How to get fluent in Chinese (for realz)

Hey kids,

So there has been an aspect of this whole China experience that I’ve by and large ignored. That is, my Chinese language journey. I came here after finishing 3 1/2 years of Chinese study for my University major. I was feeling pretty unsatisfied with the prospect of graduating with this piece of paper touting my language ability, when personally, I was pretty unsure of how far that ability actually extended to. I had never gotten myself together to take the standard Mandarin exam, the HSK, so I didnt have that score to rely upon. And besides, I found that I had trouble writing characters by hand, simply because I was more focussed on conversational ability. The HSK exam largely assesses reading, writing and grammar structures. Thus, I decided that I needed time to focus on these technicalities. Introducing…an intensive Chinese language program conducted in Nanjing university. I found studying in China vastly different to your standard exchange experience. Because we were taking Chinese classes for second language speakers, most of the people I interacted with were exchange students too. Apart from my Korean friends, we all socialised in English to accommodate differing levels in Chinese. The classes were monday to friday,   8am until 12pm. Students were placed into appropriate level classes and could choose to swap as they pleased. Classes were taught by native Chinese, most of whom spoke little more than a scattering of English. The classroom environment was entirely Chinese, regardless of level. Homework consisted of review and prep of lessons. Subjects included reading, writing, speaking, listening and bonus classes such as newspaper reading, history, ancient Chinese and HSK prep which you could choose at your leisure. I personally chose to fill my spare time with brush painting, taichi and getting private lessons on the Erhu (traditional Chinese instrument.) These were all taught in Chinese and I felt greatly benefited because I was genuinely interested in these things. I felt frustrated by my inability to meet locals though, as our accommodation and classes were held in separate buildings.  We were segregated. To get around that, I tried many different schemes. I found a local language partner, made sure to go straight to the few chinese who went to the same parties I did. I met some really great people just by being open to those really random approaches that often happen here in China. But it still wasnt forming the core of my interactions. Frustrated with my lack of immersion, even while in China, as well as feeling generally over studying Chinese (saturation point is quickly reached and there are only so many hundred characters you can stuff into your brain before needing a break and a chance to consolidate.) Deciding that I was more than happy to call it quits on the study, I started looking for other…opportunities… in China. My plan had been to go travelling, Tibet, Nepal etc. But I wasnt ready to leave my Chinese level where it was currently at. I still wouldnt feel happy upon graduating. I’d feel…dishonest somehow, like I didnt deserve my accreditation.

An internship was suggested to me, and I decided it was just the thing.
I applied for a whole heap and got a whole heap of responses. I was most interested in one in Beijing and one in small city Ji’An. Well, I decided to put in my best and go for the most difficult option. To move away from any safety blankey expat communities I might latch onto in Beijing, to go to a small city in a (seemingly) distant province. It was the best decision I could have made.

I struggled with the language and cultural barriers, but as they say, nothing worth obtaining is easy. As I am getting to the last stages of my time here, I realise that it really hasnt been that long at all. But I feel like Ive achieved a lot.

I had a breakthrough moment not long ago. I went to a social enterprise workshop with my collegues and a whole group of young people involved in the small (but growing) NGO sector in China. I was really nervous, thinking that no way would I be able to follow what was going on, it would be a complete waste of time where I would embarrass myself by asking ‘what?’ too many times. Well, it was hard and occasionally I needed a translation of some of the more complicated concepts, but overall I learned some valuable things and feel inspired about my own future in NGO organisations. It felt  amazing to be able to sit in small group discussions about project planning and troubleshooting and to be able to make a meaningful contribution. I forgot that I was speaking Chinese because I was more focussed on what I was actually trying to communicate.That’s not to say that I knew every word that was being said, or that I followed every conversation, or that I spoke with even mildly correct grammar, or that I never had to ask someone to repeat or rephrase what they said…but I still made it to the end and dammit I’m gonna take that as a victory.  When I finally finished the three day intensive, I found everything else so much easier. General chitchat, asking for directions… how could that make me nervous now?

Learning a language is all about roadblocks and overcoming roadblocks. The more you learn, the harder the roadblocks get and the harder they are to overcome.

With this new confidence in speaking and understanding spoken chinese, I feel like I can finally see past another block. I know that I need to sit down, study some more complicated vocabulary (those annoying words that I can talk around, or substitute for an English word but eventually need to learn) and take it back out onto the field.
Being fluent in Chinese isnt about a piece of paper from university, or about a number on an exam. To be fluent in Chinese all you need is the confidence to answer the question “are you fluent?” …with a defiant “yes, bitches!” Because confidence in your second language is the most valuable thing you could ever learn. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not good enough. They usually are the ones who feel the least confident in their own ability.

Haters gonna hate (Photo: Emccall 2014)

Least favourite fashion trend

Let’s keep this one short (no pun intended).

So, it has come to my attention that maybe some women are quite self-conscious about their height and many take to wearing ridiculously high and uncomfortable-looking shoes (see this earlier post https://soaringredbucket.wordpress.com/2013/09/27/platform-thongs/)

When I had some time off I went to Ganzhou, a considerably large city located some time out of Ji’an. My friend decided to take me to check out the particular bulbous mountains and traditional Hakka fortified villages (See wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakka_walled_village)

The bus ride was for four hours and was followed by another half an hour ride to get to the mountain base. The climb was steep although there were steps for most of the way and the day was hot and humid.

