Comments on: A Cultural Conundrum http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/general/a-cultural-conundrum/ No-nonsense China Expat & Travel Community Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:53:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jamieson http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/general/a-cultural-conundrum/#comment-13098 Jamieson Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:18:37 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/?p=1482#comment-13098 Heh heh @clark... I was doing a 2 week summer camp gig *somewhere* in Jiangsu and I (and all the other 7 overseas teachers) were on a judging panel for a "graduation" day singing contest from a selected group of kids. I swear, out of 20 contestants, 10 sang "Take me to your heart". Nearly vomited after the 8th rendition. After a quick conference we decided that none of them received a prize....just some cursory applause and lies of praise on stage from our unwilling elected Team Leader. Heh heh @clark…

I was doing a 2 week summer camp gig *somewhere* in Jiangsu and I (and all the other 7 overseas teachers) were on a judging panel for a “graduation” day singing contest from a selected group of kids.

I swear, out of 20 contestants, 10 sang “Take me to your heart”.

Nearly vomited after the 8th rendition. After a quick conference we decided that none of them received a prize….just some cursory applause and lies of praise on stage from our unwilling elected Team Leader.

]]> By: Clark http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/general/a-cultural-conundrum/#comment-13086 Clark Sun, 19 Apr 2009 06:07:29 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/?p=1482#comment-13086 You can always sing "Take me to Your Heart." Everybody knows the song so well, they'll quickly start singing over you, and now you don't have to do anything. You can always sing “Take me to Your Heart.” Everybody knows the song so well, they’ll quickly start singing over you, and now you don’t have to do anything.

]]> By: Nedzer http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/general/a-cultural-conundrum/#comment-13084 Nedzer Sun, 19 Apr 2009 03:57:10 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/?p=1482#comment-13084 “Forever friends” or “forever friendship” lyrics (to the music of Auld lang syne) 怎能忘记旧日朋友 心中能不欢笑 旧日朋友岂能相忘 友谊地久天长 友谊万岁朋友友谊万岁 举杯痛饮同声歌颂友谊地久天长 我们曾经终日游荡在故乡的青山上 我们也曾历尽苦辛到处奔波流浪 友谊万岁朋友友谊万岁 举杯痛饮同声歌颂友谊地久天长 我们也匆匆日逍遥荡桨在微波上 当如今已经劳燕分飞 远隔大海重洋 友谊万岁万岁朋友友谊万岁 举杯痛饮同声歌颂友谊地久天长 我们往日情意相投 让我们紧握手 让我们来举杯畅饮 友谊地久天长 友谊万岁万岁朋友友谊万岁 举杯痛饮同声歌颂友谊地久天长 友谊万岁万岁朋友友谊万岁 举杯痛饮同声歌颂友谊地久天长 友谊万岁万岁朋友友谊万岁 举杯痛饮同声歌颂友谊地久天长 her's the song in all it's glory http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTUxMzY0NDQ=.html Auld lang syne sung by a Chinese girl with weird subtitle word breaks and bad spelling http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjM5NjE4MA==.html Extra points for knowing the movie footage used in the song. Totally random video for no reason http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjYxODIw.html “Forever friends” or “forever friendship” lyrics (to the music of Auld lang syne)

怎能忘记旧日朋友
心中能不欢笑
旧日朋友岂能相忘
友谊地久天长
友谊万岁朋友友谊万岁
举杯痛饮同声歌颂友谊地久天长
我们曾经终日游荡在故乡的青山上
我们也曾历尽苦辛到处奔波流浪
友谊万岁朋友友谊万岁
举杯痛饮同声歌颂友谊地久天长
我们也匆匆日逍遥荡桨在微波上
当如今已经劳燕分飞
远隔大海重洋
友谊万岁万岁朋友友谊万岁
举杯痛饮同声歌颂友谊地久天长
我们往日情意相投
让我们紧握手
让我们来举杯畅饮
友谊地久天长
友谊万岁万岁朋友友谊万岁
举杯痛饮同声歌颂友谊地久天长
友谊万岁万岁朋友友谊万岁
举杯痛饮同声歌颂友谊地久天长
友谊万岁万岁朋友友谊万岁
举杯痛饮同声歌颂友谊地久天长

her’s the song in all it’s glory http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTUxMzY0NDQ=.html

Auld lang syne sung by a Chinese girl with weird subtitle word breaks and bad spelling http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjM5NjE4MA==.html

Extra points for knowing the movie footage used in the song.

Totally random video for no reason http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjYxODIw.html

]]> By: Chinamatt http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/general/a-cultural-conundrum/#comment-13060 Chinamatt Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:26:35 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/?p=1482#comment-13060 There were many attempts to get me to perform in China. Only once did I actually have to go in. Fortunately, they quickly realized my singing was terrible and let me sit out. There were many attempts to get me to perform in China. Only once did I actually have to go in. Fortunately, they quickly realized my singing was terrible and let me sit out.

