I know it's weird to write this in English. Without challenge there's no meaning of doing this.
I ran into an old man this afternoon, on my way back to the tent.He's a normal white man, pushing the pedestrian light for us and was looking at me curiously.
Finally he asked me if I paddled in the race, and we started to talk about this event. He said he adopted a girl from China and brought her here to contact with her own culture.
I was really touched, not a bit of awkward.
I, as a part of highly influenced member of Chinese culture, am having my first attempt of dragon boat racing, even though it's a rough and modified to modern boat-racing culture version.
A traditional dragon-boat racing is a two-lines boat racing with drummer ahead commanding. This custom is made in memoir of a poet who drowned himself due to his disappointment to the emperor or the government.(as I remember) Anyway his loyalty is well-known and people made Chinese-tamale and threw them in the river to distract fish from eating the poet's body. Dragonboat racing's connection with this poet, I admit with shame, is forgotten by me. I believe it's a tradition developed during the process of throwing tamales. lol
Anyway, I participate the racing team of National Taiwan University Alumni Association by accident. It had been a struggling in the last quarter of the training, but nevertheless, I finished both 250m and 500 racing as co-leading paddler. I met many people, which is my purpose of participating, and feel satisfied after the races. I'm glad I have teammates who devoted themselves into the race and the practice, and supporting team which cheer for us even when we are falling far behind.
Our effort results in both bronze medals in 250m D division and 500m E division, which is not outstanding.but just as old-fashioned saying, "the process itself is the outcome." I feel accomplished. I am glad that I really be in part of this game, while a adopting father is more aware of his daughter's culture than us. Nice job, my teammates, I'm proud of you and really want to keep the contact with you in the future.
I ran into an old man this afternoon, on my way back to the tent.He's a normal white man, pushing the pedestrian light for us and was looking at me curiously.
Finally he asked me if I paddled in the race, and we started to talk about this event. He said he adopted a girl from China and brought her here to contact with her own culture.
I was really touched, not a bit of awkward.
I, as a part of highly influenced member of Chinese culture, am having my first attempt of dragon boat racing, even though it's a rough and modified to modern boat-racing culture version.
A traditional dragon-boat racing is a two-lines boat racing with drummer ahead commanding. This custom is made in memoir of a poet who drowned himself due to his disappointment to the emperor or the government.(as I remember) Anyway his loyalty is well-known and people made Chinese-tamale and threw them in the river to distract fish from eating the poet's body. Dragonboat racing's connection with this poet, I admit with shame, is forgotten by me. I believe it's a tradition developed during the process of throwing tamales. lol
Anyway, I participate the racing team of National Taiwan University Alumni Association by accident. It had been a struggling in the last quarter of the training, but nevertheless, I finished both 250m and 500 racing as co-leading paddler. I met many people, which is my purpose of participating, and feel satisfied after the races. I'm glad I have teammates who devoted themselves into the race and the practice, and supporting team which cheer for us even when we are falling far behind.
Our effort results in both bronze medals in 250m D division and 500m E division, which is not outstanding.but just as old-fashioned saying, "the process itself is the outcome." I feel accomplished. I am glad that I really be in part of this game, while a adopting father is more aware of his daughter's culture than us. Nice job, my teammates, I'm proud of you and really want to keep the contact with you in the future.
