Day 2: Ni Hao Ma

Sorry that this is a later post, but I was committed to starting the New Year off with the daily blogging, so these first couple entries may be a tad late.

Monday, January 31st, 2011
8 a.m.

It's freezing cold outside. The sun was shining and the thermometer read 0 degrees. Now I live very close to campus, but the wind was biting at my face, turning my nose and cheeks instantly the color of raspberries, and when I get to class there is a woman called Jill. Without a formal introduction she starts speaking to us in Chinese.

It was like the episode in Friends where Joey tries to speak French. We tried to speak Chinese, but I highly doubt we were saying the words correctly. None of us knew what she was saying but our reptillian brain was telling us to repeat after her. Ni Hao Ma. Wo hao. over and over until the meaning of what she was saying sunk it. It was like I dove under water and all of a sudden, sprouted gills. How are you? I'm good. The rest of class was the same thing.
Kuai zi - chopsticks
bu- no
xie xie- Thank you
bu xie- Your welcome
Word after word, the chinese language came to life. Granted when this moose is in China, I highly doubt I'll be able to converse in fluent mandarin, but I could get by. Unfortunately I don't know how to say Where is the bathroom?

Now learning Chinese is up to me. I've heard chinesepod.com is a gret place to learn. Upon first glance it looks kind of like Rosetta Stone, except it's free, which is always great to hear. And there are fun, interactive ways to learn chinese online.

Until next time, Wo Xing Clark.