User Comments - user10405

Posted on: Lesson

Is there an age limit for getting an Employment permit?  A friend recently told me his application had been rejected because he was over 60yrs old.

Posted on: International vs. Local Schools

I have a good friend in Taiwan, (not an expat), who home schools his 4 kids.  It seems the home school programs in Taiwan have a structure to make sure kids are getting what they need, and also allows them to participate in socialization programs at the school - clubs, sports and such.  Seems like best of both worlds.

My hat is off to anyone who has the willingness, energy, ability and commitment to take on home schooling.  I am nowhere near smart enough to teach my kids what they need to compete and survive in this busy world we live in.

My kids spent 3 years in international schools here in china, and it was a fantastic experience for them.  They had chinese language classes every day, and tutored lessons in chinese twice a week. In elementary school, they learn so fast - and they use the language without hesitation or embarassment.  They have now moved back to the States, and are not really pursuing the language study there, but I imagine they will come back to it eventually.

I agree 100% that the local schools encourage the homework habit, and I guess it is easier to move to a less demanding environment later than the reversee. But I wonder if we really know at what age we need to start encouraging kids to ask "why?", or "How come I cannot do it this way", and to learn to color outside of the lines.

I think American schools underachieve in many ways because they do not put enough demands on the students, but I think the best system is a combination of the two systems East and West; one that, through mastery of the various curricula, teaches kids how to learn and how to think for themselves.  Kids who use their knowledge base to master skills in creative problem solving are the kids most likely to be happy and successful members of society.

Posted on: Lao Wang's Office 11: Wang in the Doghouse

Sounds like time for the divorce。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。can't wait for the next installment!

Posted on: Zombies!

Some may say this vocabulary is not useful, but I can tell you it makes for great conversation starters!  I can now ask which do you fear most - a vampire or a zombie, and why?  Not something I ever learned in college Chinese. The performance by Li Laoshi is the stuff of modern legend - worthy of an Chinesepod academy award!  I am sure my colleagues wonder what I am listening to, as i have had a hard time not laughing out loud at this campy rendition. Sound effects are great.

Keep up the good work!

dhh

PS - By the way, how do you kill a Chinese zombie?

Posted on: The Final Show

Hi Amber,

So sorry to see you go; will miss that element of human interest and humor you have brought to the show.  Good luck in New York, and make sure you keep the Chinesepod community up-to-date on your new life in the Big Apple. 

Best,

david

Posted on: How's the weather?

Hi Amber,

Can you also say 击 ji1 - beat; hit; strike for drum playing?  Seems that is what I usually hear.

tks

david

Posted on: Hiking

mmoldovan,

I am not sure I understand your point.

As an amateur student of Chinese for 10 years, I can appreciate your attempts to point out the detail in translation "options" for various activities.  I am certain that from an academic perspective, you are correct.  If I were in a classroom at a University, I might appreciate these differences and look to memorize these details.  The point is, however, that I am not in a University setting. I am sitting at my desk in a factory in Eastern China, looking for ways to improve my daily communication with my coworkers and suppliers.  At Chinespod, I find useful, current vocabulary for dealing with my life and work here.  It (Chinesepod) has helped me do a better job for my company, reduced errors in translation between customers and foreign staff, and made my life here a lot more enjoyable.

I do not think Chinesepod claims to be a one-stop shop for learning Chinese.  It is clearly lacking in instruction in writing of characters, but the resources for listening, character recognition, and even speaking, (at extra cost).  The new grammar component as developed by John Pasden is a great addition to the site, and I look forward to learning more from this in the coming year.  I hear that many Chinese programs in the States are using this as a supplement to their own curriculum, with some success.  Considering that Chinese programs in the USA at large are few and far between, I think Chinesepod can fill an important niche in helping students access this difficult language.

Many expats I know here in China have been here for years, living in expat compounds for 2 or 3 years. During their "tenure", they learn little or no Chinese.  They seem to get along fine without it, though I think they miss a lot.  Those who make a bit of an effort, though, really appreciate the difference.

