Learning Cantonese

I've been trying to learn Cantonese since coming back from Hong Kong in October of 2009. I realized that my understanding was limited when I wanted to communicate with someone and found it extremely difficult. I hate feeling like I'm an idiot. I realized that I needed to give Cantonese time and effort. So I looked around for resources so that I can begin studying Cantonese. I found a meetup group that I hoped would help me find a voice. What I learned from the meetup group is that talking to strangers was a real chore. Initially I found it uncomfortable. I'm not used to talking about myself to strangers. However, I had the disadvantage that I just didn't want to talk about anything. I had to learn to open up. So my problems were larger than the fact that I didn't know Cantonese.

At that time (in 2009) I signed up to attend a Cantonese class offered by the Toronto District School Board. I started class in January of 2010 and by May 31st I had completed the beginner class as well as the intermediate class. Which brings me to my current thoughts.

What is Intermediate level as opposed to Beginner level and Advanced level?

This thought came to me a few weeks ago. Since coming back from Hong Kong I've been thinking about language learning and how I should approach the process. You see, the TDSB course was good but it wasn't great. The TDSB course was a chance to go to a classroom and get into the mindset of speaking Cantonese. At first I had difficulty adjusting. Thinking and working in English, I had to adjust my thinking for class to begin communicating in Cantonese. I adjusted Ok. I was fine. But the demands in the class was to be able to read the material "with acceptable intonation". My tones could use a little work. But I was fine with tones. What I had issue with was that I could not formulate complete correct sentences.

Long story short, I have thought of a lot of strategies on how to tackle language learning. Here are some of those ideas.
1. stories
2. composition
3. transcription
4. verbal performance

In essence the idea was to use storytelling as a mode in which to learn Cantonese. I think it's a good idea. But it begs the question of how. The deeper I delved into this quandary the more I learned about language learning in general. The more I learned the more I had to change my strategy. The more I learned the more I learned about myself and my mode of communicating and my personal preferences towards other people.

Which leads me to my initial question of 'What is intermediate level?'.
I'm defining intermediate level as the ability to communicate about general subjects (I'll call them beginner subjects) beyond a 3 response interaction. I use the analogy of tennis to explain. A beginner tennis player can put the ball over the net. It's not about the ability to do it consistently either. A beginner tennis player can put the ball over the net most times at the start of a rally. Therefore what marks a beginner tennis player is that a beginner cannot respond to the ball being returned to him/her. The rally dies. Usually the rally will die to about 3 hits on both sides (at most). Therefore, I'm defining intermediate level in terms of the ability to respond at least 3 times (and keep it going).

By defining what intermediate level is I can set a goal to reach it. But to achieve that goal I need to understand what is required to encompass that range of language learning. Here I use past material to grasp that range.

Example: Learn Mandarin in 500 words. My Mandarin book that I used in Fu Lao Shi class at Tzu Chi Academy. I don't know the theory behind 500 words (maybe it's 1000 words?) but it doesn't really matter. 500 words is a start. The important part is the content. Now learning 500 words, I feel, is completely arbitrary. I need a more systematic approach to learning (we don't have 10 years like we do when we're a child to learn a language) so those 500 words should be well chosen. I'll use my Mandarin book once again to determine the essence of the Chinese language and apply those same concepts to Cantonese. Words like, 都， 也， 已定， 有， 其實， 但是，不過， 還， 如果， 可以， 能， etc. are used often. Having a catalogue of most useful words would be helpful.

Hence my desire to write a document that incorporates all that I've described into a single document. Of course a lot of the material is already available. My job is to re-fashion it into a learning platform that I can use with my friends in my meetup group as well as have some fun with it.

