Important Update: This was a mid-March post. Fulbright suspended the program due to the global COVID-19 crisis at the same time, so the draft ended up in my inbox. Browsing back, the draft preserved my excitement for the start of the year, therefore I thought I’d take you back in time with me. Also, the photos (taken by folks from the embassy & the school) are too lovely not to share. Here are the moments that were supposed to mark a year to remember…
Each Monday morning in Malaysia, you’ll see the whole school gather for an assembly. Everyone will sing Malaysia’s national anthem, their particular state’s anthem, the school’s anthem, and listen to important announcements. On my first Monday morning at SMK Datuk Bendahara, my base school in a rural town within the state of Melaka, I gave a short welcome speech to officially introduce myself. It went a little something like this:
Selamat Sejahtera semua. Before I introduce myself, I would first like to thank our principal, staff, teachers, and of course, all the students for welcoming me here to SMK Datuk Bendahara. Terima Kasih semua
My name is Dawn Le, and I am from America. Although, I know, a lot of you thought that I am from Asia – even Malaysia. To look like a local Malaysian – I take that as a compliment. In some ways though, I feel that I actually could have grown up in Malaysia. During the 1980s, my father lived in the refugee camp on the Pulau Bidong island off the coast of Terengganu. My parents were refugees from Vietnam after the war. I was born and raised in America, but I am proud to have two parts in me: I am not just American, but I am also Vietnamese-American. Dawn may be my English name, but I also have a Vietnamese name, and it is Lê Khánh Đan.
I am not the only one with multiple identities and stories though. America is an immigrant nation, full of people from all over the world. Diversity is what makes America strong. This is the story of America that I believe in, and one that I hope to share with you.
Likewise, I am also ready to hear the story of Malaysia -told by you. I’ve been at SMK Datuk Bendahara for 3 days, but I already feel that there is so much to learn from everyone. As I walk through the school grounds, I see vibrant murals, enthusiastic student faces, and passionate teachers. You are also diverse, in terms of ethnic backgrounds, stories, talents, and personalities.
We have much to learn from each other.
If we are shy though, then we cannot approach each other and learn. All I ask is that we not be shy, or be a malu malu kucing (shy shy cat) as they say in Malay. So, I make a promise to you that I will not be shy, and I hope that you can promise me the same. Once we do so, we can truly have a fruitful learning experience. Together, let’s make 2020 a year to remember.
Terima kasih. Saya sayang kamu semua.
That’s not all for the beginning. Making the start of my year less scary and a bit more special, United States Ambassador to Malaysia, Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir, also paid a visit to the school.
Ambassador Kamala is known for being warm and personable. It was like seeing an old friend again.
When one of the students asked what her first impression of the school was, she laughed, “I thought it was big, and the first person that I wanted to go towards was Dawn, because I knew her.” See? Just like an old friend. It was also refreshing to hear that even an ambassador can still feel as nervous as we might feel in a completely new environment.
The first stop was the principal’s office, where she met with school officials and Melaka state officials. Amongst the many topics we discussed, we talked about the importance of culturally-specific books. When books have characters that reflect Malaysian identity, students can connect with the stories and appreciate reading early on. I’ve already researched a couple of great Malaysian comic books and am excited to use them to achieve this goal.
Ambassador Kamala also signed the school’s guestbook with a supportive message:
Afterwards, we introduced her to a group of students from the Bendaharian Youth Council – an initiative that I created with my mentor, Atikah. (Inside Secret: We assembled a group in less than 24 hours before her visit)
The council had the opportunity to discuss with Ambassador Kamala about multiple topics, including her shared vision with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on civic education for youth in the country, as well as her leadership advice for us as we develop the council.
This was one of our favorite advice from her: “… It’s a lot of listening. It’s about bringing people with you. It’s not about having defined roles such as a leader and a follower. Because the truth is, followers can always choose to leave. So leadership is about pulling others with you.”
Before saying good-bye to the council, she left us with this encouraging remark: “I’m proud of you for starting. The beginning is always hard. Don’t be afraid of failure, because that’s where you’ll learn and grow.”
As customary of Malaysian culture, there must always be two photos: A normal one (above) and a “freestyle” one (below).
After speaking with the Bendaharian Youth Council, we visited my 1A class (6th grade age) with teacher Agnes. The students were in their 1st year of learning English, so Ambassador Kamala whipped out a simple introductory lesson on America – using her home state of New York and my home state of Oregon to jumpstart conversations.
The students were quite intimidated to ask questions at first, but when the US Embassy gave out prizes for those who asked questions, the whole class felt more encouraged to participate.
Our 1A class visit ended with a photo… and you remember how this rolls, right? Yes, one normal photo (above) and one freestyle (below).
… & the last stop. A visit in Malaysia, no matter how formal or informal, cannot end without food. “Sudah makan?” (have you eaten?) is as common of greeting as “how are you?” in Malaysian culture. To end the entire visit, we had a special Nasi Lemak lunch at the school’s canteen.
Since it was time for us to debrief, the Nasi Lemak lunch yielded some fruitful conversations. The one that stood out to me was when Madam Nushereena (District Officer) told us that a student came up to her and said, “When I see her [Ms. Dawn], I feel that I can do it. I can speak English like her one day.” Wow. Perhaps this is why looking like a local Malaysian or just a young woman of color in general can be quite powerful. You can inspire kids to do what you can do with #representation. Quite a much needed confidence booster for me too!
After the visit, Ambassador Kamala and the embassy had to meet with Chief Minister of Melaka, Adly Zahari. As we exchanged our farewells, Mr. Hamdan (School’s Senior Assistant) told the ambassador, “We will take good care of Dawn.”
That moment right then and there, with Mr. Hamdan’s words, was when I felt the most confident that I can take on this year. How lucky am I? My school community in Malaysia and fellow US citizens are there to support me each step of the way. All the fears, imposter syndrome, and worries associated with starting a new experience disappeared with Mr. Hamdan’s words and Ambassador Kamala’s presence. The support from both nations mean the world to me.
Thank you to Ambassador Kamala, Katie, and the US Embassy for making the start of my year so special. Of course, thank you to my team at SMK Datuk Bendahara for working together to organize this special visit: Ms. Atikah (My Mentor Teacher), Mr. Hamdan, and Mr. Erik Ravi (Head of the English Panel). Oh, and shoutout to Hafizul from the US Embassy, as well as Elmi and Safiq from the school, for taking these beautiful photos. I’m thankful to have each and every one of you with me as we start this crazy, wonderful journey.
