Camellia Yang's Blog, page 6

Three Thoughts

一

Recently, the buzz in nerd culture has centred around the highly anticipated video game "Black Myth: Wukong," which has sparked a worldwide resurgence of interest in an iconic figure from Chinese mythology: Sun Wukong (孙悟空), commonly known as the Monkey King. This legendary character is not only a cornerstone of Chinese folklore but also one of its most celebrated and multifaceted heroes.

Sun Wukong's story, originating from the 16th-century epic novel Journey to the West (西游记), unfolds a mesmer...

Life Begins in a Foreign Land Vol. 2

Continuing from Volume 1

Striving in Major New Zealand Corporates

After graduating in 2012, I took advantage of New Zealand's immigration policies for international students and obtained a one-year work visa. Freed from the restrictions of part-time student work, my main goal was to secure a full-time position.

It took me almost three months to land my first full-time job. The process was exhausting, from crafting my resume and submitting applications to enduring three rounds of interviews before f...

On Olympics

When I was a child, the Olympics were a thrilling spectacle, a grand show of athletic prowess that I watched in awe from the comfort of my living room. The athletes seemed almost superhuman, their feats both mesmerising and beyond reach.

But now, having plunged into the world of CrossFit, with hands chalked from weightlifting and muscles sore from gymnastics, I’ve come to realise just how much grit and determination it takes to even approach the level of those Olympians I once admired from afar....

Life Begins in a Foreign Land Vol. 1

Intro

In 2019, I quit my full-time job at a large company in New Zealand and set off for the UK to start my journey as a freelancer. During this time, I experienced the pandemic, travelled to over 20 countries and cities, and met numerous remote workers who, like me, yearn for a life of freedom. Through conversations with them, I first heard about the concept of "Digital Nomads" and realised that my lifestyle matched it perfectly.

Digital Nomads are people who can work and live anywhere in the wor...

Three Lessons

A.

In 2019, just before I bid farewell to my second home, New Zealand, I participated in a 100km charity trail walking, finishing in 31 hours and 46 minutes.

I trekked from dawn through the night and into the next morning without any sleep. My inspiration came from watching the documentary "Free Solo," which left me in awe of the human potential for extreme sports.

Prior to this, I had never entered such endurance-focused competitions, but I always believed that all sports, in the end, are mental ...

The Wall Within

When I was little, with small hands, I laid,

Brick by brick, in the sun, in the shade.

With tears, with blood, with sweat and with might,

My wall grew tall through the day and the night.

In echoes of Churchill, I laboured so strong,

"Blood, toil, tears, and sweat," my lifelong song.

The years flowed past, and my wall soared high,

Stretching as far as the Great Wall 'neath the sky.

I built it for safety, a fortress for me,

A barrier vast, like the deepest sea.

I couldn't get out, no one could come near,

Tra...

On Age

As during the recent Euro season, I've spent many evenings in bars or at Euro villages soaking up the atmosphere. However, one recurring annoyance has been the challenge of being a female football fan in those locations, where interruptions are all too common.

To navigate this, I've developed a simple strategy:

If a young guy tries to chat me up, I tell him I'm old enough to be his mom.

If an older guy tries to chat me up, I tell him I'm underage (although there's a risk o...

When the Muse pays a visit at 4 am...

I often feel like I'm just a vessel through which the universe conveys viewpoints. Occasionally, I am favoured by the Muse, and ideas flow like a spring, to the point where I don't even know where these thoughts come from. In these moments, inspiration strikes most powerfully, connecting me deeply to my creative spirit.

My muse is a bit mischievous, often visiting in the middle of the night or at the break of dawn. These quiet, undisturbed hours seem to be when creativity flows most freely, comp...