FOR Angela Ting Shin Wei, 19, teaching fellow students how to sing Malaysia’s national anthem was a good way to introduce her beloved country to them.

Angela was part of Wisconsin-based Lawrence University’s Viking Chorale choir group that performed at an “Around the World Concert” earlier this year.

Led by Prof Richard Bjella, the concert was aimed at honouring the university’s diverse student body and promoting cultural understanding.

“This year, we got to feature a medley of 11 national anthems from Malaysia, China, the Philippines, Mexico, Spain, Iceland, Cyprus, Japan, Thailand, South Korea and France,” said Angela.

The singers were taught to sing the anthems by their fellow students.

“I taught my classmates to sing Negaraku, including the meaning of the lyrics.

“I was impressed with how well they were able to pronounce the Malay words, after just three rehearsals!,” said Angela, a pre-Law student who hopes to pursue a political science and international relations degree.

She was given the honour to sing solo at the beginning of the anthem too.

“The concert gave me the opportunity to promote Malaysia’s cultures to Americans and learn about other cultures too,” she recalled.

Angela takes her role of Malaysian cultural ambassador seriously.

“Malaysians studying abroad should always seize any opportunity to share our culture with others,’’ she advised.

• Please wait.

• MPs can earn up to RM10,000 per month
• Ten important items for you to prepare for the inevitable
• Abdul Wahid and Paul Low taking huge pay cuts
• Professionals warn there is too much of office space in the Klang Valley
• Should Sime Darby also demerge; big values can be created by spinning off companies
• Battersea Power Station's Phase 1 records RM3.12b sales
• Take action against Kian Ming, voter told
• Analysis - Little sign Abe can shake up Japan's inbound FDI
• BToto hopes to list business trust in Singapore end-August
• Stern action awaits rally-goers