Today I attended the meeting to induct the 3rd MMYN. It was fantastic! There were so many wonderful young people from diverse backgrounds with very interesting stories. We have indigenous representation which is awesome! It’s going to be a fantastic year – especially with our faith and culture forum in the works. I encourage everyone, if you can, to attend.

Minister Merlino, who is one of the warmest funniest ministers out there attended the meeting. Minister Merlino is our minister for sports, youth, and minister assisting the Premier on multicultural affairs. As you can see, in Victoria, promoting harmony is very important that our Premier holds the multicultural affairs portfolio.

In briefs, here are a few events and activities the 2nd MMYN ambassadors have been engaged in.

In Victoria, we have a law called the religious and racial vilification act. It was passed in 2001, and ensures that all Victorians, regardless of race, culture or social preference is not subjected to vilification or discrimination. In other words, we don’t tolerate racism or bigotry. This is the most wonderful thing to come along.

People often confuse it as a law just for MIGRANTS, but it’s there to protect everyone, and encourage us to be ourselves more – without fear of racially and religiously motivated acts.

As an outcome, the state government, under John’s Brumby leadership, set up a Multicultural Multifaith Youth Network to encourage discussion between different culture and religious groups and to serve as an advisory board.

We are now approaching our third year, and new members are coming on board this week at our special yearly meeting with our minister of youth James Merlino.

It is a great sign of democracy that we have this forum, and our leaders sit down to talk with us and listen to our concerns

I was recently involved in youth parliament, and as part of the program, we went away on camp and did the usual frivolity. One of the events we had was a jungle-themed disco. I came as a Khmer hill-tribe lady, and was asked: “What are you meant to be?” I answered… “A lady from the forest,” and as I glanced around the room, I noticed that most of the youth parliamentarians were dressed in Tarzan-type inspired costume. Our dress is as below:

It dawned on me how much we thrive on stereotypes, and that is the way we perceive others in this world – the only way we seem to accept other people.

Recently I had a conversation with this lady about my faith and culture, and she had assumed I was Buddhist. I then answered that I was catholic, and she looked at me with utmost perplexity. We then proceeded to talk about identity issues, and she asked me: “So living in many different countries, I gather you must have had some difficulties with identity, how did you cope?” I answered… “I didn’t really… I knew who I was, except could not be that person.” She was flabberghasted all the same. It was an interesting conversation, revealing much about each other’s preconception, but it made me think how much of a need some people have to adhere to stereotypes to be widely accepted. Take a look at the Joy Luck Club – women have to be submissive or slutty or lying, sighing and dying to be Asian. Where are the pansy wong stories?

Adventures happen in the most unlikiest ways. Today I bought some pickled mustard leaves for my mother, and it turned into one of the most interesting experiences. Not so much in the sense of what happened in conscious-life, but the flurry of memories it brought about. Pickled mustard leaves is a second-generation Khmer girl’s culinary delight. Mustard leaves are picked before riped – when it’s still fresh and hard – left to hang like laundry for days, then boiled with a mix of vinegar and the sorts. The result! a piece of food that can be eaten by itself, with fresh, as a salad, in soup – the rest is up to your imagination

It has played a huge role in raising me. I remember walking home from school after being told to “go back to china” for the millionth time, and the act of digging my hands into the jar to pick out the pickled mustard leaves, wrap it in rice, then stuffing in my face was a rare delight. It was in those minutes where I felt I was home, in the sense that although everyone was pointing and glaring, it didn’t matter because the taste outweighed whatever taunting. I have many happy little memories of mustard leaves – hanging them on the clothes hanger while the neighbours watched with utmost perplexity, stuffing them into unused paint buckets (the lady tried stuffing them into a small jar today), cutting them up and mixing it with chilli and the lot – taking them to the waterfalls – getting into arguments with intolerant people, then chucking it at them as they were about to attack this. People think guns can protect them, but mustard leaves always did the trick The smell chased assailants away!

