The old against the new?

Culture isn't static. Take a look at the fashion, music, architecture, and language of past decades. Culture is constantly changing. This is why intercultural conflicts can happen even in families where everyone is of the same race. Each generation is born in a different time, and they grow up under the influences of a different society.

My parents are quite modern, but they still follow some old traditions like not sweeping the floor during Chinese New Year, buying new clothes and shoes for Chinese New Year, and not saying "unlucky" things. I value tradition a lot less than they do. I prefer to follow traditions only when it's convenient or fun.

I used to hate buying new clothes for Chinese New Year. If I didn't go with my parents when they went shopping, they would end up buying odd-looking or very uncomfortable new clothes for me. If I went with them, I would have to go walking around shopping centres for hours when I would much rather be reading or playing. Either way, it wasn't fun for me, especially since I had always preferred wearing my older and more comfortable clothes anyway.

My parents weren't really superstitious. They certainly didn't believe that breaking New Year taboos would bring bad luck. I remember being very annoyed back then because my parents couldn't give me a satisfying answer when I asked them about the point of following tradition. Their reply was always something along the lines of "Because it's tradition." They were following tradition simply because it was part of Chinese culture, and they thought it was important to remember our history. I, on the other hand, didn't see the point of following traditions that didn't seem useful in any practical way. I thought it was silly to do something simply because our ancestors did it, especially since many traditions involved superstitions that we didn't believe in. I do find our old traditions somewhat interesting, but to me, just knowing these traditions is enough.

Even though I and my parents are all Chinese, we value the past differently. It's one small difference between two generations from the "same" Chinese culture.

I wonder, which trait of mine do I think best defines me?

I know it’s impossible to learn everything there is to know about everything under the sun, but I want to learn a tiny bit about everything. I want to know a bit of history, maybe learn the basics of a few extra languages, pick up some knowledge of basic programming, take a quick peek at economics, study a bit of art…

I blame this on my curiosity. I’ve always been interested in finding out how the world works. When I was younger, I looked for the answers in books and encyclopaedias, or pestered my parents with millions of questions. My interest in learning hasn’t waned since then. But now, I often rely on the internet for information.

I believe my interest in learning has taught me to question. It has taught me not to blindly accept everything I read or hear. Different books can disagree. Scientific studies on subjects often turn up conflicting results. Sometimes a number of articles will describe “facts” “proven” by “scientific research”, and just as many articles will claim the opposite to be true. Now, even when information is obtained from a reputable source, I still ask, is it possible for them to be mistaken?

This, too, is partly why I want to learn a bit of everything. Without at least basic knowledge, how can I ever judge if a given “fact” is true? Learning will help with more than simply sating my curiosity. Learning will also help me learn.

Edited on 17/09/2009, 2:56 PM.

Application Letter

I tried searching for internships and engineering jobs first, but failed to find any suitable for myself. So, I'm applying to this instead. It's a position for a member of a service crew in the food and beverage industry. They are looking for both temporary staff and permanent staff, and I am applying for a position as a member of the temporary staff.

The job requires me to be bilingual, pleasant, and outgoing. My responsibilities would include handling the preparation of food and beverages, handling cash register transactions, and maintaining high standards of customer service, product quality, and cleanliness. Although the posting states that experience as well as Singaporean citizenship or permanent residentship is preferred, these do not appear to be hard requirements.

Well, this is my application letter. I know it's short, but that's because I lack work experience and relevant activities, and thus have little to include. Until now, I didn't really realise how important CCA activities were for job applications. Well, I still have over two and a half years in NUS left before I graduate, so I'm going to make a serious effort to participate more in that time. :D

____________________________________________________________________


To: leslie.han@renaldosgroup.com


September 6, 2009

Dear Sir/Madam,

Looking through job postings on the 88db website, I saw a post regarding openings for service crew members in your company. I am writing to apply for a position as a temporary staff member.

I am fluent in both English and Mandarin, having not only a high school level education in both languages, but also daily experience in conversing in English and Mandarin. In addition, I am also capable of conversing in Malay as well as understanding spoken Hokkien. My grasp of these different languages will help me understand requests and orders from the customers well, allowing me to serve them better.

Being a fast learner, I am confident that, despite not having any prior work experience in this field, I will be able to quickly master the skills needed for the job.

I hope to hear from you soon. I can be contacted at the phone number and email address listed below.

Yours sincerely,
Joshua Chng
#05-214, Blk 5,
Ghim Moh Road,
Singapore 270005
Ph: 90947944
E-mail: ruinicwinter@gmail.com