Posted: 15 Jun 2014 01:37 AM PDT

As the end of my first semester at Zheda looms near, I did a little reflection and looked back on my journey to studying Mandarin. I've actually talked about it briefly on my very first post in this blog. But this time, I'd like to offer you the full story. I never have thought I would actually follow up on my intention to master a new language, let alone having the guts to fly off to China to study. So, this is my story. I hope that it would add a sprinkle of courage for those of you who have been wanting to learn a new language :)

Truth be told, I have started learning Mandarin on and off since I was in primary school. My friend's mother opened up a Chinese language school and I joined because a) a lot of my friends were doing it and b) I got a discount. So, I joined and it was really fun. However, it got to a point where Mandarin becomes so hard and I lost motivation. Furthermore, I moved to another middle school and the schedule just didn't match.

In middle school however, there was an option for a Mandarin elective, and once again I took it. I figured I've learned it before, might as well continue. At the start, I got on fairly well, because I learned a lot of the materials back in primary school. But, I faced the same brick wall as I did years ago, it got too hard. And again, I lost motivation.

I abandoned it completely in high school, and the thought of studying Mandarin again didn't occur to me until I got to university.

Being exposed to an international environment in my university days somehow sparked my interest to master another language. Perhaps it was the fact that I hear so many different languages in my daily life, plus I was very impressed at people who studied languages as their major. When I found out that there was a Confucius Institute at my university and that I could take the course for free, I jumped in.

The same scenario I faced in middle school played out again. It was even harder in university because the academic pressures were harder than ever before. Like most final year students the burden of the dissertation got the best of me. I began to slack off from my Mandarin classes, and found it very frustrating to get a grasp of the language.

Despite the fact, I was determined to continue.

As my graduation day looms near, I was faced with the ultimate struggle of not knowing what to do next. I struggled with choosing a career path, but at the same time, I wanted to still test the waters before committing to a job. It took a two-month stint at an internship to realise that I really want to work in the media, and be a part of a team who reports important news to the public.

So, in the middle of my daydreaming/goal-planning session, I decided that my long-term career goal is to someday work in the Asia bureau of an international news organisation.

Why Asia? Well, because most of the world's population lives in Asia and a lot of development is bound to happen here. I am Asian, and I grew up in Asia. I have a strong connection with its culture, I understand the issues the region is facing and I'm passionate about contributing to its development.

Anyway, I digress. This whole thinking about the future thing had me thinking about what additional asset that would make me stand out a little more? And so, this is where language comes in.

It is a no-brainer that China is growing stronger and more influential, not just in Asia, but in the world. Plus, if my long-term goal is to work in an Asia bureau, most of them are located in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong or Singapore. All of which have a population of Chinese speakers. Plus, a common requirement to work in Asian bureaus is to have fluency of an Asian language.

With all that in mind, I made a firm decision to seriously study Mandarin. Other than that, I have to say that my dad was a big influence in my decision. Ever since I was young he has been very adamant in convincing me about the importance of Mandarin. Furthermore, for as long as I know, he is an enthusiast of Chinese history and politics, and he was absolutely more than happy with my decision to leave the hometown for another year.

And how have I been holding up so far?

It's been 还可以. I have to say, learning Mandarin full-time and being in an environment where using the language is key to your survival, makes for a significant progress in mastering the language. I have learned more in the first 3 months since arriving in China than I ever did in a year and a half learning part-time at the Confucius Institute.

My Mandarin is still far from fluent and there are still a lot of areas that I need to improve, but my confidence in using the language has increased greatly. The end of the semester looms near and finals are coming. I've signed up for the summer course, in hope that I could jump a level next semester. I've also planned an epic travel adventure in the summer, and hope that it will take me closer to understanding more of China's diversity and culture.

On Making Connections With Places | From Nasi Padang to ...

Posted: 19 Jul 2014 09:50 AM PDT

I came across Imogen Heap's music video for her song titled Xizi She Knows, while I was browsing through her Youtube profile for some of her amazing new stuff. Imogen Heap is one of my favourite musicians ever, mainly because she really is a musical genius. The kind of artist who is able to find art wherever she goes.

