Language: Smash Fear, Learn Mandarin – The Tim Ferriss Method (?)

by maltzajava on January 5, 2010

Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek, gave an interesting presentation during a TED Talk last year. The talk was called, “Smash fear, learn anything”, during which time he explained how he learned Japanese, Swimming, and Tango using a specific method. There is a lot that can be said about him, and his accomplishments, but I am not going to deal with that now.

The reason I am writing about his talk is to share his method for ‘mastering’ Japanese, and to see if people think it can be applied to Mandarin Chinese.

In this TED Talk, Ferriss describes his experience learning Japanese, and claims that he tried every book and method on the market (by the way, this is the really short version!)***. Nothing seemed to work until, one day, he discovered the 2000 (ish) most used characters used in Japan. Many publications try to limit themselves to these characters, while others are required to for literacy purposes.

He notes that, after discovering this list, he ‘took off’. In less than a year, he was able to read the national newspaper, and ended up doing translation work at the age of 16.

 

After seeing this talk, my buddy started thinking about Tim’s study methods, and wondered if you could take a similar approach to Mandarin. To do this, he went on a quest for the most commonly used characters in China, and managed to find a list, in order, of 3000.

He sent me the list, but I have not spent a lot of time with it, but I wanted to bring it up since I have more free time to dabble (finished my marathon). Just thinking about it, it seems it would have been much better when I was starting to learn, as I am not sure how much I can benefit from memorizing single characters, but who knows?

If you are interested in this idea, or just want to see the list, you can access it online here. You can read about the character selection here. I think you can also get a PDF on the site, but I can’t seem to find it, so I included it here: Common Chinese Characters.

{ 0 comments }

Travel: Phuket, Thailand

by maltzajava on December 20, 2009

I finally made it to Thailand!

In early November, I took a long weekend to meet up with some friends in Phuket, Thailand. Although this is posted in the ‘travel’ category, I would not consider my weekend anything other than a vacation. We walked around a bit, but mostly just ate and hung out on the beach…life can be rough sometimes!

There were a few things about the island that I found particularly amusing. I had read a lot about the sex tourism in Thailand, but wanted to get a sense of what it looked like, and what it was all about.

Just shy of an hour after I met up with my buddies, I was able to witness the craziness first hand. I did not bother to read about where I was going since I was meeting friends and assumed they had done their research. After the second day, I checked out our location on wikitravel, and this is the description I found:

Patong is the party capital of Asia, with a world famous nightlife and a great beach. Mostly made up of hotels, world class restaurants, nightclubs and various tourist attractions, this is a hedonists heaven of nightlife, with numerous entertainment complexes and countless bars clustered together in and around Bangla Road and the beach road. The town has a very obvious female, transgender and male sex industry to cater to every taste, however to only view it as this is a mistake, it offers so much more, for families and couples too (wikitravel).

Although I am not the craziest person, I did try to explore the more intense parts of the city. I could go on about my observations about sex tourism, losing a game of connect four to a lady boy (what?), and the general feel of being a white guy walking the streets alone in Patong, but I’ll save it for a later post! I learned a lot about the situation the following three weeks, and I’ll probably include comments in my Bangkok post…keep checking!

Anyway, aside from the food, beach, and nightlife madness, I was able to get in a day of diving! While not the best underwater experience, I had a great time. Fortunately for me, I am new enough to the diving scene to have a good time even when it is not great. I have discovered that many of the older divers I know get a bit snobbish when it comes to diving, and some even refuse to go if it is not ‘as good or better than such and such place’.

My decision to dive was a very last minute one. My friends were leaving, and I had a full day to myself. When contemplating what to do, I discovered that my Korean-owned guesthouse had an affiliation with a dive master, and their prices were excellent. I thought for about two seconds, and signed up for some Sunday dives.

My dive master was a sweet man, but at times I was frustrated because there was a serious language barrier. I had lots of questions, but quickly realized he did not understand what I was asking. Oh, and when I say language barrier, I am not talking about Thai or Korean, but rather, Japanese. In our globalized world, I ended up getting hooked up with a Japanese dive master, while staying in a Korean-owned guesthouse in Thailand. Sweet.

