by Tsen Ee Lin
As midnight struck on New Year’s Eve, 2020’s nightmarish dream seemed far out of reach, but as the months inched by, it dawned that it was only the beginning.
Thousands of white flags fluttered from shattered windows, the fall of a spineless government and families crumpled by catastrophic floods. 2021 has been a year of hardship, but while the virus forces us apart further than ever as a nation, we seem to have come closer than ever.
Many of us leaned on each other for support; some even banded together to bring forth change in a broken society, so it’s strange to think that post-pandemic, we rarely cared nor batted an eye at the strangers who passed us by.
Maybe a small smile or nod of acknowledgment, but have you ever wondered what makes their heart flutter? What lessons they have to share?
The small boy who clings to his mother; Gen-Zs dorned in wolf-cuts and pearl necklaces; that old couple down the road; aunties at the market.
“What was the biggest lesson you learned from 2021?”
“What do you hope for in 2022?”
This series is for dreamers of all ages. Here are a few of them.
5, Benjamin
*Minutes before he was up and sharing his fountain of knowledge, Ben was snoozing away in his stroller.*
Fresh out of church camp (and a nap), this five-year-old has some words of advice that all of us could learn from.
“Flexibility.”
“I learned that I will not be upset when plans change and I will not be stubborn.”
On top of flexibility, the young guru hopes the new year will be filled with “new toys! All the toys you can find in the whole world!”
Benjamin’s favorite game is apparently “Squid Game”.
13, Caitlin
*It’s been three months since Caitlin welcomed Loki into her life and word has it that this little fluff ball may be more mischievous than the supervillain.*
“Shifting lifestyles. Instead of coming out and going out to eat, everyone changed what they did in their daily lives. That was a big thing for everybody and for me as well, especially since I still go to school and had to shift everything online.
“2022—I don’t really know. I just go with it. Generally, I’m not really good with these questions cause I don’t think about it, but there are current competitions in school and it would be great if we could win them.
“It’s called Design For Change. We have to make something that’s based around community. Ours is turning cardboard box wastes into cardboard beds for quarantine centers that are low on beds.”
18, Sol
*Sol is also a writer for GIS, (and an amazing one) make sure to check out their write-ups on previous issues.*
“That it’s okay to just do my own thing and not expect nor need anyone to make accommodations for that. I got a lot done on my own terms this year and it felt good.
“For 2022, I hope for at least some semblance of order… It’s been a real hectic two years, and it feels like the last of my teenage years kind of just slipped away unceremoniously.
“I know a complete return to normalcy is probably too much to ask for, but I’m hoping the world tilts at least somewhat closer back to the right side up in 2022 ❤️”
23, Alif Aolani aka @notairliftz on Instagram
*Alif’s been jamming the world ever since he was 14.*
“The past year has been quite tough for me and other musicians. With no shows going on we really just had to make music at home and hope for online live streams.
“Though it was musically tough for us, it gave us more time to work on more personal projects and get closer to other musicians. Personally, I don’t talk too much to people, so being online, I had to do that. Honestly, it was quite nerve-wracking.
“My biggest lesson from 2021? Honestly, I don’t know how to answer that question yet, but I think I learned that even though we’re goin through some rough shit, there’s always a way to penetrate through all of it — especially through music or any artform as we will always find an alternative to put things out.”
For 2022, Alif hopes for bigger live shows, travelling globally, and to sing his heart out on international stages like Lollapalooza.
25, Chi Chie Fadziera and 27, Abel.D
*Chi Chie (left) and Abel (right) are respectively from the North and South of Borneo.*
Abel: “Always be ready to adapt to new things.”
“All this while, I was not ready to see the real world and become an adult. I was spoiled by people around me and didn’t see why I had to become an adult. But when the pandemic hit, it gave me a really big lesson as I struggled with adulthood.
“Everything is alright now and I’m still struggling, but for 2022 I hope I will grow better and become a version of myself that I can be proud and worthy of.”
Chi Chie: “For me, it was the financial aspect, as during the pandemic many people lost their jobs and became jobless. It made me realize that you need to have a part-time job while having a permanent job; it’s like a backup for your life.
“I love travelling and I spend a lot of money on it. During the first lockdown, I had just resigned from my job and was about to start travelling when COVID hit us hard.”
“I spent three months in an AirBnb, spending lots of money and ordering food in. I knew I had to do something, so I joined an online class for programming and content writing. Slowly, I searched for people who wanted freelancers and began writing for them.
