Baby Steps

"The journey of a thousand miles begins beneath one's feet." - Lao Tse

It never seem to be too late to venture into something new as long as it gets started, I guess. For the last four years I've pondered and attempted doing a language study every now and then but bear no good result so far. There was enough excuses to put my language study on halt. I thought to myself that I didn't have enough resources to continue or to take it seriously. I knew that my excuses were just a way of running away from responsibility but I made them anyway!

Since I started my fifth year working here I thought more seriously about doing a language study. This thought was still not a good enough motivation to get my butt (sorry about the language :)) moving. So for one whole semester I thought about it and shared with friends that I would be taking up a course and before I could materialize what I shared with friends the semester ends. Friends gave me books, CDs, tapes, etc., that will help me in my study. I felt guilty because I kept saying that I would and never really started.

There's always a point when one has to make decisions in life and this came about from an unexpected source. I watched a movie "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness", a true story about a simple woman who is still the source of inspiration for many people today. Gladys Aylward felt a call to go to China but was rejected by the Society due to her lack of qualification. She knew her call was China so she worked hard as a maid and used all her savings to buy a Trans-Siberian Railway train ticket to China. Traveling by mules to reach her destination inside China. The part that moved me was when the station master told her that she didn't have enough money to buy the ticket; she was not discouraged by her lack of enough resources. She decided to put some seed money with the station master and then top them up whenever she earns more money. She faithfully worked till she could buy the ticket. What struck me then when I saw the scene was her determination to reach China by all means. Here I was making all the possible excuses, but there she was full of life with a look of confidence in the one who called her. I was moved and there was no more excuses to make!

That weekend I arranged to meet up with the lady who runs the language school and Pi Zomawii agreed to take me to the school. With the owner of the school I set up a time and then on 3rd March I started attending the class. My teacher's name is Lisa who doesn't speak much English. It was a challenging experience at the beginning with her level of English but I'm pleased to say that I managed to understand almost everything she said without having to use English!! I push myself hard to be able to be ahead of what we've learnt in the class and try to make use of all my spare time (if I have the strength) to practice writing.

Since I adopt this country as my home for now, the challenge of practicing what I've learnt come easy. I took a few pictures of people that I met from my last weekend away trip and I promised to the people that I would be sending them the pictures. I got them printed and wanted to write some encouraging words at the back of the photo. I asked my student who traveled with me to help me decide what captions to write at the back. We managed to come up with a few that we felt suited the picture. So here they are, the writing of a beginner student; they are not particularly nice but they are the first steps of a person who is just learning to take the journey of a thousand miles.

Some Gifts!

Receiving gifts ...I think we all enjoy receiving gifts regardless of its worth. One of the things I admire about my department is the way they show their appreciation.

This year the Women's Day just happen to fall on a Saturday, i.e., 8th March. Our department decided to do something special by organising a small sports competition exclusively for the women. I also signed up for the item; running with a table tennis ball on a bat; and we all gathered to take part in different activities on Friday afternoon. Some of the items were throwing ball inside a bucket, skipping and the chinese game of kicking a feather. I managed to run around the course without dropping my ball but unfortunately there were more girls who could do better so I didn't win the race. Most of the time we never get asked as a foreigner, to participate cause they always assume that we wont be interested in their activities. I sort of invited myself to the activities and they were quite happy about it. I was happy that I took part in their activities and that my involvement with them was quite appreciated. I knew that they wouldn't just keep quiet without doing something special for all of us. So the following week I receive a gift which I felt was quite practical. So here is the picture of the gift I received so as every other women in the department: two bars of washing soap, a kilo of detergent powder and a 4L washing detergent. So now I'm happily washing my dirt away!!!

