Chinese & English

Surprised myself by agreeing to tutor Chinese. (Especially since I'm not particularly outstanding in this subject.)

Make no mistakes, Chinese is a beautiful subject. Its rich history and luxuriant imagery lends the language a brilliant grace that English can't compare to.

In the myopic race to score distinctions, I had neglected to appreciate this beauty and poetry in Chinese. All I could see back then was the complicated strokes, the various nuances of a particular word and the tiring effort it takes to master the language.

In short, like all other students, I was lazy.

And English, it's so much easier to learn! It's simple. It's functional. It's a mixture of words all over the world. It encompasses Chinese words like kowtow, French words like entrepreneur and Malay words like amok. Its broad nature allows it to proliferate flamboyantly throughout the globe.

Now, I'm still fascinated with English. But as I tutor Chinese, I'm discovering a new side of my mother tongue that I've never seen before.

'华文是个很美丽的语言,' I'd say. And repeat. And elaborate. And substantiate. And repeat.

While attempting to brainwash the kid into liking Chinese, I fear that I've brainwashed myself too. Kind of enjoyed the brainwashing too.