Foo - Language barrier

My stepson, Jared, developed an interest in learning Chinese. Spanish would have been more practical around here, or even in Disneyworld, where he's been working the last few months. But Chinese? I wondered, but I still thought it was cool, so I encouraged him. My dad studied Chinese in the Navy during WWII, when China was our ally against Japan, and he sent my son a Chinese-American dictionary. Jared found use for his new language skills at our favorite family-run Chinese restaurant, and they remember him well for that, as he spoke to them in Chinese and wrote Chinese characters on napkins for their reading pleasure.

Over in Disneyworld, he was working a concession stand when up walked a vacationing Chinese family. They strained with every English word, but Jared was very patient and kind as they stumbled through their orders. After they paid, Jared told them in Chinese, "All is well, thank you and have a nice day." (or something like that.)

They all looked at him for a moment as if they had swallowed a cat. Then they smiled and bowed, smiled and bowed as they backed away from his presence. I think he made their visit a little more fun.

My son, the ambassador.

:D

Cool
Joe

I think being bilingual, even if it is just barely, just enough to get around, , is something to admire. I would love to learn spanish, going to school in AZ spanish would be the wisest choice! Chinese seems like one of the harder ones to learn. Tell him to keep going with it.

Cool- Mandarin or Cantonese?

Either way, it's a difficult language, but I say go for it! There are a billion people in China, and to learn the language that most folks in the USA don't even have a clue about will only further his career later on down the line. I think with a language aptitude to Chinese, he will have a lot of doors opened for him, and he'll be able to use his skills in a unique manner that we'd never be able to see.

Good for him!

Koffee