The term “Banana” refers to a person who is “yellow” on the outside but “white” in the inside; just like a banana. Yellow refers to a Chinese and White, the English/American. A Chinese who does not speak his/her native language like Mandarin, Hokkien or Cantonese. Instead he/she speak only English. I am one of them except I am not that yellow, more of brownish yellow. Anyway, I am a Malaysian Chinese who is also a Nyonya; Straits born Chinese who does not speak any Chinese dialect.
Because of my Chinese look, some Chinese people can’t understand why I don’t speak their language. When I was studying in Penang, I got scolded by an old man for not answering him in Hokkien. I met him at a petrol station. I never went back to that petrol station after that incident. I often get ignored when I ordered food when I was in Penang. So I make sure my children does not have to go through the same as me. I enrolled them in Chinese medium school.
Coming from a family who does not speak or read Chinese, my girls and their mommy too have to work extra hard before sitting for an examination. I make sure they memorize the Chinese characters for Science and Maths terms. As for Chinese itself, I leave it to their tuition teacher to help them.
Oh ya! They have to put extra effort in understanding the Malay words also. I am a Nyonya whom first language was Malay but I hardly speak Malay to them. They pick up Malay from their grandparents and maid. hehe.
I am so tired now. Doing revision with 2 children is so tiring. Thank God my 3rd child exam starts a week after my girls.
Stumble it!
