The Etymology of Thank YOUs around the world

" Thank you", one of the first words we learn in every language. Ng Guo, Duo Jie, Xie Xie, merci beau coup, muchas gracias, namaste. Why? Because human civilization values the time and effort of at least trying to do something, learn something, do a task, even if that person is by largely failing and only marginally succeeding. Thank you is a powerful motivator for human relationships to not only flourish but to also be productive. 

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the English word “thank” derived from the word “think” around 450AD. Up until this time, people would typically express their gratitude by saying: “I think of you kindly.” This evolved to become “I Thank You” which was then shortened to “Thank You” around the 14th century. That later became “thanks” and, by the 18th century, simply “ta”. Etymology modern day merci is from Middle French merci, mercy, from Old French merci, from Latin mercēdem (“wages, fee, price”). 

In Chinese, Xie Xie is used as thank you in general. In Canton, Ng Gou is used to saying thanks for the favor whilst duo jie means thanks for the gift.

The word namaste comes from Sanskrit. It’s a combination of namas (“I bow”) and te (“you”), which literally translates to I bow to you (McBroom, 2023). If the first particle sounds familiar, that’s because it is also featured in the word namaskar (e.g., Surya Namaskar), which means “greeting” or “salute. ”In terms of pronunciation, the word namaste is broken down into three syllables: nah-mas-tay, with emphasis on the first syllable. Traditionally, namaste is a non-contact way of greeting someone, expressing gratitude, or showing one’s respect. Namaste is usually accompanied by Anjali mudra, with the palms pressed together at the center of the chest, close to one’s heart. To reflect on its literal meaning, the verbal greeting is performed with a respectful bowing of the head in the direction of the person you are speaking to.

In the context of yoga, namaste is usually spoken at the beginning or at the end of the class. When it is said at the start, namaste is a way to greet each other. A teacher saying it to a student (or students) can also use namaste as a way to convey that the students are welcome and accepted. At the end of the class, namaste has a different connotation. It’s an expression of appreciation and gratitude. It is customary for the teacher to thank the students for sharing their practice and opening their mind to the wonders of yoga. The students tend to echo the sentiment with their own namaste to express gratitude to the teacher for guiding them and to fellow students for sharing their space and energy.

Culturally, thank you is the most fundamental "magic word" you can use and start teaching a child to be a polite member of the family, society, be it a small community or eventually the ever globalizing world. And this kind of manners is not just verbal and superficial lip service, but to allow children to see adults saying thanks to one another a lot, is a good practice for a healthy and warm home to be developed. And if not, there's also the other magic word "sorry". 

That's just Airlie's 2 cents into this.

xxx

Hong Kong: The Land of Paradoxes

My recent 33rd birthday reflection as well as a recent conversation with my family comparing living in Scandinavian, Australian and Canadian cities allowed me to reorganize my thoughts on the city I now reside in: Hong Kong. How I locate myself on this canvas. What I have found out is that we HK residents live in a land of paradoxes.

Before the handover in 1997, Hong Kong was already one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Now that the city has been forced to open up to it's biological mother China, it has now entered the inevitable stage of being a (what I like to think) rebellious teenager with an identity crisis. For those who want to jump and criticize me for insulting HK residents like that, let me just preempt that I have no intentions of doing so but quite the contrary. Bear with me.

HK residents ever since the 60s and 70s has developed a great work ethic of diligence. Working their supposedly 9-5 job way over time. The abbreviation O.T. (standing for over time) is widely used and understood even by my grandma who knows negligible English. This work ethic was inherited by the next generation of millennials (ahem, moi) the only difference is that we are the living, breathing anthem of "Work hard, play hard." Unlike our parents who never indulged in designer brands, fine dining and traveling to save money for an apartment, we millennials are lucky enough to have a family that is in no dire financial abyss and hence can live life a bit more than the last generation. HK residents literally coined the Cantonese short hand for the weekend routine of "shop, movie, dine". In recent years, some has dove into the alternative of wellness, spending time at the gym, doing yoga, hiking or cycling. 

And here is my first observed paradox: HK residents would gladly give into a job they most probably loath and grind at for most of the week, and then at the end of the week, do an absolute 180 and just let loose. What is the meaning of life for the many bankers and office workers who either hate their tedious jobs or the ethically questionable institution they loath? What is the meaning of life for the many people who is complacent at their government jobs yet spends the holidays protesting against their boss? Why not work in something you feel passionately for most of the week so you do not have to force a weekend of  "let's make myself happy"? 

The next paradox is derived from that very last question but perhaps a more quantified question: Is the hefty price tag of indulgence that important that we give up our choice of how we make a living?

