by Jonny | Oct 17, 2011 | Updates
It is October and my birthday is very soon. I will turn 20 however the thought of turning 20 with no real highlight in my life is kind of scary. When I was younger I thought of my future as if it wasn't a problem though clearly there are going to be problems. I always thought I could get a job of which I could appreciate. But now I'm just studying Chinese and failing hard at that. I just wish there was a history degree at Feng-Chia University that was taught in English, now that would be something I'd sign up for. Or even if it was purely computer programming taught in English, that would be as equally awesome.
But that isn't the case. I just hope after or even before I turn 20, something good happens. – Perhaps if I suddenly increase in my ability in Chinese or at least play catch up with everyone else. I mean I'm finding things tough right now, no doubt about it. I just hope things change for the better. Now that I know when I have to join the military (Or I roughly know), it has certainly given me more certainty in my life. I wonder what happens when I come out? What will my situation be like? Would my Chinese have progressed to levels I would essentially be satisfied with? I have a long time to study Chinese though I'd rather learn it quickly and in the best way possible. Although it seems I'll have to progress slowly with this language, which is kind of depressing.
I already feel old, even though I know I am not. 🙁
by Jonny | Sep 9, 2011 | Updates
Recently I made a move to live with my cousin, who gave me a room in her apartment. She lives with her boyfriend here and they had a spare room. Since they live nearby to Feng-Chia University, it is very convenient and they have given me the room for free. Their apartment is really nice and in fact they had a small room with gym equipment which I can use. (Including a running machine)
The only issue (I don’t really see it as an issue) is that they don’t know how to speak English. However thinking about it, it will help me excel in learning Chinese, since all I can use with them is Chinese. So I am forced to use Chinese, as opposed to my parents who know English well.
I am just glad I have such a big family in Taiwan of cousins, aunts and uncles. – I am also equally thankful that the place they have is literally 5 minutes via walking to where I go to study Chinese.
So I am quite pleased at the moment. I also recently bought a nice laptop. I don’t have the specifications of it on me right now, but it is quite a powerful laptop even though it only has a 14” screen. However I didn’t want to spend too much, so I went for the 14” as it was considerably cheaper than the 17” or above laptops.
So how is my Chinese studies going?
Let’s just say learning Chinese is not a walk in the park. You have to study hard to get it and understand it. I cannot focus sometimes and considering I have ADHD (Or what I believe to be ADHD) I find it hard to focus in class and I always keep moving since I seem to have so much energy in me. But I am getting much better at Chinese, though I am not learning as fast I would have liked. When I did my course at college in web development, I found it very easy, while others found it hard. I guess learning actual said languages are hard for me as opposed to programming/scripting languages. Although if the course was computer-based via the use of typing Chinese, I think I would learn Chinese very easily. Things are going OK, at least or so I think, I am not the worst student in the class. I also had a test today which was fairly easy. Though I don’t want to jinx myself, but I believe I got nearly every answer correct. There is just one character I didn’t know how to write. So I was quite disappointed in not knowing that character.
by personal | Jun 21, 2011 | Updates
It turns out I was just pleasing the wife's husbands bosses 12 year old son which was kind of boring. I made friends with him for sure, but I wasn't looking to make friends with a 12 year old but to get a job. To my surprise she took me to an Italian restaurant then to a Hong Kong style restaurant. I tried discussing her husbands business or her business (A joint business between them) but that never really got anywhere.
I don't think I was going for an interview but just to make friends with their son(s). Their other 19 year old son seemed pretty cool. But purely he just seemed to be the guy living the life since he has a well-off family. I mean he seemed like a nice guy and everything, but from the looks of it, he had no actual worries or no financial problems. I won't dishonor him by saying bad things about him, as he genuinely seemed like a pretty cool 19 year old. I guess I am more grown up, I feel that I am 25 or something even though I wish I could feel my own age. He liked to go out clubbing and stuff like that. I don't mind that too, but just moderately.
So I never had an interview. At the end of the day she came back to my parents apartment. I think I stayed with her son for over 10 hours. We played on their Nintendo Cube. We played some really graphically outdated games in comparison to what I am used to. But whatever the case, I think I had a spark of fun. But I kind of got a headache over the whole situation. I was expected and anticipating a job interview. The thing is I don't have any actual real skills. I wouldn't mind being a secretary as I can touch type and I am competent with computers. But where I fault is if they ask if I can help with the programming of software. I didn't quite get into all that even though I would have liked to.
So she came round my parents apartment with myself and her younger son, and my mother had a discussion about the so called job. Apparently it is happening tomorrow now since the husband who is the boss just came back from Japan. So now I have to be nervous again for the second time. Luckily I have my mother with me. But really I have no real specialist skill other than touch typing and being competent with computers like I said. Hell — this kind of makes me feel rather useless.
Whatever the case, I will go in with this job and see how it goes. According to my mother I am guaranteed a job. My exit strategy if things go wrong is to just become a Taiwanese citizen through my mother then join the army for 12 months with the required military conscription and see how that goes. Obviously I would rather this job if it is good pay, to which I don't know yet. But I would kind of like to join the army. I exercise every single day now and I think the army would help me get much more fit and would help me cut down to the right shape and toned figure.
Peace out.