world | David Feng

What has happened in Switzerland recently (regarding in particular the anti-foreigner sentiment in the country) is beyond shocking — my latest joke is that we have just created the new “island continent” of Helvetia, Latin for “Switzerland”. Of course it’s a bad joke, and it’s also bad what has happened in Helvetia today.

United we stand, divided we fall. We (Tracy and I) were never for sums that took things away; we always liked sums that had a “plus” factor. Of course Switzerland today failed us and it will probably have to make do with knee-jerk reactions, not least negative impressions and disappointment, as well as other measures.

Tracy and I have decided that beginning tonight, we will be World Citizens. The countries of China and Switzerland will only have nominal “special-ness” as they were our countries of origin by birth (and Switzerland is currently the country of my nationality). We plan to travel the world and will no longer feel happy permanently locked up in Beijing or Zurich.

We have decided to come together to promote better understanding amongst cultures, and to this extent we have decided to tell everyone we work with that discrimination in any form will not be tolerated. We hate racism and condemn xenophobia; these have no place in modern society. Where we previously may “misunderstand” a culture, race, or country, we might actually very well be travelling there — to see how things “really work”.

We will no longer subscribe to “blanket tags and stereotypes” of one specific country or the other. We firmly believe human beings of all races and nationalities are the same. We believe the different countries of the world add up to a holistic whole for our planet. We believe humans and everyone, everything on this planet has the ability to “add up for good”.

We will integrate concepts from any society into our daily lives, wherever it is used for our good. We will learn and speak multiple languages and truly have friends all over the world. In future, we will let our next generations live in international environments where they have friends from Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania. We will travel to as many places, both old and especially new, by any means of transport. We look forward to shaking hands from persons of any country, and we look forward to sharing voices freely with everyone on the planet.

We are World Citizens David Feng and Tracy Liu. We love this planet and we love all on Earth.

David Feng
Tracy Liu
10 February 2014

The word ente has two meanings (as far as I know — and hey, I don’t know all the languages in the world!):—

In German: A duck
In Italian: Either a corporation, or being

and I’d like to use the Italian version of the word ente whilst keeping it in a German phrase. So instead of it meaning A good duck makes everyone happy (a rather cheeky slogan in an ad for toilet cleaner — the classic Toilet Duck), I’d like to completely remix it and give it “new meaning”: Feeling good makes everyone happy.

Don’t you hate it when decalinguals drive you up the wall?

The year 2013 is drawing to a close. Whilst happy for what has been a moderate year, I’m willing to take things to the next level in the forthcoming year. For once I am announcing that I will no longer be spending the entire year — that is, over 80% — in Beijing.

I am looking “back to Europe” for a first destination outside of Asia. It is true that Beijing’s Subway system is longer and more modern than London’s variant. It’s no secret that Swiss trains run about 50% slower than their Chinese counterpart. But after nearly 15 years on the ground in Beijing, it’s probably time to take a trip — at least a comparatively longer one (30+ days or so) — into a foreign land. The last time I left home for over 30 days was in 1999. I used to live in Zürich, so heading to Beijing was heading “out” of my (Swiss) home.

Most people have less-than-positive views about the United States. I’m not one of these — although prefer when sitting at the Starbucks that the guy next to me didn’t have something “unharmonious”. So far I’ve been to only 4 US states (NY, VA — for Dulles Int’l Airport, and FL as well as CA) and the District of Columbia. That’s nothing. Somewhere down the line, I’d like to give North America a bit more attention. If anything, I’d like to do Wyoming, if it was only to be in a state which was completely square. (To a Swiss / Chinese, where no canton / province is 100% square, that must be a “new” experience.) And probably Route 66 as well. Or Amtrak across the country…

I admit there are a few destinations on the “wrong” side of the world I am missing: South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, and New Zealand. I need these, and I also need a trek with Train K3 via Ulaanbaatar straight to Moscow. I should also probably test drive Train T5 to Hanoi, if only to travel in China’s only long-distance international service with the national emblem over a train in blue (others have the emblem over a train in green).

The other day, I did a pretty scary calculation of my total mileage: over a million kilometres, and just a bit short of a million miles. I’m thinking of both converting these into media / information platform shows (blogs included) and adding more to the meter. It’s about a trip-and-a-half to the moon and back. I’m still in my early 30s. I need more miles.

In China, there’s a saying: you need to read both thousands of books and have travelled thousands of miles. I’ve done the latter. 2014 might also be the time when I do a bit more of the former…

The new year, no matter how it starts or where I might start 2015, will be one I’m going to get pretty excited about. Stay tuned…

■ ■ ■ David Feng

Tag Archives: world

Statement of World Citizens David Feng and Tracy Liu

Ente gut, alles gut…?