A Bostonian's Kedahan heart
Compiled by RAHIMY RAHIM AND C.ARUNO
DRIVEN by her deep love and longing for a school she taught at nine years ago, an American teacher has returned to Kodiang, in Jitra, Kedah, to reconnect with old friends, students and the community, Kosmo! Ahad reported.
Lauren Chow, 32, from Boston, the United States, had taught English at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tunku Bendahara, Kodiang, for two years, in 2015, through a teacher exchange programme between the United States and Malaysia.
According to Chow, her years in Malaysia were full of good memories due to the friendly locals.
'Living in Kodiang for two years was an incredibly happy experience. The villagers were so kind, friendly, and welcoming. Coming back to the village to meet old friends and former students, makes me simply happy again.'
Even more remarkable is that, despite now living and teaching in Jakarta under the same programme, she still remembers how to speak Bahasa Malaysia with a Kedahan accent.
Chow, who is on a five-day visit in Malaysia, said that her experience in Kedah taught her the richness of the local culture and the language.
'Initially, I only knew the words 'terima kasih', 'makan' and 'kenyang', but the local community here supported me and taught me the language,' she said.
> Actress and singer Bella Astillah says that she is uncomfortable about openly talking about her relationship with Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, BH Ahad reported.
Referring to the nickname given to them by netizens, BASS (Bella and Syed Saddiq), she said it was not pleasant publicly divulging any information about them.
'If possible, I don't want personal stories to overshadow his efforts in helping the people of Muar. He doesn't want his political career to be clouded by other stories,' said Bella, 31.
Asked about what she thinks of Syed Saddiq, Bella said that the Muar MP always puts others' interests ahead of his.
'Perhaps the clearest example was when he refused payment for the campaign work he managed, instead requesting that the money be directed into a fund set up to support the people of Muar.
'Looking at everything he's done, I'd say he's a dedicated person driven by a genuine love for his country,' said Bella.
Syed Saddiq, 33, and Bella Astillah's friendship blossomed after they collaborated as ambassadors for a local clothing brand.
The politician subsequently appeared in Bella's music video, Tapi Bukan Denganmu.
Despite their frequent public appearances together, neither Syed Saddiq nor Bella has confirmed the nature of their relationship.
(The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.)
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