The table tennis try-out was carried out
today due to the friendly match that is planned for tomorrow. Although not
knowing much about table tennis, I still took part in the try-out both to have
fun and also to learn a new sport. Not known by myself, many of those participating
in this OIP is very talented in the sport of table tennis. From singles to
doubles, everyone who came had a great time challenging one another in the
game.
During the table tennis try-out, there were
many other China students who are there playing their own game. To my surprise,
they were more than happy to show the ropes to many of us who did not know how
to play the game, from the serves to the hits. They showed great sportsmanship
and hospitality towards us which, for me, painted a more kind-hearted and
softer picture of the Chinese people, which truthfully, has been severely distorted
back home with the large number of Chinese immigrants.
The school has organised for us an official
welcoming ceremony today to formally greet us into their school. Performances
and cultural activities were carried out which both portrayed the modern and
traditional side of the Chinese culture. Many songs were sung, both in English
and Mandarin, to commemorate the event. They even took the time to translate
some of the songs into English to accommodate for the non-Chinese speaking students.
This humbled me and encourages me to make effort to better communicate with
them in their language rather than making them accommodate me.
No comments:
Post a Comment