Chinese Lessons, Pt 2

Yet, Chinese teachers are also the ones that made and impacted my life positively too. I bite my words that heritage cannot be seen through my Chinese teachers. Somehow they displayed patience better than a fisherman. (No, I am not going into some Chinese saying here)

The fond memories of touching moments with my Chinese teachers sticks right in my head. Let me bring you down memory lane now... (my moment of nostalgia)

Primary School, which wasn't too long ago....
I was so bad in my Chinese by the time I reached Primary 6, my teacher actually arranged for me to see her first thing in the morning to read pages from the Chinese Textbook to her aloud. It was a bitter-sweet thing. I enjoyed it when I had prepared the night before, the sense of achievement was like self-actualization. I felt embarrassed and a waste of my teacher's time when I didn't prepare the night before, and messed up the session. I never remembered once she scolded me for messing up, however bad it could get. I must say, her patience was good.

I've always knew my teachers practiced reversed psychology. They just pretended to be silly and easily bullied.

I've always admired my Chinese teachers' patience with me throughout the years of my Chinese school days. I never saw it this way until I graduated. By then, its too late to make up for the damage already done.

Its been some years since I have stopped doing Mandarin as a compulsary subject. I've been to China twice too.

I enjoy reading Amy Tan's novels. It depicts one growing up American, yet uses the imaginery of 'Chinese eyes' to view certain things. An interesting and refeshing novels that makes you think about perspective.

Its only not being coerced into doing Mandarin by the system, that I truly take it upon my personal interest to find out more about my culture, learn the language, and try to speak it fluently. Its not too little, too late yet. Somehow when we are older, and the interest sets in, the power to purser somehow becomes greater.

As I run to find and, once again, discover my culture and roots, I remember this Chinese saying that goes, ˆù�…ŽvŒ¹, where one must never forget where the source of his river sprang forth from...