ELISA ENGLISH's Blog 英語園地

I really don't want to write about this, but the recent event just leaves me no choice but to vent it somewhere.  I will try not to be too cynical. 

It is so childish what some people would do or say to try to show his superiority (if he truly is superior) for the purpose of winning his business.  I don't provide translation for a living and I don't hinder others from getting their business.  I do however occassionally work as an interpreter for the school districts near me when I have some free time, but that's only as a hobby.  So what does a school district in the US look like?  In the US, public schools belong to school districts.  For example, the school district that I am in consists of six public elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school.  There are 2 school districts near ours.  They have about the same number of elementary schools, middle schools and high schools as ours.  Each city has one school district.  Depending on where you live, you could be in the neighboring city's school district, rather than your own city's.  So the service I provide will cover roughly 27 schools for 3 school districts near me.

Anyway, that 's not the main point.  It's the funny part that I want to share with you.  A Taiwanese working at a Translation Agency in Taiwan thought badmouthing my translation skill will enhance his English ability and make him famous.  I don't know why he thought so.  I am not a famous person and ganging up on me is NOT going to make him visible or noticeable.  (Sorry for my sarcasm!  I tried to joke around and show more leniency.)  Having years of teaching or translation experience in Taiwan (where English is not taught as the first language) doesn't necessarily make you the best of breed.  I really doubt it would.  Try whatever dirty tricks you may, you will only make a fool of yourself being self-conceited, hiding in your own bubble.  No one is perfect and there are still so many to learn.  If you are truly superior or have true ability, prove it.    Criticism needs to be constructive; otherwise, it is only a shallow cry.  If you have nothing solid to say, it might be best to keep quiet.    I know that I make comments all the time but not out of nowhere.  I receive suggestions and comments all the time too and it helps me and others to increase our knowledge.  We don't always know everything. 

I really hate getting entangled into this game and I don’t want to play along.  It is just childish and meaningless. If jealousy is what drives this, I can only pity you.  You may think that you have won the game with all these dirty tricks.  However, did you?  My life doesn’t change a bit with this.  My life still goes on, waking up early in the morning, getting my kids to school/daycare and commuting to work with my husband.  I still work for a financial company, managing insurance projects, dealing with issues and making all efforts to ensure a successful implementation.  I still play with my kids when they get home.  I still go out with my family every weekend to have some fun.  I still work as a volunteer to teach ESL.  I still translate articles for fun during my spare time as a freelancer and provide interpretation for the school districts.  I still blog and try to provide a place for the Taiwanese people to learn English.  Life is still busy for me (only if I have more than 24 hours a day).  Maybe what you have accomplished is to free up my time answering Yahoo questions.  So, big deal!  That is not my world.  I do not earn a penny from doing so.  I do not get clients from Yahoo Knowledge.  I do not need people to acknowledge my ability or accomplishments from what I answered at Yahoo Knowledge.  My full time job has nothing to do with it.  My life does not spin around Yahoo Knowledge.  I just answer questions for fun, out of my passion and because I was originally from Taiwan , I want to provide what I know to the Taiwanese people.   

Everyone has eyes and most of us can tell a good one from a mediocre one, a bad one or a fake one.  I know that you might not be the fake one or the bad one but definitely not the best.  There are always people better than you.  I know for sure that I am not the best and I do not know everything.  There is always someone better than me. 

By the way, if you are reading this article, a shallow cry without any ground won’t lead you anyway. 

I don't want to say too much.  You get the point.  There is no limit to learning.  Changing your perspective and reading more books will definitely help you in the long run.  If you don't know what to read, I have plenty of books that my little kids are reading that I can recommend.  Even though one is a preschooler and the other a first grader, they are all advanced readers with high IQ who can read high lexile level books.    

I am sad to say that I have seen too many frauds, deceiving themselves into believing that they are the best.  Not realizing their shortcoming, not understanding the world is bigger than their surrounding is lethal to their career and their lives.   

Just enjoy your own bubble!  I hope it lasts.