A parallel paradox is that we work tirelessly for months so that we can go traveling. Why not build a home we do not need to escape from? This question after some thought is the result of the system we unfortunately can't change too much. There are more mainland Chinese flooding into our city whether, some just tourists or some evolving into residents taking up not only space but even resources. And I understand that this frustration is often what drives us to travel. But wouldn't it be nice that we can live in a city, working at a job we love, so we needn't have to escape all the time?

Another paradox comes in the form of health and lifestyle: (and I am by no means an exception from this) we live in a society that salivates on the gluttony of Instagram worthy food yet after that then again take a 180 turn and torture ourselves in the gym. Why not stay disciplined when consuming food in the first place? Why not exercise because we enjoy it, not to detox?

Last paradox: we spend so much time at work multi-tasking, when we don't we need apps to remind us to breathe, to stand up and walk around, drink, to do basic things we used to do on our own. Our minds are so preoccupied that we need time to meditate and unwind from that. And sometimes we aren't even good at doing that. 

What I have come to conclude (at least for me) is that life is a gift of constantly being in the present. If I wake up everyday knowing I love the work that I do, that I enjoy nurturing the next generation about literature, that I feel a humbling sense of work flow when I write, I do not have to force a weekend of "make up for the fives days I just spent in hell" nor do I have to escape when I travel around the world. That my traveling is instead wanderlust driven. 

Life At This Point

As the semester and also 2016 comes to an end, I am left here sitting in my new home grading essays as well as pondering what goals should I aim for 2017. For most of my twenties I have loved to travel and yearned to travel even more. But as I have built a career and home I don't need to escape from, as well as my wanderlust satisfied for the past decade or so...I find my mind wandering and wondering about what else can I achieve? What other places can my career bring me? And for many years even before I started writing the manuscript of my novel I simply wished to be a published writer. That was the goal. But somehow that shifted recently. I still want to be published but I want it to be published in my way, a very socially corporate responsible way, and so I want to start my own publishing company. I want to adapt the model of:
1. Every time you buy a book, a book will go to a child who needs one
2. If you send in a second hand book, you can get a half price discount, that book again will go to a child who needs one.
Selling 3 manuscripts (novel, nonfiction and my short story and poems collection) as well as this business model is almost hard to achieve at all, much to say in the short future) so why shouldn't I start my own publishing company? With this business I also want to help the many writers who keep feeling rejected by the major publishing houses because their writing is not "commercial" enough. I want to create a publishing house that is not just printing money but printing heartfelt pages.

At this point in my life I also don't need to broaden my network at mixers because I know that if I really go through with this business model, I know the trusty friends I have whom I can contract as editor, designer, IT, tax advisor and legal advisor. I have been reading up whether LLC or S-corp will be a better business model, costs of publishing paper books and ebooks. I have even been fiddling with names for my publishing house. I think the more serious I get with this project, the more it would come true. It's like the self fulfilling prophecy I had for my novel. Telling myself I could do it, while I kept doing it made it come true.

Life at this point is about taking care of myself, my family, and giving back to the community that blessed me with their help. Life right now...is still going to be challenging (I wouldn't ask for any less of it). And life right now...is pretty damn good...=)

#GivingTuesday (It still is Tuesday on the other side of the globe)

Islamic teachers

I was having dinner at a Turkish place for a friends birthday and got into an interesting conversation with the owners about Islamic views of teachers.

Back home they view teachers as holy people, they are astonished at how some little brats in Hong Kong can scold teachers or treat them with limited respect. They said there is a saying in Islamic that "If a teacher can teach me one alphabet, I should be his slave for 40 years." Although this is of course an intended exaggeration but the moral of it is pretty clear: we should respect our teachers. The most interesting part of the conversation is that one guy said, despite one of his elementary school teacher being ridiculously strict and used a ruler to hit their hands when they did something wrong, he is still very thankful for him up to this day for that teacher to help him become the man he is today. Even now, whenever he goes back to Turkey, he will visit this teacher and have tea with him.

Its interesting getting to know a different culture. Thought i'd share that =)

Tying teachers pay to performance

So i read about this controversy in Canada, and i reflected as an educator here in HK, why don't we push for the same thing? Having studied in HK's education system as well as teaching in it, I can say that i've seen the discrepancy in teachers as well as how unproportional the salary scale is. The point system just goes up as you continue your contract with the school, and let's be fair, when do you really hear a teacher being fired? Unless they really eff up. So basically the older you are you have a fatter salary. So you could have a teacher who really sucks at teaching, no one gets what they are teaching and they aren't making an effort, staying in the system and getting paid shit loads. Whereas there can be hardworking, lets not say fresh grads but 30,40 year olds working there ass off and providing quality education but is scraping half of what the oldies are getting. 

