Multi Cultural Diversity Problems in Movies

Few days ago, when I was "trying" to do my reports, like always, I ended up doing something else. This time.. I ran to youtube and found this old videos of The King and I that was produced half a century ago. It's about a widowed English woman who went to Siam Kingdom (Thailand at present) to teach the King's son. She ended up teaching all of his children and some of his wives and concubines.

I have watched the new version of the movie (Anna and The King) a few times before, but it was long time ago and I don't remember it well anymore. But the original version is interesting as well. I took me time to find the original movie, but then I managed it. It's a cute black & white movie, I love the children of the king, they left a big impression when they first appear. There are some differences from the plot of the story with the new one, but both are interesting. I like the King in the original version better though, maybe he looks like my old crush hahahahaha.

Something that I realized when I watched the movie is that unconsciously I was analyzing them!!! Thanks to the Multi Cultural Diversity subject at school I believe.. It's not really obvious in the original movie, maybe because it's more to the musical and drama side rather than giving a little bit more authenticity of the situations while the newer version is more to drama and action but in a more realistic side.

It's incredible how I notice things without actually want to notice it. Like the way they bow in the western society and the eastern society, like her head must never be higher than the king's and how the Thai's custom to put touch their forehead to the floor when they saw the king or no one is allowed to stand in the presence of the king.

The funny part is also when they called her 'Sir', since in their culture no woman could get a formal audience with the important people, therefore they called her 'Sir'. lol
She was also angry when the prime minister asked personal questions to her when she first arrived and she just want to get it done to the 'business' and the prime minister doesn't like it coz it is a custom to know the person personally before going down to 'business'.

The part that the son of Anna confused about why the king has so many wives were also interesting. Since in the west, they only accept monogamy while it is very common for the kings in the east to have hundreds of wives. Anna herself found it uncomfortable to answer that.

There are also lots of other topics that were in the movie such as slavery, torture of the prisoners, the degradation of women, the table manners, dancing, way of dress, cultural beliefs and other things that I don't remember now or even unnoticed by me.



Funny Quotes from The King and I (the way I remember it anyway):

King: "Oh you come to apologize"
Anna: "I'm sorry your majesty but...
King: "Do it and apologize!!"
Anna: "Your Majesty.. I.....
King: "I accept!"
Anna: "Your Majesty, nothing had been said and all the fact that...
King: "Sileeeeennceee....."

King: "I only have 10* children I know it's not much compared to the Emperor of China cause I only have 2* wives and 5* concubines. You see, I spent half of my life in the monastery and I've been trying to make it up. And oh, 10 children is coming"

King: "A girl must be.. like a blossom with honey.. for just 1 man. A man must live like honey bee... and gather all he can.. To fly from blossom to blossom.... A honeybee must be free... But blossom must not ever fly..... from bee.. to bee.. to bee.."

King: "1 2 3, 1 2 3..... something wrong. Oh I forgot and!!! 1 2 3 and 1 2 3 and.."



Anna and The King:

Prime Minister: "If this thing is going on, she would be the equal of a man"
King: "Not the equal of a man, prime minister, but the equal of the king"

If I die young....

I just listen to a song cover by Sam Tsui and Kurt Schneider... If I Die Young.....

Well.. I'm not planning to end my life young, no I don't... but who could know what will happen? I hope I could live forever young.. but again, it's impossible unless vampires are real and I could become one. :D

But well no one could tell when someone would die, it's all in the God's hands. So... just in case if something happens to me and I die young... I would like to tell this to everyone...

Believe me.. I have enjoyed my life the fullest.

I have fell in love and experienced it.
I have lots of my friends that I could trust and share my life with.
I have seen half of the world with my own eyes.
I have played music, sung and danced to my heart content with all the melodies of the world.
I have met lots of people from all over the world that left tiny little foot steps in my life.
I have experienced flying.
I have swam in the ocean, lake and river.
I have went to the jungle, climbed the trees and experience the nature.
I have read hundreds of stories and create some.
I have taste lots of wonderful and amazing foods from all over the world.
I have seen the world from my point of view, learned the magic and fell in love with it.