Lalpa Tawngtaina

Kan Pa, vana mi,

I hming zahawm rawh se,

I ram lo thleng rawh se,

I duhzawng vana an tih angin,

Leia mi'n ti rawh se,

Ni tin kan ei khawpin chaw min pe ang che,

Kan chunga thil tisualtute kan ngaidam angin,

Nang pawhin kan thil tihsual ngaidam ang che,

Sual tura thlemnaah min hruai lut suh ang che,

Mi sual lakah chuan min chhandam zawk ang che,

Ram te thiltihtheihna te, ropui te,

Chatuan i ta a ni si a.

Amen

Pi Zomawii nen kan tawngtai dun thin hian mizo tawngin Lalpa Tawngtaina kan sawi  ve thin a, mahse vawikhat mah kan la sawi chhuak thei lo,  internetah ka hmuh mial beiseiin ka browse a mahse ka hmu zo si lova. Vanneih thlak takin kan Mizo Ktian hlabu kawlah kan hmu fuh hlauh mai a. Tichuan online a mamawh an lo awm tak hlauhva an lo hmuh theih takin ti in ka blog ah hian kan chhu lut a ni. Mahse Ktian hlabuah chhutsual kan hmu fuh a "Sual tura thlemnaah min hruai lut suh ang che" tih tur ah hian "Sual tura thlemnaah min hruai lut ang che" tihin kan hlabu hman berah hian a inchhu a, kohhran hote hian an hriat ka beisei!  

Newsletter March 2008

MyUpdate 5-15 (March ‘08)

31^st March ’ 08

Rawngbawlpui duhtak te,

Ka chanchin rawn ziah te min lo chhiar sak thin a a hmasa in lawmthu ka han sawi duh a, Pathian hnathawh ka hmuhte kan han hrilh chhunzawm leh dawn che u a, dawh thei taka min lo chhiar sak leh turin ka han ngen a che u.

Chinese School kal: Chinese tawng duh anga thiam loh hi rawngbawl tak tak dawn chuan rokhawlhna min pe tu a ni fo thin a, chuvang chuan Pathian hnenah Chinese zir phurna ka dil thin. Class kal nen, naupang ho kilkawi nen, hunawl duh anga ka neih loh leh sum duh ang neih loh nen chhuanlam tamtak ka insiam chawp thin a, hun rei tak chu duh si in Chinese ka zir lova. Tichuan hetia ka in ngaihtuah lai hian China ram a Pathian rawng lo bawl hrep tawh Gladys Aylward chanchin film ka en a, chu chuan rinna a penchhuak turin min cho thar hle. Tichuan, tun thla tantir atang khan Chinese schoolah chuan ka va in ziak lut ve ta a ni. Kar tin darkar li ka kal a, ka hunawl neih apiang zir nan ka hmang bawk. Pathian hruaina in nuam ka ti ve hle mai a, amaherawh chu a har ka ti khawp mai.

Venus-i manganna: Nikum lama ka zirtir naupang pakhat Venus-i hi naupang fel tak leh an class ah chuan English thiam ber pawl a ni awm e. Ka zirtir hlui a nih mai bakah Free Talk ka buatsaih thin ah khan a rawn kal ve thin a. Tlema a class puite aia a saptawng a that deuh avang hian amahah hian beiseina neih rukna hi ka nei thin a. A chang chuan saptawnga kan ti ti hona ah Pathian chungchang te sawi vak chang te kan nei thin. Mahse hetiang hunah hian ka hmuh ruk dan chuan Pathian kan sawi hi tunge a nih hriatna a neih miah lo a ni tih hi ka hmu ru thin a. Tichuan, ka theih apiangin Pathian hnenah ka hlan thin.

