Tsinghua (清华) I’ve had a varied work life, my career path hasn’t always been straight, I join companies with a real enthusiasm, but the ending’s not always great, But there’s also something in me, that asks why am i wasting time here? And when that feeling emerges, well soz but it just ain’t going to disappear, The longest I’ve worked anywhere was on a commodities newswire, But even that 6-year stint included a break at a famous Chinese spire, Yeah, in 20 11 i decided to jack it all in and go study in Beijing city, Paid my money, found a flat, and rocked up at Tsinghua University, It was early September, the weather was hot, classes during morning hours, Student again at 43, Chinese characters, some looked like flowers, I’d been learning mandarin on and off for 10 years, but wanted to immerse, Wanted to be with bright young folk again, a choice maybe seems perverse, But what i learnt in that six months is you’re never too old to do better, Yeh, course I improved my mandarin, but not referring to the Chinese letter, Because in that 6 months i made real friends, friends i hope last a lifetime, May saw 2 classmates swap rings in Milan, life partners in crime, They’re not the only 1s I still talk to, drop messages sometimes with others, Back in our native homes now, love my Tsinghua sisters and brothers. Tsinghua, Tsinghua, a venerable place of learning, Tsinghua, Tsinghua, so hot, my skin was burning, Tsinghua, Tsinghua, i loved my 6-month stint, Tsinghua, Tsinghua, my mandarin so mint. In class, I was the oldest by 20 years, was viewed with no little scepticism, But I showed I’d a grasp of the basics, and friendship replaced reticism, Go out in the evening for dinner & cinema, sometimes just went drinking, in the afternoons we all played football, midfield schemer strategic thinking, One big event was the morning v afternoon class footie match up, Predictions were made, reputations on lined on who’d be taking the big cup, Bitter cold day, minus 15 they say, and 22 stared across no-man’s land, And in 90 minutes the game was all done, 8-3 to the morning class band, We celebrated that afternoon by drinking far more than we really should, But it was great bonding that fueled it, that made that day so good, I’ve often thought that in life you’re real friendships go back to your youth, That’s very me for example, best mates are from school, that’s the truth, But I know in that stint at old Tsinghua, I made bonds that are hard to break, I felt very sad when I had to leave but probably wise for my liver’s sake, It’s odd that in my working life, rarely felt such affection for teammates, Maybe for students there’s less pretence, less scheming, pointless debates, In working life, we’re passing ships, something shared over cups of coffee, But for the majority of ships that passed me by, I couldn’t give a toffee. Tsinghua, Tsinghua, a venerable place of learning, Tsinghua, Tsinghua, so hot, my skin was burning, Tsinghua, Tsinghua, i loved my 6-month stint, Tsinghua, Tsinghua, my mandarin so mint. So what do I think when I look back now, what is it my learning mission achieved, Could chat and even give out my number, ask the boots if you don’t believe, But now 15 years later, my mandarin is on a slippery slope to nowhere, Me and boots had had our eye on China, use ‘guanxi’ to get set up there, But in the end we went to Denmark, set up home in the happy city, Despite my best intentions, my mandarin became less pretty, But who knows, me and boots one day might move to big old China, And be able to make my labour count, don’t think anything could be finer, But whether I do or whether I don’t, the friendships have proved eternal, That’s what I’ll take with me today, you can consider this song my journal. So I say it, Tsinghua, Tsinghua, a venerable place of learning, Tsinghua, Tsinghua, so hot, my skin was burning, Tsinghua, Tsinghua, i loved my 6-month stint, Tsinghua, Tsinghua, my mandarin so mint. Make choices, good choices, cos your career isn’t everything, take a break now, if you want now, give your heart a chance to sing, I’ve traveled all over China, found the words to get what I need, hasn’t earned me any money, but experiences, life experiences, that’s when your spirit’s freed…. **** These lyrics are written and are owned by Martinor76 (Martin O’Rourke). Please do not copy, share, or adapt them without permission. Thank you for respecting the creator’s work. Lyrics © 2026. Martinor76 Music arrangement: © 2026 Martinor76 Copyright © 2026 https://suno.com/@martinor76
