Chinese

I am learning Chinese.


My students love to ask me what words I know in Chinese and once I say, "chicken" or "mutton" in their language they will bust out laughing and say, "yes, yes, very good!"

It is quite a hoot.


Learning Chinese is so difficult. I study using Rosetta Stone, the world's best language software. It is challenging and it tests your pronunciation, your reading skills and helps you learn new words in an interesting way with pictures.

I can now understand and say, "there is one girl and one boy," and "there is one bowl of rice and an apple" and I'm getting better at ordering food at restaurants which in itself is a major reward! Ned is more fastidious about his study because he has more free time, and wants the glory of "conquering" a foreign language. He's chosen just about the hardest one there is.


I've always enjoyed academic study, and am pleased with my mediocre development, but I don't have the dogged determination and desire that I had while learning Spanish.

Spanish for me represents Isabel Allende, Pablo Neruda and Gabriel Garcia-Marquez. It represents Spanish culture and South American pride and passion. It represents the Andes, romance, choripan on the streets and a new way to express myself.


There is no romance or glamour to Chinese. It's block characters allow no abstract expression. The characters are complicated and it takes a skilled hand to draw one half-right.
Chinese is a tonal language, and since I have a good ear I can distinguish the 4 tones well, but Ned has a hard time, and some of the thssss sounds are embarrassing for me to make because I spit everywhere.


If I was going to live here for more than 1 year, I would try harder, but for now I am happy with being able to say,



"I would like a bowl of spicy soup please, with pork."