July 2023

I am three in this memory. Shortly after my brother learns to sit by himself, I start engaging him in my favourite activity – playing house. I have a collection of small plates and cups, and I have been waiting to have a playmate who can enjoy my imaginary meal with me whenever I play […]

The summer when I am three, I stay at my grandmother’s house in the countryside for a month away from home. My grandmother loves sparkling juice. Her favourite is the brand called Mitsuya Cider, (despite the name, it is a non-alcoholic drink) and it comes in a thin, tall can with a shiny green lettering.

I am four years old in this memory. One day, at my local YAMAHA music school, we are assigned a homework to compose a little music piece from a given prompt. The prompt is a short melody, and we are expected to expand it, add some harmony, and make it into a full piece. As

I am four in this memory. I am at the local YAMAHA music school with my two best friends, attending the weekly group lesson. In the middle of the one-hour lesson, there is always a short break when people can use the washroom and refresh themselves. My friends and I usually go out on the

It is winter and I am five years old in this memory. The skating season has arrived. When my family go for the regular weekend shopping, my father starts taking me to the skating rink Orange Range again. Though excited, because it has been many months since I stood on the rink last time and

I am five in this memory. Autumn. The day of my kindergarten’s sport festival. Another race is designed for our young siblings. When they are called to the track with their parents, my brother also stands at the start line with my mother. Many of them do not seem to understand what is going on,

I am five in this memory. In the afternoon, after teatime, I have a mandatory study session with my mother before I can go out to play with my friends. She has a math workbook to teach me basic arithmetic and geometry, and every day, she picks a few questions for me to work on.