A 'Simple' Supermarket Sweep 2

The fun didn’t end there. I left, with my shopping, feeling great by the way… that I managed to get through those hours with sanity and understanding  The stares were bouncing off me and I was then on my next mission: to find a place to write. I wanted to find a coffee shop that would welcome me at whatever time of the day or night; one that would feel homely. And I did! It’s a coffee house with some friendly girls - who didn’t speak English and didn’t even get the message when I got out my little piece of paper with Chinese translations, to order a tea!!!! Man oh man… again I just had to smile at the scenes that were unfolding. But, yes! It’s still a welcoming place to be. And it’s where I can happily sit and stare out the window. And suddenly I’M not the monkey who is performing… but it’s THEM… THE WHOLE CHINESE WORLD… And they don’t have a clue!

So many things were revealed on that amazing Monday. But the most important thing was: I NEED TO LEARN CHINESE…
At work, I don’t feel this necessity so extremely; there are 2 languages going on… But outside work and ‘on the street’ is where there’s only 1 language and if you don’t have any understanding that of that one special language, then only the ‘toughest monkey’ will survive.

I know I can survive in China, because taking every other aspect into account (apart from the language), it’s a convenient and inspiring place to be. In comparison to India, here things can get done, quite swiftly… if you can communicate! The Indian difficulties in life, and the inconvenience I experienced, was more profound; due to their slow pace of life combined with the under-developed societies. On the other hand though… in India at least the majority of people will understand ‘yes’ and ‘no’… and they’ll know the basics. But, referring to China; it’s a convenient place to live, when you your head around the basics of the language. But then again, this is easy to say but more difficult to do. Chinese isn’t like Spanish or Italian, where the basics will stick easily and can be pronounced. No… the pronunciation is the tricky part, AFTER you’ve managed to remember the word… and that’s without taking the characters and the beautiful symbols into account! This is going to be the biggest challenge of living in China. Can I rise to it though? I think I can… I have to. There’s no other way around it.

I’ll bring down the current barrier that’s in place, by learning this language and I’m excited by what it will reveal and how I’ll take to it. I’m trying NOT to get ahead of myself right now, because it can take months to get the basics, and years to become fluent. I’m only here a week!!! haahhaa….What a great day, with great revelations! And it was even better when I knew I had an apartment waiting with a familiar face, who wouldn’t be staring… Yes!!!!