I've started my intensive immersion Mandarin classes at Berlitz. I've been attending classes for eight hours a day, five days a week. Needless to say, my head is ready to explode. I am doing fine in my classes, it's just that when I need to say something and can't think of the Mandarin equivalent, I can't help but say it in Cantonese. Top that off, with the fact that I have a "heavy" Cantonese accent. I can't help that I have a Cantonese accent. My instructors can understand me when I am expressing myself in my "native" tongue but, I am discouraged from using any form of Cantonese at all. The other day, I had an oral test. I couldn't think of the answer in Mandarin but, was able to answer in Cantonese. My instructor refused to give me credit. My argument was: if I were unable to speak, I wouldn't be able to give you an answer, then I deserve to have points taken away. The fact that I can answer you in Cantonese, I should get partial credit. Nice try. The answer was NO. I plan to take the local Shanghainese dialect as well once I am done with my immersion class. So, if I think that trying to converse in Mandarin is bad, add Shanghainese to the mix and let's see who will be able to understand me when this is all over!
Tony has started his Mandarin lessons as well. He's been traveling all over the place and can only take his lessons on the weekends. So, his instructor comes to the house on Saturday and Sunday for three hours and he's doing quite well. It was pretty funny when he asked Matthew for the answer to a question the other day and Matthew refused to give it to him. That's what I call power.
