#1. Life's been very kind to me - luck has allowed me to indulge in 'the road less travelled' in South America, away from home and familiarity, where my curiosity gets well fed yet at the same time, where the darker and stupid side of me met heart-wrenching solitude, dangerous moments of self-doubt and perhaps a bit of self-loathing. But I believe that every good and bad essentially makes life an enthusiastic one and I'll rather stay stubborn about the idea that all efforts will eventually pay off - it's clear to me that there's a small part of me doesn't like things that come too easily. Having the privilege to live in the East and West, I've come to realise that we human beings living or making a living in the modern society of market, have a lot more in common than what differentiate us. From the “first world” to the “third world”, if they ever exist at all, there's the "rich" who make a fuss out of anything just to make their lives appear less dull, get confused about the ideas of price and value, money and wealth, and those who stay complacent by almost conscious choice; whereas the unlucky ones who get obsessed with their ideological enemies, left discouraged to take better responsibility and individual initiative. That being said, if one is willing to see, off the mainstream spotlight, there're those, regardless of their social status, who are generous with their “ownerships", share and dedicate themselves, without making a noise, in order for other members of the community to grow or to suffer less. The struggle to lead a meaningful and successful life might be intimidating and very likely puts one in a sulk (otherwise those well-educated and blue bloods engaging themselves passionately in blaming and judging must have been extremely happy). But there's a fine line between satire and cynicism. I feel like that there's enough of the latter and I don't want to contribute to that. Alongside the club of snobs there's a brighter side of the humanity. And I'd rather be less judgemental and complain less and give room for backing up the brave action-takers and change-makers, while trying to be more sympathetic to the rest - after all we all have one of those moments being in need of love and attention and some need them more desperately! Many hugs!!!
#2. I'm still in many ways skeptical about fate, but it seems somehow destined that I've met the most lovable, daring and tolerant friends from different corners of the world around whom I learn, mature, and feel instantly at home. I cannot imagine myself holding together and keep moving without the presence of these lovely people, and it still holds true despite the physical distance among us. The downside of all these, however, is that the more I have set myself up overseas, the less relevant to my birthplace I seem to become. “Too many cultures in one single body”, an Argentinian-Korean who’ve lived half of his life abroad sums it up. Not only does my answers to "where are you going to be?" become increasingly not credible even to myself, it has also often turned me into a sentimental mess - much involuntary tears have shed at the airport and the nostalgia of the good laughs and enlightening times we shared is still sometimes overwhelming..I'm not wise enough to contemplate fate and free will. But to take Tao's wisdom it’d be nice to try to be like water, soft yet yielding, as in "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” Move on and optimism will take care of itself. Too melodramatic? Maybe a little. Bear with me, I’m a woman ;)
#3. I used to constantly, maybe sometimes still, fall into, as an Argentinian professor kindly warned, "pseudo-philosophical" debates with myself, with the intent to understand where the root of a problem lies. And she's probably right. Knowledge alone doesn’t necessarily lead to a concrete solution, action, however experimental, is what makes the difference. I wish the younger arrogant me had taken her advice and spent less time hesitating which mountain to climb and just start climbing.
#4. The easiest language in the world to communicate is smile. The warmth of kindness given without seeking anything in return is a treasure!
#5. "A good dissertation is one that is finished."
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