I enjoyed my time in the water, my naps in the sun, and some interesting conversations I had with the others on the boat….sure was hard to go back to work!

{ 0 comments }

Travel: Off to Myanmar

by maltzajava on December 19, 2009

In a couple of hours I am heading off to Myanmar (Burma) for about nine days. Of course I wish I had more time to explore, but that is the way life goes.

We are not set on our plans, but we are hoping to hit Bagaon and Inle Lake, and then spend the last two days in Yangon before flying out.

I am glad I get a chance to check out a country that few Americans have/will get to visit. Before deciding to go, I spent a lot of time contemplating the ethical implications. Do I really want to put money in the hands of a government that hoards it from the people? Does my visit help validate a ruling party that my own government does not acknowledge?** The questions go on…

You can search the web for various opinions, or you can look at some of the basic arguments on the wikitravel Myanmar page.

In my quest to make a decision, I read arguments in travel guides, as well as some other articles on the web. After reading and contemplating, I decided that my exposure to the everyday lives of the people in this unfamiliar land trump the little money the government will get from me.***

Some Pre-Trip Tips

If you found this site by searching for information, here is what I have learned in my preparations:

  • Check the visa policy for your country, and get it early. There are several forms that need photos, and you may need to write a letter. The letter is very simple, but it will cost you a lot of time if you show up without one. Cost: SGD35. Time: 3-5 working days, but it took longer because of a public holiday.
  • Get US Dollars that are in PERFECT condition. I talked to several people, and this was the most important advice they could give. There are no ATMS, they wont accept other currencies, and they will refuse bills with even the smallest blemish.
  • Consider the ethical implications. If you decide to go, but are still concerned, read about ways you can benefit the people.
  • Go when you have more time, haha. I probably should not assume that I will love it, but I am sad I only have 9 days. Most people recommend a month.
  • When booking flights, consider going through BKK or another hub in the region.

Notes

** This is getting more attention now than it has in decades. Some seem to think the policy might change soon.

***They will get some from visa fees and taxes, but I will try my best to make sure I avoid government-run restos and hotels.

{ 0 comments }

Travel: Penang, Malaysia (Part I)

by maltzajava on December 11, 2009

A few weeks ago a jumped on an Air Asia flight to the port city of Penang, Malaysia.

After just a few hours in the city, I almost forgot where I was. The historic city has sizable Indian and Chinese populations, dozens of different places of worships, and signs that are written in multiple languages.

Our first stop was Georgetown, which I absolutely loved. It was a place that I had not heard much about in terms of whether it was worth the visit, so I think I was a bit surprised. While there, we admired the streets cluttered with religious institutions from all faiths, all mere meters apart from one another. It is not wonder that ethnic and religious harmony is of such value to the government and the people.

 

 

In one of the many places of worship on this street

 

One of the more impressive Buddhist temples I have seen, Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi(龙山堂邱氏宗祠), is located in Georgetown. Here is a bit of information about the place from Wikitravel:

Built in 1850 by the forefathers of Khoo family who emigrated from South China, as a clan-house for members of the Khoo family. In 1836, construction of a new temple began and was completed 8 years later, but fire razed the wooden structure to the ground in 1894, allegedly struck by the lightning. Chinese believed that it was due to its resemblance to the Emperor’s palace, which provoked the gods. A scaled-down version was later built in 1902 and completed in 1906. The richly ornamented carvings of the roofs, walls and pillars reflect the art and architecture of ancient China and made of the finest wood. Expect to finish a visit to Khoo Kongsi with a sore neck! Open 9:00AM-5:00PM weekdays, 9:00AM-1:00PM Saturdays; entrance RM5 for adults.

 

 

 

After Georgetown, we headed to Batu Ferringhi, which is when the real vacation started. Unlike my usual budget travel adventures, this weekend was more about ‘vacation’. As a result, we stayed in a nice place, ate good food, and relaxed on the beach.

