Mitra Ricky - Story #7

Schools

Mitra went to Princess Elizabeth Primary School and Bukit Batok Secondary School.

When she was in primary school, she enjoyed life to the fullest. "Fun" was what mattered to her most then.

When she was in secondary school, it was not all play. She was taught what life was, truly and really. She was being prepared to think for her future and to plan ahead, as she began to realize that many a time, when a decision is made, we don't and cannot do a "U turn". She had at one time or another done badly for her exams and the pain that she suffered from the setback helped her treasure and cherish the sweetness of the subsequent success. She used to take Higher Tamil, one of her favorite subjects, at the Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre. She is still active in this school by helping out with the events as she feels that it was like a second home to her, where she got to use her mother tongue. She had lots of fun from her co-curricular activities (library and media club) and had forged excellent friendships with both her schoolmates and teachers. She was really close to her teachers, such as Mr Latiff, Mrs Alvin, Mr Andy Lee and Miss Kavitha Channdra, whom she respected a lot. She said she was one of the "lucky" group who got to enjoy the facilities of the newly refurbished state-of-the-art campus.  Overall,  she concludes that her days at Bukit Batok Secondary School were truly her best years so far.

Mitra, who is now 17, is eagerly awaiting to start school at  Ngee Ann Polytechnic to pursue a course in child psychology and early education, to help prepare her in realising her ambition as an allied educator.

Family

Mitra is the elder child and her parents are in their early fifties. Being illiterate themselves, her parents place significant importance on their children's education. To them, having a good education is the first step to a richer life.

Her dad has always taught them to give, without expecting anything in return and mum always emphasizes the need to get along with others. Mitra cherishes those Sunday mornings spent having breakfast at the coffee shops with her family. Her relatives and cousins included, are like gems to her as they are always just a phone call away from her, laughing with her during the good times and supporting her during the not so good times.

Dad's fatigue and sweat from work motivates Mitra to work hard in her studies. Mum has always tried to meet her request for toys and clothes, even though it was financially a strain to do so. But, dad and mum were strict with her too, as she was allowed to go out with her friends, only from the age of 16. Nonethless, Mitra is thankful and proud to be their daughter.

I asked Mitra if she would like to have a different sort of childhood. She sincerely felt that her kind of childhood was all that she wanted. Her childhood was mostly spent in Bishan and she had all her cousins to play with. Though simple, she treasures every moment of it, especially those times she spent playing on the swing at the playground. Till today, she has fond memories of it.

Mitra with her cousins, she is right in the middle

Lesson
I asked Mitra what was the most memorable lesson she had learnt. Her reply was this. "Not to take studies for granted and that education is really very important." She explained that during the holidays, she went to work as a packer to help her family financially. She learnt how difficult the job was and empathised with the plight of many who do not have a good educational background, which brought her appreciation for her dad to a deeper level. She began to feel her dad's struggle and pain, the price with which he paid to bring about the smiles on his children's face. Every dad is an extraordinary dad who strives to put bread on the table for the family.

Personality

So what is Mitra's personality like? To her, life as a teenager was initially frightening as it meant entering into the adult world in a matter of years. Yet, it has proven to be an amazing journey so far. Her hobbies? She loves to sing songs, listen to music and write poems. When she is angry, she writes poems, listen to and sings songs to defuse her anxiety. Mitra feels that she is growing up to become a very versatile person and she is someone who dares to give a shot at trying new things. I asked Mitra what she would do to someone whom she dislikes. She said typically, humans, when provoked, have a desire to get back at the other person. Instead of exacerbating the situation, she would rather leave the source of conflict and utter a prayer that she will not be bothered by it anymore. She even wished them well. "It may seem so fake but seriously, those who know me will understand that I mean what I have just said," Mitra explained.

To understand Mitra better, I asked her if she liked to be famous. She replied, "It is always nice to be recognized but at the same time, it is very pressurising as any little action by me could create a stir and become the centre of discussions."

I went on to ask if she has a chance to impact another person, what would it be? She said it would be to remind them not to neglect their parents who have suffered to give them a good life.

Money wise, Mitra is thrifty and frugal. Young as she may be, she saves for times of emergency. Occasionally, she indulges by buying stuff for her family and friends on their birthdays.

Mitra's favourite food is Seafood Chilli Crab and Tom Yam Soup and her favourite books are Dead Beautiful and Angels and Demons.

Well, of course, being the founder of Journey2Canada, I ended my interview  with a question. Has she been to Canada? She said she has been to Thailand, India and Malaysia but not Canada. She would love to come and dreams of visiting the Niagara Falls.

May Mitra's dream come true!

Mitra, with her friends, she is the girl in the middle, holding the Physics tectbook