My ideas are:
1. A document that teaches Cantonese at a beginner level
2. Explanations of concepts (particles, classifiers, pronouns, names, titles, question forms, etc.)
3. Grammar
4. Exercises on grammar (arrange the characters to form a correct sentence)
5. Memory tests (nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives)
6. Dialogue (scripts)

The important thing about this document is that at the end of the exercises there should be a script. The dialogue script can be dialectic or not (monologue). But it should contain the essence of beginner level Cantonese. By reviewing this script (alone or in a group) will allow you to re-affirm your understanding of beginner material. My hope for the material will be that this script (designed in a manner that can be customized to the person that is delivering it) can be spoken at the start of a meetup group to introduce oneself and/or "perform" it as in a drill to affirm knowledge/skill and understanding. The dialogues, exercises, quizzes and composition work, in the document (book) will build skills and build the script. By the end of the document a learner should have mastered the material and have understanding of his/her script.

So this document will represent what you need to know to consider yourself beyond a beginner. I'm interested in passing a certain stage in my learning. I need a goal. And hence I want to define that goal. This document will represent that goal. So I want the document to break down conversation into types, e.g. About people, about place, about thing, about time. These are too general but you get the point. The goal is to develop conversational skills beyond 3 responses over beginner subjects. So here I will define beginner subjects. More specific subjects becomes a topic for Intermediate level Cantonese. And that is where I want to go.

One added note. I purchased Sidney Lau's Cantonese material from the Hong Kong Government Publication department. Mr. Lau's material was developed for a radio program in teaching Cantonese. I purchased all the material including the elementary, intermediate and advanced level material. Mr. Lau's material will be used to re-inforce my approach and most likely modify the content.

GLEE

I was checking out movies/videos at HMV with my buddy Vince (as I usually do on a Saturday) when they so happened to be playing back GLEE on the TV screens. I fell in love. I watched the scene that set up the song, "Don't stop believing" by Journey. It's a great song to the start of the series and so appropriate to the premise of the story. Thereafter, I downloaded season one and the following week purchased it. And then I promoted the series to my sister. It's just so much fun.

My enjoyment of GLEE has waned these past few days (I've been quite busy) but I wanted to write about its impact.

It's strange to me. Strange in the sense that, as a kid, I used to watch all the musicals that played on television over the Christmas holidays. I used to enjoy them. We used to sing to them in fact. I can still remember when Elaine and I (Elaine is my sister) would sing "Doe a deer a female deer" as my cousin Alice would conduct our singing. I was maybe 8 at the time. And I can also recall my friend Doug (passed away in 2008) whom would always be referencing theatre and musical numbers. It's funny that I've forgotten how much fun singing and dancing is. So serious as I am in serious matters ... :(

Well GLEE has been enjoyable. So I wanted to write about what makes it fun and a joy to watch. But I also wanted to write about what it has lost these past few episodes, i.e. since the restart of Season One (after the Sectionals).

Episode 1
- Introduce Will Shuester (Shue) whom wants to take on the Glee club, Will was a past Glee club member when he attended McKinley school
- Glee club was a popular club when Shue was a member, it has gone afoul since then and Shue wants to bring it back to it's former glory
- Introduce Sue Sylvester whom is the antagonist to the Glee club, she runs the Cheerios cheerleading squad, nationally competitive
- Shue calls the new club "New Directions" and opens for auditions
- Introduce Mercedes (black girl, chubby, big voice) sings Aretha Franklin's RESPECT
- Introduce Kurt (white boy, skinny, gay) sings Celephane from Chicago Musical
- Introduce Tina (asian girl, average, shy) sings I kissed a girl by Kate Perry
- Introduce Rachel (jewish girl, average, star) sings On my own from Les Miserable
- Shue promotes Glee but finds resistence from the administration/teachers and the kids themselves
- Rachel doesn't want to participate unless they can find a male counterpart to keep up with her
- Shue makes a plea to the Football team for guys and discovers the quarterback to have musical talent
- Shue connives (is this a word? ... haha) and get Finn to participate
- Rachel takes a liking to Finn, and the team find that they are sounding pretty good
- Finn is suspect as peer pressure forces him to question his allegiance even though he enjoys singing
- Shue's wife announces that she is with child and questions Shue's ability to provide for their growing family as a teacher
- Shue decides to get out of teaching when Emma Pilsbury shows Shue how happy he was when he was part of the Glee club, Shue reconsiders
- Shue overhears the Glee club performing and "it would kill me to miss you win the nationals" and decides to stay

