upper intermediate, baby

If you know me, you know I am constantly trying to learn new languages. Although I sorta focused more on teaching language rather than learning language this past month, I have been reminded by certain people of my real goal for coming to this crazy city called Shanghai. So thank you =)

While I wait to hear back from Chinese teachers if I am able to audit some classes this semester, my plan for the time being is to use this AWESOME website for language learning - it's called Chinese pod. There is also Italian pod, Spanish pod, German pod, etc. It's a great self-study tool...I wonder even if English pod would be suitable for teaching reading and writing in schools? (Any teacher people reading this blog? Anyone?) Just an idea.

But learning Chinese is no easy feat. Even after a lifetime of speaking it, it is still a mystery to me. According to Chinese pod I am an upper intermediate. Yeah. Seriously. Actually, it's better than I expected! I guess that means I probably wouldn't pass the NYSESLAT of Chinese huh? :( For me, the real difficulty doesn't lie in speaking and listening, it lies in reading and writing.


Yeah, it makes my head spin too. It takes a lot of practice, writing the same word over and over again until it looks right; every stroke counts. There are a lot of words that I know how to say but am unfamiliar with their written form. On top of that, there are actually two written versions of Chinese: the simplified version that they use in China, and the traditional version which they use in Taiwan - which is, of course, what I learned when I was younger. Some help that is here on the mainland!

These are ... the same word, "country". It's kind of like the difference between print and cursive in English in that, for example, some kids who never learned cursive can barely read it. But you can see how these words barely resemble each other, besides the box that sort of envelops the inner part of the word. Damn Chinese. Now you know why I love Spanish. Dios mio. Mucho que hacer, mucho que hacer.

-K