and being 'pressurised' with regards to Mandarin.

Throughout my school life my second language of choice was Bahasa Melayu (Malay). The only time I took chinese was in kindergarten and primary 1. I have nothing personal against mandarin per se, just that it is darn bloody hard to learn!

Anyway coming from an english speaking home I converse in english unless absolutely necessary. Of course that becomes a point of ridicule amongst my chinese speaking 'friends'. In their little minds they cannot comprehend how someone can live in Singapore and yet not speak chinese. It is hard enough being a part of a minority without having to put up with all their "pick up some simple chinese words" crap. And getting excluded from conversations because of my lack of proficiency in their mother tongue.

I remember back in my Popular Bookshop days there was this 'helicopter' assistant manager. She had this clique of her likewise english-deficient cronies. So when push came to shove it was always them that won out. They all got along swell and ran the store according to language lines. That was all fine with me for the most part. But then there was the question of promotion. I was in line for a promotion. But instead she promoted one of my staff ahead of me! Admittedly he was not half bad , but hell that was only because I trained that guy up from nothing to where he was. In no way was he better than me in any aspect of work. The reason he was promoted was clear to all...he was chinese! The ass-sistant manager felt that it was easier for her to communicate with him than me. So that was the dumb-ass reason I got. Which made no sense as we were working in the ENGLISH DEPARTMENT. I duly informed my Branch Head that I was none too elated about this turn of events and tendered my resignation soon after. I felt vindicated when the English Dept duly slumped in the months after I had left after I had left and they had to second staff from other branches to fill the void left by me.

So no one can tell me I do not know how it feels like to be discriminated against.

I guess being part of one of the most minor of minorities has its drawbacks.