Finally Making Some Progress
user40719
May 15, 2007, 10:15 PM posted in General DiscussionI am a nurse who works in New York City and have been studying since March of this year with little live speaking experience. I have two Mandarin speaking co-workers who tolerate well my pestering questions. Yesterday, we were visiting an elderly Chinese couple with a Mandarin speaking home attendant who spoke no English. I was left alone with the home attendant while my co-worker went to interview the couple. I was akwardly asking some basic information and got stuck on the phrase: "How long have you been here? For no apparent reason, I was suddenly shot with blinding insight and asked as if I had known all along: "Nı dai le duojiu le?" All it takes is one moment to breakdown the barriers. Thanks to ChinesePod my life will never be the same
Ed NolanA Newbie with Confidence
P.S. Some other health related Newbie lessons would be helpful. Who else out there works in healthcare?
kencarroll
May 17, 2007, 01:32 AMWow. The ambition to be able to talk to your patients in Mandarin is a great one. Now it seems you're making real progress with that. I think this story is a great example of how to learn - context. Anyone who read this would probably remember that phrase.
bazza
May 18, 2007, 09:38 AMI'm been learning for 1 1/2 years and I've yet to use any spoken Chinese. At least on anyone that might understand me. The other hand I've used written Chinese at lot online.
user40719
May 19, 2007, 02:34 AMThanks for the feedback. Being understood in Mandarin has given me incredible motivation to keep going to struggle through this current akward phase of sometimes saying things that are either met with laughter or blank stares. I personally can tolerate laughter better than blank stares. Ed Nolan
f1b1
May 16, 2007, 12:00 PMGreat to hear your story. I've been learning for about the same length of time as you. I'm also a nurse, but I hope never to have to do it again. I agree that it is amazing when you are thrown in at the deep end and manage to surprise yourself. I recently phoned a Chinese speaking business, left a message in Mandarin and felt totally in love with myself for the rest of the day. Great feeling. :) I agree, Chinesepod is awesome.