Older learners

mark

November 18, 2010, 06:31 AM

Well, I think I would count as a "like minded individual". Your account doesn't allow me to send a PM, but I think you should be able to send me one.

man-fong

November 18, 2010, 09:55 AM

Hi, Janette. If Brisbane is your home city, I am not that far from you. It is funny that we both are living in Australia but meet at the Chinesepod for the same purpose--learning Putonghua.

I am not a young learner either, however, I don't think that is a matter. I guess, I missed my normal schooling when I was younger. Now I have the opportunity, so I appreciate it more.    

abelle

November 18, 2010, 12:58 PM

Hi, Janette:  I turned 50 this year and retired from my job in June.  Actually there was a reorganization at my office, I lost my management position, and didn't like the job they gave me.  So I decided to take a break and do something I've always wanted to do since I was about 23 or 24--study Mandarin Chinese!  In college and grad school, I specialized in Latin American history and studied Spanish.  Then one semester in grad school, I took a Chinese history class only because it fit into my schedule.  What an eye-opener that class was!  From then on, I was hooked on China. But I didn't have time to study the language before graduating and having to find a job.  I have managed to visit China twice for vacation.  Last summer, I asked my husband to let me have a year off before finding another job (I still have to help pay college tuition for my kids), and nice guy that he is, he agreed.  I am currently taking an intensive language course at a school in the Washington DC area.  I use Chinesepod to supplement the classroom time and textbooks.  As my commute is an hour each way to school, I always listen to my Chinesepod "friends" on my MP3 and it really makes the time go by fast.  I think I'm more serious of a student now than I would have been if I had taken Chinese classes when I was younger.  It was nice meeting you, another "older" student online.

trevorb

November 18, 2010, 04:31 PM

I too am not far from 50 (今天是我的本命年), which does introduce memory challenges but does not diminish my desire to learn this language.  i think you may be suprised about how many people fitting this bill are studying chinese.

I had always wanted to study but the resources were not there, I still can't get lessons in my locality but the internet blossomed into ChinesePod and suddenly later in life enabled an opportunity to start and I took it.  I feel that could be the same for many people.

I've never told anyone at work I study mandarin as it is about me and my goals not to improve my CV which would inevitably be the assumption made.  Chinesepod has made it possible for me to study when I can, wherever I can and vary the load with what is going on in my life.  

Why not set up a group?

geiwotangba

November 18, 2010, 04:48 PM

我都差不多五十岁！

Janette13

November 18, 2010, 09:53 PM

Hi all,

Thank you so much for your responses!!! It's really nice to make the connection with you. I think by our stage in life we start to view things altogether differently and have an entirely different set of pressures, related to responsibilities and obligations, as well as maybe age-related learning retention lags. I hope the latter is not true and I really want you to tell me it isn't, and that you've been highly successful with your learning. But the former is definitely an issue and I think the younger generation is more carefree with far more time on their hands and without the stress/pressures of life. I hope that generalisation is not too flippant and offensive, as I am really not trying to undermine them. I have four kids of my own who fit into that category and am immensely proud of their achievements!

I spent most of my adult life as a single parent juggling work, study and family. In 2003 I 'escaped' to Hong Kong and then later China, where I first became interested in the language. Now I am mad keen to learn but still have to juggle personal commitments and work pressures and by the time I get around everything else, there is precious little left to devote to Chinese, or else I am too tired for the learning to be effective.

I haven't actually joined (financially) this site yet, as I was toying between this one and another one. However, a week ago I got onto Scritter which I think is already really making a difference to my writing Chinese Characters and then I noticed they have a link to this site. From time to time over the past two years I've heard some positive feedback about ChinesePod. Any comments or advice on this? Any suggestions about which package is most worthwhile?

I think the idea to set up a group is a good one. I don't know how but I guess it must be easy enough. Any suggestions for a name???

Cheers everyone

Janette 

zhenlijiang

November 19, 2010, 01:08 AM

Hi, I realize you aren't all 55+ years old and perhaps not really Newbies, but just wanted to mention there is this group.

http://chinesepod.com/community/groups/view/senior-newbies-1042

hiewhongliang

November 19, 2010, 12:29 PM

There is a Brisbane group:

http://chinesepod.com/community/groups/view/brisbane-australia-977

But I am not sure about the age profile of the members.

jamestheron

November 21, 2010, 12:32 AM

I once recall reading an article about or interview with CPod folks that the predominate demographic of the site users was middle-aged folks.  

I once thought it would be college-age students and those recently out of school.  But after some thought, the older demographic sounds about right.