Don't get me wrong it can be vice versa but that absolutely explains why we should have some sort of merit system. To enforce the quality of teaching on every level. This will also attract people into the industry. If they get the incentive to teach, and be able to make a living, no one would have asked Taylor Mali "How much do you make?(as a teacher)" because lets be honest, other than making a difference, a bit of monetary incentive would be nice.

An Airlie quote a day keeps the cynics away

It's easy to love your own children, its harder to love someone else's children as  they are your own. That's the everyday life of a teacher.

Passion vs credentials 衝上雲霄

Although you might have read my post about not detesting being a teacher as much as I used to a couple months ago, but I haven't been able to shake the feeling and the fear that I'm stealing someone else's dream... someone who probably has less credentials but more passion than I have... someone whose more suitable to be a teacher than I am... I feel bad every time I lament about being a teacher because someone out there probably really wants it and would probably work ten times harder than I do now...

And vice versa, I might not be a very talented writer, I didn't do a journalism degree and I didn't get a first honors in my English degree, but without those credentials, does it really mean I shouldn't keep trying?

This brings me to a question regarding education: when we screen students for certain high schools or certain university programs, should we prioritize how smart they are based on their grades, or how passionate and diligent they are and how much improvement they make? Similarly, should employers screen candidate solely based on their credentials or their passion?

This was interestingly brought up in a recent TVB series called Triumph in the Skies II 衝上雲霄 II when the Pre-pilot program panel had to screen candidates and it was between the protagonist Holiday or a smartie pants.

Regardless, how much I struggle in being a credited writer... I still view it as my lifelong dream, something I'll keep pursuing no matter what obstacles I encounter. Cheers to dreams!!

Paying your way to your kids education?

It was only a while ago English Schools Foundation (ESF), organizer of 19 international schools in HK announced that they will be raising the tuition fees again, and today local elite school Saint Stephen's Girls' College (SSGC) announced that they plan to switch to direct subsidy.


ESF is making the increment because the government is phasing out the subvention to support them and they wish to maintain the quality education provided. While SSGC justifies their change as a way to preserve their heritage and ethos.

The question I would like to pose here is: Why has,does and will our education system support the seclusion of poor diligent students to allow rich brats to a better education and easier route to success? If we are to leverage HK's education system to international standards, we should start thinking about questions like this. Which raises the ancient question of why students are allocated into schools based on where they live (how well-off they are).

There is on average only 18% of local high school graduates(from elite schools) that are accepted into a local subsidized university. Are the remaining 82% not as hardworking as the elite or international school kids who are ensured of a quality tertiary education? Most definitely not. But it is the flawed system that dooms the future of the 88% remainders. And now they are saying the price tag of this shortcut to success is even heftier? That the fairy tale of pursuing one's dream and passion is even more treacherous? That says a lot about the so-called educators at ESF and SSGC as well as the government. But then again why wouldn't they? They are preserving their own breed.

In all fairness, not all elite or international school kids are brats, I have met aplenty that are not. But would I say the majority is brattier the remaining kids? Probably yes. Is it the kids fault? Definitely not. Is it the system's fault? I would say yes. How then could we rectify this? Well, I have at least done my part of reiterating this age old problem. The rest is really up to the people at the top to have a conscience.
And as teachers and parents, we should educate our kids to never stop dreaming and to fight the system, because I have seen cases, of the less privileged making their way in the world, because they have the perserverance and faith it takes.

HK Needs More Unsung Heroes

Even though people keep telling me what happened for the past couple of years was not my fault, there was still a big part of me that felt otherwise... Either way, there was one thing for sure right this instant: what holds for me in the future is highly up to me right now, and I must take charge of the reins and make up for the time lost... it is up to me to rebuild the life that I once had, or maybe an even better one, one that serves not just me or people I know, but the community and an altruistic cause. And hopefully there is one thing I can address:

Observing the education industry in Hong Kong in comparison to say Canada or Australia, the moral values infused to children by both teachers and parents here are so different (in psychologist Kohlbergs's terms) very Pre-conventional i.e. highly reward and punishment based. We tell kids they can have a sticker if they are good or will be standing at the back of the class if not. These kids, including me up till a very late age, grow up thinking that whatever we do, it's for a very egocentric reason. I study, so I can go to college. I use my manners with a waiter because I don't want them to spit on my food. I mediate domestic disputes because I don't want them to light up a fire in my building.

