User Comments - davidincalif

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davidincalif

Posted on: Why are You Studying Chinese?
June 04, 2009, 04:30 AM

I took a non-credit Mandarin class in college in 1971. Our (American) teacher was the interpreter for the Chinese ping pong team that toured the US around that time. Later I took lessons from a lovely Taiwan lady teacher at adult school in southern California and fell in love with the language. I had taken political science and history courses in college on China, and the culture lessons we learned added to my passion.

Finally in 2007 I visited China on a ten day tour. I found business reasons to go back, and I have been to thirteen cities there so far on my many trips.  I will see three more new cities on my trip later this month.  And I will visit Vera at Chinesepod, as I do every time I am in Shanghai. I have made many good friends on these trips, and often I am the only laowai in sight.  I am very comfortable with that. 

I have taken private putonghua lessons here, and download C-pod to my laptop so I can listen as I drive. I just recently connected with other Chinesepod members in Los Angeles.

I realize that the more I learn about Chinese language and culture, the more there is yet to discover. There is an incredible richness in the people there. China will be a part of my life from now on.

Posted on: Welcome to ChinesePod
June 01, 2009, 12:31 AM

Ni hao, Mystic. 

I have several "real" dictionaries; the approaches in each are different. I like Berlitz Mandarin Chinese Compact Dictionary for an easy reference book. (Chinese-English; English-Chinese)  It is intuitive and remarkably complete for its size.  I got this at Borders, and have sent a copy to a Chinese friend in Chongqing. I also have a larger reference dictionary, but even that gets stumped sometimes. It is hard to beat the online dictionaries for translating rare words.

Posted on: I Want This
August 15, 2008, 03:13 PM

Pirate jokes?

Why are pirates so angry?..........

 

 

 

They just Arrrrrrgghhhhh!

Posted on: Gymnastics
October 23, 2007, 09:57 AM

I met Vera and Angie and John B today on my visit to chinesepod corporate headquarters hidden behind a non-descript facade. Very cordial welcome, matching the high quality of their presentation. Xie xie.