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“走出去，世界就在眼前;走不出去，眼前就是世界”
(Stay at the origin and you only see the things in front of you. Go forth and then you can explore more things and know more people.)

Before the introduction of myself, I would like to say“你好”! (Ni Hao) (It’s the Chinese word and means “Hello”) to friends all over the world.

＊＊Brief Introduction:

Hello, my name is Anzhi Jian (you can call me Josef). I am the PhD. Candidate of Chi Nan University in Southeast Asian Studies. I am originally from Taiwan and I currently live in Ho Chi Ming City, Vietnam for my field study. I have been a leiturer and a researcher at the university since 2015, and specialize in overseas Chinese in SEA and the torism decelopment of SEA. Before becoming a researcher, I worked as a flight attendant in China Airlines and as a director of Public relation department in Taoyuan Airport MRT. In my free time, I enjoy exercise at gym, exploring the city by bike and overseas travel.

＊＊Question 1: “Where are you from?

I am from Taiwan. Taiwan is an island off the coast of China that has had a complicated political, cultural and economic relationship with Mainland China -- as complicated as the relationship between the UK and the USA but more intense in some respects.
Just as the British and Americans can be seen as very similar in terms of language, ethnic background, religion and culture, the Taiwanese and the Chinese share many linguistic, ethnic, historic, religious and cultural aspects but also have some their own features.
Economically, Taiwan's economy is ranked as one of the largest and most vibrant in the world. Much of the world's high-tech equipment is designed and in some cases manufactured there.
By the way, Taiwan is not Thailand. Many non-Taiwanese confuse Taiwan with Thailand. In fact, the two Asian countries are very different. Please don't confuse Taiwan and Thailand.

＊＊Question 2:"What Are Your Hobbies and Interests?"

1. Volunteer work

Once a month, I volunteer at the local food bank. During my last volunteer shift, I was responsible for sorting dry goods so that each package contained a certain amount of each food. I organized the different cans and boxes by type, and I worked with the other volunteers to correctly bag the goods and provide food to the 300 community members in need.
Volunteering at the food bank not only introduces me to new people but also allows me to serve my community. I interact with many people of different backgrounds who share my passion for giving back.

2. Sporting – badminton

I’ve played sports since high school, so I joined a local badminton league to stay in shape and meet new people in the area. I’m the captain of our team this year, so I ask my team to show up an hour early to warm up and run some plays before the game. I encourage everyone to communicate during the game. My experience as a team captain has provided me with opportunities to conduct training and boost morale in tough situations.

3. Travelling

Traveling develops one as a human being.

People who travel are better friends, coworkers, and just better people in general. They have to be compassionate with the fact that since different cultures have different things they like, it is sometimes hard to adapt. But they will learn how to change themselves so that it becomes easier for everyone around them. They will learn to take other people’s perspective in every situation and form relationships with people whose views and backgrounds are completely different from their own, which will help them immensely in their business lives as well. Those who travel are better at relating to other people because they have been forced to try new things and see how those things could work differently from what they are used to.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To travel with a tour group could make you to see the sightseeing in a short time.

However, in the independent travel, people could only have opportunities to make more contacts with the locals.

In Couch Surfing we can share the experiences of life to each other and learn how to enhance the skills to communicate people who come from different cultures.

Through their introduction and guidance, I would know their own country more and further.

Interests

• cooking
• volunteer work
• badminton
• travel
• gym
• language learning
• chinese teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

＊＊My favorite Movie: The Korean movie "Parasite" (Korean: 기생충)

The Korean movie "Parasite" (Korean: 기생충) is my favorite movie. It’s a 2019 South Korean black comedy thriller film directed by Bong Joon-ho (Korean: 봉준호).

One clear way to explain the movie is: “Parasite is about class.” Class is the primary target of social commentary within Parasite. And every single element of the film from the scholar's stone, to the architecture of the homes, to the very names of the families all contribute to this central theme.

It symbolizes the life of prosperity they want to have. A future that seems out of their grasp given the current economic climate. The family hopes the future is bright, and as they all start getting jobs working for a wealthy family, it is. The hopes and dreams the stone symbolizes start to come to fruition.

"Parasite" is so perfectly calibrated that there’s joy to be had in just experiencing every confident frame of it, but then that’s tempered by thinking about what Bong is unpacking here and saying about society, especially with the perfect, absolutely haunting final scenes.

It’s a conversation starter in ways we only get a few times a year, and further reminder that Bong Joon-ho is one of the best filmmakers working today. I’ve never seen a movie quite like “Parasite.”

＊＊ My Favorite Book:「紅玫瑰與白玫瑰」(張愛玲) (“Red Rose, White Rose” —Eileen Chang)

In the novel “Red Rose, White Rose”, the figure, Zhenbao(振保), is a devoted son, a diligent worker, and guarded in love. There were two women in Zhenbao's life: one he called his white rose(白玫瑰), the other his red rose(紅玫瑰). One was a spotless wife, the other a passionate mistress.

Maybe every man has had two such women - at least two.
Marry a red rose and eventually she'll be a mosquito-blood streak smeared on the wall, while the white one is "moonlight in front of my bed."
Marry a white rose, and before long she'll be a grain of sticky rice that's gotten stuck to your clothes; the red one, by then, is a scarlet beauty mark just over your heart.

