Summer is here and I feel like a kid leaving on school holiday. Just in time for summer I finally completed lesson # 120 and therefore achieved level 2 with my Chinese teacher Vicky, Whohoo!
I really enjoy my lessons with Vicky who is not just a fun teacher but also a good character who makes sure that I don´t loose my face by pretending that she is understanding me.
Somehow she seems to be the only Chinese in Shanghai who is able to talk with me. Let me tell you why I think that: According to the schoools guide line by now I should be able to have easy conversation in various kind of situations. But let me explain to you what reality looks like outside the classroom:
Somehow she seems to be the only Chinese in Shanghai who is able to talk with me. Let me tell you why I think that: According to the schoools guide line by now I should be able to have easy conversation in various kind of situations. But let me explain to you what reality looks like outside the classroom:
This is what the school promotes I should be able to do.. and my reality:
Upon completion students will have learned 500 new words and phrases - wherefrom I remember about 100 – words only and not a single tone - and 50 grammar points – are they sure about this???
Topics include:
Self-introduction
– yes I can say „my name is Angelika" and more complicated things like "this is my my husbands brother´s wife..."
– yes I can say „my name is Angelika" and more complicated things like "this is my my husbands brother´s wife..."
Making an appointment
– like when I sucessfully booked a train ticked for the wrong day and- yes! I can order water by phone because they can see my customer profile as my phone number popping up on their computer.
– like when I sucessfully booked a train ticked for the wrong day and- yes! I can order water by phone because they can see my customer profile as my phone number popping up on their computer.
Ordering in a restaurant
– nothing is still easier (and safer) than pointing at the menue and saying „Zhe ge!!“ - THIS!“
– nothing is still easier (and safer) than pointing at the menue and saying „Zhe ge!!“ - THIS!“
Speaking with your Ayi (housemaid)
– sure but she always frowns when I try to explain something and ends up doing the opposite to what I asked her to do. Yes I can hear you saying "Do it yourself!!! :-)
– sure but she always frowns when I try to explain something and ends up doing the opposite to what I asked her to do. Yes I can hear you saying "Do it yourself!!! :-)
Talking about the weather
– easy: The weather is simply always „hao = good“ or „Bu hao“ not good
– easy: The weather is simply always „hao = good“ or „Bu hao“ not good
Sports
- Sorry, but I still don´t play golf, tennis or any other sport using a racket
- Sorry, but I still don´t play golf, tennis or any other sport using a racket
Speaking with the taxi driver
– which still sounds more like me shouting "Hengshan Luuu" "Hengshaan Lu", "Hengs haan lu" in various different tones. But most of them speak Shanghainese anyway which is when I unpack latest; "Hengashaaan LUAAA" (that is the Shanghainese version)
– which still sounds more like me shouting "Hengshan Luuu" "Hengshaan Lu", "Hengs haan lu" in various different tones. But most of them speak Shanghainese anyway which is when I unpack latest; "Hengashaaan LUAAA" (that is the Shanghainese version)
Shopping
- How much? .. and do you have this in a larger size??
- How much? .. and do you have this in a larger size??
Getting a foot massage
- Well, my chinese massage vocabulary was naturally developed by experience
- Well, my chinese massage vocabulary was naturally developed by experience
Talking about your plans and ideas:
- That´s concering holidays and that´s what I chat with Vicky most about :-)
- That´s concering holidays and that´s what I chat with Vicky most about :-)
So here I am at the end of level 2 - of 12!!! There are 18 months gone, 18months to go. Where will that take my mandarin skills by the time I´m leaving here???
After our last lesson Vicky and I went for dinner. And over some very nice food from Vickys home town in north east of China, Vicky managed to convince me that all is not lost and that there is still hope that I can make my dream come true: To be able to invite our elder neigbours, Mr. and Mrs. Jing, and have a nice chat over a cup of tea!...
Zuo ba! Let´s do it!
