Learning Languages

As I am now taking the Indian group, I really felt the importance of languages.

When I was a kid, parents used to send me for tuition classes. I started to attend tuition classes ever since I was in standard 3 till when I am in form 5. Most of these tuitions are mainly on improving my english, bahasa and mathematics.

I remembered most among my tuition teachers are Mr. Kasi, Ms Devi and Mr. Tan. Mr Kasi was my std 5 class teacher and also my tuition teacher. He is very, very strict in class. If we have more than 2 mistakes for maths then we will be caned on our hand.

Ms. Devi is someone who I must really thanked for. Until now I do not know where she is now. Wherever she is, I wish her all the best. She taught me the english language. At that time I was in Form 2. That is the time when I started to mix around and socialise. I was mixing with two groups for friends at that time.

One is my own classmates. With these classmates, not much of harm done except that at very young age already wanted to know more female friends and was hoping to have a girlfriend as well.

As for the other group, I mixed with my cousin, Kee and his friends. Kee and his friends all all so much more elder than me. My mother really worried that I like to mix with this group. Initially, I do not know why mom really against me mixing with Kee. Kee and his friends at the end turned up to be drug addicts and Kee was even prisoned twice. It is very fortunate that mom talk to Ms. Devi about this problem. One day, after the tuition class, Ms Devi asked me to stay behind and talk to me. She made me realise how important for me to have my parents trusts and how much my parents loved and worried for me for mixing with the wrong parties. She really made me realised and from that time onwards, I dont mix with Kee and his friends anymore and I started to earn trust from my parents. I really owe Ms Devi for this favour or else I could have been a drug addict.

Lesson Learnt: It is very important we know well the people that we mixed with. At the teenager age, it is well known as the rebellion age. Its lucky that Ms Devi made me open up my eyes and turn a new leaf.

Mr Tan was my Form 4 and 5 maths teacher. After form 5, he was also the one who made me got interested with computer. He was the one who taught me the basic programing. He is a very serious teacher and learned a lot from him too.

When I was in Form 6, parents sent me for english tuition with another Mr. Tan but then he is too boring. Learn nothing much from him.

It was very lucky that when small, parents nurtured me with what ever education which they feel suitable for me. They always encourage me to study well and improve on languages. I was lucky that in a way I was born a linguist as well. I catch up languages easily.

My only regret is that during school days I never took up the Mandarin classes seriously. If only I am willing to learn Chinese, then for sure I am going to be a better tour guide. I really feel handicapped since I dont read or write Chinese. But still I am very lucky that I can speak Mandarin very well and I can be a China tour guide to earn a living.

Lesson Learnt: Always learn as many languages as possible. They will be the most useful tool for communications. Any professions will require good command of languages. Once a person who is good in languages, he/she will automatically master whatever courses, job skills, etc easily. The most important language is English. Then its the Mandarin. And if one can learn about French of course it is so much better.