The beaches in Penang are nothing special, but it is nice to be near the water. At night, you can hit the street for the Pasar Malam (night market), which has all the fun fake products you need. You can also get a good selection of local food.

If you have some time during the day, and want some exercise, consider heading to Penang Hill. You can get a taxi to the botanical gardens, and then trek up from there. If you don’t want to walk, you can take a tram, but the tram station is in a different location, so you’ll have to look it up.

I recommend it either way. The view from the top of the hill is spectacular (photo above). You can get some snacks, take a rest, and walk or take the tram back down whenever you are ready.

—

Impressions: I loved Penang, and I will probably go back (though not until I hit the third of three port cities in the area, which is Malacca). It reminds me a lot of Singapore because of the Chinese and Indian populations, but has a bit more ‘character’. The people are friendly, and it is very easy to communicate and get around.

 

{ 2 comments }

Life: Updates

by maltzajava on November 27, 2009

Sorry Ah!

I have been quite bad about updating the last few months. I became consumed with work, marathon training, and travel.

When I get a chance, I will have stories and photos from Phuket and Bangkok, Thailand and Penang, Malaysia.

{ 0 comments }

Politics: Myanmar (Burma) on a US Cable News Network…

by maltzajava on October 24, 2009

I was hoping to have time to write a more detailed post, but such is not the case. However, since this draft (consisting of a heading) has been in my box for over a week, I thought I’d get something out there to keep things going.

Recently, I watched a round table discussion about Myanmar on CNN’s new show Amanpour. Wait a second. A discussion about Myanmar (Burma) on cable news? What? Don’t get me wrong, I think she is great (which is why it is on some level not all that surprising), but this is a place we don’t give much thought.

I’ll expand on that more later, but for now I at least wanted to share the video, and get a post out there so you know we are still here!

{ 0 comments }

Culture: Differences Between the East and the West in Pictures

by maltzajava on October 16, 2009

Recently, my friend in Beijing posted some photos comparing the differences between the East and West. The artist was born in China, but has lived in Germany since 1990. I think this particular project is incredible because the pictures are so simple, but they say so much (west left, east right). **(see notes at the bottom).

One of many photos - Queue When Waiting
One of many photos – Queue When Waiting

The first time I saw these photos was in my fourth year Chinese class. I had just come back from a summer in Indonesia, and found the comparison as applicable there as it is to China. For example, look at this photo on “handling problems”:

This was exactly my experience when I was in Indonesia. Everything from problems in the classroom to issues at restaurants, Indonesians always seemed to go around the main issue. I remember my program director telling me to never say you don’t like something. He said, ‘even if you can’t stand the food, say you like it. If they ask you what you think, say that you like A, but prefer B. This is just one of many anecdotes from my time in the country that highlight this cultural difference.

To me, all most all of the photos are accurate when it comes to China and Indonesia. However, when I look at these and think about life in Singapore, it is not as clear. Few people would argue that Singapore is pretty westernized compared to other Asian countries. In fact, I remember having a chat about this with an African student when I was in China. He asked me what Chinese people call Singaporeans. I replied “xin jia po ren” (Singaporean in Mandarin), to which he replied, “no – xiang jiao po ren” (banana people, also used for American Born Chinese. Yellow on the outside, white on the inside). From then on, I really did start to notice cultural differences between Chinese Singaporeans and the locals.

Anyway, let me get back on track. In some cases, the Chinese culture remains. The sense of community, the role of the extended family, socializing, etc are all aspects of the culture that I regularly see here in Singapore. Other areas, such as queuing and punctuality are not the same. In those areas, Singapore is more like the west.

Although cultural differences between the East and West are not as clear in Singapore, I do think that the more important elements are still there. Family remains more important, and plays a bigger role than it does in the west (generally speaking, of course). I don’t think it matters that people show up to places on time and form lines if they are holding on to everything else.

****Notes

Mountain Runner posted these photos and some comments about the copyright situation. I would have posted more photos with more comments, but I want to respect the author.