I could say that I have no regret in my life, perhaps my biggest regret and despair is to die before my mother and father.

But believe me, if I die... I would be flying with the stars and explore the galaxies like I used to dream when I was young, I would be happy and you should too.

If I die young bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Send me away with the words of a love song
then you can go and celebrate
coz I'm going to a much better place
I would be singing and dancing all day
with no more worries and pain

Things to do before Graduation

Today I watched a short movie made by Kurt Schneider in YouTube.. It's basically a short movie made for the graduation.. It's sweet in a way and cute too.

One think that actually gave me inspiration is to make a to do list before graduation. This semester is also my last semester in university. I might not be taking any other education program which means it might be my last chance on experiencing university life.. It hits me like a big stone in the face... I never actually considered it that way, and now that I realized it.... I need to make my own list..

I don't want to graduate with any regrets about things that I've never done in university life. :D

I've started to make my list, and it also surprised me... I haven't done any crazy things during my university life.. I guess it's a good sign.. but also.. I think I need to experience the crazy things too.. coz it's my last chance anyway.

I have never been drunk before in my whole life.. but yea.. I guess I need to try it once.

I have never celebrate Halloween with really dressed up, so... this is also my last chance.

You could also say that I never make a move to the person that I fell in love with, and I think I need to do it too... well... if I fell in love in this last semester though.. if it's not.. then... it's fine :D

Ok.. this one is from my room mate, when I asked her for her suggestions and opinion... she told me that I need to just kiss a random cute guy. Because she said.. c'mon it's university life, you need to do that at least once!! Well... I guess that's true too.. I never kissed any guy which is not my boyfriend before... and yea... it's crazy university life anyway :D

I'll keep this list and up date it from time to time... I don't want to have any regrets when I'm graduating because of the things that I didn't do before... ^^

BA update

Well, well......

I haven't updated anything for sometimes now.... well... truthfully I'm busy, but also.. occupied and of course... forgot hahaha..

The first snow has fell down here a couple of days ago, but ti's still a wet snow and it doesn't stay at all on the ground... so you can say it's like rain still, but it will be white and pretty soon :)
I also heard rumors from Asia that this year's winter is the coldest winter in 100 years....... Well.. it's not a good news at all for me. I'm living 15 minutes from school now and if it's going to be very cold... then it won't be good for me!! and I really hope that it's only a rumor, I mean... there's no such news about it here... so... it's only a rumor right?? :D

I have submitted the proposal of my dissertation, it's not as easy as I thought it would be honestly, but I think it should be okay. There are some things that I'm worrying about, like the way I'm going to do my primary research, seriously it's not really reliable way... but... I can't do it reliably. I don't have the time, connection or funds to do the proper research. So.. we'll see about the comments about it soon.

After the proposal... basically I'm in such a relax mood.. so I started watching some cartoons.. the "Nurarihyon no Mago" and "Avatar, the Last Airbender" :D
I love both of the cartoons a lot. Especially I also enjoy the opening song in Nurarihyon no Mago.. and it turns out that the band is Canadian-Japanese with this weird name "Monkey Majik", but they're amazing and I love all of their songs so far and so in love with the melody. Their songs already keep playing in my mind for a few days now but still persistent there :). If there's a guy that I quite like and sing "With You" by the band... I would be in love hahahahahaha.

Talking about love... my other best friend also just got a boyfriend recently. It's a nice event, since I could see that she's much happier now and the guy is also a good guy :D. And myself?? Still the same as always hahaha. Maybe I'm too picky, but lots of other girls also agree that in our environment right now there's not much decent choice.. so it's not only me! hahaha

So... also... why do I suddenly remember the blog?? Well.. got to write some reflective log for one of my assignments... yup.. it's just reminded me of this blog hahahahaha

well... back to the original plan.... assignments!!!! :D