i haven't written anything for two years already on xanga. it doesn't seem like time has gone by so quickly. i don't think i did much for the last two years - except a thesis which is now available online at HKU Thesis Online. i just couldn't remember how i got started, how i continued writing, and how i finally submitted the thesis. the process is rather bland, to be honest. i can't say it's very tough or enjoyable. well, i don't know how to describe the process anyway.

i guess fewer people are using xanga and everyone is facebooking instead. well - i don't think anyone is reading this - that's good - because i can write for myself - and that's the purpoes of a diary.

well, i'm writing two more papers which are due in two weeks. one of them is about motivation in the globalized world and the other one is about native and non-native english-speaking teachers in hong kong. i am quite interested in reading the materials in these two areas and i enjoy writing both papers quite a bit. the two paper have been accepted in two conferences in june so i have to develop better arguments before i present at the conferences.

i'm looking forward to a break this summer in the UK. :)

For some reason, I just want to write something here, right a year after I have stopped writing on my xanga. Things are getting tougher as the first year of my MPhil has ended and the second year is about to start. Pressure has started to increase as the deadline of the thesis is coming closer and time is simply running out.

Well, as long as my progress of the thesis is concerned, I just get stuck somewhere in the thesis. But I hope things are going to change, since I think I need to finish one chapter by the end of the month. There's still a week to go. So let's see how things go.

There're simply a lot of things that I want to explore and investigate in linguistics. I think I've chosen the subject that I like most of all. I really want to pursue some more research in linguistics. Time for bed...

I am now attending the Putonghua class. Although I don't think Putonghua is difficult at all, I need to spend some time speaking it when it comes to 'zh' 'ch' 'j' 'c' etc. It must be that I have not spoken any Putonghua for a very long time.

By the way, I can no longer enter HKU library because I have officially left the university (after 30 June 2006). Oh my god!!! (though I am going to university from Monday to Friday to attend the Putonghua class). I feel so sad because it seems very quick that my university life (BA) has ended. It seems that I have only been in university for a very short period of time!! Why is that so??

In fact, I need to upload some photos, as I have promised my friends. But, do wait for a few more days... The pictures will be ready very soon..... Be patient!!

Examination Results

Hong Kong education: Systemic features and social approaches
World Englishes
Orientalism and Linguistics
Italian in Italy
How the mind works: explorations in basic thinking processes

I do regret taking the course 'Orientalism & Linguistics'. Well, I think I don't know what the lecturer wants. All he thinks is we are not critical enough. But, think about what the course is about! It's about the history of China and the history of Chinese history. How can we have a in-depth knowledge of history of China within 3 months?? It's impossible!!!! For me, I only like to study sociaolinguistics in contexts which I am familiar with, not with history of China!!!! I really regret taking the course!!!!! Everyone is getting a B!!! Then what's the point of assessment!!! A good assessment should be that all the grades are spread across the class, not a focus on a single grade!! Anyway, every year I have some regrets - and this year my regret is 'Orientalism and Linguistics'.

Honours! Well, congratulations to those who get a good honours degree. I believe that those who deserve to get a good honour will get it eventually. Anyway, it's good to know that most of my friends have a good honours - 2nd upper! Congratulations!!! Thanks Peggy for checking my honours (which is posted on a board in Main Building at HKU) for me! Thanks a lot...

June 2006

It seems that there is not much to do this June. I have been teaching some primary and secondary students in an educational centre for half a month. The children there are interesting. Yet, their level of academic achievement is rather low, though. It seems that I am meeting students from another country (not from Hong Kong). A Form 2 girl is still asking me what is 'hotel' 'learn' 'difficult'. Oh my god! These words should be learnt in P4 or even earlier. How many years have they been learning English? It seems that they are just beginners in learning English (though they have been learning English for about 8 years). What a pity! Is English so hard to learn? Secondo me, l'inglese e una lingua facile. Ce non una ragione che l'inglese e difficile. It's hard to immagine how they are going to learn other languages.

Yet, working with these children is truly a delightful experience - because they always tell you the truth. They always say how good I am and how brilliant I am... Haha... at least these children can still distinguish 'excellent' from 'good' and 'good' from 'ok' and 'ok' from 'not good'. They do give me a lot of laugh, especially when they gossip about other tutors from the centre, telling me where they are studying, what they are studying. Anyway, there is NO secret in the entire world, am I right?

By the way, my Italian course has ended for a week. Nardia is a good teacher. Thanks a lot for your teaching.

Oh yes, 30 June is a big day because that's when I will know the final GPA and when my sister will know her AL results. Hope that both of us will be okay. Looking forward to it, anyway.