Tlai khat ka inkhel bang hi, “Puii, ka nun ka ngaihtuah a ka hmalam hun tur ka ngaihtuah a ka rilru a buai hle mai” tih hi Venus-i chuan sms min rawn thawn a. Ka hah hle a mahse Pathian kawng hawn ngei niin ka hre si a. Tichuan, ka inah titina hun ka siam sak ta a. Ka theih ang angin a harsatna chi hrang hrang min hrilhte chu ka sawifiah pui a. Venus-i ang hi tam tak kan naupangte hi an ni hlawm a, an harsatna ber thin chu an hmalam hun an ngaihtuah a, kawng an bo em em thin, hei hian an nunah lungaihna chi hrang hrang a thlen thin. Mathaia 6:25-34 hmang khan engmah lungkham tur kan nih loh zia te ka sawifiah a. Lungkham ka neih chang pawh a he bung leh chang hmanga Pathian lam ka en vat thin thute hrilh in Pathian min hriatna avanga ka thlamuanna te ka hrilh ta teuh mai a. Hman atanga a tana ka tawngtaisak thin thute ka sawi chuan mak a ti em em mai a. Pathian Lehkhabu te ka pe a a rilru a hah apianga chhiar thin tur leh tanpuitu a mamawh apianga Isua hming lam thin turin ka thla ta a ni. Tunah hian Venus-I hi inhmuh lehna mumal kan nei leh tawh rih lo mahse Pathianin a nunah thu a sawi chhunzawm zel ka ring a, a nunah hian “Chi” tuhin a awm a ni tih ka hria a ka lawm hle.

Jack-a leh Heleni: Jack-a hi Jenis-i thawhna a an Computer zirtirtu a ni a, Jenis-i computer a siamsak thin a, Jenis’in ka computer a chhiatin min in hmel hriattir a tichuan ka computer a chhiat apianga min siamsaktu ber a ni ta a. Helen-i hi Jack a High School thian a ni a tunthlengin an la inkawm zel a, Jack a hian Heleni hi min inhmelhriattir a, kan inkawm ho ta dial dial a. Ni 14 tlai khan Helen-i hian chaweiah min sawm khawm a hun tha tak kan nei thei a. Thil chi hrang hrang kan sawi a, kan thianpa Jack a hian a harsatna a rawn sawi chhuak ta a. China ramah hian nula tlangval inngaihzawng te hi a tlangpuiin an thiante/chhungte inhmelhriattirna atanga in tan a ni fo a, hemi chungchanga a harsatna kan khel ta a. A tawpah chuan ka tawngtaisak ta a. Hetia ka tawngtai sak thin hi Pathian ringlotu ni mahse an thlamuanpui thei hle a, amaherawh chu an mahni hian Pathian mamawh an ni tih inhriatna tak tak hi an la nei hran lo. Heti chung hian kan tawngtaisak chuan min tawngtaisak ve ziah thin a ka rilru a khawih theih hle. Pathianin engtik niah emaw chuan an rilru a khawih beisei chungin ka thlir thin.

Easter Thuchah: Easter kar chho hi kan tan class rum ah Pathian thu tak tak kan sawi theihna hun a nih avangin kum danga kan tih angin kan hmang tangkai leh hle. Class tam zawkah chuan an ngaithla tha em em mai a. Hla pakhat “Lord I lift your name on High” tih ka zirtir chuan a tiphur hle mai bakah “Action” tela ka sak chu mak an ti em em mai bawk. An hotunu ber maiin Action Song sa a kan phar huang huang chu mak tih loh a har a niang an mobile phone an la chhuak a thla an la nuai nuai mai a ni. Ka rilru tak chuan ka zak ve lek lek a mahse ka tih tak em avangin ka naute ho pawhin nuih zat mai chi a nilovin an hre ve ngei in ka hria. Lal Isua ka tana zahna tawp a kaltlang avangin Lal Isua en chungin ka phar dawr dawr mai a ni.

