Chinese Reflections - April

I'm back from China and I figured I'd write a short post about my language experience. I don't have much in terms of new vocabulary or grammar concepts to share, I just about managed to keep my Duolingo streak alive but not much else.

Compared to the last time I was in China I was able to understand a fair bit more. Obviously I wasn't able to follow conversations, but from time to time I was able to understand bits and given the context I was able to piece together what was being said.

However, speaking Chinese was a whole different story. I could say I wasn't cold, or that I didn't want something, or I wanted a particular thing; but not much else. It's not really a surprise, my level is low to begin with and partnered with a bunch of shyness I was unable to say much more.

One important thing I learned is that I should not say

to indicate that I do or do not speak the language. It's culturally charged especially to speakers of ethnic minorities. It's safer to say I do/don't speak .

Closing Thoughts

I think that if I want to make meaningful progress I need to enroll in a language course. I've browsed a few options but so far nothing has jumped out at me as being a good fit. It's also not helpful that they tend to align with the school year so it's at least a couple of months away.

In the meantime I'll keep practicing with Duolingo and see if I can find a podcast or TV show that interests me to help me practice listening and distinguishing tones.