Loom Loom Zoom

Here come the 'O' Levels, and there go the unappreciative, generally unprepared students. A bittersweet sending-off at the annual Grad Night- I can never really decide whether or not I'm more relieved than "sad and proud" to let go of these boys. A teacher should never feel this way, I suppose, but heck, women everywhere should have universal D cups and men should all come with 8 inchers, so there. The saddest bit about the school's annual leavers' ceremony is the fact that the boys all turn up in what they think are stylish outfits- office wear with as much sizzle as a skillet in the antarctic. I pretended to be enthusiastic. After all, it's not everyday these boys get to play dress up in a legitimate context, some more stylishly than the others, but generally painful to watch. Over-gelled hair, mismatched ties, a sea of blue shirts... it was like a G2000 warehouse sale.

"Su Xue lao shi, gen wo pai zhao!"

At least I had kids coming up to me for pictures. Like the run-of-the-mill Glitterati, Su Xue style...

The O levels didn't serve to dampen their spirits, it was as if the damned thing were over. Can't blame them for that, exams exist to make themselves feel unwanted. Even for teachers.

In other news, I was at Starbucks the other day with Cindy, in one of those rare moments where she's not gyrating with James in one of their increasingly sordid locations (their last adventure, according to Cindy anyway, was at his condo jacuzzi. I don't even want to think about it). So I was talking to her about work, men, the usual pizazz- all this in Mandarin of course. And then, I noticed this pair of bitches at the table next to ours who were obviously bitching about Cindy and I. You know how people look at you when they think you can't see, but you do see them out of the corner of your eye, and then suddenly stop talking when you turn around? Yeah, that. So I pretended to listen to Cindy while she went on about something thoroughlly inconsequential... and I swear I overheard the following:

"Stupid study mama, cannot stand these China people."

Oh my God! Bitch!

Yeah, that's what I said, and the two of them nearly choked on their biscotti. Bwaha, Su Xue, vindicated!

I don't know what the deal is with Singaporeans and dissing Chinese people. I realise that some of my countrymen leave more to be desired in this country, and trust me, I've heard stories that shock me even till today. But just as there are ugly Chinese people, there are ugly Singaporeans. I don't appreciate the assertion that people from China who come to this island are necessarily study mamas and uncultured swine- just because there is a prevalent Western model in this country and virtually everywhere else in this world, doesn't give the English speaking Asian a prerogative to be so... condescending? I don't know, I can't even describe it. Maybe racist. Yes. I think if a Singaporean Chinese disses a Mainland Chinese, that is overt racism, because the only thing Chinese about a Singaporean Chinese is the colour of his skin. Which is why I am here in this country to teach people the language, literally teach- as would a French teacher, or a German teacher. You get the drift.

But that aside, the only reason why I was galvanised to such annoyance by those ignorant girly-bitches is 'cuz they called me a Study Mama. My god, I do not look like a Study Mama, damn.