Support NeoGAF

[CapNBritain]

I would definitely force my kids to go to Chinese school, as it's one of the biggest regrets my sister and I have for not studying seriously. It's important that they learn how to communicate with relatives, who mostly speak Cantonese only, and know how to read and write properly so they aren't only absorbing viewpoints and media from the West. I think being able to adequately read in another language broadens your horizons substantially. You just don't have as much time as an adult to dedicate to learning a new language. It's definitely possible, but learning languages is much easier when you're younger. I'm playing catch-up by learning Chinese characters while studying Japanese, but I honestly wish I didn't have to do this while worrying about university and job prospects.

So, did you not go to Chinese school and regret it, or regret not studying harder when you were in Chinese school. Because if it's the latter, your children may end up the same as you (and me). My youngest sister and fiancee both went to Chinese school for fewer years than me, but speak a lot better because they were interested in the language (due to Chinese soap operas). I think that if people want to learn and are capable of learning, then they'll find a way.

Of course, I'm also just terrible at languages. I tried learning Japanese when I was dating a Japanese girl. Even enrolled in a community college class. I was terrible. And while it would be nice to communicate with my future in-laws (they speak Cantonese), I just can't see it happening.

 

[StMeph]

Chinese school isn't terribly useful. I think learning the language is a tremendous advantage, but I don't think the way the schools or curriculum are structured are very good at teaching it.

 

[MissDeviling]

So, did you not go to Chinese school and regret it, or regret not studying harder when you were in Chinese school. Because if it's the latter, your children may end up the same as you (and me). My youngest sister and fiancee both went to Chinese school for fewer years than me, but speak a lot better because they were interested in the language (due to Chinese soap operas). I think that if people want to learn and are capable of learning, then they'll find a way.

Of course, I'm also just terrible at languages. I tried learning Japanese when I was dating a Japanese girl. Even enrolled in a community college class. I was terrible. And while it would be nice to communicate with my future in-laws (they speak Cantonese), I just can't see it happening.

The latter, which is why I don't want them to go through the same thing as me. I'd rather they hate it but still do well, as opposed to just never bothering to try and regretting it later. I don't think it matters if they're interested or not; some things, like math and English, you just have to learn. Definitely need kids who can communicate well with their relatives and who are open-minded enough and capable of absorbing both western and eastern media.

I probably sound like I'd be the bossiest mom ever, though to be honest I'm not that interested in having kids. Just hypothetically speaking, I guess.

 

[Zhao_Yun]

My parents always wanted to send me into a Chinese school when I was still a kid but at that time it was nearly impossible to find one here in Germany, especially not one which taught Cantonese. Because of that I can only barely read and write basic Chinese characters although I can speak Cantonese just fine. If I think about it now I am sad that I didn't have the opportunity to learn it properly as a kid but on the other hand I am pretty sure that I wouldn't have liked to have extra lessons on weekends.

On the topic of identity, do you prefer to date within your own culture or interracial?

For some reason I just can't find myself attracted to Asian women anymore compared to when I was a teenager.

I find myself being attracted to Asian women but I don't prefer them over others. In comparison to the US there aren't that many Asians living in Germany so being exclusively attracted to Asians would be a bit difficult although my mom would be strongly in favor of me being married to an Asian girl. She isn't really strict about it though. My only long-term relationship until now has been with a Caucasian girl and my mom loved her!

 

[Zoe]

We already decided we'll force our kids to go through with it. bf definitely regrets convincing his parents to let him drop it. His parents also realized too late that Mandarin would have been so much more useful than Taiwanese, and when they tried to switch it was too difficult to keep up.

(of course perfect world in my mind would be getting a Mandarin-speaking nanny to start immersion at a young age, but I don't know if that's even feasible around here...)

 

[CapNBritain]

The latter, which is why I don't want them to go through the same thing as me. I'd rather they hate it but still do well, as opposed to just never bothering to try and regretting it later. I don't think it matters if they're interested or not; some things, like math and English, you just have to learn. Definitely need kids who can communicate well with their relatives and who are open-minded enough and capable of absorbing both western and eastern media.

I probably sound like I'd be the bossiest mom ever, though to be honest I'm not that interested in having kids. Just hypothetically speaking, I guess.

Well, if you do have kids then I hope you have better luck getting them to remember what they learned than my parents or yours did. I think showing them Chinese movies/tv shows without subtitles could help. I just read the english at the bottom and never put two and two together.

 

[SRG01]

Chinese school was pretty much Saturday daycare for me. I ended up volunteering at my Chinese school for like 5 years though, and eventually became one of their executives...

