2024 Second Quarter Reflections (Part 2)
I was blessed with a 7 week stay in Taiwan, and was blessed with a beautiful time with family in Taichung. “How does it feel to put life in pause, to not work and rest?” asked ****. After resigning in May, I embarked on travels to China (Shandong and Shanghai) and returned to Taiwan in late May. A daily job grants an important identity that keeps us engaged with work and active in the social scene. As I stepped away from the routine work rituals, I planned my schedule in Taiwan with a mix of French, academics, reading, and tennis, which kept me grounded and engaged.
French Learning
I was grateful to learn French with F*******, who expanded my worldview on French contemporary issues that connected it to the international stage. We explored interesting topics including Nouvelle Caledonie’s civil unrest (la outre mer and Geopolitics), Societe Generale’s new leadership (international finance), and EU’s parliamentary elections (European politics).
“Learning French is not only for attaining a C1 C2 level, but for utilizing the language in a wide array of contexts — daily conversations, professional work, reading and writing, in addition to truly understanding the people and culture.” I was immersed with interesting topics that gave me a glimpse of France’s diverse societal and cultural influences, geopolitical forces at play, and France’s connection with the international economy. “Travailler ton niveau. Lire beaucoup, apprendre la vocabulaire, et connaitre les apprentissages culturelles. C’est les sujets culturelles, les pespectives, qui sont la plus difficile a apprendre.” I truly enjoyed my learning journey with ********, who enriched my understanding to French perspectives and shaped my thoughts in future blueprints in language learning. This echoed with what Charles Handy advised, “Learn a foreign language fluently. You can only do this by living and working in the country concerned. You cannot truly know someone unless you speak their tongue.”
Tennis lessons
“Why tennis? Have you learned it before?” asked G*****. I’ve always enjoyed endurance sports, such as open water swimming, marathons, and hiking. They require discipline in practices and perseverance in competitions but lacked certain spirits of team sports — conviviality, camaraderie, and playfulness (for a non-competitive amateur learner). Tennis’s outdoor ambiance, social element, and constant movement gave it a magical spell of vibrancy and strength. As tennis is one of Dad’s favorite sports, I thought it would be nice to pick it up together with Mom, despite her initial resistance due to the scorching summer heat.
Tennis turned out to be one of my best novel pursuits this summer. It felt brilliant to be engaged in a steady and mutual learning progress with Mom. As I started my sports journey as a competitive swimmer and marathoner, trainings could feel tedious and tense as athletes embark on rigorous trainings for perfecting their craft. Learning tennis as an amateur, starting from ground zero, gave me the pleasure of progress and improvement. “Life is a journey, not a race.” Just like learning languages or acquiring new skills, tennis would require perseverance, passion, and practice. Take it slow, and enjoy the progress :)
*Redacted*
Academic preparation
Everything that you learn comes back to you. The solid and steady accumulation of knowledge, dedication of acquiring “knowledge”, and interesting utilization in our daily lives that connect the dots in our learning journey. If we are passionate and interested in the subject, tedious and rigorous learning of basics — such as French grammar and financial modelling foundations — become themes that we are eager to understand inside out. The best part is utilizing our knowledge in dynamic situations and realizing the strides of improvement that we have made.
For instance, financial modelling has always been an important skill that I was insecure about during university. It was a joy to learn the basics with WSP this summer, delving into well-structured themes and understanding logical progressions of step by step. I had the chance to present two sets of stock pitches, one regarding a Chinese PIMM company for a HK based firm, and another regarding a healthcare/pharmaceutical company for a US based firm. Feedback received from industry veterans are invaluable, as they are great pointers for future improvement.
Reunions in Taiwan
With the prolonged stay in Taichung, I was grateful to have more flexibility in catching up with school pals. I met with ** whom I’ve never seen since high school graduation, and I realized how wonderful it is to have met each other in Stella Matutina, a place where the simplicity and kindness of student days are transformed into lifelong blessings. Both of us in the crossroads of life, we shared the joys and challenges in the current stage, and anticipation of the next adventure. Old friendship blesses us with an attentive listening ear, ground us with memories of youthful endeavor, and nurture us with its stability and warmth. We shared with each other how ******’s attentive guidance in high school each inspired us in different ways: from lifelong learning in language, music, and reading to teaching styles and values in the education profession.