Analysis:
The story works because:
1. musicals have become unpopular in mainstream television/film
2. a club that performs something that is unpopular will also be construed as unpopular despite the fact that music is always popular in school
3. the tension of the characters to "fit in" (to find a niche) is prevalent and many people can relate to it
4. singing and dancing is fun but not necessarily cool


These are the principle factors that make this a compelling TV show. What puts it over the top (what makes it good) is that it begins as a comedy. The show presents the kids as misfits whom just want a place to shine (show their talents) and have fun. A major component of comedy is exaggeration. Musicals are inherently exaggerations. Breaking into song because song is the only way to express yourself is wonderful but not really "normal" behaviour. That's why a musical is a little strange to some people. But all people love music. So to satirize the "Musical high school" theme is ingenious. Problem is that the show has stopped being a satire. The comedy has disappeared (part of being popular) and now it's less edgy than it was.
The drama has definitely improved but the comedy is being lost in it. I'm not sure that I consider it an improvement. Don't get me wrong, I like the drama. Some of it is done very well. But the comedy has really taken a nosedive. The best comedy is when there is a serious undertone beneath the surface. And in like manner, the best dramas have really insightful comedic moments that give the audience a respite from the seriousness but also highlights the message. I think the comedy (it's appeal) has been defanged (satire). It's become so popular that it's no longer "wickedly enjoyable".

That is just my take on the current series.

Settings

Place and time. I had some conversations with some co-workers yesterday. It was regarding identity and place association. My friend P is from Italy and came to Canada when he was 20. My friend C like me was born here (in Canada) yet he only feels an association to Canada while I feel my identity associated with Asians and Chinese in particular. Many reasons for this state of affairs. I think the most significant being my sensitivity and also my upbringing.

The way that I described Hong Kong is by describing the heat on the street. It's hot in Hong Kong. You feel it especially on the street because the street is sweating. And it's not just damp, it's the smell of soy sauce that makes it so distinctive. The streets have enough traffic to make it feel dirty. It's just a busy pavement. You can't fault it for being busy. And that in a nutshell is how I characterize the people as well, busy.

So it is alittle strange that I would feel an affinity to a long distant place. A place that is quite different from my birth place. But there it is. It's the history of a place that lends itself to reverence and respect. You look at the Americas as an example and you hear the bands playing and you visualize kids from all over the US giving allegiance to the flag, etc. Of course it's not the flag that deserves such reverence (the flag is the symbol) but it's the documents of the founding of the republic which deserves admiration. So as with any place there are "features" which give it meaning, significance. It's a place where people have made it a home. A place surrounded by a culture announcing it's appetites and affectations saying to the world, "Here I am. This is me. This is my heritage". I don't believe I've ever felt that way. And I don't necessarily feel that way about Hong Kong either. I'm not from Hong Kong. But Hong Kong has a special place in the history of my family. It was a staging point toward eventually migration to Canada. The culture of my family is tied to Hong Kong as well.

Joining the gadget revolution

My first post from my new used iPhone 3G. I started shopping for a new phone a few weeks back. I forget what prompted me to try. Oh yeah it was the fact that I started using SMS more regularly. Using SMS was due to the convenience of communicating at a club. So example, you've just been thrown out, u can now text ur ppl to come and fetch u. :)
Anyway, this is slow compared to my blackberry but it will do. I can see how this enables u to blog while on the go.


Sent from my iPhone

Hong Kong

I'm in Hong Kong now. It's 3:22 AM Sunday morning. Days become nights and days become blurry in the haze of travelling half-way around the world. I'm travelling with mom and Elaine (sister). They are sleeping right now.

