Oh yes, I can understand Chinese/Korean~

Here in Korea, people always ask:
"Where're you from?"
Well, I had trouble answering it...
should I say Malaysia or Singapore?
after thinking about it, I've decided to say "I'm from Singapore"
seeing that SEP students are supposed to be the ambassador of NUS

Then people will continue:
"But you look like a Chinese, or Korean."
Well...
"I'm actually a Chinese.
A Chinese born in Malaysia, but study in Singapore."

Well...people here just can't understand our multicultural society...
I've tried explain the 3 main races in Malaysia (or 4 in Singapore)
but they don't seem to see the picture

* * *

So the story continues:

"Can you speak Chinese?"
"Yes, I'm actually a Chinese blablablah..."

When making friends with PRCs
their communication will soon change from Channel 5 to Channel 8
and suddenly pause
and ask me:
"Can you understand us, in Chinese?"
"Err...yes. I'm actually a Chinese blablablah..."
"So can you speak fluently?"
"Err...yes, but not VERY fluent (seeing that we used to speak ROJAK tri-lingua)

They will stare at me in amazement
especially if I reply them in Chinese
well...

* * *

During orientation,
the Korean buddies usually communicate in Korean among themselves
and switch to English only when talking to us foreign students

It's rather "interesting" to know what they talk to each other in Korean
sometimes, they're "complaining"
"complaining" that they can't express themselves well in English when talking to us foreign students
or "teasing" each other should anyone is trying to talk English
they didn't talk bad "behind" us though

At first,
those Korean buddies didn't know I can understand Korean
so they all talk Korean in front of me
sometimes talking sth about me (nothing bad though)
and later, i "accidentally" expose myself by smiling a little at their jokes
so they ask: "can you understand us?"
"Err...actually, yes. I know 'a bit' of Korean."
Soon, more and more people "admit" that they can understand Korean
since then, lesser and lesser "unnecessary Korean" was heard
:p

* * *

Well well....
multi-lingua is indeed an advantage sometimes
hahaha
 >.<