感想一覧

[一言]
First of all, thank you for sharing these writings with me! My Japanese is pretty rudimentary, but with my (I think pretty decent :P) Kanji recognition and some help from translation sites, I was able to enjoy these stories. People usually don't have the opportunity to read the diary or personal opinions of others in such detail, so it really is an honour to be able to do so here. And I would say that these tales and experiences have also prompted me to reflect on my own life journey. It's very enlightening and thought-provoking on a whole, so I do hope I'm not the only one to comment so far.

Writing is indeed a pretty satisfactory endeavour, and I'm glad you are enjoying it. Even though I can't commit myself to writing regularly as I mentioned that day, I still have the urge to write something once in a while --- be it poems, fictional stories or even reflections on events in my life. Especially so for things that I might not be able to (or might not want to) express in person. Admittedly, sometimes I also feel the need for approval and personal gratification, so some of these pieces I have shared with like-minded people in real life or on the internet. But I don't think such a 'selfish' desire is necessarily bad. Life can be pretty lonely and exhausting, and we all need some affirmations in our lives.

I don't know if your opinions have changed recently (I'm not there yet!), but the ESL/third culture struggles do hit close to home. I pretty much grew up in Singapore since the fifth grade but my family is pretty heavily Chinese (if I can put it that way), and I lived and studied in China until the fourth grade. It was definitely not as complex as your experiences, but the struggle to transition to English was very relatable. Similarly, I would have words that I just cannot translate to an equivalent between English and Chinese, and I would feel that I'm neither here nor there in terms of cultural affinity. Then again, I'm thankful to be exposed to two very different cultures and languages. My Chinese is way more proficient than most locals, and I can access a broader range of resources for learning or just personal interests. In fact, I think I also gained a different platform to express myself. My flow of thinking and writing in the two languages are very different - I often feel more logical when writing in English and more sentimental when writing in Chinese. 塞翁失馬 aye? I guess it's also linked to your question on going deep or going wide. I don't think there is a correct answer, but in the globalised world, a jack of all trades might be a better option for most people.

Anyway, thanks again for sharing. I'm looking forward to reading more interesting experiences and also your novels :).