Please come and watch The Red Sense if you can! click here It’ll be worth your while

UPDATE FROM VICTORIA
Works on desalination plant has gone underway. article I’m currently on the fence with this issue. Some people support it, while others have their pitchforks out in protest. They’ve been defacing his electorate office every now and then – am feeling sorry for the electorate officers It’s a difficult portfolio to handle, but he’s doing a good job! He’s our MP, we voted for him with a 25% swing – and aside from getting lost in the wilderness, he hasn’t done anything drastic, so we back him regardless.

Random update from Victoria.
Our member for Higgins Peter Costello just resigned – so the political landscape is shaping up in Oz, and we may just have an opposition worthy of watching. Youth Parliament has ended, and our bill passed with one No! This is good news because we may just see some changes to our transport system. We are thinking of having a national children’s day after the west gate bridge incident & life is as normal as always.

I wrote this song for Tim Pek’s film. In a time when people are so quick to seek “vengeance and the such” on each other, there are those who don’t intend to do wrong, but are forced into it. In particular, many people, young and old, were forced to be Khmer Rouge soldiers. It was either that, or you and your family died. So… if you had a family, you had no choice. Tim’s film explores how one man who was forced to be a solider is coping with what he has done over 2 decades on and in a new country. This song is from the girl’s point of view.

I’m recording this soon, so will have mp3 up later. Writing music is much more relaxing and soothing than PhD research

Lyrics:

I forgive you

It wasnt long ago
when these fields were not filled with flowers
quiet sorrow flows
are the tears of my mothers

It wasn’t long ago
This field was just a paddock
The paddy fields grew
By the hands of mothers

i always wonder
why you pulled that trigger
although pain still lingers
my bitterness wont grow

because I forgive you, i forgive you
let’s move on
for the better

You said sorry, you said sorry
but I can’t keep hurting

I see that you are still wrestling
fighting the eyes of my fathers
I’m fearless like my mother
strong enough to see through this

I see that you are still wrestling
I know you had no choice
I’m fearless like my mother
strong enough to see through this

i forgive you

It wasnt long ago
when these fields were not filled with flowers
quiet sorrow flows
are the tears of my mothers

It wasn’t long ago
This field was just a paddock
The paddy fields grew
By the hands of mothers

i always wonder
why you pulled that trigger
although pain still lingers
my bitterness wont grow

because I forgive you, i forgive you
let’s move on
for the better

You said sorry, you said sorry
I can’t keep hurting

Great news! The Cambodian Association of Victoria Youth Group will be hosting a fundraising event with the screening of Tim Pek’s highly anticipated award winning film The Red Sense. We are fundrasing for the Khmer Well-Being fund, which seeks to help trauma victims, in particular those who went through the Khmer Rouge. Check out the trailer.

Feel free to download poster and distribute to friends.

Tickets can be bought through the Drum Theatre on 9771 6666.
Tickets are $16 for adults, $12 concession
Screening date: November 7. 6.45pm & 9.30pm

Join the facebook group for updates on other screening dates! Hopefully the ban will be lifted, and we can show it in Cambodia

here’s a song I wrote about living in multicultural Melbourne! I recorded it myself. Super thanks to awesome programs that help us edit it. all those years learning musical instruments has not gone to waste Enjoy. The song is dedicated to my beautiful mum!

Lyrics:
I came here with a little
I only had my identity
But I was given a chance to grow in this society
I came, explore and discovered who I am
I’m one of the folks that make up

My home, my wonderland
Everywhere I stand, anybody can stand
Shake hands with a curtsy
pirouette in a sarong.
Sing songs at the top of my lungs

Every corner
A pleasant surprise
New piece of knowledge
To enrich my life.
Always something different
Make it more interesting
In my won….
My wonderland

I came here not knowing
What life’s gonna be like
It’s always a bit scary when
Entering with blind sight
But everything worked out well
I got to keep to myself
so did everyone else

In our home, my wonderland
We greet each other
Hold different hands
Our path on the same footpath
Dreams and goals combined
As we build our country together.

In this place that we call home
Every voice speaks
Echoes we aren’t alone
I’ve found my treasure in my neighbour
In my won
My wonderful
All the friendly faces
Oh and dishes to taste
And oh dance steps to learn ..and

Seeing fancy clothing
Hearing new melodies
that everyone sings.
This is what I yearn
And I have it all

In my home, my wonderland.