Disclaimer: In Real Life is a platform for everyday people to share their experiences and voices. All articles are personal stories and do not necessarily echo In Real Life’s sentiments.
At that time, I was selling books and such. I stopped working when I was taking my PMR, but I continued working again at 16 as a waitress in a restaurant in Midvalley. I was working due to how bad our financial situation was.
I have eight siblings altogether. I’m the fourth child.
My first and second siblings did not get to finish their studies. My third sibling managed to graduate with a diploma in business. Initially, I was doing Foundation in Law but I had to quit.
So, my two eldest siblings and I did not manage to further pursue our studies.
Leaving One Path For Another
For me, the situation that our whole family was facing at the time was the main reason why I chose not to continue with my foundation studies. It was a mixed situation that is too complicated to be explained, and I personally do not wish to elaborate further.
After I stopped studying, I was just mostly sitting at home. I helped sell nasi lemak. I saved my money, and sure, I gave some to my parents, but I saved most of it for myself too. I have a lot of ambitions and dreams, but I don’t really know which are the best for me.
[source: Yente Van Eynde on Pexels.com]
The Ultimate Dream
My big dream is to be a chef, especially somewhere outside of Malaysia.
But the competition is fierce, and there aren’t many female chefs, so I really have to compete with others.
Since we’ve been stuck in MCO, I doubt I’d ever be able to progress in my position.
Currently, I am a “commis” chef at a hotel, which is like an assistant to the chef. My specialty is in a “cool” kitchen where we make appetisers like salad bars, fruits, and such. In culinary circles, we’re also known as Garde Manger.
[source: Roderick Salatan on Pexels.com]
Finding Passion In Cooking
I love to cook. I find that I have passion for this, so I figured, why not? My favourite dishes to cook are Thai foods. I love Thai food, and I like tomyam.
[Image taken by the author]
During MCO, I would make Tiktok videos because my boss asked me to, as things were very uneventful during that time. During my free time, I watch ‘plating’ videos which is the art of knowing how to plate your food which will make them look more appealing to the customer.
And while I would love to get better pay, I need the experience first. I hope that in the end, things will be alright in the year to come.
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