 

[Zhao_Yun]

My parents forced me into Chinese school on Sundays at church. Didn't do much for me. I learned Chinese in college, in a class specially for ABCs (people that spoke Chinese at home but couldn't read or write).

Man, I wished there was something like this at my university ;<

 

[CapNBritain]

I'm not sure if I've already recommended this book on this forum, but you all should read American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. It's pretty fantastic and will definitely resonate with many people in this thread.

 

[ActStriker]

I kind of wish I paid attention more in Chinese school, looking back at it.

Giving up Saturday mornings was tough tho, especially when the VCR didn't work correctly when recording cartoons

 

[Seductivpancakes]

I learned most of my Cantonese from Young and Dangerous.

 

[MissDeviling]

Well, if you do have kids then I hope you have better luck getting them to remember what they learned than my parents or yours did. I think showing them Chinese movies/tv shows without subtitles could help. I just read the english at the bottom and never put two and two together.

Yeah, this helps considerably. I watched anime and other shows in Cantonese only when I was a kid, and that definitely helped with my comprehension, listening, and vocabulary.

My mom and dad never really made Cantonese interesting, but I wish I had the maturity and perseverance to study it without their nagging me. If I had to, I'd try to find simple literature that my kid would like to read in Chinese. At the very least, I'd expose my kid to Cantonese shows.

 

[jasonng]

I definitely regret not going to Chinese school. When I was younger the only motivation for me to learn Chinese was to understand my Old Master Q comics but eventually I just said meh and enjoyed the pictures.

Man, I miss Old Master Q.

 

[Erico]

I think childhood Chinese school / Asian language is one of those things that can only be appreciated in retrospect, if at all.
No way in hell was I appreciating it while I was actually attending and getting fined a quarter everytime I spoke English.

Also, it felt like we did everything BUT learn the language. Felt like a mix of daycare / summer camp / church. Probably because all the teachers were unaccredited former housewives / retirees.

I'm still fluent due to speaking Mandarin with the parentals. Being able to read and write past a 3rd grade level would have been nice back when I took a transfer at my job to be based overseas in Taiwan for a few years.


EDIT - Oh man, those &#32769;&#22827;&#23376; comics were awesome. I remember a few em being amazingly bizzare & surreal.
&#23567;&#21486;&#22137; was my fav comic though. When did his name suddenly turn into Doraemon?

 

[SRG01]

I played the piano for about 7 years, then quit and started playing the guitar instead. It's been almost 15 years now.

I want to learn the banjo though.

 

[CapNBritain]

OH MY GOD.

I saw that and was like, surely it's not those comic books that were completely inappropriate for me.

I remember this. Shit was awesome.

Bonus picture.

These comics made going to the dentist's office bearable for me, as mine always had a stack of them.

 

[Warrior_Keoni]

I played the piano for about 7 years, then quit and started playing the guitar instead. It's been almost 15 years now.

I want to learn the banjo though.

Boy am I glad I was never forced to take piano lessons as a kid. Never cared for the instrument, and didn't care for Chinese school either. - although mom did make me constantly check out old math textbooks from the library and do problems from them every time I was on holiday or summer break...

I've always enjoyed learning about Asian culture though. I ended up learning MORE from Dynasty Warriors games with their encyclopedias and such.

 

[CapNBritain]

Boy am I glad I was never forced to take piano lessons as a kid. Never cared for the instrument, and didn't care for Chinese school either. - although mom did make me constantly check out old math textbooks from the library and do problems from them every time I was on holiday or summer break...

I've always enjoyed learning about Asian culture though. I ended up learning MORE from Dynasty Warriors games with their encyclopedias and such.

My step-mother bought me these huge books filled with math and english problems and had me do like 10 pages a day over the summer. They were all stupid and did not help.

Also, I spent countless hours writing Chinese characters over and over again. Typically we'd learn a dozen characters a week and so I would have to write each one like 100 times a day. I don't remember shit.

 

[Seductivpancakes]

OH MY GOD.

I saw that and was like, surely it's not those comic books that were completely inappropriate for me.

I remember this. Shit was awesome.

Bonus picture.

Is that your collection? That's impressive.

I only have one book I got from the only time I've been to HK.

I'm super glad there's a website for the comic strips.

 

[Warrior_Keoni]

My step-mother bought me these huge books filled with math and english problems and had me do like 10 pages a day over the summer. They were all stupid and did not help.

Also, I spent countless hours writing Chinese characters over and over again. Typically we'd learn a dozen characters a week and so I would have to write each one like 100 times a day. I don't remember shit.

Agreed on the math problems. I think it made studying Algebra in 6th grade WORSE for me for some odd reason.

