kajecik Rozmowa
Interviewer: Tomasz Chady
Celine( eng.)
Celine Wong is a student from Malaysia who has visited our school within student Exchange program
AFS. It is an international organization dedicated
to spreading international awareness, which means it organizes and funds many international trips, like Celine’ s one. Celine is staying with us till the end of the school year
Why did you choose Poland as a place to visit, since there are lots of as interesting places as Poland closer to Malaysia than 12000 km.
Well, the reason why I chose Poland was because I didn’ t know anything about it. I didn’ t even know that it was part of Europe, or, in fact where it was situated, and I didn’ t knowthat was so close to countries like Germany and Italy, which is where people go on holidays, and I didn’ t know anything about Polish culture, so I was like:“ It’ s probably more than halfway across the world, so why not just go”.
Actually Poland is halfway across the world from Malaysia. What did you expect from this visit to Poland, do you have some kind of goal?
Well, before I came here the students from the previous years of exchange had offered me this advice, not to expect anything, because if you do you might be disappointed. So just go with an open mind, learn new things, so I don’ t have too many expectations, I just want to experience something different and I think that I’ m beginning to feel that difference between Malaysia and Poland.
I’ m glad. Do you like it here in Poland, tell me about your first minutes in Poland.
Yes, I do like it in Poland, the lifestyle is very different, it’ s very calm and peaceful, unlike in Malaysia, where students are always rushing to places, from after school activities to extra classes, because our education system is not the best, so we have a lot of extra classes and we don’ t have time for friends and family.
Wow, that does not sound very good. What are the differences between Polish culture and Malaysian, do people often act differently?
People do act very differently, for example, Polish people when they see their friends say hi and you are excited to see them, but in Malaysia, if you see your friends you just walk past. I’ m serious. We are really not that friendly. I guess Polish people are more open minded.
What are your favourite Malaysian dishes, and which Polish dishes are your favourite ones?
My favourite dish in Malaysia is actually a traditional Indian dish, because, it’ s not spicy, and I don’ t like spicy food. My favourite Polish dish is pierogi.
What is going to happen when you go back to Malaysia, will you have to retake a year or are you going to start university?
I will be starting university, because in Malaysia we graduate at the age of 17, and I don’ t have to retake a year, because we graduate in December. That is why I came here in February, and I start university in September, so I’ m not going to miss anything.
I’ m quite surprised, because in Poland we end a school year in June. What does school look like in Malaysia, is it a lot different?
I’ s very different, because of hot weather we don’ t have the indoors closed, so our school is open-air one. It is just a big block of buildings, with no closed windows, and there is no air-conditioning, heaters. Only fans. That is what a typical Malaysian school looks like.
Do cities look different too?
In Malaysia you have more skyscrapers, but in Poznan you have more historical buildings, which is kind of beautiful, it’ s very different.
I have been a journalist of school newsletter for two years, so I was wondering, do you have a school newsletter in Malaysia?
Sadly, we don’ t because Malaysians mostly don’ t like to write. We don’ t have a big interest in writing, even though I’ ve written for newspapers before, but sadly we don’ t have school newsletter.
What is the major difference between Poland and Malaysia?
Definitely the weather. In Malaysia it is mostly summer all year long. There is only sun or rain, and in Poland there are four seasons, so it’ s the first time I have ever experienced snow. It was really fun for me.
What was the journey like?
17 hours, but surprisingly I didn’ t suffer from any jet lag, and people asked if I was tired, and they were surprised to see me that energetic.
Do you have some kind of Easter in Malaysia?
Sadly we don’ t, because in Malaysia Christians are actually a very small percentage, so when it comes to Easter, we don’ t celebrate it as much as in Poland.
Ok, thank you for the interview.
kajecik
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