唐王维
红豆生南国
春来发几枝
愿君多菜撷
此物最相思
This is a very famous poem about missing someone. Julia sent it to me along with 9 red beans (they are a token of being far away from someone you care about) from Singapore. Not only is that all very Chinese, but she actually sent me native Singaporean red beans, which happen to be adorably heart-shaped. She tells me that this is usually for lovesickness, but she thinks it's ok for just regular friends, too. No worries, there's less than the tiniest romantic spark between my old conversation partner and me.
I am still translating the poem into English. Here's what English I've got so far. I imagine my translation butchers the shades of meaning... at very best. Teej, feel free to correct me. This is from my interpretation and the use of trusty ol' DimSum dictionary.
Thinking of Each Other
by Tang Wang Wei
Red beans grow in the southern country
Spring arrives and their branches emerge
Hopefully as we gather many
These things will most of all remind us of each other
In other news, I fought Time magazine and their minions and won today. They charged me for a subscription renewal on a magazine I have seen nary hide nor hair of at all for the months of my free trial. Subsequently they over-drafted from the account it opened on, because I don't use that bank anymore! I spent an hour plus on the phone with about 7 CSRs with Time, a subscription agency, and my bank. It worked out, though, and the agency that actually handled my subscription is refunding the charge and the bank fees. Hooray for the little man! (That would be me in this most figurative of senses.)
Next week is Thanksgiving. Upon return, there will be a week of classes, and then finals. Finals! Seriously. Already upon us. At least things are starting to wrap up. And Thanksgiving, round one, will be tomorrow. Rumor has it that the Chinese girl who works at Starbucks (we haven't been introduced, so I don't remember her name from Edith's mention in passing) will be bringing something traditional. I'm going to attempt bread again, since last weekend's bread didn't turn out right, and I will try making Banaffee Pie a la my former roommate, Austin.
T
p.s. I have edited the translation since my initial posting.
1 comment:
haha - I love how you knew that the Chinese was right! You retained very well what you learned while there!
Aaaaaand, I too have my reservations that it may be photoshopped. :-) I tried to go back and find the website I found it off of (through StumbleUpon.com...) and couldn't. It was something like the 15 best non photoshopped pictures of all time (but it had some other not so PG rated pictures which is why I didn't post the link to begin with. ha!) They had some other really funny ones as well -gosh darn it! I will keep trying to find it... :-)
But you mister lived the real thing! I'm sure you have hilarious real life stories!
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