As you all know, in less than two months I'll be in Beijing. Since semester ended, I haven't been seeing my Confucius Institute teachers and classmates. My Mandarin usage has gone back to absolute zero. I'm trying to keep everything on track, but if you've ever tried to learn Chinese -- especially writing -- it's hard to do it alone. I knew that learning Chinese would be essential for me as I got older. I just wish I hadn't waited so long or wish I would have had at least the motivation to do it. After all, my cousins speak Mandarin flawlessly. Well, they live in Malaysia and my aunt (my mom's sister) only speaks to them in Mandarin. So, I guess they had no choice.
Anyways, back on topic. Even though I am going to Beijing to further my Chinese language and culture studies, I still think it's important to at least make sure I don't lose even my slight grasp of the language. I've been relying on Chinese media, trying to watch and listen without any subtitles. Here's a look at what I've been watching and listening to so I can keep my Mandarin up.
The Way We Were
Okay, I know this is a Taiwanese drama. There must be 901929843798234 dialects spoken in China. Except for some regional sayings, there isn't much -- or even at all -- any difference in language between Taiwan and Mainland China. Mandarin is a major language for both. I had watched bits of this drama when it first came out but I didn't really get into it. Maybe it was because I didn't have time to binge watch it or wait for new episodes. Nonetheless, the story is amazing. I did cheat a couple of times and turned the subtitles on, but that was only to make sure I understood correctly and that I wasn't translating anything to literally. About halfway through, I switched the subtitles off completely. If you're into coming of age stories, you'll probably like this. It's got a good mix of drama and humor, the former more often times than not. And, gosh. I bawled. I bawled so hard.
CCTV Ding Ge Long Dong Qiang 叮咯嚨咚嗆 (DGLDQ)
Asian variety shows with everything. DGLDQ pairs Chinese celebrities with Korean celebrities, and together they form a team to complete missions. This is the most confusing show I have ever watched because I don't speak Korean and the Mandarin spoken here is just way over my head. I. CAN'T. EVEN. However, I couldn't help but watch and I fell in love with Summer (Jike Junyi). Her personality is so contagious! I managed to last four episodes with this, but I am taking a break because I am so lost. However, I somewhat feel like I know what I'm getting myself into once I land in Beijing. I am not going to understand anything, and I'm totally okay with that.
巴黎 (Paris) by 方大同 Khalil Fong
Khalil Fong is an ABC (American Born Chinese) who grew up in MC and Hong Kong. However, most of his music is written in Mandarin. The lyrics are simple and melodic enough for me to understand and vibe with. I really like how his music seems to transcend what's out there now. Heck, I still play his older records from my junior and senior years of high school. I get that Mandarin tones don't always come across when sung, but I really do think music is a good way to learn a new language. That's especially if you want to understand how words are used or combined to form depth and meaning. I've never heard Mandarin sound so good.
Bonus Khalil Fong Playlist
*Track 3 is in English!
Have you ever learned a new language?
How did you make sure you didn't forget it?
