For with God nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37)
  • Home
  • Education
    • Early Childhood Education
    • Global Citizenship Education >
      • Characteristics of Global Citizens
    • PhD Thesis "Quality and Sustainability of Early Learning Environments: Case Studies of Award-Winning Green Preschools in Bali, Berkeley, and Hong Kong"
  • Building Design
    • Design Portfolio (DVC & UCB)
    • The Globe Shopping Mall, Fremont, CA
  • Publication
    • Academic Papers >
      • Elderly Homes in Hong Kong
      • Sustainable Cities
      • Characteristics of Green Schools
      • Quality Preschool Environments
      • The Green School Concept
      • Negotiating the Meaning of Green School
    • Online Course: Negotiating the Meaning of Global Citizenship
  • Mission
    • Spirit Shines Ministry
    • Philia Earth Company
  • Books
    • Diaspora Experiences in a Global Age
    • "Venus, the Global Child"
  • Blogs

A Quest to Re-Discover my Chinese Heritage 

8/14/2012

2 Comments

 
I see the opportunity to go to Asia to study to be beyond an academic pursuit. I feel as if I am given the chance to re-discover my Chinese heritage. Being born in Indonesia, even though my family background ethnically is Chinese and we are keeping the Chinese tradition, doesn't always make me feel as a Chinese woman. I never deny my ethnic heritage but at the same time, I am having a hard time to understand the complexity of Chinese culture. Despite the effort of learning Mandarin language in the past, the Chinese teacher always told me that I have an accent when I speak Mandarin. What a sad reality that I am a Chinese by heritage, but can't speak Chinese fluently and with no accent. It takes me a while to feel okay with this fact that I do not have to master everything because I was not born in China and thus it is only natural if Mandarin is not my mother tongue. I do want to learn this interesting language, but I will keep in mind that Indonesian is my mother tongue and Chinese language will be just like English language to me, they are foreign languages. I hope during my stay in Hong Kong, I can pick up learning some Mandarin and Cantonese as learning languages is one of the many ways to learn the culture.
The knowledge and understanding about China for me is simply through books and several tourism visits. Thus, I feel it is a great blessing that I will be in Hong Kong (as part of China) to pursue my doctorate degree while at the same time, I am looking forward to re-discover my Chinese heritage. My uncle, Kusnadi, whom I highly respected always reminds me of an Indonesian proverb: Kacang tidak bole lupa para kulit-nya." (Peanut that should never forget its skin). This is literally means one should never forget the root of where he or she comes from. I never forget that I am an Indonesian as I was born and raised there, I never forget that I am a Chinese as this is my heritage, and of course last but not least I never forget that I am an American as this is the place where I develop my adulthood perspectives and a land where I can always call home. 
Picture
2 Comments
Sammy link
9/10/2012 12:22:06 pm

Hallo Ailin!saya Sammy Dari Indonesia tepatnya darii Manado North Sulawesi.Saya setuju apa yg Om kamu katakan mengenai "kacang" Kalo bole sy tambakan sedikit : Hidup itu Hanya satu kali,mari kita berbuat sesuatu yg berguna bagi org2 yg membutuhkan apa yg kita punya dan yg bisa kita share.

Reply
Ailin
9/10/2012 04:57:26 pm

Dear Sammy,
Setuju sekali…"Dengan memberi, kita menerima". Tuhan menciptakan segala sesuatu dengan baik dan potensi yang harus kita gunakan menurut talenta yang kita miliki. Aplikasi untuk konsep yang baik adalah lebih sulit dari pemahaman itu sendiri tetapi tahap pertama untuk menuju ke penerapan konsep adalah penerimaan/pengertian akan kebijaksanaan2 traditional yang di jaman ini sering dianggap ketinggalan jaman. Pepatah lama bukan-nya kuno tapi boleh-lah dianggap sebagai: "Vintage" yang cukup ber-mutu utk di daur ulang.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Ailin Iwan

    "Ailin" has multiple meanings, however, my parents told me that it means "Bright" and the etymology of the word is from Greek. Ailin Iwan is on a quest to live a meaningful and fruitful life of continuous learning while sharing what she learns to better oneself and others. 

    Archives

    January 2018
    December 2017
    April 2017
    September 2015
    May 2015
    October 2014
    March 2014
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

    RSS Feed

@2020 Ailin Iwan. All Rights Reserved.