Very rarely do we teach our children to be Post-conventional i.e. altruistic, thinking of the bigger picture. How many of us in Hong Kong grow up thinking I study because knowledge is what sustains human civilization, or that we should be cordial with waiters because they deserve that dignity. How many of us are educated to recycle, to donate, to be unsung heroes of our society? But it's these unsung heroes that we need so our world can flourish.

Out of all the schools of Psychology, I believe in the Humanistic Approach the most: Roger and Maslow's celebration of human choice, creativity and self-actualization is more profound than Freud's lack of empirical study or Skinner's mechanical conditioning theories.

My biggest fear is no longer whether I accomplish my dreams and pursuits or whether I have reached my potential, but whether I have contributed to my community and society.

Being a softy

Very often do people call me a softy. Whether it's being a teacher, or with guys or friends or family, even with animals... they say I let them take advantage of me. They don't mean it in a derogatory way but it's definitely not a compliment. But I guess they are also concerned about me, which I do appreciate.

However, I do want to defend myself or at least shed some light regarding this issue...when it comes to teaching, I believe in positive reinforcements, I don't like to punish or yell at the top of my lungs. I genuinely believe that if there are naughty students, with patience, love and a positive model, they will eventually improve, I'm not saying it will happen over night but it will happen. Same with guys... I might not know the true meaning of love but there's one thing my mom taught me that I will always remember "It takes time to move the heart of someone you love". So basically, when you feel like you're not reaping what you sow, you keep sowing. And even though I can't say I have ever been successful with this, I like to believe that what I give to a man would at least in the most trivial way warm his heart or brighten up his day. I believe it was a couple years ago, when I was still in college and single, I had afternoon tea with an auntie, and she told me "Kind girls like you will definitely find true love in the end" a few years later I was dating, and even though it didn't last, I like to believe she meant that from the bottom of her heart. Friends... may take advantage of you, you help them once, they ask for more help the next time and it goes viral. But...

bottom line is I believe in giving more than I believe in taking, and that goes for everybody and anybody. You may say it reinforces behavior like taking advantage of me, but I don't like playing mind games, I just give. I am a very simple person. Call me dumb or naive or whatever, that's just my philosophy. Give.

Cause to me, the contrary perplexes me: A student is naughty, you punish him/her... he/she resents you. You play hard to get with a guy, he might fall for it now, but in the long run he's gonna wonder what he's doing. Friends, you stop helping them, and you're gonna feel sorry for them...etc.

Whether you believe in God or not, karma or not, whether you are an atheist... think about it, our world would be so much more simple and less complicated if we all were softies, if we didn't guard ourselves up in high castles because we don't wanna "lose". It would be a more loving world.

An Airlie quote a day keeps the cynics away

Being a teacher, is like being in a relationship, there will be good days and there will be bad days and your commitment through the thick and thin is what makes you the person people want to relate to and cherish. 

A life changing article

I currently stumbled across an acceptance speech by a total stranger--Prof. Francis Su which amazingly overnight changed my perspectives towards life. In short he talked about "The Lesson of Grace in Teaching". As simple and boring as those words seemed, this only suddenly made me realize my deeply rooted notion of worthiness which should be based on diligence, merit and achievements is entirely wrong. I will insert the transcript here:

And although my parents always told me the same old stuff, the way Prof. Su portrayed it somehow struck me hard. Maybe it's also life that has weathered me and changed me for the better but anyhow here's how that article impacted me:

No.1 I don't detest being a teacher as much as I used to anymore because I realized how immensely teachers can impact children and the community with every detail of our lessons. And I might not be a good teacher at all but as long as I've tried my best to improve everyday then that's fine. Becoming a credited writer is a long and treacherous road in which I might never see the end, not that I'm going to give up, but knowing that I have educating to fall back on, I can at least go to sleep at night knowing that I've contributed to the society.

No.2 Now I try to treat my students more equally and not gravitate towards my favorites as I used to because the grace you extend to those with difficulties are what could change their lives and future generations if implemented correctly. I know that this concept of education is close to impossible to advertise especially in HK but I like to believe that every little bit counts.

No.3 I have always had respect for my parents, but now I have an even more profound respect for them because they are by Prof Su's definition the best educators a daughter could ever have and ever need, teaching me that I don't have to be the best, I just have to try my best; something that I haven't fully comprehend till now, in which I will definitely tell my kids as well.

No.4 My perspective towards my lifestyle is slowly changing, Prada doesn't mean as much as it used to when Zara does the same and sometimes a better job. Don't get me wrong, aesthetics are important but if it means sacrificing long holidays in which I can expand my horizons, then it's a no. Which is what we should also educate our children--be curious about the world and be brave to explore it.