On mentors, Charles Handy once wrote that “If you are lucky, you may discover an older friend, who spotted the best in you and wants to encourage it.” I met up with ****** 2 times this summer, and was blessed in her radiant energy, warm encouragement, and timeless counsel. Since high school, ****** has inspired many of my novel pursuits — language learning, European music and literature appreciation, reading, writing, and learning attitude. She shaped my future blueprint subtly, and many of endeavors today: French learning, reading habits, ventures abroad, and continued correspondence.
I got to know ****** not only as a lifelong teacher, but more as person after school days. I learned immensely from her vibrant energy in reading and sharing, eager attitude in lifelong learning, and spiritual pilgrimage in Santiago as well as Buddhism perspectives. “Have you found yourself?” “Treat people with kindness. 心懷善念，問心無愧。享受當下，珍惜緣分，之後祝福，心存感激。” Among many of her timeless counsels, these words stayed with me as I moved on from one stage to the next. ****** saw the best in her students, seeing each person as unique and stimulated individual potential through listening, counsel, and blessing them with confidence. I will be grateful to venture ahead, with the energy and warmth that she has shared with us, and bring it with me, wherever I go.
果陀劇團 performance at National Taichung Theater: 解憂雜貨店
In mid-June, I watched 果陀劇團’s theater performance of 解憂雜貨店, adapted from the Japanese novel. Live performances radiate magic when actors and the spectators engage in mutual dialogue, with on-stage interpretations shaping the ambiance and reactions of the theater. Having watched a few Hong Kong theater adaptations, I’ve always been impressed by the emotional charge — tension, anticipation, and throbbing sensations that stays with you, long after you leave the theater. It could just be a simple dialogue or a dazzling musical that captivates, planting a seed of inspiration and gratitude.
The performance 解憂雜貨店 speaks of the quotidian challenges and concerns of characters from all walks of life. It was heartbreaking and moving for spectators as we step into the shoes of the Olympian, the mistress, and the musicians pursuing their dreams, because we find part of our life stories intertwined with seemingly distant characters. These mutual and mundane life experiences, of heartbreak, stubborn adolescence, and life complexities are familiar with the audience, and the actors exemplify these delicate emotions with emotional charge and musical talent.
It was a blessing to watch *** perform the role of the grandfather, the pillar of the play as his timeless advices consoles and soothes. The actor’s personal charisma — 外省 accent and anchored stage aurora of a seasoned veteran in the acting sphere lifts the entire drama in spirit and depths. In the end of the performance, the grandpa from the grocery store mentioned that「白紙的美好在於，你可以隨心所欲地描繪你的人生地圖，你擁有的是無可限量的未來。」It was a powerful ending to the storyline, as character from all walks of life could paint their life blueprint and restart again, with the courage of rebirth after their respective woes. Other quotes that stayed with me, 「每個帶著煩惱來找我的人，他們的心裡都有答案。諮詢信的答案，只是在鼓勵一顆已有決定的心而已。」「一個人也需要很認真努力的生活，才能找出他們人生中的答案。」
Books read
The books that I read this quarter was mostly non-fiction, including Chris Miller’s Chip War, David Brook’s The Social Animal, 費勇’s這僅有一次的人生，一定要讀蘇東坡, and Walter Issacson’s Benjamin Franklin biography.
- Chris Miller’s Chip War was a solid recollection of the semiconductor industry’s transformation, and it provided detailed historical advancements, the rise and falls of major companies, and many technical jargons. A bit challenging for me to finish the entire book in one go with my social science/ business background, but it is an important work to understand the fast evolving development history of the semi and AI industries.
- The Social Animal was written in an interesting structure, with a fictional storyline trailing the birth towards final years of a couple. In addition to the story, the author adds a narrative of scientific findings and psychological interpretations of the couple’s life trajectory. It is an attempt to integrate science and psychology with sociology, politics, culture, and literary elements.
- 費勇’s這僅有一次的人生，一定要讀蘇東坡 beautifully captures the cultural and philosophical essence of 蘇東坡’s literary masterpieces, which reflect his tranquil attitude towards life predicaments. “Strive for what is good, but let it be, and be at peace with it.”
