Jinnian Wo Bu Tai Mang

Just realized that I never wrote that last month I started taking a beginning Mandarin class. Only a five week thing, two hours each on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Why? Can't say, really, since I have no immediate plans to go back to China. But it was such a fun challenge to learn characters with Laurel over the summer and while traveling in China, and such a intimidating challenge to try to speak a bit while there, that I wanted to keep at it while I still have the spirit of the place in my head. And I have time!! My teacher is pretty ordinary (a word used here to mean 'mediocre at best'). But no need to complain about him since the whole experience of learning (largely on my own with the CD's that go with our book, but motivated by the fact that I am showing up twice a week for this class) has been enjoyable, and my Chinese officemates eventually have figured out what I meant when I have tried to pull out a phrase. When I took Spanish 1 at CMC a couple years ago I remembered that I am not especially talented at learning languages. In fact I rarely got the courage to try to say anything outside of class (and when I did in Mexico I got puzzled looks or laughs at the ridiculous wrong words I used. Best to let Sarah do the talking.) But this is so difficult that it is almost easier - of course I won't say it right, so no big deal when I mess it up.