Newsletter: 2023 September

"All the months are crude experiments, out of which the perfect September is made."

- Virgina Woolf, English writer 1882-1941

The name “September” comes from the Latin word “septem,” which means “seven.” The ancient Roman calendar system had ten months, which began with March as the year’s first month, making September the seventh, followed by October (from “octo,” meaning “eight”), November (from “novem,” meaning “nine”), and December (from “decem,” meaning “ten”). Later, January and February were added to the beginning of the year, pushing September to the ninth position. Despite the change, the name “September” stuck.

Our calendars, names of months, and various customs have deep historical roots that may seem puzzling or counterintuitive in the present day. Questioning and exploring these aspects of our past can lead to fascinating discoveries and a deeper appreciation for the diverse tapestry of human culture and tradition.

Some festivals and celebrations this month:

National Day celebrations: Slovakia and Uzbekistan (1st), Vietnam (2nd), Brazil (7th), Mexico (16th), Chile (18th), etc.
New Year celebrations: #1 Enkutatahs (Ethiopian New Year on the 11th) Enkuan Aderesachihu! (Happy New Year!); and #2 Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year on the 16th, the start of the 10-day Jewish High Holidays – Shanah Tovah! Hebrew for “Have a good year!”), ending with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement on the 25th ) G’mar Hatimah Tovah (“May you be sealed for a good year of life.”) According to Jewish tradition, God inscribes everyone’s fate for the coming year into the ‘Book of Life’, on Rosh Hashanah, and waits until Yom Kippur to “seal” the verdict.
Hindu festivals: Janmashtami (6th – celebrating Lord Krishna’s birthday) and Ganesh Chaturthi (20th – celebrating Lord Ganesh’s birthday).
Confucius-influenced festivals (29th): Mid-Autumn or Moon Cake festival (Chinese), Chuseok festival (Korean), Tsukimi (Japanese), Tết Trung Thu (Vietnamese). The celebrations take place on the 15th of the 8th month on the lunar calendar.
UN International Days: #1 International Day of Charity (5th) and #2 International Day of Peace (21st).

For fun facts on countries celebrating their national days, please refer to last year’s September post: https://transculturalgroup.com/news/newsletter-2022-september/

“Happy perfect September!”

A Journey A Month…

Your Story. Our Story. The Human Story.

I loved the seaside and enjoyed watching the sunsets across the Straits of Malacca when I was little. Often, I would wish to board one of the merchant ships and travel the world. Since then, life has brought me to live in places: Canterbury, London in the U.K., the Loire Valley in France, and Kentucky in the U.S. before returning to Asia, where Singapore is now home.

Those who experience a similar globetrotter lifestyle understand each move involves uprooting oneself from a familiar environment and reestablishing a new social support circle. Learning and forming new connections are vital. While one may develop social friendships quickly, gaining genuine acceptance is much more difficult. Social friendship refers to connections primarily based on convenience, shared activities, or common circumstances. While enjoyable, the depth of these friendships tends to be limited and often more superficial.

When there is genuine acceptance, the relationship adds vibrancy to each other’s peronal development, crafting precious and lasting memories in one’s journey. Friendships with genuine acceptance are often built on trust, mutual respect, and a willingness to invest time and effort into understanding each other at a deeper level.

Both have their place in life; while social friendships offer pleasant interactions, genuine acceptance is a more profound connection. Many people may understand networking, but not all embrace the art of friendships that create lasting and genuine bonds.

Besides making time for quality interactions, here are some common traits one would like to find in a friend: (a) Empathetic listening, someone with whom we can have an open and non-judgemental dialogue. (b) Genuine TLC (tender loving care), someone who is always ready to give us a helping hand. (c) Authenticity and sincerity without ego, someone who can respectfully agree to disagree with us. The art of friendship is simple: Be the friend you seek, and you shall find some in return.

When you gaze at the full moon this 29th, ask if your connections are of social friendships or genuine bonds of acceptance. You are fortunate if you have built many genuine bonds, for a true friend is a precious gift in life.

Harvest moon graces the night’s sky, A celestial lantern, a silvery reign. September’s song, a mellifluous tune, A bridge between seasons, a precious cocoon…

“Good luck building the genuine human connection!”

The world is fascinating simply because differences exist!

Join us to spread the words, share the vision, and do our parts.

At TransCultural Group (TCG), we are determined to play our part in making the world a better place. We have launched an e-book for Youth. We have also uploaded the complete series of “Food around the World” on our YouTube channel.

Please share it If you love our effort, and please give us a “like” and subscribe to our “YouTube” channel (it is free!) Come support us!

Crossing Cultures – Beyond Boundaries

Keng Keng Tan
Founder & CEO
TransCultural Group
kengkeng@transculturalgroup.com
www.transculturalgroup.com

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