Mandarin Lessons

I'm seriously going to try and write once per week. There's lots going on and I don't want to miss anything. Sometimes I feel like if I start writing, it'll be hard to stop. Details are good but how much can you write before crossing the line and going overboard?

One week ago today I started Mandarin lessons with a co-worker from V+T school. We're doing a language exchange, which is quite popular here. For an hour long Mandarin lesson, I give him a 30 minute French lesson. Not bad from my end. My tutor's name is Robin and he's fantastic. His English is quite good as he spent two years in Toronto volunteering as a Mormon missionary. We meet one a week and will start working out of a book tonight.

Robin burned a CD of the Mandarin Romanization sound system known as Pinging. Every possible phenome is represented (about 427 in total) and the student practices each sound with the first tone (high, steady pitch). There are four other tones: ascending, descending, ascending+descending, and low. So far I find that Mandarin is straightforward in terms of grammar. For instance, there are no articles (the, a, an) and verb conjunction is not dependent on the subject (i.e. "to be" is the same for I, you, he, she, etc). Also, each word is one syllable in length. You do have to be quite consciencious of your tones because they are easily mis-interpreted. For example, "shir" with a rising tone means "ten" and with a low, flat tone it means "to be".

I also have an excellent CD series called the Pimsler Language Method for Mandarin. Tomek sent me this program and it's fantastic! They are 30 minute lessons and use recall in order to store new vocabulary into long-term memory. I've already received a few compliments on my pronounciation.

It's really exciting to understand more as I commute to work or am at the market. I catch words here and there and it's so validating! The more I learn, the more I want to learn!

So, this week has been awesome. I find that time places by so quickly and that the work week is done before you know it. Some people believe that this is because of the short days (the sun sets at about 5 pm all year round). All of the sudden it's nighttime and you're getting ready for the next day.

On Thursday morning, as I was leaving my kindergarden class, the director of Knight's English asked me if I was available for a Chinese New Year party on Saturday evening. I didn't have any plans and got excited at the prospect of going to a formal dinner. This is an annual tradition and I was invited at the last minute so really didn't know what to expect. I got my hair done (straight again, I seem to be preferring this recently) and put on my one and only dress. We arrived at this swanky restaurant and were escorted to a private room for one hundred guests! It was a 10 course meal that included sashimi, prawns, hot pot, soup, lamb chops, etc, etc, etc. I was floored, so unexpected!!! They also had a draw for dozens of prizes including a LG flatscreen TV! And this sort of thing is completely normal here!

When I was sitting there I had one of those, "I can't believe this is my life" moments. You know, one of those unbelievable feelings where you become completely present to your situation and acknowledge the goodness and significance of a particular time. I was in awe while looking around at such unbelievable generousity and good company. This is my life! Wow!

Just wanted to share these stories from my past week.
love you all,
Rach