We All Laugh in the Same Language

By Rebecca Wong

It was the second full day of Senior Sneak, around 10 am on Friday, August 30th, when we stepped off our boats and into Buah Rawa, a rural community on the other side of Sugi Island. 

Water lapped lazily at the wooden posts beneath our feet, and the village was still sleepy as we walked past dirt roads and houses on stilts, carrying hoes and shovels that we would later use to mix cement. The night before, we had been through a thorough cultural briefing that highlighted the many differences between foreign and Malay culture, but as we neared the local school, the sound of children laughing and playing was universal to every one of us. 

Wide, curious eyes peered out at us from under hijabs and from behind the leaves of bushes. Giggles and screams of joy filled the air as children chased each other around, climbing and scrambling over walls and up flagpoles, returning to the ground in disappointment when reprimanded by the teachers. As we watched the chaos, Mrs. Roylance remarked that children were “the same everywhere.”

The morning began with traditional Malay and Arabic dances, first performed by the children and then by everyone – Telunas staff, Dalat students and Buah Rawa kids filled the floor, following the rhythm of music we didn’t need a translator to understand. 

Sandy Choi (12) enjoyed the cultural aspect of the service trip, saying, “I loved that the school planned things so that we could not only serve but also do activities that allowed us to learn more about Malay culture.”

In the afternoon, despite taking on multiple tasks such as mixing cement, weaving coconut leaves or working with rubber trees, many of us spent time playing with the kids. Whether you spoke Malay or not, it was almost impossible not to join in the infectious fun of running around, playing four sports at a time, drawing, singing, reading in their libraries or trying fruits from the surrounding trees. 

Buah Rawa was a breath of fresh air for many of us. Sidharta Selvaraja (12) found that the community was “colourful in terms of culture, and I was very surprised to see how accepting and bright everyone was.” 

There was a lot to learn from their ways of living, and a lot for us to show them. The service project was fun, but it’s important to remember that open mindedness is what truly makes it possible to interact with other cultures.