mara interview

so i got a panel which consisted of a lady, who didn't talk AT ALL, who just flipped through my sijils and nodding at my answers (good sign? i hope so) and a man, who laid back in his chair, asking me questions. when the girl before me came out of the room, i asked her, 'okay? baik tak diaorang?' and she said, 'okay. best.' and so i thought, 'hey maybe these people would cut me some slack'

so i walked into the room, and the guy had a serious frown on his face okay. sheesh. great. but i just wished them assalamualaikum and i guess the atmosphere became a little lighter after that. i don't remember much about the interview, honestly, and it was pretty short (dissapointingly) and the more i think about it...eh.

a few questions they didn't ask me (whose answers i prepared, grr)
I) why do you want to do medicine
II) why do you want to study in the u.k.

they did ask me:
Q: why MARA, not JPA?
A: because eventually i want to open a clinic to help my fellow countrymen while increasing the social and economic growth of the country and I think that my dream is parallel to MARA's vision of producing more bumiputera entrepreneurs. it is my hope that MARA can help me achieve this dream, blah blah blah.

Q: but JPA can also help you achieve your dream, right?
A: of course, there are more than one solutions to a problem, but i think as a bumiputera i should practice my right to apply for the MARA scholarship, and maybe indirectly even help non-bumis secure the JPA scholarship.
(can you tell i completely tembak this question? yeah, well. the man did nod at my answer to this, so i'm feeling optimistic.)

Q: So, other than helping bumiputera entrepreneurs, what else do you think MARA does?
A: (stutter, stutter GRR) um. please correct me if i'm wrong (he nods) but i think MARA also helps to develop infrastructure for towns and rural areas.

Q: So you're from a girl's school, eh? (cue me nodding) in high preparatory levels you'll have to mix around with boys tau. do you think you can adapt to that kind of surroundings?
A: -________________-"
(this is where i had to stop my self from rolling my eyes and muttering what. the. hell. under my breath. funniest stuff ever.)

all in all, i think it went o-kay. except for the stuttering sikit at the mara question, but i hope that won't leave much of a bruise. it was nice seeing familiar faces there :) and the people i met on tat day were extremely friendly. well, most of them. there was this one girl i tried making a conversation with while waiting for the lift:
me: so, apply apa?
her: medic
me: oh, samelah
her: *smiles and doesn't say another word*

there was also another guy who finished the interview almost the same time as i did, and asked me if the interviewers asked me any 'soalan psycho'. and a guy, who came from kedah and spoke with a very thick accent exclaimed that the interviewers "cakap orang putih!" LOL. it was a nice day, except for the fact that while waiting for the registration table to open, i felt like i was choking on my own tongue. but those pass very quickly. just have to wait until may, i suppose. apparently, the second week of may, according to my interviewer. yay more waiting.