As I'm packing the last six months of my life into 2 large suitcases, I can't help thinking how quickly time flies. It seems like only yesterday when I arrived in Shanghai, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to take on world hunger...hmmm...And as I sift through the vignettes of my life in China, there's no denying that I've learnt some valuable lessons:
- First and foremost, my command of Mandarin has improved (hip, hip hooray!) after 40 arduous hours of classroom time. This really means a lot because I've always had a mental block with the Chinese language. It's been a (secret) source of frustration not being able to understand or speak Mandarin. So while I'm not yet a classical scholar, I feel a lot more comfortable carrying out simple conversations in casual and business settings.
- Secondly, I've opened up and allowed myself to be amazed by 5000 years of Chinese history and culture. Having seen the Terracotta Warriors, Great Wall, Forbidden City, Grand Canal and gardens of Suzhou with my own eyes, I leave with a greater sense of understanding and respect for the achievements of my ancestors. And yes, I'll definitely think twice before glorifying the superiority of Western over Eastern civilisation again.
- Thirdly, I believe that China is starting to reclaim prominence on the world stage. We are on the brink of a new Chinese dynasty and only time will tell if its achievements will rival the golden years of the Han, Tang or Ming dynasties. And the rise of nationalism and pride of 1.3 billion Chinese citizens is something that we're all going to have to learn to contend with in the future.
Of course not! Joanna Yeoh will happily remain a colourful mosaic of East and West - striving to make the best of both worlds.
No comments:
Post a Comment