Hi again!
Week 2 of PiB was great! While the course load is getting heavier, I’ve gotten used to studying a new lesson every day, so I don’t mind the fast pace of the program as much anymore. This week, we talked about China’s gender gap, China entering the World Trade Organization, China’s One-Child Policy, and we watched Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet. I was actually quite surprised that I enjoyed discussing economics in Mandarin because I’ve never even considered taking an Econ class, so having my first one be taught in Mandarin was quite interesting. I also really liked The Wedding Banquet and the discussion we had about traditional Chinese and Western views on same-sex marriage.
My favorite part of the class is always the one-on-one sessions I have with my teachers. This week, one of my teachers recommended a ton of Chinese shows and songs for me to listen to, and I recommended some of my favorite shows and singers in return. This week’s presentation was from Professor Perry Link again, and he talked about internal rhythms in spoken and written Mandarin. Our cultural activity was tea-tasting!
As of this week, I’m officially halfway through the equivalent of 401 at Williams! See you next week!
– Shayla James