Class 16 hi ka zirtir hoah chuan an harsa em em mai a. He classah hian Easter chanchin kan sawi dek dek chu naupang pakhat chuan “Kan awih lo” hi a rawn ti lal lal a. He class hi an harsat thin em avangin ka rilru hi an ti beidawng em em mai a. Mahse Lal Isua thihna leh Thawhlehna avanga ka nun tih danglama a awm thu te, mi thinchhia leh rilru sual ka nih thin zia mahse tih danglam ka lo nih dan te, tuna Puii an hriat leh hmana Lal Isua ringlo Puii danglam zia te kan sawi chuan an ngaithla tha em em mai a. Artui hi class tinah pakhat theuh ka keng a, a tawpah naupang in volunteer ka chei tir a ka pe thin a. Hetia easter chanchin ka sawi zawh chuan “kan awih lo” rawn ti tu ber kha artui chei tur chuan a rawn inpe chhuak a, Pathian in chawp leh chilhin a nun a khawih ngei niin ka hria. Hla ka zirtirte pawh a sa phur ber berah a tang ta a class ka chhuahsan chu ka rilru a lawm hle. Tin, hetiang ang harsatna karah hian class thenkhatah ka zirtirte zingah ringtute an rawn insawi chhuak liam liam a ka lawm hle.

Ankang lamah kan pawlte: Tun kum chu kan group Easter Retreat in kan khaw thenawm Ankangah kan zin hova. He kan zinnaah hian Good Friday atanga Easter thleng khan hun kan hmang hova, Pathian hruaina in nuam kan tiin kan hlawkpui ve hle. Kan thiante hnen atangin thuchah kan ngaithla in thlarau lamah pawh kan hlawk hle. Tin, intihhlimna hun tha tak kan nei thei bawk a, dil pakhat Ying Hu an tih chu a huhovin lawngin kan fang a nuam kan ti ve hle. Tin, a khaw mipuite mak kan tih khawpin an fel bawk a ni.

Free-talk malsawmna: Ka hunawla Chinese ka zir tak avangin duh angin Free-talk ah hun ka hman rei pui thei ta lova. Vanneih thlak takin ka thawhpui Ghana rama mi hi ringtu tha tak mai leh thahnemngai tak mai a ni a. He ka thianpa hian ka free-talk hi min tih pui thin a Nilaithawhtan chhun dar 12:30 atang 1:30 thleng hi ka awm a a nin a hnu lam hi a chhunzawm thin a. Ni 27 a kan free-talk ah chuan a zirlai pakhat Doris-i chuan ringtu te zinga inkhawm a tum thu hi a rawn sawi chhuak nawlh a. Eng vanga inkhawm duh nge a nih ka zawh chuan ti hian min chhang a, “hei aia thinlung mawi leh tha zawk hi neih ka duh a chuvang chuan inkhawm ka duh” tih hian. Ka rilru a khawih hle mai a, ringlo mite hian an thian ringtu te nunah nasa takin thil danglam an hmu a ni tih ka hriatin min cho thar hle. Tichuan, midang chuan engtinge Easter ka hman a engvangin nge ka nuna a pawimawh chhan te min zawt chhunzawm ta zel a, ka testimony te ka sawi phah thei a ka lawm hle. Heng ka naupang te hi tawngtainaah min han hriatpui ula ka duh hle mai. Mandy, Sally, Mary leh Doris an ni a, Doris-i nen hian thlatharah hian an khuaah kan zin dun dawn a Pathianin kan hun mal min sawm theih nan mi han tawngtaipui turin ka han ngen bawk che u a ni.