Japan Newbie also had some photos posted with comments specifically about Japan.

Info about the artist:

Images of the book “Ost trifft West” (East meets West)

Hermann Schmidt Verlag Mainz

-Differences between Germans and Chinese

- A diary of Yang Liu

@Yang Liu Design, www.yangliudesign.com

Yang Liu was born in 1976. In age of 13, she moved with her parents to Germany. With age of 17, she started her studies at the University of Arts in Berlin. After her master degree, she worked as a designer in Singapore, London, Berlin and New York City. 2004 she has started her own design studio. While she is giving workshops and lectures on several international conferences, she was as well as teaching at the Central Academy of Fine Arts and the Glasgow school of Art. Her works had been awarded with several international design awards and are shown in Museums and became partof the collections.

{ 2 comments }

Site Update: RSS Feed

by maltzajava on October 13, 2009

Ah! I recently discover that there was a problem with the RSS Feed. I have resolved the issue, and would like to encourage visitors to subscribe! My feed is smart, so it is digestible at any destination.

If you don’t use a reader, I highly recommend adding your favorite blogs to Google’s.

Add to Google Reader or Homepage

{ 0 comments }

Book Review: A New China (新的中国）

by maltzajava on October 12, 2009

After a few years of studying with several different books, I have noticed that their is a pretty significant difference in the quality. I think part of the problem is that there are so many people trying to capitalize on the growing number of people that are trying to learn the language. I say this because there seems to be a ton of books out there, but very few that are of high quality.

Since a lot of my readers study Chinese, I thought it would be helpful if I started posting some reviews. I know how hard it can be to stand in a bookstore flipping through pages, or skimming hundreds of Amazon reviews, in search of the right book.

I got this idea when I was back home going through my old books. I pulled out A New China, which was the book I used when I was studying abroad in Shanghai after my second year of college. I re-read the first 22 or so chapters (my professors would be happy to hear I could do so while only having to look up a couple of characters), and remembered how much I like the book. A New China is part of a series of books by a professor at Princeton University. I managed to get through three of them before graduation, and they really are of a different quality than others I have seen.

A New China is separated into two volumes – the textbook and the grammar/patterns book. The new vocabulary for each lesson is at the bottom of each passage/dialogue, which I find is more convenient than flipping back and forth if you forget a word. The downside is that it is harder to push yourself to learn the words without checking the vocab list.

The material is designed for someone that is studying in China (specifically Beijing). It starts with fairly simple dialogue, and eventually moves to passages that get more complicated as you go on. The early chapters might not be applicable to those that are not in/planning to go to China soon. However, most of the chapters cover interesting topics that will heighten your understanding of the language and culture in China. Everything from dinning etiquette to history, the chapters will expose you to new things about a country that is rapidly changing.

In terms of language, I found that they repeat patterns an phrases in a very effective way. By seeing patterns, words, and phrases repeated in later chapters, it forces you to review, and lets you see them in a different context.

It is a bit pricey, but if you have the discipline to get through it, you’ll learn a lot. It is hard to say what level it is. I used it after my first year in a pretty good university program, so maybe intermediate?

{ 2 comments }

Culture: An Ang Moh’s Year in Singapore

by maltzajava on October 10, 2009

This Ang Moh has been living in Singapore for almost a year, and I think it is time for a review. I will keep it fairly short since I still have another year…

There are a lot of “you know you are in Singapore when…” type lists, so I decided I would use a different format. Below you will see a quote from a local, followed by some comments. I would love to hear what Singaporeans have to say…

Ten Quotes, Ang Moh Explains

1. “Ah, very far one!”

This quote is courtesy of my colleague. We were driving to a 10K race, and when I asked him where it was, that was his response. It would not be worth noting if it were actually far, but it was 15, maybe 20 minutes away. Coming from a big, open state, this was one of those times where I was reminded of where I am, and just how small it really is.

2. “I need to take you to (some random place far away/in a neighborhood) for the BEST (insert local dish).