I like the concept of learning about one's own culture and stuff. Unless it applies to practical everyday situations like business overseas transactions, I don't see a major benefit to reading and writing as more Asian-American/Canadians/etc are merging their own culture with where they are growing up in.

 

[Erico]

I've always enjoyed learning about Asian culture though. I ended up learning MORE from Dynasty Warriors games with their encyclopedias and such.

Same, I'm a now big history buff thanks to my dad, whose bedtime stories for me were Three Kingdoms, Warring States, and Outlaws of the Marsh stuff.
He was a cool, "let the kids be happy" dad, who helped cancel out my mom's tiger-ish style.

When I was a kid I hated it, but as an adult I'm so happy. (Parents gave me 14 years of piano lessons, now I can play the piano weeeeeeee).

I felt the same about my much lamer instrument:

Spoiler

flute

. Wasn't till I got to college that I realized the joy of being good at an instrument. Still too proud to admit to my parents that they were right about it, though.

My step-mother bought me these huge books filled with math and english problems and had me do like 10 pages a day over the summer. They were all stupid and did not help.

Also, I spent countless hours writing Chinese characters over and over again. Typically we'd learn a dozen characters a week and so I would have to write each one like 100 times a day. I don't remember shit.

Shit, those math workbooks during summer vacation were the stuff of nightmares for me. That is, until the horror that was KUMON. Jesus, those packets just never end.

Oh and did anyone think memorizing all those 4-letter sayings in Chinese school was the most useless thing ever?

 

[Erheller]

My mom actually wanted me to quit playing cello around freshman year of high school. My dad was like, 'yeah, whatever she says.'

 

[Sealion88]

Oh and did anyone think memorizing all those 4-letter sayings in Chinese school was the most useless thing ever?

&#20511;&#20992;&#26432;&#20154;
&#28961;&#20013;&#29983;&#26377;
something like that...

 

[CapNBritain]

&#20511;&#20992;&#26432;&#20154;
&#28961;&#20013;&#29983;&#26377;
something like that...

11 years of Chinese school (1 year from "graduation") and I only recognize 2 characters out of 8.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

I skipped on my piano lessons (and I regret it now) (I can play, but poorly :<)

And, my parents were a mixed bag. Dad used to read to me Romance of the Three Kingdoms and exposed me to Cantonese shows but mom was pretty into western medias and science encyclopaedias.

I enjoyed both sides :>

And yes, I wish I had paid attention better to the language lessons. Stupid me, I just wanted to go out and play all the time

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee~


As for math, I did my early years schooling back home before I migrated to Australia. I cruised through my Australian math classes~ it was fab. (although i was like mediocre back home since everyone was super geniuses that attended cram schools, etc. robotkidz that they were) :x




Aaaaah its FRIDAY \o/

 

[SRG01]

Agreed on the math problems. I think it made studying Algebra in 6th grade WORSE for me for some odd reason.

I was amazing at basic arithmetic in elementary. Then, from grade six to eleven, I was almost failing math (50s-60s). I was even pushed into Kumon in an effort to improve my grades. That didn't help.

Y'know what did help? Calculus. Almost overnight, my marks shot up to 95%.

A similar thing happened in Electrical Engineering. I used to be really good with high-school physics and circuits, but I hit a real road-bump in second-year university. It wasn't until I got into the really hard design courses that my brain finally clicked.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

11 years of Chinese school (1 year from "graduation") and I only recognize 2 characters out of 8.

I recognise 4!!!!!!

TAKE THAT, YOU

 

[CapNBritain]

I recognise 4!!!!!!

TAKE THAT, YOU

I have dishonored my family.

 

[Warrior_Keoni]

I was amazing at basic arithmetic in elementary. Then, from grade six to eleven, I was almost failing math (50s-60s). I was even pushed into Kumon in an effort to improve my grades. That didn't help.

Y'know what did help? Calculus. Almost overnight, my marks shot up to 95%.

A similar thing happened in Electrical Engineering. I used to be really good with high-school physics and circuits, but I hit a real road-bump in second-year university. It wasn't until I got into the really hard design courses that my brain finally clicked.

 

[suzu]

You guys are making me kinda nostalgic, haha. I went to Chinese school on Saturday for a few years when I was a kid, and on the way home we'd get an Archie comic and Old Master Q comic.

 

[Erico]

&#20511;&#20992;&#26432;&#20154;
&#28961;&#20013;&#29983;&#26377;
something like that...

I only remember ones with stupid stories associated with them. Like &#23432;&#26666;&#24453;&#20820; - where the farmer, instead of farming for food, would wait for rabbits to run into a tree a die. It was also my smart-ass response to the Chinese school teacher when she'd ask me how I'd get by in life with such a lazy attitude.

