Another View
Sunday, November 23, 2008 03:42 AM
Opinion250 has invited Ning Ma, a Chinese student studying English at UNBC, to write a weekly article for us. We thought this would be helpful to Ning as he strives to improve his English skills, and helpful to us as we can see how others view Prince George, B.C. and Canada. Consider this an educational opportunity for all involved, and that is why we won't be inviting comment on this weekly submission. We are interested in your thoughts on things Ning should experience and write about. We are also providing the same article in Mandarin as an opportunity for Ning's family and friends to learn more about us.
Please send your ideas to talk@opinion250.com and we will be certain to pass them along to Ning.
-Elaine Macdonald
Who am I
My name is Ning Ma. I am a Chinese international student studying English at UNBC. I have two purposes: one is to become a great business person and another is to show Chinese culture to the world and let world know China better.
My family is a traditional Chinese family. We live in harmony and in an orderly manner. Everyone has their own careers. My grandparents have already retired. The most interesting thing for them is look after each other. My father’s financial business is very busy. He often travels to other cities for his work so he has little time to correct my studies. Mother is an accountant and when she finishes her work she will do the housework and check my homework. I have no brothers or sisters but I am close to my classmates.
I grew up in Shijiazhuang (she-ji-jung) city, a new city in China. More than 3,000,000 people live there and it is about the 45th largest city in China. Although the city is less than 100 years old it is already the capital of Hebei（ho-ba） Province, which surrounds Beijing, so Shijiazhuang has very special economic and social status in northern China.
In most Chinese people’s minds education is the most important thing in life. My parents trained me using traditional Chinese standards - honesty, hard work and humility. Of course, more and more Chinese people want to understand the world along with the process of economic globalization. My parents want me to be able to keep up with the trend of the times too. They made enormous efforts to help me come to Canada and want me to study modern western humanities in this free country. This will help me study modern business and be successful in the future because of this diverse learning.
I arrived in Canada two months ago and experienced many cultural differences. Of course, I made some mistakes too. For example, I often use the word “so-so”, but Canadian people rarely use this word. When I was in China I said “so-so” about 7 to 8 times every day, but Canadian people do not do that. This is an example of the language differences. Chinese people are very subtle when expressing things. If I do not feel good and do not want to show my feelings I will say “so-so”.
Two thousand years ago, the Chinese sage Lao Tzu (the founder of Chinese Taoism philosophy) once said: The sages of Taoism (people agreeing with the standard of Tao) put themselves last, so people all love and admire them. Taoists never choose priorities for their own benefit, and this way their personality reaches a perfect status. Chinese classical culture promotes knowledge about devotion and modesty. This kind of culture and philosophy is in the blood of Chinese people and is reflected in their behavior. That is why when some Chinese people participate in activities with Canadians, Chinese people appear shy. In fact, it’s not because they are timid but they are influenced by Chinese culture. Most of the Chinese culture does not encourage public expression.
I want to study Canadian culture, enrich my experience and create a mode of thinking that can connect the world. My best wish is that I can communicate with local people and study English. Residents of Prince George are very friendly and my host parents look upon me as belonging to their family. They never get angry because my poor language and help me practice English. They introduce me to understand Canadian culture and political system, which is my great interest.
I offer heartfelt thanks for the friendliness of Prince George. Thanks for your help to a Chinese student living in a strange country. I wish the friendship between Canadian and Chinese people has a long history.
**************
我是谁
我叫马宁，一个来自于中国的留学生。现在于UNBC的ESL学习英语。我有两个理想：一个是做一个伟大的商人，另外一个是介绍中国文化给世界，让世界更好的了解中国。
我的家庭是一个传统的中式家庭，生活和睦而有序。每个人都有自己的事业和工作。爷爷奶奶已经退休，他们现在最主要的工作是照顾对方。爸爸金融工作非常繁忙，出差是经常的事情所以他和很少有时间过问我的学习。妈妈也很忙，每天下班之后还要过问我的学习生活还有做家务。我没有哥哥姐姐，但是我和我的同学关系很亲密。
我以前生活的城市叫石家庄，一个300万人口的新兴城市，城市规模在中国排名45左右。虽然它只有不到百年的历史，但是作为环卫北京的河北省的省会，他在河北省又有非常特殊的经济社会地位。
在大多中国人心中，教育是最重要的。所以他们一直以传统的标准教育我——诚实，勤劳于谦让。当然在全球经济一体化的潮流下，他们希望我能跟上时代的潮流，所以付出了巨大努力送我来到了大洋彼岸的加拿大，来让我感受和学习西方人文思想,并且学习先进的商业知识。
来到加拿大两个月来，我感受到了不少的文化差异，当然也犯了不少错误。比如：我经常会用so-so这个词，但是加拿大人却很少用到这个词，当然这和两国之间的文化差异有关系了，因为中国人表达事物是很含蓄的，如果我感觉不太好或者对不想评价都会用so-so,在中国这个词我每天几乎要说7~8次而加拿大人则不会。
两千年前的中国的先哲老子（中国道家哲学创始人）曾经说过：“是以圣人后其身而身先，外其身而身存。非以其无私邪！故能成其私。”中国人的古典文化宣扬的就是这样奉献的文化，低调的文化。不得不承认这些哲理确实融入了中国人的血液之中，体现在举止行为上。这也就是为什么有时中国人和加拿大人在一起参加活动时中国人显得很不喜欢表现自己，其实并不是因为胆怯，而是从环境中潜移默化接受来的思想牵制着他。中国的文化大多不鼓励张扬个性。
所以我来到这里就是要学习加拿大这种不同的文化，丰富自己的人生阅历并创造一个与世界接轨的思维方式。 所以学习语言并于更多的与加拿大本地人交流是我最希望的事情。乔治王子的居民很友好，男女主人对我像家里人一样，从来没有人因为我的词不达意而生气，反而更多的帮助我，介绍了不少加拿大的文化和政治体制,这些都是我最感兴趣的。感谢乔治王子的朋友，感谢你们对我这个漂泊也异国他乡的中国学生的帮助。愿中加人民友好源远流长。
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