As I puffed my way up the mountain in my hiking shoes and sensible clothing, I was amazed at the amount of women who had insisted they dress up for the photo opportunity a mountain may present them with and complete the outfit with a remarkably high pair of shoes.

This particular woman needed her boyfriend to ensure she didn’t topple head first down that flight of stairs onto the rocks below.

Everyone should be free to their own choices in life. But really, shouldn’t high heels and tight dresses be reserved for…you know…flat, stable surfaces?

Just saying.

My favourite (optional) fashion trend

Hey Kids!

This is something I’ve been meaning to blog about for a while, but with the coming of summer and the surge in the amount of girls wearing tshirts and short(ish) shorts, this has really come to my attention.

Prepare yourselves, Western women (and men) for some shocking, radical and…earth breaking news.

Female body hair is optional.

[Shock, horror, women begin to hyperventilate and pass out at their desks, men walk away in stoic silence to mull things over in a faraway land. In the background, a child begins to weep piteously at this unknown assailant and its mother can offer no comfort because she is currently slumped over the computer with her nose pressing down on the keyboard jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj]

That’s right, for you who have not succumbed to the above. Here in China it is actually pretty common for women to simply let their natural body hair…be all, well natural. Why is this? Some may argue that it’s because Chinese simply have less body hair than their Western counterparts and therefore it is a non-issue because they didn’t have any to begin with.

Well, just like everything there is natural variation. True, on average, Han Chinese people naturally have less body hair than Westerners, but that doesn’t mean that every Chinese woman walks around with all areas of her body a smooth as the sale of donkey meat to ignorant tourists (which is to say, very.)

I can say this, because I have taken many a yoga class during my time here and let me just say I was enlightened in more ways than one during the Salute to the Sun pose.

I have to say that I found that tuft of black hair under a demure woman’s arm, and the shadowy look to the calf in those rolled-up jeans  at first confronting, then fascinating and finally enviable (always with the jeans and exercise, what is with that?).

Here I am, wasting precious time with a bar of soap and a sharp object in my hand veritably  hacking at my body hair to fit in with a societal norm which was pressed onto me at the unquestioning age of 12 and which I have been following ever since.

Well, I say, it’s unfair!

I’ll tell you why women cringe, men snigger or girls blush when they see hair anywhere but on a female’s head (although, granted sometimes even even that hair isn’t completely real.)

Because the treatment of body hair is based on cultural practice. Why are 11, 12 and 13 years old girls  in the West shamed and handed a razor quietly by their mothers? Because some high class snobs thought that 15th Century french prostitutes were simply delightful to emulate. (And, of course because shaving companies enjoy making a profit.)

Well, it seems those french ladies didn’t make it to China. And those shaving companies were not exactly allowed into China until recently. Now, I know as China rapidly urbanises and globalises that there will be more of this Western cultural influence putting pressure onto Chinese women to shave (and, of course, for Chinese men to demand that it be thus) but for the time being I am so happy that a woman is allowed to choose what she does with her own body hair. That, like makeup, it is optional and can be adhered to in various degrees of ‘giving a shit’.

I’m just sad that my cultural programming doesn’t include an easy ‘opt-out’ function.

It’s summer, and as I rip open my packet of razors sent to me from home because they didn’t have any going for cheap in China, I shed a tear. Caught in thoughts of my Chinese friends outside playing badminton in short(ish) shorts, not even thinking about the shadow on their legs or the extra keratin under their arms.

 

Getting my point across Photo: Emccall 2014

 

Summer fashion in China

Ok, so remember kids that China is in the Northern Hemisphere and just as all you aussies are posting photos of snuggling up with hot coco, I’m in China, joyously looking forward to the opportunity to substantially decrease the number of Chinese women saying to me “你皮肤好白!” (Your skin is SO white!)

Of course, I’m sure most of you have heard about how aesthetically valued white(r) skin is in a lot of countries.

I have made sure to tell a lot of girls here how in my country, dark(er) skin is considered healthy or exotic and therefore is generally more aesthetically valued than white(r) skin. They find it most amusing and we spend a moment to reflect how everyone wants what they don’t have. It is also a subtle way for me to advise them that I don’t really appreciate that sort of commentary on my skin colour because of my own cultural background.

Summer is a time of fear for a lot of women (and men, although to a lesser degree it seems.) Chinese girls are usually seen wearing long sleeves and jeans in near 40 degree heat and often walk around with open umbrellas to guard against those sneaky UV rays. If a girl rocks up to work in shorts and without her umbrella she may be asked ＂怕不怕黑？＂(Aren’t you afraid of being dark?)

Hey, but don’t get me wrong, all this white-skin obsession means that China isn’t a place you exactly need to be preaching sun protection (unlike in Australia, a country with a hole in the ozone layer floating above it yet where many citizens seem to prefer dark(er) skin and therefore think that going onto the beach in a bikini and no sunscreen or shade in the middle of summer is a pretty good and attractive suggestion.)

But, of course some people can have a tendency to get carried away with this ‘white skin business’. Whitening creams (containing harmful chemicals), weird fake white-glowey-skin filters for all of their phone selfies and even…this.

 

Yes. This is a face-kini (see article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2189877/Meet-Face-Kini-latest-craze-hit-Chinas-beaches-bathers-wear-masks-beat-suns-harmful-rays.html) Peace, ya’ll