Learning Mandarin

Went to Tawau last weekend to give a health talk. I gave the talk in Cantonese to a mandarin-speaking audience, and tho my 'presentation-Cantonese' is half-past-six (not so good), my audience could understand me (I hope!). They were laughing. (Ermm... or maybe they were laughing at my chinese?)

I could understand some Mandarin, but I can't seem to get my brain and my tongue to connect! Can't get the words out! But once I know the word, I have been told my pronunciation is as good as any native speaker (ahem!).

I know Mandarin is really so important, and not knowing how to communicate in Mandarin is a draw-back. It's been a struggle for me to learn Mandarin. But even so, I did not send my kids to a chinese-medium school. Many reasons.

Yes, they're real bananas (yellow outside, white inside). But I do believe when they want to, they'll learn the language.

When Damian was around 5, I sent him to this learning center to learn Mandarin. He'll be whining and crying each time, until I gave up!!! But now, he's asking me how come I didn't let him learn Mandarin? I reminded him what happened and he has the audacity to look embarassed. He said "Yar, it's better this way. I prefer to learn now that I'm interested and not forced to do so."  (Why the interest? His friends are all speaking Mandarin around him!)

So now, I have a teacher come to the house to teach Mandarin once a week for 90 mins. Some asked "Can learn meh? Just 90 mins a week only wor?"

I think can lor. When you are interested enough. Kids can understand a bit, but they can't really speak yet. Never mind... they'll be ok. No need to speak Mandarin professionally. Just enough to get by... but hopefully a lot better than me. Hopefully, the advantage of their age would allow their brain and tongue to connect!