My boy has never written calligraphy before.

That didn’t prevent him from being selected for the National Calligraphy Competition held at Hong Wen School.

I didn’t have CCA duty that day and could have marked intensively at school. But between mundane marking and experiencing life, which option did you think I would choose? You betcha I would choose the latter.

(I still did complete the marking of the sixth graders’ Booklet A papers at Hong Wen, so cheers to versatility.)

Anyway, back to Hong Wen School. It was my second time there, but somehow it seemed more spacious and scenic than I had remembered. Just lovely seeing all the Chinese quotations and spaces that showcase Chinese-style architecture styles. It was all very impressive — and I had to pause and ask myself if I should have tried to enrol my boy in a SAP school instead.

(I then decided that diversity is more important for me. It’s crucial for me to help him understand the varied ways of living, the myriad lens that govern our perspectives, so I felt happy about enrolling him in my current workplace. Lol)

Anyway, the Chinese New Year spirit was far from being diluted here. It was touching to see the Hong Wen students and teachers out in full force, manning booths as diverse as Chinese chess, paper cutting and ink stamping. With Chinese New Year songs blaring in the background, I appreciated this curated space in which we could enjoy the festive spirit.

It would have been 锦上添花 (the icing on the cake) if the children spoke Mandarin though. But I guess this reliance on English as their default language is a sign of the times. Since it’s beyond my control, I should just roll with it.

I want to come back again! And thankfully for me, so did the son.