Clearwater

It's been a while since my last entry. Quite busy with my new job. Alhamdulillah, everything is quite ok, the workplace is not without its usual office politics (it's scary that I got to know about it on my very first day at work) but I've made up my mind to tolerate and make the best out of it.

This evening, I went for a BBQ planned by my coursemates at Clearwater condo, hence the entry title (no idea for the title). It's a gathering for us after a challenging semester and I was really glad I attended it.

I met this lovely couple, who happens to be one of my coursemate's son n his girlfriend, John and Ally. Both of them are Americans and they recently graduated from a University in Chicago majoring in Sociology.

I need to pen what I gather from them because I felt it was very informative. Honestly, I have never had any close interactions with Caucasians, so talking to them initially built up some sort of anxiety in me. Luckily both of them were very friendly and open in their sharings.

They are currently involving themselves with working with the African American community, whom they claimed are being discriminated, despite America being 'the land of opprtunities'. I was quite saddened by the fact that majority of these African American people live in poverty in a neighborhood with high crime rates and poor education system.

The schools are funded by property tax which doesn't add up to much, considering that it needs to finance the education for children from low-income families. With only a funding of about $1000/child annually, the schools can't even accommodate well-trained teachers and well-developed school syllabus. The children don't even own school books.

John, Ally and some of their friends are working into creating awareness to these people on the importance of education and to assist them in getting out and merge into the mainstream. This will then hopefully helps them to break their poverty cycle and lead a better life.

I thought their effort is very noble. Being 'whites' themselves, they were not spared of the discrimination by the 'blacks' who did question their sincerity in helping them. However, they took it as a challenge and didn't give up.

I shared with John and Ally that I have always had this beautiful picture of the States which was largely influenced by what I see in the media. John quickly dismissed it, stating that Hollywood shows crap :p

This made me think of how our country gives serious attention to be given to two aspects of the lives of its countrymen - education and harmony. The importance of living in harmony is even integrated in the education system which I felt is a very holistic approach.

Oh, by the way, John is interested in working in Singapore, particularly in teaching English and at the same time working with problematic youths. He has a deep passion for that. Any takers, anyone?? :)

~to cross the line might be the way across~