We left for Pearson around 9:15 PM on Sep. 24th. My uncle drove us to the airport. We checked our bags and waited for the boarding call. My feelings about the trip is mixed. The intent was to travel to Asia alone, or at least with a friend who was interested in going and finding out later why we went. But that changed because I was afraid to go alone and because all evidence suggests that I couldn't handle it on my own (language being the principle defficiency). I have to admit that I'm defficient in many ways but there's nothing like a trip with yourself to expose them to the light of day.

We travelled Economy class with Korean Air. Mom asked around and we eventually settled on these flights. A very nice flight. Cheap seats and beautiful flight attendants. That's all I need to say. Red-eye flight so we left Pearson at 11:50 PM Thursday and arrived in Seoul 1:10 AM Saturday. Mostly uneventful. You try and sleep, you eat and then you try and sleep some more. If it weren't for our hostesses I would prefer to wake up in Seoul and have no recollection of the trip. The girls wore a beige jacket over a beige skirt, teal blouse with a scarf tied at the neck. Very elegant. Some wore short sleeves some wore long sleeves, some wore pants, most had their hair tied back but one had her hair short and cropped. Quite a variety. However, they all had their hair accented with a hair clip that looks like the traditional chopsticks. I enjoyed it.

We got to Incheon International Airport at 1:10 AM (local time). We exited the plane and walked to Gate 21 which would take us to our next flight (only our next flight was 6 hours away). This was the perfect chance to catch up on some sleep. I slept maybe 2-3 hours on the flight. But in Incheon it was 1:10 PM (Toronto time) and I was wide awake. With so much time on our hands your instinct is to explore. There were phones, washrooms and closed shops at the airport, a free public internet hotspot and an information desk. Mom and I walked up and down this part of the airport once or twice saying hello to some of the people we met on the flight. With nothing else to do (and not sleepy at all) I got online to see how I could entertain myself. Logged into MSN Messenger and began conversations with Americo and then Martin. Americo was still at work (sucker!) but Martin Kim (is a guy whom I met at D-Link Networks a few years ago) was free. We kept in touch, he left for Seoul in 2007 looking for better work. Well, since I was in Seoul (technically Incheon) I decided to contact him. He was surprised to hear that I was in Seoul. It was like 3 AM at this point but 3AM wasn't so significant compared to the 2.5 years and thousands and thousands of miles between us.

I'm having an aside moment :) Litmus test. Friendship. It seemed like a perfect opportunity to get reacquainted, Martin and I. We jumped right in. He took off from his place in Seoul (I believe he said Non Hyeon) grabbed a taxi and travelled like 40 km to see me. Very cool. All I had to do was exit through immigration, fill out entering Korea form as well as a customs declaration form and then I was in the arrivals section of the airport waiting for Martin at McDonald's.

Anyway, Martin got to the aiport around 5 AM and we talked for a few hours. I was happy to see him. Martin, like myself is single with no attachments. So for him, as well as I, going out at 3 in the morning because a friend calls you up one day is an excellent way of getting to know someone and becoming reaquainted. I know, for me, I didn't feel quite so alone in Asia. We talked about work, women and life since D-Link. He's working for Alcatel-Lucent as a sales-engineer. It was great catching up. It was like old times. In fact, it didn't feel like time passed all that much (not that 2 years is a big deal). He was the same, I was the same, only the location has changed.

We talked til 7 AM and then I had to leave. I'm gonna try and fly back to Seoul during this trip. I know that Elaine and mom haven't expected this little turn of events but I feel that it would be personally an excellent option. A friday/saturday weekend would be ideal (for Martin as well as myself). We can hit some of the nightspots and see what Seoul has to offer. Martin says that I'm more interested in women than he remembers of me (we talked mostly geekspeak in Toronto). It's a part of our reality now. They change everything.