“Even though they aren’t paying much, as long as there’s a backup and savings I can still sleep, and now I’m in Penang working in an IT department as a common lead. If I travel in 2022, I can still work remotely as a content writer and write in my free time during my vacation.”
When asked where she’d like to travel next, the wanderlust burst into a smile, exclaiming: “Canada! It’s diverse, easy, plus the crime rate is low!”
34, Daniel Goh
*There’s nothing Daniel loves more than music; for the last 12 years, he’s been bringing more music to the world through his music classes.*
“I learnt a lot of things because of the pandemic, but the biggest lesson was to stay safe and to make sure to spend more time with your loved ones as with this pandemic it seems like all our lives are at risk.
“Of course, I hope that COVID will not exist anymore and that the whole world will get vaccinated so that our lifestyles will go back to normal, but personally, I hope to expand my business as everything slowed down a lot last year.
“I hope that next year will be the year when I can finally start expanding my business and I also have plans on starting my own family.”
57, Joe
*Instead of his go-to-black, Joe’s rocking a brilliant blue thanks to his wife’s encouragement.*
“Being separated from my family and my wife was the worst thing that could ever happen — that’s what I learned.
“I was here in Malaysia and they went to Europe, and for three to four months I was totally alone. It was terrible. But it was also good, because it teaches you to appreciate your family. Otherwise, it’s easy to take things for granted and taking the people you love for granted is the worst thing that can happen.
“So that was a good learning experience and now I appreciate being back with my wife and children.
“Like everybody, I hope that COVID will be over in 2022 and that we will overcome and learn to live with COVID as it’s never going to go away. Personally, I want to enjoy every day to the maximum because who knows what could happen?”
69, Cheramlah Jamaludin
*makes a killer beef rendang*
“Dalam tahun ini, kita banyak bencana alam, banjir, accident dan penyakit dari COVID. Walaupun ekonomi kita bersusah, kita nasik kuat lagi. Tahun ini kita belajar dari apa yang terjadi kita jadi lebih elok lagi kita belajar.”
“This year we experienced many natural disasters. floods, accidents, and illnesses from COVID and although our economy is struggling, we must be strong and learn from what has happened to be stronger for the future.
“Mak Cik harap, next year kita mau Malaysia boleh lebih bagus dan bersatu keluarga. Luar negara tengok kita: Oh Malaysia cantik keluarga berhidup, Melayu, Cina dan India bersama, kita mau itu sahaja – satu keluarga Malaysia, hidup dan cari makan bersama.”
“Mak Cik hopes that next year is better for Malaysia and that we can be one family. When outsiders look at us, I hope they think, ‘Oh, Malaysia is so beautiful, Malays, Chinese, and Indians living together harmoniously.’ That’s all we want—one Malaysia, living and finding food together.”
80, Maung and 77, San
*In Burmese, San’s name means the Sun. And to Maung whose world she lights up, this couldn’t be more true.*
As the sun sets and the moon awakens from its slumber, two small silhouettes turn the corner of my house. Silhouetted underneath the moonlight, they tenderly hold onto each other hand in hand never letting go. For months, I watched the old lovers from afar, wondering what their story was…
Maung: “We are not Malaysian. We’re Burmese.”
“We’ve been married for a long time. When I was 25 years old, I was a university lecturer and she was my student. We got married at our own decision as our parents didn’t actually allow it.”
55 years later, Maung and San are still in love and have spent the last 22 years calling Malaysia their home sweet home.
Maung: “We first stayed in George Town, but it was really difficult to walk around there, so we moved here (Tanjung Bungah) four years ago. It’s really nice.”
San: “We walk around every morning and night as my nerves are weak. (While San’s husband gently adds that she has diabetes) I always fall down so I hold his hand for safety.”
Maung: “It was difficult. Very difficult. During this pandemic, everything was difficult and for older people the biggest problem was health.
“We also run a business and we thought that in just another two or three months, everything would be alright, but it’s been six months and I’m told it may even take another six more months.
“We aren’t blaming anyone, but we just hope business will get back to how it was previously.”
Maung and San run an at-home business supplying technical skills to hotels and are crossing their fingers for a storm of tourists.
In an age when COVID forces us to stand six feet apart and to fear the passing strangers, I hope that this series inspires you to break out of your shell and say ‘hello’ to one.
All it takes is a listening ear and a curious heart.
Big or small, everyone has a story to tell.
Try it out for yourself and I promise that eight out of ten, they’ll be happy to talk.