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Confident Kiwi shocks by using chopsticks
By Zheng Weiyi |
May 25, 2009, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
LAST year, a New Zealand student named Sam came to live in my house while he took a short language course.
I couldn't wait to start chatting with him in English. But because I was nervous I frequently stumbled and said, "Excuse me." Fortunately, Sam was very kind and patient, and when we became familiar my spoken English became more fluent.
Since Sam moved in, he has surprised me a lot. For our first meal, I had prepared a knife and fork for him since he's a Westerner, but he surprised me by saying he preferred to eat with chopsticks. I could hardly believe my eyes when I found he could deftly handle the chopsticks. He told me he had practiced a lot before he arrived.
In the evening, we made dumplings together. He gave me second big surprise: After I had taught him how to make them, I found that he made them even better than I did. I couldn't help admiring his ability.
Sam later told me he always helped his father doing chores around the farm, feeding cows, and helping out in the house. So for him, making dumplings is a piece of cake. I felt ashamed because I seldom do the housework.
In China, many students prefer famous and expensive clothing brands, but Sam prefers the bargains - another surprise. I used to feel confused because he's much richer than most Chinese students - his family has over 1,000 cows, and a helicopter, and Sam has his own car. Why is he still so frugal? But Sam told me that big brand names mean nothing to him because they're useless for confident people.
Two weeks are not a long time, but I've learned a lot from Sam about confidence, independence and abilities that many Chinese students seem to lack.
I feel very lucky to have made friends with Sam, and I'm looking forward to going to New Zealand and learning more.
(Translated by Pan Zheng)
I couldn't wait to start chatting with him in English. But because I was nervous I frequently stumbled and said, "Excuse me." Fortunately, Sam was very kind and patient, and when we became familiar my spoken English became more fluent.
Since Sam moved in, he has surprised me a lot. For our first meal, I had prepared a knife and fork for him since he's a Westerner, but he surprised me by saying he preferred to eat with chopsticks. I could hardly believe my eyes when I found he could deftly handle the chopsticks. He told me he had practiced a lot before he arrived.
In the evening, we made dumplings together. He gave me second big surprise: After I had taught him how to make them, I found that he made them even better than I did. I couldn't help admiring his ability.
Sam later told me he always helped his father doing chores around the farm, feeding cows, and helping out in the house. So for him, making dumplings is a piece of cake. I felt ashamed because I seldom do the housework.
In China, many students prefer famous and expensive clothing brands, but Sam prefers the bargains - another surprise. I used to feel confused because he's much richer than most Chinese students - his family has over 1,000 cows, and a helicopter, and Sam has his own car. Why is he still so frugal? But Sam told me that big brand names mean nothing to him because they're useless for confident people.
Two weeks are not a long time, but I've learned a lot from Sam about confidence, independence and abilities that many Chinese students seem to lack.
I feel very lucky to have made friends with Sam, and I'm looking forward to going to New Zealand and learning more.
(Translated by Pan Zheng)
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