This article today talks about a grown man, president of a free country, feeling HOMESICK on a mere 10-day trip overseas. Now I know why people here always ask me if I am homesick as a foreigner, since even their president gets homesick on overseas trips. Can someone explain this?
QUOTE:
The ceremony [in St Kitts or the Grenadines, can’t remember which island country it was] had several programs which made guests from the other side of the planet feel welcome. Children sang a famous Taiwanese folk song, ‘‘Looking Forward Spring’’ (望春風). Professional dancers performed to the music of Taiwanese folk songs. For Chen’s arrival, the public was given half a day off and were encouraged to welcome him at the airport.
Chen, who left Taiwan 10 days ago, said the warm greeting made him less homesick.
“Such a big gathering reminds me of election campaign rallies I’ve been very familiar with. The sound of ‘‘Looking Forward Spring’’ eases my homesickness. The famous song is known to almost every Taiwanese. In a way, it’s like our national anthem,” Chen said.
Grown man gets homesick? This is not summer camp, Abian!
Does homesick have a different meaning in Mandarin, maybe?
No I am serious, DSN. Imagine the leader of Germany going a trip to China for 1o days and telling the media he is homesick. NEVER. Most mature statesmen, East or West, would NEVER say they are homesick after just a few days overseas, away from home. Not Koizumi, not Mahathir, not Thaksin, not Bush (did I say mature?), not Blair.
So I am thinking maybe HOMESICKNESS in Chinese means something different than it means in English? It’s one thing to love one’s home, even to miss one’s home country, but to be HOMESICK is just for little kids away at summer camp or private school, no?
You’re right, homesick, or 想家, literally to think of home. I guess in the context of putting on Taiwanese folk songs, etc, it was a high compliment for Chen to say he was"thinking of home".
HG
Edit: There are other terms for homesickness, (懷鄉病,
鄉愁, or homesickness/nostalgia 鄉思), which are more akin to the english notion, but who knows which Chen used? My instinct, given the context, would be to presume the first (想家).
I was being serious, in a smiley, happy sort of way. Comments like those seem to be EXACTLY what the public will be swayed by here.
I agree 100% with you that no real statesman would say something like that, but then I don’t think anyone’s delusional enough to put Mr Chen in that group.
Oxford Definition of “Statesman”: A person who plays an active or especially skillful role in politics or affairs of state.
Well the leaders of Germany and USA have constituents that pride themselves on being cosmopolitan.
You’ll find CSB constituents to pride themselves on being “country and rural”
Thus a more direct approach is necessary to make Taiwan seem important to them. Like foriegn kids singing in Taiwanese and saying stuff like I miss home.
Constituents of leaders of countries like Germany and USA could give a rat’s a$$ if kids sang in English or German upon their arrival. They just want the red carpet and a consensus on the whatever the situation is on hand.
I read somewhere that President Bush doesn’t get homesick when he travels, cuz his mom packs his favorite foods to bring along with him and she calls him each night before bed.
This is not personal attacks on your president, sir. This is about the word homesick in English and Chinese and how their meanings might differ. Thanks HGN above for answer.
Hmmm. My gf told me that she saw on TV that Chen also said that when his term of office ends in 2008, he would like to emigrate to one of the just-visited countries and take up politics there. :loco:
Does this mean he is already planning ahead and is not puting the current needs of the TAIWANESE people first?
[quote=“DSN”]Hmmm. My gf told me that she saw on TV that Chen also said that when his term of office ends in 2008, he would like to emigrate to one of the just-visited countries and take up politics there. :loco:
Does this mean he is already planning ahead and is not puting the current needs of the Taiwanese people first?[/quote]
DSN,
Yr gf forgot to tell you that Chen was just kidding his hosts.
[quote=“Cola”]
DSN,
Yr gf forgot to tell you that Chen was just kidding his hosts.[/quote]
Yes, OBVIOUSLY. Nevertheless, I would not suggest President Bush say on his next visit to France that when he’s finished up there, he’s heading on to France to start over again.
It just seems a bizarre thing to say, even as a joke, when as it is you’ve got so many disputing / undermining your leadership at home. Surely you would want folks back home to think only one thing possesses your every fibre: making their lives better (in which case the homesickness comment was far “smarter”).
:loco:
Yes, OBVIOUSLY. Nevertheless, I would not suggest President Bush say on his next visit to France that when he’s finished up there, he’s heading on to France to start over again. 