I like to joke that I only know five characters: the three that make up my Chinese name, "big", and "small".

A similar thing happened in Electrical Engineering. I used to be really good with high-school physics and circuits, but I hit a real road-bump in second-year university. It wasn't until I got into the really hard design courses that my brain finally clicked.

Much respect. I graduated a chemical engineer, and math has yet to naturally click with me. I think I brute-forced and numerical method'ed my way through.

 

[Troubled Bat]

Now I feel left out, but that was expected. xD

 

[Kevyt]

For the first time ever I had Pho noodles and I haven't felt a tiny bit hungry yet. It's been three hours ever since, and I'm still full. I wonder if it has anything to do with my metabolism, but I thirty minutes after eating Pho I would feel hungry. ;_;

 

[Dead Prince]

For the first time ever I had Pho noodles and I haven't felt a tiny bit hungry yet. It's been three hours ever since, and I'm still fool. I wonder if it has anything to do with my metabolism, but I thirty minutes after eating Pho I would feel hungry. ;_;

youre getting old bro

 

[Kevyt]

youre getting old bro

Must be... and dumber too... if y'all can find my typo, I apologize. I am deeply ashamed. Time to read more books. Someone should slap me ;_;

 

[Warrior_Keoni]

Now I feel left out, but that was expected. xD

Oh come on, share with Asian-GAF on what you want to talk about! =D

 

[Troubled Bat]

YesNO, I finished!!

I noticed that I forgot to do the tip of collar over there on the left. XD

Why ?

Because you guys entered into a topic that I cannot get into. ^^?

No worries though!

Oh come on, share with Asian-GAF on what you want to talk about! =D

Well, before I make the wrong choice and say, "Food" what about hobbies? What is something everyone enjoys doing?

 

[Gibbo]

It is terrible i cant recognize some of the chinese characters on this page. Mandarin is technically my second language although ive always been terrible at it Doesnt help that my family members are as well. During my 12 years in school, i tackled the language through memorization instead of understanding

Remember taking a beginners business mandarin class a few years back, and was totally trashed in a simple mock debate by a burly 50 plus year old american. I think i disgraced my entire race that day.

 

[Seductivpancakes]

Single Asian-Gaf, do your parents still bother you guys about getting married or having kids?

My mom still bothers me about it. She wants me to get married and give her grand children already. I really don't care to do either at the moment. She's not getting younger and she seems to really want to having grand children.

The subject doesn't come up often, but at some point, she left me with some sort of guilt about not complying with her wishes. I don't know how it happen and really its my life, and my decision, but it still gets to me. It's really tough for me to handle the guilt whenever it randomly pops up in my head.

I like kids. I really do. Its just not something I want right now. As well as I don't think I'm responsible and financially set to start a family.

 

[cdyhybrid]

Single Asian-Gaf, do your parents still bother you guys about getting married or having kids?

My mom still bothers me about it. She wants me to get married and give her grand children already. I really don't care to do either at the moment. She's not getting younger and she seems to really want to having grand children.

The subject doesn't come up often, but at some point, she left me with some sort of guilt about not complying with her wishes. I don't know how it happen and really its my life, and my decision, but it still gets to me. It's really tough for me to handle the guilt whenever it randomly pops up in my head.

I like kids. I really do. Its just not something I want right now. As well as I don't think I'm responsible and financially set to start a family.

Nope. They learned a long time ago that it's not going to work on me

No idea if they bug my sister though.

 

[Troubled Bat]

Single Asian-Gaf, do your parents still bother you guys about getting married or having kids?

Yes, my dad still does. And I feel for him, if I could honestly have a kid (daughter) right now, I would do so. I want a child, and my dad really wants to be a grandpa.

It saddens me because he's not in the best health, with things that have happened with him already, plus he's a big guy. I want to fulfill that before anything ends up happening, which I do fear.

 

[clav]

Single Asian-Gaf, do your parents still bother you guys about getting married or having kids?

Yes. I have not heard a case where parents do not.

 

[jasonng]

Single Asian-Gaf, do your parents still bother you guys about getting married or having kids?

My mom still bothers me about it. She wants me to get married and give her grand children already. I really don't care to do either at the moment. She's not getting younger and she seems to really want to having grand children.

The subject doesn't come up often, but at some point, she left me with some sort of guilt about not complying with her wishes. I don't know how it happen and really its my life, and my decision, but it still gets to me. It's really tough for me to handle the guilt whenever it randomly pops up in my head.

I like kids. I really do. Its just not something I want right now. As well as I don't think I'm responsible and financially set to start a family.

