The Lives of 2 beautiful souls + 1 more..*love*

Juz finished cryin..I am goin to write abt wat made me cry..

I reached home @ abt 6.30 pm..Took off my scarf n read e Classfieds..Saw an ad n gave a call..Dis is the followin conversation..

Her: Any qualifications? CPT?
Me: DPT..
Her: Experience?
Me: I worked @ a kindergarten for a year..
Her: Expected salary?
Me: Negotiable..depends on how much e centre is offerin..
Her: Can u come down for an interview?
Me: Ok..when?
Her: Tomolow morning?
Me: Sory I cant as I haf another interview..
Her: Can u come down now?
Me: NOW??
Her: Wher do u live?
Me: Tampines..Btw, wher is this centre & wats its name?
Her: ********** @ Pasir Ris West Mall..
Me: West Mall?? ( to my knowledge, thers no west mall..only elias mall) How do I go ther?
Her: Take 81..
Me: Its ok..I tink I noe wher..I will be driving..
Her: How long do u take to come here?
Me: Abt 15 mins?
Her: Ok..c u..

After tat, I rushed to grab my scarf from the laundry basket..Thankfully, its not crumpled..Top up my make up, screamin all over e house, sayin tat I haf to go for an interview now n tat I feel like a delivery boy who has to attend to his clients' need immediately..Grabbed my keys after lookin @ e street directory @ e web to find a way to e centre..Found out tat its at Pasir Ris West Plaza, nt West Mall..

Drove to e centre..Thankfully, I didnt get lost..Went to look at e surroundin..Pretty nice..

Went to e centre..First impression: Very nice..I was greeted warmly n was lead to e office wher e supervisor was..She took one look @ me n said, 'I hope u brought along ur certs.' I replied, 'I do.'

There was another teacher in the room..She sat beside me as I was being interviewed..I placed my portfolio on the table n immediately was asked dis qn..'Are u modern?' I replied, 'Depends on how u define modern'..She asked, 'Do u mind takin off ur scarf?' For a moment, I was speechless..

E conversation continues..

Me: Excuse me??
Her: Do u mind takin off ur scarf??
Me: Yes, I will not take off my scarf..Y do u ask?
Her: Oh..cos our centre policy is tat we dun employ teachers who wear scarf..
Me: *speechless*

Me: Y is tat so?
Her: We used to haf a teacher who wore scarf..den we received a complaint from parents..E teacher was wearin black scarf n black outfit so the parents said that the children were scared..
Me:...................Do u currently haf any malay teachers?
Her: Yes..We haf..1..2..erm..6..we haf 6 malay teachers..
Me: All not wearin scarves??
Her: Oh..Some wear..but once they are in e centre, they take off..when they leave, they put on again..Y u cannot take off? Cos of ur father issit??
Me: *become reli pissed* NO..Its my own personal belief..I do not take off my scarf..
Me: Do any parents come into e classrooms?
Her: yes..sometimes visitors too..
Me: (in my heart, I was tinkin..if no outsider comes inside e classroom, den its reasonable..bt now not onli parents..visitors oso enter e classrooms..how can u remove ur scarf!!)
Her: I'm sory..we cant employ u..
Me:(had a hard time controllin my emotions n so I talked extra carefully)I juz finished my practicum.. I rushed here..I was from home..took off my scarf (to dis pt, she interrupted me n said,' Oh, at home no need to wear scarf? I replied, 'yes'..she said, 'I dunno ur traditions..now I noe') I wore my scarf again n rushed here as u wanted to interview me immediately..
Her: U were from practicum? DPT practicum?
Me: No..DPL..
Her: DPL got practicum meh? I neva hear b4..
Me: (in my heart..ridiculous..it proves that she as a supervisor do not haf DPL cert)..DP has practicum..
Her: I'm sory..Btw, u haf a nice smile..I like ur smile..I'm sory once again..U told me u are havin another interview tomolow,ryte? so I wish u all e best..
Me: *faint smile*..U shld haf mention abt ur centre nt employin scarf-wearin teachers..

I stood up..Took my portfolio..Shook her hands n left the room with her showin me out..She can still say dis..

Her: 'I didnt noe u wear scarf..So hard to judge over the phone.'
Me: *gave her a blank, wateva look*..
Her: 'U drive here ryte? u always drive to work?'
Me: 'No..I onli drove todae as I was rushin here for e interview..'

With that, I left e centre..Took out my phone..Called home n talked to my sis..Tears started to well in my eyes..Told her abt e interview briefly..Hung up n called dearie..Talked to dearie till I reached my car..Shut myself n e car n pour out all my emotions..Hung up n drove home..

When I reached home, my daddy was lookin at me wit a puzzled look..like y am I wit red eyes n sad face..I went straight to my room where my sisters were..Sat down on e bed n burst into tears..They immediately came to me n gave me tissues, askin, 'asal!! asal!! wat happened?' Told them e whole episode while sobbin..

I cried cos I was mad..I cried cos I was upset..How could the centre tell their staff nt to wear? How can they base their judgement on some dumb comment?? So wat if the teacher happened to wear black..Juz tell her nt to wear black again.Simple!! Obviously, the parents were giving somewat racist remarks..Dis is SINGAPORE!! Multicultural..MULTIRACIAL..Everywhere u can c ladies wearin scarves..

I was mad..upset..wit my OWN MUSLIM SISTAZ..Those who are workin in tat centre n took off ur scarves..How could u stoop so low so as to take off ur scarf for ur job?? The principal can tell me tat the malay teachers said dey can take off their scarves once they are at e centre but muz wear when dey go out of the centre..Wat values are u impartin in the society?? Can put on n take off scarf as when u feel like it?? Principal addressed it as tradition n even called it modern..MODERN?? TRADITION?? ITS RELIGION!!! Now tat U, Malay teachers, so willingly follow the centre's stupid policy, U turn ur back to God..May God forgive ur foolishness..

So tats y I cried..I was feelin so emotional..She neva even glanced at my portfolio..All she wanted to hear was whether I was willin to take off my scarf since her own malay teachers took off theirs..

Sorry to disappoint u..I am mad wit U..U made me rush..U wasted my time..

Tears in anger..Tears in feelin hurt..All dried up..But my heart still hurts..

Ppl tell me tat I shldnt cry..I shld be proud tat I dun abandon my beliefs for a job..Yes, I am proud..Bt I still am utterly disappointed with the whole episode..Dearie said tat the job is nt blessed by God( tak de berkat)..Iman oso said, 'jux take it as Allah thinks u deserve another better place to work at'..I am glad I am nt workin ther..Its not my loss..Its theirs..

I learnt from this episode..how? I immediately called the centre which I was goin to be interviewed tomolow..I asked the principal whether the centre employ scarf-wearin teachers..To tat, she replied, 'yes'. I gave a sigh of relief..Syukur Alhamdulillah..

Tomolow, I am havin 2 interviews..E other centre's principal alredy know tat I am wearin scarf..Do pray for me tat both interviews go on smoothly..

Todae's interview will foreva be in my memory..