Dagobahn Eagle Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 I translated this from a newspaper I read (from Norwegian, not Chinese ): If you think you're too busy doing your work, you really should read this. The dream of a homework-free weekend Going to the movies, the pool, or to the city with your friends to go shopping. Impossible. Chinese Tingting (15), a ninth-grader, does not have time off. The following is a record of her typical weekend, as she describes it to a Chinese newspaper. ANNE SYNNEVAAG, reporting from Beijing It's six PM, Friday afternoon, and the dismissal bell finally rings. "25 days left until final exam" the blackboard proclaims in big white capital letters. Mom and Dad are already in the kitchen when I get home. The food smells delicious. Mom takes my backpack and gives me a glass of ice-cold fruit juice. But I barely get to finish drinking before they start bombarding me with questions. Did you have a test today? What grade did you make on yesterday's test? What's your position in the class? The atmosphere is ruined. -I didn't have a test today, I haven't gotten yesterday's test back, and my position in my class is the same as before. I see the worry in Mom's face and decide to talk about something else: -You're not usually home this early? -It's weekend, and we haven't got as much to do at work today, so we thought we'd come home early and prepare dinner for you, she answers. Weekend, I think. What's that? Since I got into eight grade, I've attended tutorials on Saturdays and Sundays. I wash my hands. Dad's delicious meals are at the table; he's a good chef. But I've lost my appetite. I don't see why. I finish my dinner and put my chopsticks down, then I pick up my backpack and leave the house. I've got English tutorials at a recognized teacher at seven PM. He's a good teacher, and I try to pay attention. But I've already had nine hours of school. It's impossible to concentrate. When I get home, I hear that the TV is on in the living room. Mom quickly turns it off. Our apartment is small and crammed, so when I got into eight grade, Mom decided that the TV be off while I'm home so that I can do my work undisturbed. -Mom, you can leave the TV on, just turn the volume down, I try. No, we'll keep to what we have decided, she says determined. I open the backpack and almost lose my confidence. A hundred math problems, a hunded chemistry problems; take-home quizzes in Chinese, Physics, Politics, English; and an essay. Weekend gift-pack from the teachers. My middle school is an average middle school. My teachers work hard for us to qualify for a better high school, called the "Key High School", and wants to make sure we get into a university or college. So they give us as much homework as they possible can. It's ten PM, and my stack of unfinished homework is almost as big. I splash cold water in my face and ask my Mom to bring me a cup of coffee. I finish my English assignment and start doing my math. But my eyes keep slipping shut. -It's almost midnight, Tingting. You'll have to go to bed. The rest’ll have to wait until tomorrow, she says. I ask her to wake me up at six o' clock the next morning, and fall asleep before my head hits the pillow. I dream that I've become number one in the ninth-grade class at our school in a practice exam, and I tan myself in the glory when my mom wakes me at 6:30. -Just a couple of more minutes, Mom. -No, you'll have to get up, Tingting. I finish my math before I go to school. I run out of the door with the backpack in my hand. The glass of milk that Mom left for me sits untouched at the table. Saturday is six hours of tutorials with my homeroom teacher, miss Jia. She explains that the middle school exam is the toughest one of all: Only one out of ten middle school students make the Key High School. At home I retell what Ms. Jia said, and Dad sighs: -Some students advance in school because their parents have political power or money. But the only way for you to get into a Key High School, is to do better in school. I try to lay down after lunch, but I can't sleep. Fortunately, we have only two hours of tutorials in the afternoon. At four PM I'm back home and start doing my homework. After supper, at six o'clock, I've got classes at a private tutor. I'm a lazy student who lacks initiate, so when I'm alone with my work, I can't concentrate, so I asked my students to buy me some classes of tutoring. Six months of tutoring costs half of my Mom's yearly pay, so I work hard so that the money won't be wasted. I'm back home at 11 o'clock PM. I have time to do some more homework before bedtime. Mom sees my head hit the table and asks me to go to bed. At Sunday morning she wakes me up at 8:30. -Why did you wake me up so late?, I ask her. I get out of bed, brush my teeth, wash my face, and pound at the homework. I'm finished with my chemistry and physics assignments, and I start writing my essay. At 1:30 PM my tutorials start at the schools. It's almost midnight when my homework is finally finished. I've got an hour of spare time this afternoon, to eat supper. The essay is entitled: A letter to my parents. "Dear Dad," I write. "Are you really busy or do you have time to talk to me? I know you're working really hard and are very tired. But do you know I'm really tired too? I'm afraid of breaking down under this exam pressure. I feel like a bowstring that's been stretched too far and could snap at any moment. I've tried many times to tell you how I really am doing, but you never give me the chance. I remember when