I told my parents they're not getting grandchildren. That was the end of it.

I don't know if I'll feel differently in the future but I rather they just drop it altogether.

My mom actually wanted me to quit playing cello around freshman year of high school. My dad was like, 'yeah, whatever she says.'

Wut. Why?

 

[SRG01]

Much respect. I graduated a chemical engineer, and math has yet to naturally click with me. I think I brute-forced and numerical method'ed my way through.

What really got math going for me was learning about rates and how derivatives/integrals worked together. I mean, there's a pretty good equivalent in chemical/process engineering with integrative/non-integrative processes, no?

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

YesNO, I finished!!



I noticed that I forgot to do the tip of collar over there on the left. XD



Because you guys entered into a topic that I cannot get into. ^^?

No worries though!



Well, before I make the wrong choice and say, "Food" what about hobbies? What is something everyone enjoys doing?

OOOOOOWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOO

that is super awesome <3 very nice! you capture him very well i think

scary character!!!

^_______^





i enjoy gaming and sleeping and watching tv/movies and internets and drawing and procrastinating

 

[ActStriker]

Single Asian-Gaf, do your parents still bother you guys about getting married or having kids?

My mom still bothers me about it. She wants me to get married and give her grand children already. I really don't care to do either at the moment. She's not getting younger and she seems to really want to having grand children.

The subject doesn't come up often, but at some point, she left me with some sort of guilt about not complying with her wishes. I don't know how it happen and really its my life, and my decision, but it still gets to me. It's really tough for me to handle the guilt whenever it randomly pops up in my head.

I like kids. I really do. Its just not something I want right now. As well as I don't think I'm responsible and financially set to start a family.

Every now and then, yes

 

[Warrior_Keoni]

Single Asian-Gaf, do your parents still bother you guys about getting married or having kids?

My mom still bothers me about it. She wants me to get married and give her grand children already. I really don't care to do either at the moment. She's not getting younger and she seems to really want to having grand children.

The subject doesn't come up often, but at some point, she left me with some sort of guilt about not complying with her wishes. I don't know how it happen and really its my life, and my decision, but it still gets to me. It's really tough for me to handle the guilt whenever it randomly pops up in my head.

I like kids. I really do. Its just not something I want right now. As well as I don't think I'm responsible and financially set to start a family.

Similar situation here. My contract ends in a few months and I'm about to finish graduate school while looking for a new job. My parents realize that I'm the type to probably not have kids, but my brother might so there's a chance there.

Not sure why parents insist their own kids have kids, as if it's some sort of inherent doctrine to reproduce. The unstable economy and job prospects have screwed over everyone in some way, that it is very difficult to lead a financially stable life.

Plus kids are so damn expensive too. I'd rather have a cat and a dog.

 

[Erico]

What really got math going for me was learning about rates and how derivatives/integrals worked together. I mean, there's a pretty good equivalent in chemical/process engineering with integrative/non-integrative processes, no?

Yup, I didn't start to understand calculus until I took physics where it was applied.
Meanwhile in Chem E, damned if I could tell you what this 2nd order nonlinear ODE I just set up is actually supposed to mean. All I know is it's something to break down and you Runge Kutta/Laplace it for an answer. Felt like I was shortcutting through the math with rote algorithms without understanding the theory behind it. I just treaded water through upper level math until numerical analysis came along and bailed me out.
Anyways, working in industry, seems like the only "math" I still use is statistics. I've really forgotten too much to go back to grad school.

Oh, and my parents are really starting to push me about marriage and kids now that I'm fast approaching the end of my 20's (oh god i'm old).

 

[Warrior_Keoni]

Oh, and my parents are really starting to push me about marriage and kids now that I'm fast approaching the end of my 20's (oh god i'm old).

I'm getting close to 32. I swear we don't age!

 

[Troubled Bat]

OOOOOOWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOO

that is super awesome <3 very nice! you capture him very well i think

scary character!!!

^_______^


i enjoy gaming and sleeping and watching tv/movies and internets and drawing and procrastinating

OWO? It's so amazing that the letters flipped. XDD

But thank you! I'm more proud of the fact that I'm improving on my shading. If you were able to my days of horrible shading... XD

I personally enjoy Jason/Leatherface a lot more. :3

Love how you put sleeping in there. XP But what games do you enjoy? What! You enjoy drawing and you're telling Me to put my drawings? Unfair! Haha. I expect a drawing now.

I love drawing, as you guys can see. Gaming is my obvious hobby. Then.. I enjoy dancing! I have passion for it like no other. Any chance I can dance whether it's at a party, club, rave, or even just playing around. I will dance.