Hello from Canada. Incidentally, I found you here. You may or may not remember me. I am Tracy Lu, used to work in BC Shanghai. Hope to see you someday. 😊
I have a question on my mind this evening, that I was going to turn into a note, but I thought it slightly better to simply... ask directly, if I might, considering what I know of your work and experience.
I am at a stage in my life where I can either build a life in a foreign country (France), or return to a city I know well (Edinburgh). I know both options would be fantastic.
It is a question of personality - the kind of person I am capable of being in my native language as opposed to my second.
What are your thoughts on the different versions of oneself that one becomes in different languages? Do you still feel, after so long, as though you share (for example) an English sense of humour?
I understand this one of those questions, but thought I would ask, since this platform exists. Feel free to reply with whatever pops into your mind! I am interested in your, personal perspective.
Thanks for dropping me a line. Your Substack is looking great, by the way!
I guess the first thing I'd say is how wonderful it is to have a choice of where to go and who to be. The second thing is that I feel that being international in lifestyle and learning to live in another language are both about addition. Some people I've met around the world fear that they will become "less Japanese" or "less Chinese" if they become internationalised. But I don't see it like that. These other lives we accrete through living elsewhere and speaking other languages enrich us. They don't take away our national identity, and they don't rob us of our origin stories. Those remain. Thirdly, when faced with a choice like the one you mention, I have tended to go with what scares or excites me the most.
I don't know if any of that helps but happy to explain more if that would help.
Congrats on your achievement!
Thank you!
Hello from Canada. Incidentally, I found you here. You may or may not remember me. I am Tracy Lu, used to work in BC Shanghai. Hope to see you someday. 😊
Hi Tracy, it's so nice to hear from you! Of course I remember you! I hope you are well and enjoying life in Canada.
Hello Jeffrey!
I have a question on my mind this evening, that I was going to turn into a note, but I thought it slightly better to simply... ask directly, if I might, considering what I know of your work and experience.
I am at a stage in my life where I can either build a life in a foreign country (France), or return to a city I know well (Edinburgh). I know both options would be fantastic.
It is a question of personality - the kind of person I am capable of being in my native language as opposed to my second.
What are your thoughts on the different versions of oneself that one becomes in different languages? Do you still feel, after so long, as though you share (for example) an English sense of humour?
I understand this one of those questions, but thought I would ask, since this platform exists. Feel free to reply with whatever pops into your mind! I am interested in your, personal perspective.
Thank you, and I hope you are well!
Tom :)
Hi Tom
Thanks for dropping me a line. Your Substack is looking great, by the way!
I guess the first thing I'd say is how wonderful it is to have a choice of where to go and who to be. The second thing is that I feel that being international in lifestyle and learning to live in another language are both about addition. Some people I've met around the world fear that they will become "less Japanese" or "less Chinese" if they become internationalised. But I don't see it like that. These other lives we accrete through living elsewhere and speaking other languages enrich us. They don't take away our national identity, and they don't rob us of our origin stories. Those remain. Thirdly, when faced with a choice like the one you mention, I have tended to go with what scares or excites me the most.
I don't know if any of that helps but happy to explain more if that would help.
Jeff