User Comments - adventurer

Posted on: A New Jug for the Water Cooler

Here's a version of the folk-tale (in English):

http://chinesefolktales.blogspot.com/2008/03/river-snail-shell-girl-fujian.html

Posted on: A New Jug for the Water Cooler

When we travelled to China last summer, we worried about the tap water so much that we brought the purification tablets, and a fancy filtration gadget, niether of which we ever used during our 3-month-long trip.

People always boil the tap water before drinking it in China. Even on the trains, hot boiling water is available from a machine on each car.

I think the plastic jug system is a bit crazy. There's harmful chemicals in the plastics, and it expends a lot of energy carting around those big jugs.

In Canada, our system is crazy too. Why do we need filtered, chlorinated, flouridated tap water, when most of it is used for bathing, washing dishes and clothes, or watering lawns and gardens?

Posted on: Feelings

听了这一课，你们有什么感觉？(Tīng le zhě yī kè, nǐmèn  yǒu shénmè gǎn jué?)

Everyone,

After listening to this lesson, how do you feel?

Posted on: You Sing Terribly!

Fun lesson! We had a Chinese singing competiton at our university's languages department. I sang the colors song from an old Chinese pod lesson. Singing can actually be a great way to learn a language.

I bet Chinese people are fond of 'Country Road' because it is similar (in nostalgic sentiment) to 走在乡间的小路上 by Ye Jiaxiu.

I have a funny memory of being in Harbin in June of 1996 and being woken up at 6am by a brass marching band outside my window playing 'Jingle Bells' very loudly and very (走音zǒuyīn) off-key! Lots of drunken wedding-reception karako versions of 'Red River Valley' too.

Posted on: Saying Goodbye at the Airport

I love how the trains display their current speed inside the train.

My family tried camel hump, meat slurpies (discribed by Jenny a while back), duck intestines. I tried stinky tofu (Nasty!) My favorite, (which you can get here in Canada) is green onion cakes. But my Chinese ayi says that is 'peasant food'.

Posted on: Waiting for Food

I love the examples of 死. Very colorful! Can you say something like "my feet are killing me" like we do in English?

Could you say "you're killing me!" If someone is really funny?

Also, is it common to add the er suffex to 服务员?

Posted on: Female takeover of ChinesePod!

We really enjoyed visiting the Chinesepod team last summer! My two young sons had an instant crush on Jenny, and thought it was really cool to meet the people whose voices their mum is always listening to on the computer.

Posted on: The Black Spectrum of Meaning

Has anyone seen the movie preview for the new remake of 'Karate Kid'?

It stars a young African American boy and is set in China. It would be really interesting to see what Chinese people think of this movie.

Posted on: Thank You Note

Even though I'm still an Elly level poddie I gave this a listen since it seemed very interesting and useful. I was suprised to see how much I could understand!

Thanks for another great lesson! 谢谢你们!

Posted on: It's cold, wear more clothes!

I find myself muttering Chinese to myself these days as my vocabulary and grammar skills grow. Now I can have a great little conversation with myself about autumn, coats and so on.