Food-hunting. This is a term I learned in the first couple of weeks here in Singapore. Food-hunters travel around in search of the best places to eat in Singapore. The better ones can tell you which hawker/restaurant has the best serving of the various ‘must try’ dishes in Singapore.

A colleague of mine is an expert when it comes to the local food, and lucky for me, he loves to take me out. Every couple of weeks we head off campus to try some specialty dish (Indian Rojak, Laksa, Bak Ku Teh, etc), even if it is near the boarder with Malaysia. Sometimes I wonder why we need to travel so far for one dish, but at the same time, I am happy I get to experience such goodness.

3. “Wow, it really is fall. I think the northern winds from Chang Mai are coming in”

There I was, walking to my desk after a 15 minute walk and a packed elevator ride when I overheard talk of the cool northern winds from Chaing Mai, Thailand. My co-workers commented on the change in weather, noting that it was much cooler these days.

Huh? What? You have to be f*&%ing joking me. It is as hot as it has been since I got here, and I still feel like I am going to die on a daily basis.

4. “Do you take spicy?” or “Be careful, that one is very spicy!”

This may come as a surprise to you Asians, especially the Indians, but I TAKE SPICY. In fact, I probably take more than you.

When I first got here, I would say that the 3rd most common question I got was whether I could handle spicy food. In some instances, I would ask for something really spicy, and they would barely add any spice because they assumed I could not handle it. From Thai to Japanese, I have been deprived of the wonderful chilies that I so long to burn my mouth!

5. “He very proper that one”

People think I am too proper when I speak and when I send SMSes. For the spoken part – there is nothing I can do about it, but I find it funny that you change the way you speak around me. See, most people in Singapore are code-switchers capable of moving from Singlish to English to Mandarin and back again without thinking. This cracks me up because my co-workers will be chatting away in Singlish, but switch to ‘proper English’ when I walk over.

As for SMSing -  don’t know the lingo, and I use prediction. It is actually faster for me to spell out the words with prediction, then figure out how to shorthand other words.

6. “What is the government going to do?”

I have written about this before. One of the major differences between my country and Singapore is the way people view the government. It is assumed that the government should get involved with social and economic issues, whereas in the US, a lot of people think the government should stay the hell away.

The term ‘nanny government’ makes a lot of sense after one year!

7. “Confirm must buy lah!” (variation: if got sale, confirm you must buy leh!)

Sometimes I feel that trends spread faster in this country than they did at my high school. From the newest hand phones, to the popular sports drink, new products take hold, and before long, ‘everyone is doing/wearing “it”‘.

It makes sense that this is the case. The country is so small, and the people love shopping. Sometimes  I want to go into marketing to take advantage of the crazy reaction to trends…

8. “Chope ready ah?”

Singaporeans reserve their seats with packets of tissue paper. In some cases, they will reserve an entire table with these little packets, and I am not kidding.

 

 

 

Special Tissues for Reserving Seats!

Special Tissues for Reserving Seats!

 

If you go to a crowded hawker center and see a bunch of tissue packets at the table, don’t even try to sit there.

9. “Haytch” (for the letter ‘H’)

Hey, I hope you don’t have Haytch 1 N 1. That’s right. H’s are pronounced in a way that seems funny to Americans.

10.  “Makan ready? Hurry ah, got sale next door!”

I think I understand the whole shopping and eating thing.

When I first heard someone say that a defining characteristic of Singaporeans is that they like shopping and eating, I did not think it was all that special. I mean, I am an American, and we love those two. However, after a while I realized it is on a whole different level here than it is in the US.

Eating, I quickly noticed, is a part of the culture. I love it. Many times I hear Singaporeans complain about how hard they have to work and how stressful their jobs are, but they never seem to let that interrupt their morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, or supper (not like the meals I skipped when I was a Uni student…). People often ask me if I have “taken my lunch”, and if I haven’t (assuming it is later), I am encouraged to do so, or am offered food. When I take classes or attend lectures, there is always a nice spread of food and a selection of tea and coffee.

{ 1 comment }

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →