by Jonny | Oct 10, 2011 | Updates
I have spent my day's off (Sunday & Monday) practicing Chinese and mostly on the writing part and reading. I want to conquer that first. Although I still don't think I'm as good as I should be (As I'm studying for long periods), I'm making progress rather than not.
Yesterday, I spent the entire day learning how to write certain characters, which is what I've been doing most of today as well.
But the problem is, I'm not improving my speaking skills. Although I'll know more characters, to be able to talk, you need to use the actual language with your speech. I guess this is the same with most languages.
But the problem with Chinese is that the characters are insanely hard to remember. It is like I have to spend a few hours just on 20 characters to remember them fluently. – Even though I'll probably still forget a few of them. I guess remembering is a huge trait you require if you want to learn Chinese. Otherwise, if you are like me and have a not-so-good memory, you need to keep writing those characters until they are embedded in your head and in your hand! It's funny since I have a friend who seems to be able to write the characters a few times and she can remember it whenever she needs to use it. (My god would that make things easier!) :d
Learning to speak
I downloaded a piece of software and a few GB's of mp3's which I'll use to help my speech and understanding of the structures that Chinese has; something I desperately need to work on. It is all good knowing how to read and write, but if you don't understand how to put sentences together when speaking, then you don't really know the language that well.
I'm getting there slowly.
But the one thing that has faced the ax as a consequence to studying hard is my exercise regime which I had before. I used to go to the gym nearly everyday, but now I am spending that time just studying. The exercise I feel can wait, plus I'm in good shape anyway's and probably above average in terms of fitness. (I can run 10km in 55 minutes; albeit in an air-conditioned gym)
by Jonny | Oct 7, 2011 | Updates
I find when I'm in the library I am not actually really studying. I need to break out of this cycle of just chilling out in the library and only doing "some" studying of Chinese-mandarin. I guess my interest in Chinese was at an up around 2 weeks ago, until I got my test result this week on Monday. Let's just say, I didn't do well. – I studied my guts off yet I ended up with a grade which I didn't expect. I'm still trying. I haven't given up yet. I know I just need to study and focus more if I want to improve and get better. I don't want to have to repeat the same level of Chinese, I want to move on to the more difficult stuff. But I need to put the time, effort and concentration/focus in order to achieve that.
I just find it hard separating the adverbs and verbs, even though it is very simple. I just need to know more on the meanings of certain characters. But I have a test coming up this Tuesday. I will have from today to Monday to study hard, since on Tuesday, I don't have class as it will be Taiwan's birthday or something or the other.
MORE FOCUS/CONCENTRATION
by Jonny | Sep 30, 2011 | Updates
I don't know how my mother has done it, but she wrote letters to the president and the mayor of Taichung. Ordinarily I would have joined the military as soon as I became Taiwanese or as soon as the Taichung city council sent the letter out for my draft.
However according to my mother and 2 police officers/council workers, they stated that I wouldn't have to join by October next year. – They have allowed me to continue my studies and by next year October I would have hoped my Chinese would have at least improved substantially enough for me to even not worry too much about communication in the Taiwanese military.
This is great news considering I was worrying very much about joining and not being able to communicate effectively enough to be considered part of an infantry group. I really want the experience of being in the Taiwanese military, so I look forward to 2012 where I will gain that experience with enough Chinese capabilities to get some understanding on the way the Taiwanese military works. I will also post on my other website my experiences:
http://armour.ws
(My military genre website)
It is funny considering the 2 officers who came to see my mother today, they mentioned loopholes or ways to get me out from even serving. – Which I find incredibly weird. They stated because of my ADD I could use it as an excuse to not join. But I want to. However we'll see if I want to by next year! 😛
by Jonny | Sep 28, 2011 | Updates
Yesterday I went with possibly who I would call one of greatest friends I have made in Taiwan to go grab something to eat. We both spoke to the boss (Laoban) or my friend really did the talking since he knows more Chinese than me. – But he's studied very hard to get to where he is now with Chinese.
I knew the boss/owner of the restaurant since my friend Laura knew him and when it was her birthday, he seemed extremely nice and kind. – He bought Laura a cake, just on the whim, since we were just passing by. So I said to my friend, let's go eat at his place. His food was pretty nice and would recommend eating at his again.
He drew me and my Korean friend some pictures, which I thought were pretty damn funny:
The Laoban's representation of me with the teacher is of epic proportions. It is amazing how a picture can so easily explain your situation or the way you feel. Good shit, as I would usually say in the UK and good fucking shit for the amazing representation of a situation of the entire nation! (WOT)
by Jonny | Sep 26, 2011 | Updates
I've find my motivation. In fact I don't need any motivation to learn Chinese. – That is my motivation. I feel that if you need to be motivated into doing something, you are going to do it "half-assed". Doing it properly, means you have to like the subject you are doing and you will have to be serious about learning but also find it fun to keep you motivated. (Although I said previously you don't need to be motivated to learn the language for a reason, but you do need to be motivated to study the language, but also enjoy the language) – Now I feel I am talking out of my but-hole, but that doesn't matter, because I'm just spewing whatever is coming out of head.
Although I'm finding Chinese difficult I'm trying hard enough. But is that enough? I hope so. But also gaining proper understanding of Chinese is paramount. You may work your butt off and you may work the hardest you have ever worked, but that still might not make you understand. – I guess that is the stage of where I'm at. But I talked to my good American friend who has studied for a year and he said that the Chinese in the end will just "click" into your head. I guess it's like how I can type so fast and accurately. I couldn't do it before, but after a lot of practice and usage I'm now able to fluently type and as they say practice makes perfect.
Although I haven't been to sleep for the past 24 hours continuing onto now, I feel my drive to learn Chinese at night now for some reason. The only problem is that I don't get any sleep, but I find I'm more concentrated at night, so it's all good.
