Pens for writing

I often receive ball pens from a various exhibitions and events. However, I rarely use them. Today I was spotted for not using a “ball pen”, and was asked “why not”. My answer: the tip of the pen is not fine enough, and therefore, the friction between the tip and the paper is not strong enough to handle the strokes, especially for Chinese characters.

This is that kind of moment that reminds me that I am an East Asian.

Still remember that 7 years ago when I just arrived the UK, I went to a stationary shop on the other day. The showcase had very few pens which have their tips finer than 0.5 mm. I was extraordinary disappointed, went back home, visited amazon, did a research about where I can buy the pens I have already got used to. Since then, I was forcing myself to use coarse-tip ball pens for many times. Even though the chances for writing Chinese became fewer and fewer, and I was actually writing as many Latin letters as European people, I still found that the touch between the paper and the tip given by coarse tips was not comfortable; the friction is not proper for me to control the strokes.

If there are something that I cannot integrate to the European culture, I must count this one of the most serious in my life.