Thursday, April 06, 2006
I have been speaking a little mandarin with an older colleague whose age is half a decade and maybe, she's frm China. She cant speak English and been talking in Mandarin to all da staff - including me.
Since, I knw a little mandarin, it wasnt a problem for me at all. I can respond and understand mandarin. She was shocked tat i am able answer her back!! Coz usually when she speaks mandarin to non-chinese, da non-chinese replied back in english and she needs sumone to translate to her. She only speaks simple English.
SHE: Ge ni de.. (I give this to u [since i am doing tat particular job])
ME: Xie Xie (Thank you)
SHE: Ni ke yi chiang hua yi ah? (U can speak mandarin?)
ME: Keyi, tian tian (yes, a little)
SHE: Tian tian ah.. hen hau (little bit ah, good good)
And basically we converse in mandarin everytime. Some of da staffs knw abt it. One malay colleague (can b regarded as my uncle as he is of tat age!) asked me in malay, "Kau faham?"
ME: Faham, sikit-sikit bolehlah..
One of da chinese executive came to my desk and start conversation. She asked, "So, Maria did u learn mandarin back in sch?"
ME: No.
SHE: Oh, u speak da language pretty well.
ME: I watched channel 8 since young.
SHE: Oh, tats interesting. Tats gd!! So u can easily converse in mandarin once u master da language well when our firm branches out in China?
I just smiled at her when hearing tat. And u knw wat? Tat has motivates me. Yes, it has motivates me to sign up for mandarin courses. Oh remember I blogged abt me learning mandarin? Well, yes I did. But i am learning it by myself frm a book and asked my chinese friends how to translate any sentence to mandarin. I stopped for 2 months due to our busy schedules. So....
I am learning mandarin, starting May or June. Yes, mandarin. Conversational first (see how i improved, den I'll go for written). Night classes after my working hours tat is. Of course, will make sure it doesnt clash with my degree nite classes. In fact, its gonna do me good, btw. I do have the interest in learning tat language.
I can speak a little mandarin but i am not extremely good at it. Tats y I wanna learn more on tat essential language in Singapore and also to improve myself. Having da ability to speak mandarin is impt in Singapore. If u dont believe me, buy Straits Times, turn to RECRUIT section, or visit job websites. Den, u will agree wif me. Right now I am only bilingual in malay and English and very fluent at it. I can speak and write English, and malay. When I am good at mandarin later, tats another language I can add in my resume. Hehe. Insya-allah.
