{"id":10820,"date":"2022-06-14T08:49:55","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T00:49:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/140.122.64.157\/ciss\/?page_id=10820"},"modified":"2022-07-11T10:40:17","modified_gmt":"2022-07-11T02:40:17","slug":"the-gentle-catalyst","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ciss.ntnu.edu.tw\/index.php\/en\/the-gentle-catalyst\/","title":{"rendered":"The Gentle Catalyst"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

| Life at CISS<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Gentle Catalyst<\/h1>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Le Hoang Vi Giang 24′<\/span>
Department of East Asian Studies<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

At first glance, the characteristics of my department \u2013 East Asian Studies \u2013 already guarantee meaningful and deliberate discourse. However, it requires more than authority and proficiency to take knowledge, cold and unchanging, and be able to turn it into wisdom; even more to make such wisdom stay with the students. It was in one of my favourite classes, East Asian Confucianism and Its Modern Challenges, that I experienced a near flawless demonstration.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

For context, upon entering the university program, I was incredulous to notice that my culture hardly ever came up in either the discourse on Northeast Asia, or Southeast Asia \u2013 thus, it would not be inaccurate to say I went through a mild identity crisis. In retrospect, I suppose I should have done a bit more reading on the subject from a Taiwanese perspective; though, with a new life just beginning, I was caught up with learning how to interact with this new and exciting environment. Which is why I was both apprehensive and incredibly\u00a0hopeful for this class, it being the first to feature my home country, Vietnam, in the curriculum. On one hand, I was curious about foreign academic perspectives on Vietnamese culture, and on the other, I was all the more excited for the chance to share what I knew \u2013 hoping that the professor and my classmates, who mostly saw my culture from a removed perspective, would understand and appreciate my input on the subject.<\/span><\/p>

Fortunately, I was not disappointed. My teammates were all helpful and supportive, welcoming my contribution to our group\u2019s performance despite it not being done in very good Mandarin; the lessons\u2019 contents were on principles, philosophical ideals and history yet were not restricting \u2013 all was interesting and accessible, and through discussions, the professor allowed us space to share our own thoughts as well. \u00a0At half a year since I began university, I finally felt valued and found a sense of belonging. Beyond shared wisdom and budding relationships with like-minded peers, however, I had also gained an understanding of effective delivery. From watching and interacting with my professor and classmates, I was led to an unexpected \u2013 nevertheless cherished \u2013 revelation: in teaching, expertise matters, though only as much as the willingness to learn and exchange knowledge between all who is involved, be them teacher or student.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

To young adults, uncertainty is inevitable. However, one of the few things I am sure about nowadays is that I am grateful to be where I am now. In such an environment where there\u2019s opportunities galore \u2013 for both learning and nurturing one\u2019s self \u2013 it should be of no surprise that I have been able to find inspiration and a community, and have them be present in the shape of comfort. As it goes in a musical number I love: \u201cWho can say if I\u2019ve been changed for the better, but because I knew you, I have been changed for good,\u201d[1]<\/strong>\u00a0such is my appreciation for the people and experiences here at NTNU and the Department of East Asian Studies so far \u2013 I could hardly wait to see what is to come. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

[1]<\/a>\u00a0Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, \u201cFor Good\u201d, Decca Broadway, on Wicked, 2003, CD,\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/Y8YMfgu92hQ<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>

Bibliography<\/span>
1. Menzel, Indina and Chenoweth, Kristin. For Good. 2003. Decca Broadway, CD.\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/Y8YMfgu92hQ<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWant to read more? Check out more articles here<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

| Life at CISS The Gentle Catalyst Le Hoang Vi Giang 24 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ocean_post_layout":"full-width","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"0","ocean_second_sidebar":"0","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"0","ocean_custom_header_template":"0","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"0","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10820","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ciss.ntnu.edu.tw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10820","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ciss.ntnu.edu.tw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ciss.ntnu.edu.tw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ciss.ntnu.edu.tw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ciss.ntnu.edu.tw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10820"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.ciss.ntnu.edu.tw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10820\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12502,"href":"https:\/\/www.ciss.ntnu.edu.tw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10820\/revisions\/12502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ciss.ntnu.edu.tw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10820"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}