Well, what could I say about myself! Entering my train of thoughts…
I’m Rita. My name has an elegant meaning in Greek, which is Pearl. Whereas, in the Sanskrit context, ‘Rita’ is defined as the way of life. To be honest, I couldn’t relate both of the definitions of my name to my personality at all. As a matter of fact, I am more of an adventurous and challenging person. And how am I supposed to associate my aptitudes with such gentle and philosophical interpretations of my name?! Weird… Anyway, I love my name and I love my innovative name creators: mum and dad!
Mentioning about my family, I have a rather unique pair of parents, in terms of racial background. My mother is an amalgam of Indian and Chinese parentage. And as for my father, he is a pure Indian, in and out. So, after some simple calculations, basically I am genetically a three-quarter Indian and a quarter Chinese. Literally and theoretically, I should possess more facial features from my Indian ancestors instead of the Chinese. However, due to the combinations of my physical characteristics, the public often mistaken me as a Malay girl. And I believe that perhaps this is a serious case of accusation especially during the fasting month. There was an event in which I was having lunch with my friends at a public restaurant during the fasting month. As I was about to dig my spoon into my food, a huge, belly-bloated policeman appeared out of midair in front of me. With his curly moustache and unshaved, thick beard, he stared at me as if I have murdered someone or owed him a million bucks! Me, intimidated by his bulging eyes, sunk into my seat and I was about to reach out my mobile phone to call my mum. Before I could even do anything, he asked me furiously in his rough voice, to show my identification card. Without further ado, I rummaged my bag, pulled my wallet, stroke out my card and gave it to him. After glancing across my name, I could see a sudden 180 degree change in his facial expression. At first he was shocked, and then finally he smiled. A sudden relieve could be felt across my nerves… He apologized to me later for misunderstanding me as one of his kind. And ever since then, I had a minute phobia for eating in public during the fasting month!
Besides, I am grateful that I have the ability to speak and understand the Mandarin language. It is a wonderful present to me as so far as I believed, the Malaysian community finds it fascinating and exciting for a non-Chinese to be able to speak in Mandarin fluently. Whenever I communicate in Mandarin with my friends for the first time or perhaps to a stranger, their first expected question directed to me would be: ‘You can speak Mandarin? Oh my god!’ And this is where my journey of conversations with a totally unrecognized new friend begins. Consequently, I’ll start describing my parents, my family tree, my ancestors, my mixed-cultured family and so on. What an intriguing way of meeting people and making friends!
Apart from my visible attributes, I have a rather unusual blend of character. Sometimes I am stubborn but at times I could be flexible. I may be obedient but I might be lazy. I am friendly but not entirely sociable. I speak the truth but lies for good. I love exercising but hate perspiring. I enjoy walking in rain but dislike getting wet. I adore the sun but despise the deadly ultraviolet rays. I love to be independent but I am sick of doing my laundries. But after all, I am an ordinary living thing on a pair of legs, from the Homo sapiens species with a pair of XX chromosome on the 23rd chromosome. Without any genetic defects or chromosomal mutations, I am gifted to be perfectly normal and healthy. However, I have a dream. I want to be an X-man, with special powers, saving the world. And I have to be a mutant to achieve my dreams, which is ridiculously impossible. Perhaps, in my fantasy world… I might have a pair of wings as well!
All in all, I miss my home. I miss the fresh air. I miss the trees. I miss my bed. I miss my refrigerator. And lastly, I miss my mum’s home cook food.