So mom, Elaine and I boarded KE603 bound for Hong Kong. 3 hours flight. We landed at 10:40 AM local time. I watched a movie on the flight that I didn't get a chance to finish. I'll have to download it when I get back to Toronto. It's called "The scam". A Korean film. We passed through immigration and then located our bags and met up with my uncle. My uncle drives an S500 Mercedes Benz. Boy was it smooth. We rode to Shatin (where my uncle, aunt and cousins live) and we got settled in my cousins flat. Had dimsum and then I had to crash. I was so tired. I really didn't sleep much on the flights and without sleeping at the stop-over I was a walking zombie. I slept for an hour or 2 and then got up for dinner with my uncle/aunt/cousin/mom/Elaine. Came back to the flat and crashed again. For most of Saturday it's been a blur.

My Benz 2

Here are more pictures (these came from the delearship).



I picked up the Benz on Tuesday August 11th. Finished work at 5 PM. And got myself to Union Station, bought me a ticket for Clarkson Station. and took the Go train to Mississauga. It was raining at the time and it appeared to be a bad day to pick up the car. I was surprised however that the rain quickly cleared and the sky turned blue by the time my buddy picked me up at Clarkson.

It was pretty simple buy (as I mentioned before). When I got there we had to settle the financials. I gave them the bank draft. They gave me another bill for the fines/plates/plate permit. I paid them using my Mastercard. Blah blah blah.

After finalizing the transaction I jumped in the car and I gingerly drove it out of the lot. I was trying to get comfortable but I had to get used to the idea that this was my car.

My Benz

It hasn't hit me yet but I'm a new proud owner of a Mercedes Benz!

Ripped off images from the Internet. My rims look the same as these!

Funny, but it's my first true car. I've driven other cars in the past, see my previous post, but I've never chosen one with my own money.

The deal was struck yesterday afternoon. Americo and I went car shopping early in the morning of Saturday August 8th, 2009. This was really our 3rd time looking at cars. The first day we went to the closest dealer (in Etobicoke) and the following visit (July 25) I made an offer on a Volvo S40 2001. It was a clean car and attractive. The price was really right so it seemed like a no-brainer. Unfortunately it turned into a can-I-trust-you. Eventually I had to walk away.

Our second day out, Americo and I went to a dealer out in Mississauga. I compiled a list of C240 Mercedes Benz that I was considering and we decided to visit a few. We only got to one place. It was half way between Americo's work and my work. There wasn't really anytime after work to look at cars, but we tried. This time we met a friendly guy who showed us the showroom. All the cars were indoors. What a difference it was. There's such a wide variety of people in the automobile resale industry. You can meet some really classy gentlemen and some really slippery dealers. And the cars, unfortunately, really do reflect the salesperson.

Our third day (Aug 8) I bought a car. We visited like 5-6 dealers. 2 of them were ok, the others were pretty slick. It was a gut feeling (Americo felt the same way as I did) but I knew I wasn't going to buy anything from them. Basically, we went back to the dealer that I met on my second day and bought the car that they showed me. Weird but I almost walked away from it at the beginning. You see, I was under the impression that I was looking at a C240. But when we went back the second time we learned that the car was in fact a C230 Kompressor. Believing that I wasn't interested in the C230 I was ready to walk away. But this other sales guy (owner) suggested a test drive. I gave the C240 a test drive already (next door to this guy) so I knew how it handled. So I didn't think there was anything to gain from driving a smaller car (C240 has a 6 cyl. engine, C230 is a 4 cyl. with turbo).

What a difference! The C230 was just peppy. It wanted to run. And with Americo egging me on I put the pedal to the medal and it was fantastic. Hehehe, I was having so much fun. I never felt a car feel so strong, responsive and in control. The turbo engine made the car sound like a futuristic spacecraft with wonderful (easy) acceleration in the 2000 RPM to 6000 RPM range. Americo and I got the car to 150 KM/h on the entrance ramp to the 403. I loved driving the car. It was so much superior to the C240 that I quickly realized that I couldn't consider it (C240) any longer. My intention was to buy a cruiser ... but I didn't realize a cruiser could be so sluggish. Perhaps it was just the C240 that I drove. But it was like night and day. And since the C230 had the amenities that I wanted, i.e. sunroof, heated seats, cool rims, I thought that I would make an offer for the car. 5 minutes later we closed the deal.