Beidawn hnuah Pathian che thin: Ka newsletter a chanchin ka rawn ziah thin Victoria-i kha in la hre hlawmin ka ring a. Kum 2004 atang khan kan in hre tawh mai pawh ni lovin Pathian thu lamah ka lo kaihruai tawh thin a. Ka beisei ang erawh chuan ka theih anga Pathian thu ka hrilh thin te hi a thla tha lo thei hle. Tin, keimah chauh lo pawhin foreigner te Chinese ringtu rawngbawltute pawhin an kaihruaiin Pathian thu zirpuina pawh an nei thin tih ka hria. A nunah Pathian duh tak takna nei lova ka hmuh avangin Pathian thu ka zirtir thin chu titawp turin ka rilru ka siamfel a. Tichuan, kan inhmuh hmasak berah regular taka ka hmuh theih tawh loh tur thu hrilh turin ka inbuatsaih a. Ni 28 Friday khan hun ka neih avangin ka inah lo kalah ka sawm a. A rawn thlen velah hian ti hian a ti a. “Puii zanin chu Pathian thu zir ka duh, a bikin Thuthlungthar, Isua chanchin hi chiang zawk a hriat ka duh min zirtir rawh” tih hi a sawi hmasak ber a ni a. Engvanga Isua chanchin zir duh thar ta thut nge a nih tih kan zawh chuan tihian a ti a, “engtikah emaw chuan C’tian ka ni ve mai thei a chuvang chuan Isua chanchin hi hriatchian ka duh a ni” a ti a. A hma chuan Pathian ringtu nih a C’tian nih duh si lo a ni thin. Tichuan, Isua Pathianna chungchang, a thilmak tih atang te khan ka zir pui ta a. Hetia kan han zir zo chu tihian a ti leh a, “Pui, I dawhtheihna avangin ka lawm takzet a ni, Chinese ringtute chu ka lakah hian an beidawng tawh a, mahse nang chu I beidawng lova ka lawm tak zet a ni. Tin, hun kha leh chen Pathian thu kan zir dun tawh zawng zawgah zanin hi ka rilru ka pek vawikhatna leh ka thinlung zawng zawnga ka zir vawikhatna a ni” ti hian a sawi ta a. Ka rilru hi lawmin a khat a, ka thinlung mittui hi a luang a ni. A laka ka beidawn tawh zia leh kha mi zan bak chu hmuh chhunzawm ka tum tawh lo rilruk te kha pakhatmah a hre si lova. Mahse Pathianin ka rin loh lam daihin hna a lo thawk a ni. A ropui ka ti a ka thlarau lawmin a khat a ni.

Pathian hian kei mitlinglo leh tawmkai lo hi min la hmang ve duh a ni tih ka hriat hian Pathian hi ka fak lo thei lo a ni. Kohhrante leh mimal min tawngtai sak thin te bang lova thahnemngai taka kan tan a hma in laknaah lawm thu ka sawi mawlh mawlh a ni. Pathian in ka tana chaw in ngeina te, sum leh pai ui lova in insenso thinna te, leh in suangtuahna leh hun hlu tak mai in sen thinnaah nasa takin malsawmin vur theuh che u rawh se.

Krista Isuaa Pathian chung lam koh chhan lawman hmu turin, tiam chin lam chu ka pan talh talh a ni. (Phil 3:14)

Pathian chauh a ropui ber nan,

Puii

Newslettter Jan & Feb 2008

MyUpdate 5-14 (Jan & Feb ‘08)

25^th March ‘08

Rawngbawlpui duhtakte,

Pathian min thlahthlam ngai lo tu hmingin Kumthar Chibai ka han buk a che u. Kum 2008 kan lo rah kai leh takah hian ka hun ka chhut kir a, a chang chuan beidawng taka ka awm changte, thinrim tun a ka awm changte, lawmna chhantur hre lova ka awm laite ka nunah kal tlang tam tak ka neih tawh ka ka thlir kira. Pathian rinawmzia leh a laka ka rinawm loh changte awm thin mahse a ni chu a thutiamah a ding tlat a ni tih ka hmuhin A hming ka fak a ni. Chau takin kal chang nei thin mah ila a tawpah chuan fak tlak Pathian a nihna ka hmuh thin zia te hi ka sawi lo thei lo a ni. Tuntum ah hian kan thlasik chawlh ka hman dan ka han tarlang leh dawn a ni. A tlai deuh tawh nain tlai hlen ai chuan a tha in ka hria a kan han ziak leh dawn a ni.