I agree that fluency in any language is evasive.  In fact,  think I would agree that it is so cuturally linked that it is almost impossible for someone to be fully fluent in more than one language unless they grow up in the culture.  Many years ago, I took Chinese in New York.  My professor was an immigrant to the USA, with a PHD in linguistics from Stonybrook University.  Her English was good, but not "fluent" by most standards.  At that time we discussed how important cultural grounding is to understanding the subtleties of language, and that it is all but impossible for someone to understand and speak "fluently" in a language learned as an adult.

I will never reach "fluency" in Chinese.  Just like I will never be seen as a Chinese.  But I can improve, understand and communicate more effectively. That is what Chinesepod has helped me do.  As a premium subscriber for the past 2 years, (just renewed for year 3!), I think they do a great job at helping me to achieve my goals.  I have used many computer-based programs over the years, and this is the most effective to date.  The daily lessons keep me interested, curious and motivated to come back.

Chinesepod does not award degrees, offer college credit, or even set itself up as a standard of measure for the academic study of Chinese.  It does, however, work well to give those of us who do not need, the college credit hours, and the diploma a way to access a host of helpful lessons, and to learn "on our terms".

I respect and admire the work you have done in the academic study of Chinese.  I understand I will never achieve the levels you have achieved, and have no intention of trying, as my job and professional interests lie elsewhere.  But I am reminded of a comment from a colleague here in my factory, whose English is far from fluent.  He says, "For me, English is just a tool for communication.  If you can understand my meaning, that is good enough".  I think we all aspire for a higher level of speech and understanding; but if I can make myself understood by one of my suppliers, who doesn't speak a word of English, it makes me feel pretty good.

I accept where I am, and will "keep on keeping on". 

一步一步来！

dh

Posted on: Chinese Music Taste and Registering with the Police

Amber, I love your comment about Jay Cho, to paraphrase, "...He's kind of hot, he's cool". Just reminds me of the challenge of popular slang, and how confusing it is, even in English! The more I study Chinese, the more I appreciate how difficult English is to learn; and at the same time, how much the Chinese younger generation are willing to invest in time and money to master English. Just motivates me to work a bit harder to study Chinese, (even though I know I will never achieve true fluency!)

Posted on: Souvenirs and Strange Statues

Clay - you said a couple times that things are so cheap to buy here, but just wonder if you see much inflation in souvenirs in Shanghai? I live in Ningbo, and seems things here are getting more expensive all the time. I have the added problem of being paid in $USD, so have lost lots of money on the exchange rate in the last 3 years. You guys must be paid in RMB! BTW, you forgot one great gift idea - golf clubs. All the name brands (not!) are available. Not cheap, but pretty nice for the money.

Posted on: Pedestrian Peril

Chand, RJBerki, and all, I too struggle with my listening ability. I still have a difficult time with TV and radio, especially the news. The vocabulary is challenging and the speed is daunting. I came to the realization a few months ago, that listening is more than hearing the words themselves - it is hearing the context in which they are spoken. When I used to listen to a conversation, I would get so caught up in the meaning of each word, I would lose track of the conversation, lose the meaning, and quickly give up. What I have found recently, is that somewhere along the line, I have learned to ignore words I do not know, and to keep listening to the speaker. It surprises me how much more of the spoken word I understand now. I can usually catch most of the meaning of a speaker, even if I do not understand every word. So for me, comprehension has come through listening to what I can understand, and not worrying about what I cannot. It surprises me too, how many words I learn in context of hearing a speaker use the words. If I hear words or learn words in this way, they tend to "stick" better too. This whole "improvement" in my understanding certainly coincides with my improving vocabulary, (thanks Chinesepod!), but it does seem strange to me that I improve my understanding by listening more "selectively". I guess I do the same thing in English - If the doctor uses medical terminology to explain a condition to me, I may not understand every word, but I understand the consequences.