I remember watching the music video probably about 2 years ago when it came out, but never really paid attention about where the video was shot. I just remembered it was an amazing short film with equally amazing music by a very talented artist. I especially loved that bit in the end where a dancer is improvising amongst the publishing machines for the newspaper. But, when I stumbled upon the video a few minutes ago, I was shocked to see that the video was shot in Hangzhou.

I just find it pretty crazy that when I watched the video again, it evoked different emotions than it did the first time. All because I now have a connection with the images of the places in the music video. I watch the video and smile to myself as I marveled at how beautiful the West Lake is. And chuckled at that bit at the start of the video where motorcyclist nearly collided, a scene you'd see once too many times here in Hangzhou. Not to mention how the video perfectly captures Hangzhou as a modern, fast-growing city, yet its people still uphold its tradition and appreciate the nature it has been blessed with. It just made me realise what made me really like Hangzhou in the first place.

Now, I haven't appreciated Hangzhou much lately. The summer heat has got the better of me, and it seems that every time I have to go outside I curse at either the bus, the motorcycles or the sound of old men spitting on the sidewalk. But, for the past 5 months, I have to call this place home.

Furthermore, watching the music video and feeling a stronger connection to it got me thinking of the past few weeks here in Hangzhou. You see, the semester just ended early this month, and I'm now just about to finish up my summer course. It has been one hell of a ride, and I still can't believe I have survived China. Anyways, when the semester ended, it was also the end of the journey for most of my friends, and while every one were aching to go back home, a lot of what we talked about was the connection they've built to Hangzhou and to China. For some who have never experienced living outside their hometown or home country, I believe it was hard to fathom how much a dot on a map could mean so much. That dot on a map is no longer just some obscure city we know nothing about. That dot now holds multitude of experiences and memories — ones that makes the stories we'll tell our family, friends or random people at parties. For now on when looking up Hangzhou on the map we'd remember looking across the West Lake on a misty rainy day, holding our breath as we walk down the street because we caught a whiff of Chou Tofu and hiking up the mountains only to find that the sky was too smoggy to look past West Lake.

It really is amazing this connection we make to places. I mean, rewind to two years ago when I watched the video above and I would have never believed that I would eventually experience what was presented in the video. It's also a gentle reminder to not take this city for granted. Sure, I'm fed up and annoyed at the heat, the traffic, the bus that never comes. At those time I've just forgotten that hey, yknow what, I'm living in quite a beautiful, lively place right now. Something not all people could enjoy. So, yes, the traffic sucks and the noise is unbearable, but maybe it's a sign that I should explore more of the city and find its beauty somewhere. Maybe I just haven't found it yet, and it's waiting to be found.

I consider the above music video as a love letter to Hangzhou, and an eye-opener for me, who have almost lost faith in the city. Although, I will leave in 5 days to begin an adventure to explore more of China, I can't wait to come back in 7 weeks and kick off another 6 months here in Hangzhou.

To treasure it all, scroll out to see
In gold, fire, wood, clay and water
Your structure and flow, adagio to allegro
With leaves to the tide
In full moon, plum blossom, we salute to you

Imogen Heap made the music video during her residency in Hangzhou, China back in 2011. More on some pretty cool behind-the-scene stuff on the Xizi She Knows mini-site. Her latest album Sparks, due to release in August 2014, is a 3-year long project which took her to China, India and Bhutan. If you're not a fan of her yet, go check out her Youtube channel and website.

Everyone Should Live In China At Least Once | From Nasi Padang ...

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 02:46 AM PDT

Image – Flickr mikelutz

Preferably, when you're young and resilient, so you can handle the pollution. Living in the pollution will make you question how so many people can live like this, to have days where you can't see the sun because of the smog. Living in the pollution will make you have a greater appreciation for the environment, and perhaps, to be more active in conserving it.

Live in China, and be surrounded by the 1.4 billion people that inhabit the country. Surprisingly enough, there will be moments where you feel completely and utterly alone. You will learn the power of human interaction, and you will learn to appreciate your friends and family more. You might become more shameless, and be more prone to striking up conversations with strangers. You'll build relationships that you never would have had otherwise.

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Go and live in China, for the sake…

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Friday, 1 August 2014

Blog Nasi Padang - 我的学习汉语的原因: My Reasons for Studying Mandarin | From Nasi ...

Blog Nasi Padang - 我的学习汉语的原因: My Reasons for Studying Mandarin | From <b>Nasi</b> <b>...</b>

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