Chinese Kum thar Chawlh: Kum tina kan tih thin angin Chinese Kumthar chawlh January thla laihawl atanga, February 25th thleng kan nei leh a. He hunah hian mi tam tak ten zinna hun remchangah an hmang thin laiin kei erawh chu Thlasik Mutna (Hibernation) hun tha tak ka nei theih phah a ka lawm hle. Semester khat an zawh hi chuan rin ai hian a lo chauh theih ve hle mai a, chuvang chuan zin tura min sawmna pawh ti hlawhtling lovin hahdam nan hun ka hmang.

Hotpot kan nau nen: Chinese eirelah hian Hotpot an tih mai hi a lar em em a. Restaurantah chuan steel thleng lianah hian kan eitur hi kan inchhum chawp thin. Hetiang ang deuh hian ka nau nen in lamah Rice cooker hmangin Hotpot kan ei dun a, kan theih ang angin nuam ti takin kan hmang ve a. Hun tha tak kan nei thei a ka lawm hle. Spring Festival hun hi Chinese ho chuan chhungkaw kima hman ngei ngei tura ngaih a ni a, mahse ka nau hi a haw ve theih loh avangin a khua a har hle mai a, a khawhar hnem theih a ka awm hi ka lawm hle.

Dumpling Party: Chinese Kumthar Urlawk ni khan kan hotuten Foregn Teacher te tan Dumpling (Mizoramah chuan Momo kan ti) party min buatsaih sak a. He tah hian dumpling (momo) a huhovin kan siam ta lui lui mai a nuam kan ti ve khawp mai. Chuan a hnu a Dinner min buatsaihsak a hlim takin kan hmang ve a ni.

Halpuah hal en: Kum hmasa khan ka thenawmpa nen New Year Eve ah Chinese ho halpuah hal en in zanlaiah kan chhuak a. Tun kum pawh a ngai te te in kan in zui chhuak leh a. Kum hlui thlah zan a halpuah hal hi Chinese culture a bet tlat a ni a, an ngaih dah chuan “Nian” an tih ransa Awle ang deuh ni awm a an ngaih hian; India ram ah chuan sakei mihring ei thin ang deuh hi a ni mai ang chu; kumthar dawn zanah hian mi inchhungah a ruk te a lutin mihring a ei thin in an ngai a. He ransa hring ei hian rawng sen leh eng te, ri bengchheng te a hlau in an ngai a, chuvang chuan kumthar dawn zan hian zan khuain ri an siam bengchheng thin a, an kawngkharah vanneihna lehkha sen a thil ziak an tar bawk thin . Tichuan, a tuk zingah chuan zankhua a he ransa hlauhawm laka an inven theih avangin an in lawmpui liam liam a “Gong xi fa cai” (Congratulations) tiin an in chibai thin. Kumin kum thar thlah zanah pawh an a ri a bengchhengin a ri a mawi tel thei hle. Zanlaiah khawlai fan pawh a hlauhawm hle halpuah an hal nasa lutuk a a kal hlei theih loh a ni, in tih kan palh a hlauhawm hle.

Class tan leh ta: February 25^th atang khan class pawh tluang takin kan tan leh ta a. Pathian hruaina zarah nuam ti takin ka kal ve lah ta hnap hnap a ni.

Hahdam taka ka awm theih avangin ka lawm hle a, semester kan han tan pawh rilru thar nen ka kal thei a ka lawm hle. Bang lova min tawngtaipui thin tute hnenah lawm thu ka han sawi mawlh mawlh a, ka beidawn em em chang pawh a beidawng thei lova min siam tu chu in mi tawngtaipuina a ni tih ka sawi duh a ni. Helai hmunah hian keima thu a kal ka ni lova, kan zavaia kan rawngbawlna a ni tih ka hria a, ka beidawn mai chuan mitam tak ka ti beidawng dawn a ni tih min hriatchhuah tir thin a chu chuan min la kal tir ve tang tang thin a ni. Pathianah lawmna tur ka ngah hle mai, lawm chunga a rawng ka bawl zel theih nan min lo tawngtaipui zel turin ka han ngen leh e.

A ropui nen leh a ram a lo zau zel nan

Puii