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Like Adam Khoo (read here), I too have had the opportunity to compare local students with foreign ones, specifically in my case, Taiwanese and Chinese students. The foreign student typically starts off weaker than the local, but before too long, she surges ahead. Like Adam Khoo, I, too attribute this to an intense hunger, a need to justify the price the family paid for giving them this opportunity. Unlike Adam Khoo, however, while I am pleased with their results, I do not see this necessarily as a good thing. At least not all the time.

Who can forget the expression on Princess Diana’s face as she said softly, “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.” There was so much pain reflected in those eyes, in the slightly bowed head, the pursed lips. Hers was a pain of rejection, but it did not start with her marriage breakdown.

So finally I was there. Wearing the ill-fitting hospital gown, I felt naked and very alone. Those were the days when Kandang Kerbau did not allow husbands to be there with their wives. The labour ward was dark. It was night after all. The nurses chatted amongst themselves. Apart from the occasional, courteous, “Are you all right?” I was largely ignored. Their matter-of-factness was a stark contrast to my near panic.

I was on my way for my regular check-up. I was not feeling confident, to say the least. The last half year had not been easy. I had to change medication, since my body was getting immune to what I had been taking for nearly 3 years. The next drug I was put on gave me bad side effects, and I had mobility issues and horrendous water retention problems. So I had to change meds yet again. The previous drugs had made me put on a lot of weight over the last 6 years. With this latest change, I was losing weight – finally! However, to lose 6kg in 2 months was bound to give my oncologist the jitters. So I was dreading the visit.