Why did you come here If you can't speak Chinese?!
In the beginning, I'd like to make myself clear. I tried to learn Chinese when I came here, quite hard. But there was one 10 yo girl who told me my Chinese sounds like cursing. So I simply quit.
Kidding.
Even though this situation really occurred to me, I am not the best in picking up the languages and, apparently, this one is not the easiest to learn.
This is also my answer to those who asked me or just going to do so questions like "You came to Taiwan without speaking Chinese? Why won't you learn it? Do you speak at least a bit?"
Yes, I do. Watch me.
(There is no order and it's spelled in my phonetic Slovakian.)
Ni hao. Ni hau, ma? Wuo še Adi. Slova------!K! Wuo ga i ling džiu. Mao. Wuo A L. Fan. Shiao latte. Mientang. TZ-k. Bu-ka-ci. Še. De-bu-ci. Xie Xie. ----------------------------------------------- Hi, how are you? I am Adi. Slovakia. I like drinking. No. I am hungry. Rice. Small latte. Noodle soup. This. You are welcome. Water. I am sorry. Thank you.
I never used the sentence "I like drinking". Even girls who taught me that told me It will be funny If I say it in front of aboriginal people, I have never used that sentence. In fact, I barely drink alcohol here, so I can't see it funny.
Speaking of funny, I see funny these pictures of Joy and Dora. Since it is quite hard to choose pictures to this topic and these pictures to merge with some topic. This is a perfect time for you, girls!
Back to languages.
As Ellen Degeneres in her book suggests, do yourself a list of pros and cons to justify your decision. (Sure thing, It was not her who discovered this list, but her list was hilarious and I recalled it as first. Also, I wanted to mention her at some point. A wonder woman.)
So I have done mine as well.
Highlighted Cons for Adri without Chinese
1. If you are dependent just on public transportation timetables ( no google maps or internet on a cell phone) you are lost. Literally. And speaking of google maps, if somebody ( from Taiwan) sends you location and you open the map, it's practically useless unless you are able to change it to English somehow. I am not. And If you are thinking now, there is a navigation button, well, try to get navigated by GM in small cities in Asia. As my friend said, people from Google forgot to come here. But no worries, I learned how to handle those situations. It's too implicit to explain though. :)
2. Never know what kind of food you can get. Even you try your best to learn two-three dishes in Chinese. They don't have to understand you. I got a noodle soup without soup once. So I ordered soup as a side dish. And then put the noodles in the soup. Probably they thought I am on a divided diet or... just disordered.
3. Same thing applies to drinks. I love Roselle tea with plumb or lime in here. But every time I say Roselle (funny fact, it is same pronounced in Chinese) they never understand me. So I tried a different strategy. I asked my friends to write it down, 洛神花茶, in order to show it to a seller in the vendor. One would thing nothing will go wrong this time, right?
I got some black tea with lemon from tea bag . Bye Bye, Roselle. We are just not destined to be together, I will never forget you.
4. Everybody wants to help you so badly, but usually, it is more dysfunctional than contributive. Frankly, for both sides.
Highlighted Pros for Adri without Chinese
1. Do you know that feeling when you just want to be comfortably silent with somebody? I am not sure If it is comfy for another side, but for me, sometimes, unspeakable Yeah.
2. If drinks and food have their cons, it can be positive as well. Less you know, easier to choose. Right?
3. I can eliminate things what I want to hear or just simply ask in English ( If they are able to speak) or just not focus at all. And If you are in a group of Chinese talkers, the language might be a lullaby time for a foreigner.
4. I find Asians so far more Yes people as No (maybe to foreigners just?). Better said, it is a constructive "No" way. It also seems they don't like conflicts. Maybe It will sound arrogant now, but If you ask for a favor or so (in simple English), they rather say "Yes", otherwise "No" would mean explanation and that's more difficult.
5. The Australian friend of mine told me, "Adriana, rather do not learn Chinese at all! Your way of communicating could be insulting". Honestly, the only one who was insulted in that moment was me.
Sum it up, 4:5.
Maybe once. When I will get older. And wiser. ( No offence taken if you think "less lazier".)
But for now, If you think you are helping me to say something and expecting I will remember.
It is possible I will! But with with my accent I could easily order a rice with intestines instead of a mango juice. And none of us wants that.
Ok, let's be reasonable and objective now. It's an inspiring and great thing to learn as many languages as you can. And there is a difference in planning to live somewhere vs visiting for a temporary time. I came here to Taiwan to explore and see it through my eyes and share it with other people who have never been here or who could find themselves in the same situation once!
At last but not least, I ADMIRE people who can speak or learn Chinese. Moreover, I envy they can get Roselle tea anytime they want.
P.S. I was taught the only language we all should speak is a humanity. And the laugh is contagious in any language as well.