I was little and you used to call me your Pride. And I answered even prouder: I'll be your Pride forever. Now, when you see me, you often sigh and complain of my bad grades. Dear Dad, do you have any idea of how badly you hurt me then? I just wish you 'd call me your Pride again. Your daughter, Tingting. I guess spare time is like Freedom. Only when you lose it, you miss it. And for us lazy Europeans and Americans.. well, I'm not saying our school system needs to get harder, but I am saying that you don't have to much to whine about. Keep at it, Tingting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darthfergie Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 feh, forgien people...just because of this doesn't mean I'm gonna stop pissing and moaning about school:p it do suck when you have a 4 day weekend with only 4 hours of free time because everybody thinks "Hey! He has a four day weekend! He'll deffinatly have time to do this..." and I do mean everybody... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zygomaticus Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 and I do mean everybody... not me Don't mean to be steriotypical but it is a commonly believed stereotype that chinese parents work their children a lot cuz they expect a lot from them... and on my own part, i definitely don't think i am doing too much work...it's just different people's interpretation of their own capacity to do work...I think i can do a lot more work seeing as i still have an hour or more of play time after my day...but i wouldn't want to give that up for anything though:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue15 Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 ...schoolboys... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherack Nhar Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 This is really inhuman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue15 Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 what about those with TOO MUCH spare time. myself for instance. and guess what? IT'S NOT MY FAULT. in fact, i've sent applications to everywhere in lititz, and nobody's hiring me. st00pid anti-floridian pennsylvanians don't know i was freakin born here or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Rhett Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 Man that sucks. I almost feel bad about laughing every time I read the little girls name.... almost... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy_dog no.3 Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 Check out Russian schools.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue15 Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 hey, i don't give a rat's ass! that story was pretty interesting (i finally read it)....glad my parents weren't like that and homeschooled me with CD ROMs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolfmanNCSU Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 Lord knows I have never complained about too much spare time. That is usually because I dont have any to being with, but oh well. My schedule is too busy because I make it that way and I bring all the work onto myself. Besides, I would rather be too busy then sitting around doing nothing. I think everyone should overload their schdules too. I really dont have any simpathy for the kid. True, some of us are in better shape than others, and maybe they do not have to work as hard or as busy to make it, but I admire the ones who start with nothing or have hardships and work hard for their living. We all just got to get done what has to get done and keep on pluggin it. As soon as its done, there will always be more, and it will be that way for the rest of your life. Anyway, a little hard work never hurt anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagobahn Eagle Posted November 1, 2002 Author Share Posted November 1, 2002 I almost feel bad about laughing every time I read the little girls name.... almost... Get a grip:mad:. You're not funny and neither is her name. You should feel bad about laughing at foreign stuff.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zygomaticus Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 one should never feel sad about laughing...after all laughing is a great thing. But laughing at someone's misery is a whole different thing, but rhett is not doing that...he just finds her name funny, and her name is not her misery. btw, rhett, i'm sure she would find your name funny too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagobahn Eagle Posted November 1, 2002 Author Share Posted November 1, 2002 But laughing at someone's misery is a whole different thing, but rhett is not doing that...he just finds her name funny, and her name is not her misery. Anyone ever laughed at your name? I guess it kind of hurts. My point is, don't laugh at the way people look, except if they are clowns or myself. You know, people who obviously try to be funny . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zygomaticus Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 when it comes to foreigners, names, language, accent, habbits, everything seems strange, if not funny...all i'm saying is, there's not much wrong in that...one is unaccustomed to the name, the name means or signifies something else in your own culture, so you might give out a giggle or two... