So Much More Than a Small Victory

Twice in the last two days I have had a student say something to me in Chinese and…..I knew what they were saying! OK, they are very simple phrases, but the point is that I heard them, and knew what the kid was saying to me. This was HUGE. Of course I am not suppose to answer in Chinese (like I could really do that anyway!) so I didn’t responded to them in English but man was I excited.

The funny thing is that one knew what I said back, did he have the same reaction I did, that we understood each other? Or was it, and I suspect this to be the more likely option, just another moment in the day that he will not remember by tomorrow? As for the other when I answered, I feel bad. I know that he did not understand my response. I was the person speaking gobbly gook. As that is a daily part of my life I felt for him, to ask a question and get a response in a language you don’t understand is just plain frustrating.

Here in China they like to keep saying it to you. They tell you something, cue dumbfounded confused look. I would think that the pulling back of my lips, raising my hands and shaking my head would be the international sign of “I don’t know” or “I don’t understand” but not here in China. They will say it to you again. Shake head again. Say again, only a little louder this time. This could go on three or four more times. I wish so badly I could say to them, “Oh, right, sorry I didn’t get it the first 4 times, now I do though”! Clearly I have no idea what they are saying but it won’t stop them from trying again and again to get me to understand it. By repeating the same thing over and over again.

There is the other part of surviving in China; linguistically at least. This is charades. I will challenge anyone when I get home, after this year, I am a pro. There is nothing like me speaking in English, while miming. Then getting a response with the person speaking in Chinese and miming. I am at this moment having trouble remembering a time when this has gotten me into trouble. If they can’t help that is one thing and that is a clear understanding. However usually we are able to get the point across. This is awesome. I also fear that after this year I will just speak with miming when I return. Because even at school when communicating with teachers or students my language is often accompanied with movements to make my meaning more clear. So I will apologize now if you encounter this in my first days or weeks home next year.

I will hold you in suspense no more here is what I can understand.

Zack “Nag ga ma?” (What is that?)

Zhuang Zhuang “Wo hao jag ga” (I don’t want this.)

OK, I can understand more then that, but these are the two cases in the classroom where Chinese was spoken to me by a child and I knew what they needed or wanted, amazing!