Well, I continue to plug away at daily Chinese lessons as a student of Shi You University. I have moved up to the next higher class or B ban but not so much because of my great Chinese ability but because half of the class are not such good students. That's a polite way of putting it.
I vacillate between being distressed that I am never going to learn this language and I'm just wasting my time and the sheer joy of realizing, "Wait, I just understood what that person said." My teachers are very encouraging although one insists on calling me, "Mr. Steve" because she says I am as old as her father. "Gee thanks! Makes my day...really!!"
I've gotten to know the local Catholic priest who is in the same class as I. He's Korean and ministers to the foreign Korean population in the city. I've also gotten to know a group of Pakistani students who are rather...mmm..."colorful" in their speech. They are pretty funny guys and genuinely looking for friends. I recently took them to lunch at a local restaurant which served a decent curry. They responded by inviting me to the Muslim cafeteria on campus for lunch.
Well...I keep plugging away at Chinese. I'm a fairly intelligent guy but languages just do not come easily too me. I find though its like working out or running...if you just "push through" at that moment you want to give up, you reach a new level.
Problem is, I have a LOT more "pushing through" to do... :)
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