Come on Technorati – pick up my blog!
I think it’s personal…
14 February 2009
2 March 2006
Tune In
Chinese people love karaoke. Today my friend got off work early so we went to do Chinese karaoke. I loved it! Another thing we should have here! (more…)
1 March 2006
Learning To Talk
They say the best place to learn a language is to be surrounded by it. Well I’ve been here a month now. I’m not so sure…
25 February 2006
English in China
The weekend starts here. When I have spare time I like to surround myself in the language I can actually understand!!
19 February 2006
Education, Education, Education
Tony Blair may believe in it, but it has its limitations.
I went to tutor a 12-year old girl today. When I was 12 I didn’t have much homework. I spent these years of my life socialising and watching lots of TV. I was just starting to learn a second language – French – although ‘learn’ is probably an extreme word to use. Maybe I had memorised some numbers, but not much more. I expected to have trouble conversing with a girl this age.
Visions of me pointing at objects and saying the word for them disappeared immediately. She knew all the basics of the English language, so could understand questions and answer them in complete sentences. She was a very smart girl. She was also a good example of a Chinese child. (more…)
16 February 2006
7 February 2006
Language Differences
Where I am living I need to learn at least a little language. Most languages that English–speakers learn are pretty similar to English. Chinese isn’t. (more…)
3 February 2006
So Why China?
It’s a fantastic country! This is a place steeped in unique relevance for both 
world history and world future, and it is a culture I believe to be most unlike ours than anywhere on earth. The Chinese people I admire more than any I have met. I hope we can learn from them.
I obviously first encountered China from the usual childhood facts: colourful dragons for Chinese New Year; eating with two sticks in one hand; the great wall that can be seen from space. (more…)
1 February 2006
Communication Isolation
Native English speakers get quite complacent. I am one. I don’t think we appreciate the feeling of having no shared language to communicate. All my first impressions of China I experienced without speaking. (more…)
31 January 2006
Oi! Ha ha ha?
Chinese is tuneful and I enjoy hearing its sound surround me. But I can’t always cope! It’s quite funny – your brain automatically hears English words – but I only notice when I overhear something incredibly shocking! Wow the inappropriate things spoken by seemingly innocent ladies, (more…)
