That pretty much sums up my whole week – my 2nd week in my new job.
I just realised this week that I was abducted from my world and stucked into a TV series where everyone on the series spoke a language that was alien to me.
And there was no subtitle as my guide!
Being the only non-mandarin speaking one in the office really makes me feel inadequate somehow. I can’t understand a word they’re saying (ok maybe I understand a lil -VERY little) and I don’t dare open my mouth to try and communicate in the language of the majority for fear that although my intention is to say something in mandarin, I’ll most probably open my mouth and say something in cantonese.
Out of all the chinese dialects,I think I can say that I am more farmiliar with the latter. I used to watch these Hong Kong TV series – you know, the one that airs around 6 or 7pm on weeknights, starring the likes of Ekin Cheng and Aaron Kwok etc. – so I could fairly manouevre myself with basic everyday cantonese like cho san, yam cha, choi kin, tauche, sifu, etc etc. (Sorry if the spelling wrong. I don’t claim to be good in SPELLING cantonese. Hehe.)
But here in Kuching, Hokkien is the dialect one should farmiliarise with. Again, another dialect which I have absolutely NO farmiliarity with. Which leads us to Mandarin…that should be the building block if I’m ever gonna be able to speak chinese.
Being multilingual has its advantages. Not to mention it’s Cool! Imagine being able to say: “Hi, I’m Mar. And I can speak 47 languages. Nice to meet you.”
Why 47? I dunno. That number just popped up. Hehe.
My point is, since life will NEVER EVER provide us with subtitles (no matter how DESPERATELY we may need it sometimes)…we’ll just have to make our own – by starting from scratch.
And I AM starting from scratch…I have made it a challenge for myself that by this time next month, I should AT LEAST be able to listen and speak mandarin. Can I do it? I sure hope so! I appointed May, Bong and Arch as my personal coaches. I have the best lao she on my side…I shouldn’t go wrong. Dui bu dui? ;p
But until then, “I’m Mar. And I wish I can speak 47 languages. Nice to meet you!”
ha ha ha .. i’m not that good k. bong and may might be a more ideal coaches as they speak the language on the other hand I am just someone who understand a little bit of the language.
“Hi I’m May and I can speak 10 languages..Nice to meet you!”..hehe..cool..baru now saya nemu..
Isk…10 ah? I tot only 4? Haha…girl,u bck in kch!
Yea yea!!!
Msg me…we paint d town red.=p
let me see, how many can i speak .. ermm .. one, two, three, four .. lost count
may can speak mandarin? i don’t know that. hai i’m bong. i don’t give a damn how many languages you can speak. body language is enough
bwahaha!
May is part chinese maa…
Body language?
Can…
Hahaha…