Tag Archives: mandarin
In Yellow Wood
Today, my boss Will offered me really good terms to work in Yantai next year. (I’d get a lot of nice things, and none of that pesky responsibility junk) I really like my job, I like my students, and I … Continue reading
Best Asian Diarist
I was nominated as Best Asian Diarist on the Asia Blog Awards! It’s awesome to see that people are reading and liking my blog and it’s not just Stick hitting refresh to inflate my counter and make me happy. I … Continue reading
L’chaim
After listening to Jason Zorro make Mandarin tones properly and effortlessly, David decided to take him down a peg and teach him to say “L’chaim”. After a few tries, it was still almost as bad as my Chinese. Ok, nothing’s … Continue reading
Meg Vs. Mandarin
Stick’s mom is famous for forcing me to watch Nascar and driving my hyperactive self to the MTELs. The other day, she e-mailed me to tell me she’d learned some Mandarin words, and she gave the examples wo xiang-nian ni … Continue reading
Weifang Math
So we’re trying to check into a hotel in Weifang. It takes all 3 of us to speak Chinese. I can understand the most, then I tell Jeff and Fresca the gist of what’s just been said. Jeff says “Oh, … Continue reading
Everybody Weifang Tonight!*
We took a ritzy bus to the Weifang Kite festival, and then went by taxi to the park in Weifang where the kites would be flown. I got off the bus a few moments before Fresca and Jeff and was … Continue reading
The Pride of Yantai, Shandong Province
Before I came to China, my only experience with the wordforeigner was the first few seconds of an old song and Stick shouting “The pride of Rochester, New York!” In Yantai, though, it may as well be my name. When … Continue reading
The Value of a Hogwarts Education
I bought Harry Potter in Chinese. My adult students were shocked and appalled that I spent so much on a DVD, comparative shopping is a competitive sport here and every time I mention anything to do with shopping, someone tells … Continue reading
The Wife of Bag
The other day, I was in the staffroom with Lily and Jackie talking about our families. One of the great things about Mandarin is the ability to explain family relationships. I don’t have to call Scep my semi-brother, there is … Continue reading
Small Victories
The other day in the vegetable market, a vendor tried to cheat me. While I was figuring out the Mandarin to argue with him, I realized I was fighting for less than 6 cents. But it’s the principle, you know? … Continue reading
