Hello, everyone! Long time no see—my apologies for not updating sooner! A lot has happened in the past 2 weeks! The week of the 4th, I really started to notice my proficiency in listening comprehension increasing. For example, when I went to Watsons to accompany my friend (who is in a higher level of Chinese than me at ICLP), I was able to ask for mosquito medication on behalf of my friend, translate what the cashier was saying about the medication’s properties, and read the package to help my friend apply the medication! I’m thrilled with my progress, considering I only studied Chinese for about half a year prior to my arrival. How far I’ve come from the first day of Chinese 101 last fall, when I didn’t even understand 你好! The close attention from teachers and the dense, yet focused lessons on particular grammar patterns has already helped me become a much better speaker than when I entered (and, surprisingly, traditional characters feel more familiar than simplified already!)
I have also started to become more confident navigating to places on my own. For instance, I have been going to a lot of vegetarian restaurants around Taipei as well as New Taipei City. Since I love taking walks after my meals, it’s been a great way to discover new neighborhoods that I’m not familiar with. I especially enjoy the areas near Guting, Beimen, and each local 公園. The parks in Taipei amaze me, because I can see infrastructure that supports the cultivation of a community in myriad facets; exercise areas for elderly people, large tents where families can congregate and mingle out of the heat, and dog-friendly walking areas. As someone who wants to study how to best support the education of children around the world, Taipei’s parks have helped me appreciate the importance of intentional urban planning in granting children and their care-takers (both parents as well as grandparents) spaces to convene and thrive together.
Overall, this week has gifted me with a reminder to take the everyday 環境 of Taipei in around me. While I may not be the fastest learner (as a matter of fact, probably the slowest), over the past 3 weeks, I have definitely improved as a Chinese speaker and listener—and that’s enough for me!