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagobahn Eagle Posted November 1, 2002 Author Share Posted November 1, 2002 when it comes to foreigners, names, language, accent, habbits, everything seems strange, if not funny...all i'm saying is, there's not much wrong in that...one is unaccustomed to the name, the name means or signifies something else in your own culture, so you might give out a giggle or two... Maybe it depends on culture.. here on Earth it's considered very rude. Some habits, like the freedom of tanning yourself on the beach without bras, might of course be considered funny, but not something like names. And if you do laugh at stuff, don't tell people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Rhett Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 I never laughed about the way she looked. I never laughed about her predicament. I only found her name to be amusing to myself. I've had people laugh at my name plenty. Just lighten up, pull the broom out of your arse and quit trying to make trouble where there is none. I will continue to laugh at things that amuse me. I'm sorry that from where you sit upon your high horse it sounds rude. People nowadays are just looking for things to b!tch and complain about. And apparently, you also like feeling bad if a foreign thing sounds weird to you. Such a self hating trait can't be good for your health. We all just need to lighten up and laugh more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue15 Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 you feel that way when i instinctively invaded this forum, did you rhett? I laughed my head off the whole time, especially when you told me to f*** off, and reported me to the admins, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagobahn Eagle Posted November 2, 2002 Author Share Posted November 2, 2002 I never laughed about the way she looked. I never laughed about her predicament. I only found her name to be amusing to myself. I've had people laugh at my name plenty. Just pull the broom out of your arse and quit trying to make trouble where there is none. I will continue to laugh at things that amuse me. I'm sorry that from where you sit upon your high horse it sounds rude. People nowadays are just looking for things to b!tch and complain about. And apparently, you also like feeling bad if a foreign thing sounds weird to you. Such a self hating trait can't be good for your health. We all just need to lighten up and laugh more. Laughing at someone's name is, if not rude, at least inpolite and untactful. I'm not sitting on a high horse, as you put it, nor have I got anything stuck up my ass, I'm just saying that just because you don't mind people laughing at your name, does not have to mean everyone else, or even a majority of people, don't mind people laughing at their names. I know a lot of people don't feel bad laughing at foreign names, although it's untactful. Such as my brother, who, every time we drive past an Indian store, repeats the name mockingly and laughs. You see, a name and language is part of you, like the way you dress. You can start dressing completely different, or get a brand new hairstyle, but hey, it's a part of you. A part of your identity, if you will. In my view, laughing at a name is worse than laughing at clothing and hairstyle. Personally, I feel hurt if someone laughs at my Nordic name (which sounds foreign in the USA, where they also pronounce it wrong). I can also name a few people who are being laughed at and don't like it. And you say I've got an attitude. Well, I never knew respect was an attitude. Neither is feeling bad when someone laughs at you. I don't want to play cop here, but I know what it's like to be laughed at, first off all, and second of all, there could be a forummer here named Tingting, or you could end up laughing at someone in their face, both which could lead you in trouble. It's a good thing if you have the power to rise over petty stuff like when someone laughs at you. However, this doesn't mean you can tell everyone else not to be offended when someone does that to them; neither does it mean you can do something to someone just because someone's doing something to you. If someone saw my name posted somewhere and some guy went "I almost feel sorry laughing at his name", I'd feel bad. It's as simple as that. Simple as "be nice". Yes, go ahead and laugh. But not at other people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Rhett Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 Ok, fair enough. I won't do it in front of other people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darthfergie Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 well that was blown amazingly out of proportion... This is a forum. We get on it to have fun, complain, to learn (maybe) and to communicate with other wierd people out there. I originally came here to learn about GB. But it isn't the staying power I found. I found the staying power of FUN and COMMUNICATION and I think that is a staying power for many here. It was just a random comment used to spice up a bland post. It isn't exacly like he went up to her and laughed in her face and told her that her name sounds very wierd or halarious. It is a comment among "friends." We don't really take EVERYTHING seriously that we say here because we are having FUN. I respect your opinion...I really do and if he said that to her face I might disapprove, but he didn't he made a comment among friends that was not ment to be taken to the letter like what you did. So please settle down about it...k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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