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Author
The author is a paranoid, deranged and cynical misanthrope who records snippets of her life so that she will remember them when she grows old and withered. The identities of any names or initials on this blog are based on the assumptions of the reader unless otherwise specified, and the author claims no responsibility for them.
Reality
The author somehow got into medical school. Yes, you of the general public, shudder and fear the wrath of an inept doctor.
Loves
Reading, Maisy (my dog), tea, writing (albeit badly), piano, music, junk food.
Hates
Almost everything else besides the things mentioned above.
Friends
Bao Cheng' Bernice' Chien Young' Chun Hing' Claire' Faustina' Felicia' Ferly' Gloria' Irene' Irene & Jiaying' Jac' Jiamin' Jiasin' Jiaying' Lutheng' Karene' Marissa' Melesa' Mingyi' My fictionpress' Pamelia' Pei Rong' Qiu Ting' Rachel' Satires Site' Stasia' Sylvia' The Clique' Vinette' Wenjia' Xin Rong' Xue Ying' Yanne & I' Yanne & Jamie' Zeena' 203'
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Chat area
Lit essay, lit essay, lit essay.
As expected, I've been procrastinating. The golden rule of the Couch Potato Code of Conduct. My conscience is constantly reminding me of the promise I made to get it done before the start of school. Along with the history essay. I doubt that's going to happen though.
I just want a break. To sleep and sleep. But my mum, the evil person she is, has been waking me up at 9 every day. Yes, during the hols. Really annoying, since I'd been looking forward to sleeping in.
1 more week to the start of school :(. I'm going to have to make my mind up about the music vs history thing soon, since this term's only 7 weeks long. Probably going to have to talk to my history teacher about it (crap... The evil dwarf is scary), asking his opinion (not that it really makes a difference) and how he thinks I'll do if I take history next year. I obviously already have a general idea of what he's going to say, but heck. It shows that I value his opinion (SHOWS. Not that I really value it).
Anyway, as I was watching Australian Idol last night (over dinner: I don't usually watch it), being the impatient person, I was flicking between channels during the ads. I halted on this program about immigration quarrantine at airports. Since I used to be a relatively frequent traveller, it aroused my interest and I watched on for about 15 mins. It turned from interest to annoyance. The way it portrayed foreigners was really... Derogatory. It featured them (especially Asians) as unintelligent, unreasonable people who could not understand English very well. The immigration officers more often than not had to speak very slowly to them and would express their intense exasperation at them.
My annoyance was increasing notch by notch during the 15 minutes. Yes, it is just a television show, but the way they depict foreigners is really unjustified. It throws almost all foreigners into the same basket of illiterate, uncooperative law-breaking fools which really isn't true. I remember when I was returning to Sg 2 years ago, the immigration officer, during a random check, thought I was an illiterate Japanese. She had this whole board of translations of 'This is a random check' (I think) and kept jabbing at the Japanese one. When I declared that I could speak English, she still kept jabbing at the sign and speaking English really slowly. I'm guessing that they assume anyone who's Asian cannot speak English fluently, and it really is very unfair of them to think so.
And now they've decided to introduce the citizenship test, which took effect on the 1st of Oct 2007. The Government has been discussing this for quite some time now, and it's finally come into use. The first time I saw the ad on television, I had to tell myself that the television did not deserve to be smashed as it wasn't its fault.
Let me explain my feelings towards it. Firstly, I think it is a huge waste of taxpayer's money, as well as a useless bid to kill off more trees (poor trees). Perhaps, oh perhaps, instead of wasting money and resources on such legislation, they could improve the general state of education? Or perhaps solve more crimes (such as MURDER and even the common burglary?)? But no, testing the knowledge of foreigners on Australia is far more important than people getting killed and property being 'raped'.
Secondly, FOR GOD'S SAKE, I study history at a tertiary level. Meaning I probably know more about Australia than your usual Aussie. I doubt many of them know about the Eureka Stockade. Or Simpson and his donkey. It's unfair that foreigners have to know so much about this land (which, I agree, is quite an good place to live for most people, though not me), while the locals know close to nada about it. This girl who works at my dad's shop said that Canberra was a suburb in Perth. So much for Australian history/geography among the Australians.
Thirdly, the objective of the test, as they claimed, is 'to help migrants integrate and maximise the opportunities available to them in Australia, and enable their full participation in the Australian community as citizens. It provides a strong incentive for new arrivals to learn English and to understand the Australian way of life. From a broader perspective, it supports social cohesion and successful integration into the community.' I snort with derision.
Integrate (sounds like Maths, doesn't it?) and maximise (how about optimise?) the opportunities available to them... I reckon changing the colour of our eyes and the colour of our hair would help migrants more. Or acquiring an Australian accent, for one. And I just would love to know how doing a 20-question test on Australia will help people integrate.
A strong incentive to learn... What, do we get candy at the test centres? And seriously, I reckon my writing and reading skills far outstrip many locals. Don't give me that bullock about learning English. And it almost makes the test a benefit more than a detriment for foreigners. *goes off muttering words like 'nonsense' and 'bullsh*t'*
What the heck. I don't reckon I'll want to be an Aussie citizen now, if I'm going to be subject to such treatment. It's not integrating us. It's differentiating (HAHA. MATHS) us from the rest of the community. It's branding us 'outsiders' immediately. Oh, how it claims to integrate us. That holier-than-thou attitude really pisses me off. I'm not that desperate yet, thank you.
Well, what do you guys think? To think they're chasing away 'foreign talent', when nearly every other country in the world is clamouring for them. Stupidity at its peak, I'm saying.
Disclaimer: I don't mean to offend anyone, and I doubt anyone would bother coming to look at this anyway. These are just my humble opinions, and I just felt it was incumbent for me to voice out my disbelief at such fatuity. If it offends anyone, I'll be glad to take it off. And might I remind you, by reading this, you've agreed not to sue me. Haha.
Anyway, I'm off to do my lit essay. I probably won't even get started on it. Albeit I could try :).
12:10 PM