Tales of elation and deflation

bodawei

June 25, 2010, 07:56 AM posted in General Discussion

I have been thinking about measures of success when learning Chinese. Living here I am fortunate enough to be tested every day - I am sometimes elated and sometimes deflated by events. But at least I am tested. I learn a new expression and use it successfully in conversation. Elation! I stumble in a discussion about a dish I am trying to order at a restaurant. Deflation! How do you guys living and learning outside China test yourselves? [This is the obligatory first post to get a new Group into the public domain.]