]]> By: xhmdb http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/general/a-cultural-conundrum/#comment-13059 xhmdb Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:15:57 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/?p=1482#comment-13059 Hmm, if you want to help Chinese understand 'Western culture' you could ditch KFC and Britney and start with the following: - Rights of the individual; political, religious etc - Concepts of individual and social responsibility - Rule of law and an independent judiciary - Free and independent media Better to ask about 5,000 years of unbroken history and the infinite complexities of Chinese food first though. Wouldn't want anyone to think you were a culturally neo-imperialist hegemonist. Hmm, if you want to help Chinese understand ‘Western culture’ you could ditch KFC and Britney and start with the following:

- Rights of the individual; political, religious etc
- Concepts of individual and social responsibility
- Rule of law and an independent judiciary
- Free and independent media

Better to ask about 5,000 years of unbroken history and the infinite complexities of Chinese food first though. Wouldn’t want anyone to think you were a culturally neo-imperialist hegemonist.

]]> By: Michael http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/general/a-cultural-conundrum/#comment-13050 Michael Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:42:57 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/?p=1482#comment-13050 I've had the karaoke ambush a few times, and like you was completely unprepared and could only dredge up a few words of the famous English song I was asked to sing. (But that's a bit like grabbing a Chinese guy off the street in London and asking him to do a few kung fu moves). At one time I actually learned the words of a couple of my favourite songs and tried to sing them when 'ambushed'. The Chinese audience weren't interested in the 'real' English culture ... they just wanted the stuff they were familiar with. I’ve had the karaoke ambush a few times, and like you was completely unprepared and could only dredge up a few words of the famous English song I was asked to sing. (But that’s a bit like grabbing a Chinese guy off the street in London and asking him to do a few kung fu moves). At one time I actually learned the words of a couple of my favourite songs and tried to sing them when ‘ambushed’. The Chinese audience weren’t interested in the ‘real’ English culture … they just wanted the stuff they were familiar with.

]]> By: G http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/general/a-cultural-conundrum/#comment-13047 G Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:01:19 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/?p=1482#comment-13047 Aaron > I know that, sadly, "Ice, Ice Baby" is more a part of my culture than "Auld Lange Syne", and I guess the point of my post is that I'd like to somehow rectify that. Modern Western culture has its benefits, but it is full of draw backs, and I, for one, would like to get a bit better connected with my traditional roots than before, since hopefully it would be a lot more interesting and enriching than my KTV rendition of Vanilla Ice. It's just too bad that I don't have a kilt, because that would be all sorts of awesome...hmm, I wonder if a tailor can make one for me... Ryan > Make sure you dupe some other kid into taking a video, all the LLW readers would love to see that :) Aaron > I know that, sadly, “Ice, Ice Baby” is more a part of my culture than “Auld Lange Syne”, and I guess the point of my post is that I’d like to somehow rectify that. Modern Western culture has its benefits, but it is full of draw backs, and I, for one, would like to get a bit better connected with my traditional roots than before, since hopefully it would be a lot more interesting and enriching than my KTV rendition of Vanilla Ice.

It’s just too bad that I don’t have a kilt, because that would be all sorts of awesome…hmm, I wonder if a tailor can make one for me…

Ryan > Make sure you dupe some other kid into taking a video, all the LLW readers would love to see that :)

]]> By: Ryan http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/general/a-cultural-conundrum/#comment-13038 Ryan Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:37:03 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/?p=1482#comment-13038 I doubt there's an ESL teacher among us who wasn't conned by their language school into being a part of a play/presentation/blatant public sales tactic and forced to sing something "culturally" not-Chinese... Glen, for ever more I will insist that "Ice Ice Baby" is the only song from my culture that I will sing in public. I'll even dupe some poor 6-year-old bystander into laying down the <em>Under Pressure</em> sample. Great post, and welcome to LLW. I doubt there’s an ESL teacher among us who wasn’t conned by their language school into being a part of a play/presentation/blatant public sales tactic and forced to sing something “culturally” not-Chinese…

Glen, for ever more I will insist that “Ice Ice Baby” is the only song from my culture that I will sing in public. I’ll even dupe some poor 6-year-old bystander into laying down the Under Pressure sample.

Great post, and welcome to LLW.

]]> By: john http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/general/a-cultural-conundrum/#comment-13037 john Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:27:08 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/?p=1482#comment-13037 this happens to me at every chinese wedding where I'm the only foreigner....including my own --- at least at that one I was so obliterated and it was expected that I made a fool of myself this happens to me at every chinese wedding where I’m the only foreigner….including my own — at least at that one I was so obliterated and it was expected that I made a fool of myself

]]> By: Aaron http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/general/a-cultural-conundrum/#comment-13036 Aaron Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:26:40 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/?p=1482#comment-13036 Is something really "part of your culture" if you can't sing it/dance it/explain it/whip it out at a moment's notice? I think your experience speaks to the <em>actual</em> place of "Auld Lang Syne" in our culture (something that everyone knows only the first verse to, and only sings on New Year's Eve). Wouldn't pretending that it's anything more simply be a misrepresentation? It sounds like, whether you like it or not, "Ice Ice, Baby" is a bigger part of "your culture" than "Auld Lang Syne" is. Just something to think about. Keep up the interesting blogging! Is something really “part of your culture” if you can’t sing it/dance it/explain it/whip it out at a moment’s notice? I think your experience speaks to the actual place of “Auld Lang Syne” in our culture (something that everyone knows only the first verse to, and only sings on New Year’s Eve). Wouldn’t pretending that it’s anything more simply be a misrepresentation? It sounds like, whether you like it or not, “Ice Ice, Baby” is a bigger part of “your culture” than “Auld Lang Syne” is.

Just something to think about. Keep up the interesting blogging!

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