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My name is Yang Qianying and I am a pianist I teach at the music department of National Chiayi University
Where I hold a position as an assistant professor.
After having finished my studies in Taiwan and then studying abroad in Russia, I have often performed in the National Concert Hall, that sort of venue
I think that we have lived in a very regular and normal family
Although when we were little our mum did not have a job, She just took care of us full time, until we were 6 or 7 years old
Later, because of financial problems, she decided to go out to work
From the first years of elementary school, through high school until university we were a always quite a small family
Our parents were often out of home because of work so my little sister and I, Shufan seem very independent
we had to take care of ourselves
But as far as I am concerned, it had actually a lot of positive impact on us
Like, for example, when I left home and moved to Guandu to study at the Taipei University of Arts,
So since that time I have always lived by myself And later I even went to Russia to study
I think that because of the way I was brought up, so it is easier for me to adapt
Mum and dad, because they were too busy with their jobs, so I felt that they lacked communication with each other
Lack of communication, naturally leads to misunderstandings,
So as I saw them fighting for a period of time or you could even say I lived through that kind of atmosphere
My mother has always felt a bit apologetic for that Before I decided to get married she asked me a question:
Given that you saw what our marriage was like do you still want to get married?
Of course because with my, now husband we went through a very long love affair
So my parents did not need to worry about him
Before we got married we talked a lot about marriage
and had thought about it for a long time
So it definitely wasn't an impulsive or unplanned decision
Before we had a child, it didn't feel like a big change
We planned for the birth of our child
So, in our minds, only when we had a child would we become our own little family
I think the young people I know
the ones who want to get married and have children aren't the minority
That's for my generation
But people just slightly younger than me
Or more or less the same age
Some have a double income with no kids
Others have decided together not to have kids
In recent years this topic, in magazines, in the news It's been given all sorts of explanations
A lot of people will say they can't afford to have kids
I don't know, we're not exactly wealthy either
But from when before we were married
Both of our families
Our parents attitudes were: it doesn't matter if you have no money
One of our elder relatives on my husband's side said to us in merriment
that the child would bring money with it when it came
This is a popular idea with the older generation
Having children brings fortune
To put it more simply
We didn't worry too much about it
We'd find a way to get by with or without money
Having a child, of course
carries with it a lot of substantial expenses
But I think that if we use our skills to take on the problem head on
then we'll try our best to tackle it
Some people think too much about it
taking into consideration the cost of education,
and of studying abroad when they're older
My husband and I have a sort of agreement I guess
We'd tackle the problem according to our own means
We'll send our children to a school we can afford
and not going out of our way to insist on something better
If one day they decide they want to study abroad
Then, I'm afraid... if we have the money then all well and good
but if we can't afford it then they'll have to sort something out themselves
Of course, I can't wait to have a child to share the little things in life with
I'm happy for a child to continue the legacy of my life on this earth
It's like my mum says, I'm a very traditional person
and I really believe that everybody has their own destiny in life
I believe that we have the power of faith behind us
regardless of what religion you believe in
If you believe that God has a destiny planned out for you
In that case, what you possess...
particularly in terms of money problems
You won't worry so much about material possessions
Worry is a form of bad energy, it creates negative thinking
When you start thinking positively things tend to work out
If it was one of my students however
I don't think someone so young,
like someone who has just graduated from university
and has just started working, and who isn't financially stable, or even can't find work
Maybe I wouldn't recommend marrying so soon or having children right away
But if you think you already have...
already have a plan in motion for your life
And you can foresee your short term prospects or further
I think taking the step of getting married or having children...
Everybody puts a lot of import on love these days
so it's the natural conclusion of love
so people should think of it as something natural
Subtitled by Witek Chudy & Conor Stuart