As Zhenbao succumbs to passions and resentments, Red Rose, White Rose is both sensual and restrained.

＊＊ My favorite Song:
「一念執著」(Yīniàn zhízhuó)
(The OST of the Chinese Serial「步步驚心」，Scarlet Heart)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AatSjAKovbY

一念执着
一眼之念
一念执着
注定就此飞蛾扑火
明知是祸为何还不知所措

最好不见最好不念
如此才可不与你相恋
多一步的擦肩
就步步沦陷

是时间的过错
让我们只能错过
我多想念你多遥远
早知道是苦果
这一刻也不想逃脱
可惜这字眼太刺眼
两个世界之后
只好情深缘浅

是时间的过错
我们只能错过
我有多么想念
你有多遥远
早知道结局是不能抗拒的错
停留在这一刻
不想逃脱

(English translation)

Thoughts On the Persistence

Thoughts at a glance
Thoughts on the persistence
Like a flying moth darts into fire
Knowing it`s totally a mistake, why we`re still at a stand
Better not meet, better not miss
Therefore, I will not fall in love with you
One more time we meet each other
We can`t resist it any more
It`s all the fault of time
Which lets us miss the true love
How much I niss you, how far you`ve gone
Knowing it turns out a bad result
I`d not leave you at this moment
The word of regert is very annoying
After we depart, in two worlds
Only the shallow fate and deep sentiment

It`s all the fault of time
We have to let our love slip away
How much I miss you
How far you`ve gone
Knowing it turns out an irresistible mistake
I`d rather stay in this moment
I would not evade

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

My volunteer experience in Vietnam

＊＊ How to be a volunteer in Vietnam?

When I did my field research in Vietnam, I felt that I could do more things for the country and the locals in my rest time. I contacted many organizations and I browsed tons of offers. Eventually, in the Career Center of my university I found an offer of volunteer work in Vietnam.

I applied and two days later I had an interview with the organization. Eventually, they chose me! The organization warned me that it is a project for people who are not afraid of basic life conditions, different climate and staying away from Poland for half a year.
It sounded perfect for me – doing something useful and getting to know Vietnamese culture. It was one of the best and the most illuminating decisions of my life.

＊＊The Tasks of a volunteer in Vietnam

My tasks included teaching English and Mandarin in Vietnam and supporting administration of the hosting organization. I was the most engaged in coordinating social projects, together with other international and Vietnamese volunteers.

It was a challenge but also enormous satisfaction. These were projects made in student clubs, high schools, hospitals and even an orphanage.

One of the projects I remember the best was organizing a festival for one of the biggest holidays in Vietnam – Mid Autumn Mood Festival. The project was special because we went to a remote village in the mountains. I slept on bare, cold floor with no sleeping bag, no water, no electricity. And you know what – I was the happiest person in the world when I saw the smiles of local kids for whom we organized the festival.

We organized beautiful, colorful shows and games and at the end we gave them gifts. We collected the gifts during previous fundraising projects. Kids from this mountainous area spoke a different language, even our Vietnamese friends couldn’t understand them. That’s when I learned that Vietnam has over 50 official minority groups.

Smiles and body language are an international language and we communicated with the little ones with no problems.

＊＊The Gain beyond the tasks

Being a volunteer in Vietnam means that you have to communicate with the persons every time and everywhere.

I am extremely grateful that Vietnamese volunteers invited me to their houses, explained cultural differences and showed me the traditions of their incredible country. I didn’t feel like a tourist. I was one of them.

Thanks to this experience, I could see and understand more things, i.g. why some Vietnamese people eat dogs. In the western culture it is considered brutal but we don’t see the reasons behind it.

When I visited the above mentioned village in the mountains I saw how little variety of food is available. Then I understood. Dog meat is simply their only source of animal protein.

In these conditions they can’t grow many plants. Other kinds of meat, like buffalo are too expensive for many families. Dogs are cheap to maintain and adapt perfectly to all conditions.

This tradition comes from regions with difficult conditions and currently is still cultivated by some people. I met Vietnamese people who consider dogs as family members and also ones who like the taste of their meat.

It is a matter of tradition and different perspective on the world. Not a “bad” one though – just different and it is worth getting to know it before criticizing.

＊＊" Do something good for others and look into myself!"

What was I like after my volunteering time?

Full of energy, able to motivate myself, even years later. Wishing to explore even more – but with no prejudice or judgments.

Just go volunteering, do something good for others and look into yourself.

Teach, Learn, Share

If you have time, I would like to introduce you some Chinese words and Chinese sentences.

If you ever learned Chinese, I would like to introduce the useful learning resources for Chinese learning.

If you are proficient in Chinese Language, let us start the talk with Chinese and then do more exercise in Chinese speaking and writing.

The hand-made card as a token of my appreciation for your accommodation and hospitality.

What I Can Share with Hosts

If you want to know more about my study in overseas Chinese and my field research in Vietnam, I would like to share my experiences and findings with you!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Taiwan, Viet Nam