Where East meets West *

2007-06-09 5:20 p.m.

Ok, this entry is long over due but it has to appear.

Question: What happens when you bring two lawyers/law students together?

Answer: You get the sum of all conversations.

CNY dinner was on the first day on the year of the pig, which was the Sunday before study week. Stressed over which essays to write and how to write them, I nevertheless needed this breather. First up was what to wear. Dress code was noted stated, but I scanned through the past year photo’s a saw suits and collared shirts. So putting on my suit and one of my high class (I’m not joking), very expensive long sleeve shirts, did up my hair and asked my fellow flat mates for a review. They all said it was perfect. So, dressed to kill, I hoped that the evening would turn out just as well.

Walking up to University Station, I met Andrew, the Malaysian who attended Selly Oak Methodist Church with me at the start of the academic year. Swapping hellos, I learnt that he was off to the same location to and for the same event. Singosc dinner, if you must know, was open to all students of all backgrounds, Chinese and non-Chinese alike. Unlike me, he was dressed in a smart casual attire, and well, more warmly dressed than I was. So, was I going to be the one standing out?

That thought was pushed aside as I chattered with him all the way until he joined up with his Malaysian friends. He’s a pretty amicable guy, taking Chemical engineering and the same age as me. After we parted, I reached Chinatown rather quickly, but headed towards the wrong Chun Ying restaurant. My first call to Francis was masked by the laugher and din of the crowd and it took me another ten minutes to find the rather secluded restaurant. Inside was the layout and environment of a typical Chinese restaurant, the mixture of spices, soya sauce, and other ingredients filled the air, the clattering cups and bowls and the chattering of waiters and waitresses in Mandarin, Cantonese and other dialects. The noise level that night was about ten time as loud given the queue of guest snaking all around the restaurant. I caught up with Francis, only to find that my name miraculously was not on the guest list. In the end, I s show to a table and exchange hellos with some Spanish/Italian guys who were already seated there. Then I caught sight of Andrew but his table was also filled with his other Malaysian friends. Who would I end up talking to then?

The answer came a split second later as I noticed a familiar face settling down at my table. I exchange greetings with Braphus Kaalund, fellow UN Soc member and star debater of the University’s debate team. Then my table was filled with some student from China next to me and two exchange students, Chinese two, but with strong western accents. I chatted with them and exchanged information as one or two other Chinese girls and men sat down. Then surprise number two came as we squeezed in another table setting for none other than Jack, the Singaporean Law PhD student whom I met in the early weeks of Autumn term .

Something clicked in me then as Jack was seated next to Braphus, clad in a kind of traditional Chinese shirt. I said, “Hi Jack, have you met Braphus?” then I mentioned the latter was a law student and to the former, I told the Jack was a PhD student and a Law tutor. Immediately, the two of them exchange greetings and launch into discussions of each others law subjects, Jack’s PhD thesis and other law stuff. In between that, Jack, a really amicable fellow, introduced himself to the others.

Food came late as is the case for most big dinners. Typical Chinese multi-course meal save the fact that even though it was Chinese New Year, there was no Shark’s Fin Soup or Yu Sheng. The later, I would later learn, is a typically Malaysian-Singaporean dish. I guess that Shark’s Fin is also a tad to expensive. The first course came and everyone scoped the minced meat and fillings on their plate while Braphus scooped it into the lettuce leaf provided. We all looked and then we all laughed at our mistake. “You need the American to teach you how to eat Chinese food!” Braphus remarked and another round of laughter ensued. Yes, Braphus is from Kentucky and read Music at some American State University, then Business Administration at John Hopkins. So his LLB is actually his third degree. That’s super wow.

As the food and and went, I struck up a conversation with the Chinese Student next to me, embarssed that it was in English. Still, he smiled and actually speaking in English was good, for he still was trying to master that language. Then, as the meat dish came, he tried, successfully to engage and conversation with Braphus. With the Italians talking to the other Chinese at the table, it was certainly a fusion of East meeting West. Braphus was even commended that he held his chopsticks the proper way (unlike me, I hold it with my left hand and in the comfortable position I choose) and I asked him whether there was a Chinatown in Kentucky. There wasn’t, he replied, but plenty of Indian food.

The table conversation continued to be lively, but Braphus and Jack seemed to be able to yak non-stop and conjure up laughter from the rest of us. I don’t know whether it’s a trait of lawyers, but they really can go in depth into topics. The conversation that night was exactly that but also, we kept on jumping from topic to topic. Shades of the IDSS talk and the discussion at the Parkington’s house. Even so, the noise level grew to a crescendo as drinking competitions were orgnaised .Our table tried to shy away from that, preferring our conversations and jokes but eventually we had to send someone up. The roar of other tables made it difficult for me to talk to Jack, who was rather interested in the modules I was taking. Jack is another of those people who is really easy to talk with.

The service at the place wasn’t really that great, but I guess with so many tables, the waiters were trying their to please everyone. Still, they could have served us tea from the start and provide us with more tea cups—some of us had to pour the tea into glasses.

Food came and went slowly. Chicken pieces that looked half like Hainanese Chicken rice Chicken, pork, some ribs with were mostly all bones and fish. I never get full during such dinners. Oh yes, suddenly, everyone vacated their tables and proceeded through an open door. Curious, we followed them and lo and behold it was a lion dance as well as men starting off firecrackers. All the Brits and other Europeans were really intrigued over the Lion Dance and the firecrackers, which sadly is absent during Chinese New Year back in Singapore. Hence, it was quite and experience.

Back upstairs, desert was surprise, red bean soup, just like from back home. One by one, the members at our table bid their farewells and Jack, Braphus and me trouped towards New Street Station, declined the post dinner bar drinking. On the way, the two of them still continued talking about why they chose Birmingham University and such. In the train, we bumped in o another University Debater and Andrew, and a great talk about subject modules and University accommodations.

That was certainly quite a nice night. With two lawyers paired together, you get the ultimate conversation, the ultimate laughter and a natural camaraderie amongst strangers. My table was certainly a place where East and West could get together perfectly.

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