Culture is a part of who you are.

If there is one thing I've learnt about in coming to Australia, it is about my values and about who I am.

Coming to Australia has helped me be aware of how culture has made me think the way I do, and do the things we do.

There are two aspects that affect the way an individual goes about doing things.

First, its the culture. The second is the four main kinds of personality groups which is Choleric, sanguine, melancholic and phlegmatic.

For the purpose of this entry, I will write about culture.

I was watching this Four Little Princess vcd yesterday night, and it occurred to me that even as young as preschool age, children sit at desks and learn to read.

I do not want to discredit the other educationists, as I feel that it is important for a person in education to learn and be aware of theories in education.

However, what one must remember is that what is viewed as 'learning' and 'going to school' is different from culture to culture.

I was pondering on the view why most chinese view a student sitting down and knowing their letters, able to do math, and quoting philosophy is considered as learning.

Then I realised that this has always been the way it has for centuries, and it is deep rooted in our psyche to think that way. It is not easy for people to change their mindset overnight.

When I first started learning about alternative types of education, I always wondered about the chinese way of learning, which is mostly book learning, and how unhealthy it could be.

The chinese way, or at least the one that I am exposed to, could be called the 'Oriental' way, as I have realised that the japanese and koreans seem to subscribe to the same way of thinking.

There are many more other things I observed myself doing, even in a foreign land, and I realised it as a result of the values and practices I have been brought up with.

The more I go through life, I begin to learn and appreciate my own culture, and discern that which is important to pass down through my generations.

And that, really, is one of the important things we can leave for our children. An understanding of who we are, and pride of who we are and is, and will be.

Sent from my Nokia phone