Don't Forget Who You Are or Where You're From

Found this at Baidu that I really like.

"生命中，不断地有人离开或进入，于是，我们记住了很多人的名字，最终却又忘记很多；不断地有得到和失去，于是，我们得到了很多的欢笑，也品尝了人世间的疾苦；不断地有各种各样的情感方式敲击着我们的灵魂，于是，我们会因为一部电影而落泪，更会因为一首好歌而哼唱很多年。每天我们都会听到一些歌曲，忘掉一些歌曲，有时被人提醒才会想起曾经遗忘的过去，生命中的某一个时刻，我们也会特别留恋某一种东西..."

LOL...yes, it's hard to read 'cuz it's in simplified Chinese, but it's a good way to learn. If I can read (hehehe...some of them) with my 3rd grade level Chinese then I'm sure a lot of you out there can. Talking about reading Chinese, I really have to thank one of my 5th grade friends (sad that we're no longer in touch). She lent me my 1st comic book, 小甜甜 (looking for the set to collect if anyone knows where I can find them).

With my comic books, I was able to join my parents' and brother's reading club. They would read their 金庸小說 and I would read mine. That's pretty much how I kept my Chinese and as I joined the Chinese Choir at my church in S.F., I started learning new words (each new songs I would ask someone to sit w/me). Also, watching the Chinese shows with my family helped (and it's a great bonding time). Unfortunately, I started forgetting them after I went to college (only slightly used them when I would go Karaoke w/my Hong Kong friends and someone had to read the lyrics while I sing...=P). It wasn't until one day when I was at work, my mentor told me to never forget who I am and where I'm from, regardless where I am now. He told me to never forget my Chinese root. That's around the time I met my friend, Lily, who started speaking to me in Mandarin (I haven't spoken it since I got to S.F. 'cuz everyone there speaks Cantonese and most look down at you if you speak Mandarin...yes, it has changed somewhat since Hong Kong became park of China again in '97) and getting me started watching Chinese shows again (like 還珠格格...yes, the crazy time when we would cry and laugh so much for one show...LOL). Graham got me started reading entertainment news ('til now) from Sina (that's where he worked). (You won't believe how much Chinese he knows. He's Caucasian and learned everything while he was with Lily). I've been with Mike the same among of yrs. and I haven't learn any Tagalog. It's okay 'cuz Malinda's in the same boat...LOL. Thanks, Melinda!!!

Even tho I can't write Chinese, but I'm glad that I'm able to speak and read enough to get by (better than some ppl that finished middle school level Chinese and can't read/write anymore). In the future, my kid will definitely need to learn to speak, read and write in Chinese. As for Tagalog, that'll depend on Mike.