Unit1Iamfrequentlyaskedthequestion,“canyouusechopsticks?”IhavelivedinKorea,Japan,andChina.Ineachcountry,Ihave,moreoftenthannotandwithouthavingrequestedone,beengivenaforkwhenonewasavailable.IhavepolitelyrefusedandsaidthatIwouldbefinewithchopsticks.Sometimes,Ihavetomakefurtherexplanation.ChopsticksaretheleastofmyworrieswhenIameatinginanAsianhomeorrestaurant.Infact,learninghowtousechopstickstakesmenothingbutafewweeks.ThisisnottosayIwasskillful,though.Learninghowtousechopsticksiseasyforme,whereaslearningtheritualsandhowtoconductmyselfatthetableisquitedifficult.JusthowmanytimesdoIhavetosay“no,thankyou”whenIreallymean“no,thankyou,Itrulyamfull”?HowdoIgetawaywithrefusingmorefoodwithoutoffendingsomeone?IfIinsistandIstillgetmore,isitappropriatejustnottoeatit?ThiswouldbeimpolitewhereIcomefrom.Ihaveenjoyedmanygreatmealsandmyinteractionswiththepeoplehavebeengreat.IamincreasinglyawarethatIwillneverbeabletogivebackasmuchasIhavereceived.Idon’tknowhowIcaneverthankallofthepeoplewhointroducedmetoeatinginAsia.Unit2Thiswaswhatallofthetrainingandpainwasabout----winning.IwatchedTVtoseetheyoungrunnerwhohadbeenundermycoachingforthelastfewyears.Iwouldhavebeenthereonthespothaditnotbeenforthetrafficproblem.Icouldn’tmakeitevenonmybicycle.WhileIwatchedtheyoungrunnerentertothecheersofthousandsofpeople,Icouldnothelpthinkingofthepainsthathehadgonethroughinhistraining.Theyoungrunnerwashardlyconsideredtobepromisingwhenhefirstcametome.Therewerecountlesstrainingsessionsfullofpainforhim.Ihadseenfatiguewrittenonhisface.Ihadheardhimswearatme.Ihadbeenindifferenttohisangerandpain.Itwasclearthatonlyhardworkcouldearnhimsuccess.IhadsmiledtomyselfwhenIfoundthathehadtoomuchpassiontogiveup.Andhewouldpersistwiththetraininguntilhereachedperfection.Ihadneverforgottoremindhimthatdespitethechallengeshehadtokeeponpractice.Itwasunfairthathehadnotimeforhisgirlfriend.Butthatwaslifeforhim!ThethunderousshoutsandcheersdrewmebacktotheTVscreen.Oh,mydear,theyoungrunnerwasgainingspeed.Hewasrunningtothefinishline.Hewas...