Saturday, July 14, 2012

Emerging from the cocoon

I'm sprawled across my host's daughter's pink bed, where I toil over my Mandarin many hours an evening. It's the second week of Pre-Service Training for China 18, the eighteenth group of Peace Corps Volunteers to serve in China.  The first week found all 73 of us bunking together in a hotel across from Peace Corps headquarters, housed on the campus of Sichuan University in Chengdu.  There we started our language classes but had access to English speakers 24-7. The second week found us unpacking our bags in the apartments of our host families, many of whom do not speak any English. My hosts, Li Ying and her husband Peng Laoshi, do not speak much English, so I have no excuse not to practice what little Mandarin I have.Our Chinese teachers meet with us daily (except for Sunday) through these summer months. Gradually, we're emerging from our cocoon of native speakers of English and are beginning to attune our ears to different sounds.
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15 comments:

  1. Ted DavisJuly 14, 2012 at 12:54 PM

    So delighted you are off to such a great beginning, Jing! Love, Ted

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  2. The Dingo (did not eat your baby)July 20, 2012 at 9:10 AM

    Marty! How very exciting! I can't wait to read more.

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  3. AmyJuly 20, 2012 at 12:40 PM

    Marty, I've been thinking of you (and even talking about you in our WPA session today). Enjoy stretching those wings. Amy

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  4. DonnaJuly 20, 2012 at 12:46 PM

    At last, you have a blog! So nice to be able to follow your journey online.

    Donna

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  5. Pat OJuly 20, 2012 at 12:53 PM

    So glad to hear from you!
    Pat

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  6. UnknownJuly 20, 2012 at 1:06 PM

    You haven't mentioned spicy food.
    Maryellen

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  7. UnknownJuly 20, 2012 at 5:15 PM

    Marty, Is there a character for Jing? I'd like to learn it.

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  8. UnknownJuly 20, 2012 at 10:20 PM

    Pictures please

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  9. Eleanor HartillJuly 21, 2012 at 4:46 AM

    Brilliant to hear about your experiences, it is so exciting and different and your descriptions are really vivid. E. xxx

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  10. Jessie LawsonJuly 22, 2012 at 7:05 PM

    I am thrilled to be able to follow you on your adventure! This is a wonderful thing that you're doing and a source of inspiration to me.

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  11. Aline KultgenJuly 30, 2012 at 1:58 PM

    Marty,
    Delighted to hear from you and looking forward to more though I imagine your are very busy and I understand. Enjoyed your earlier letter with pictures and descriptions of the wonderful food, which probably would send me directly to the nearest facility! I know you will manage that and everything else that gets thrown your way.

    We are just back from a Kultgen family reunion in Colorado and looking forward to a visit from Rachel and Maude starting Thursday.

    All is well except the weather which is hot and dry. Much love,

    Aline

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  12. UnknownJuly 31, 2012 at 12:13 PM

    Hi Marty. We'd like to share your blog in our latest English department newsletter. Do you have a photo you could send me to include with the link to the blog? Even if you prefer not to send a photo of yourself, perhaps a landscape and/or cityscape?

    Thanks,
    Chris George

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  13. UnknownAugust 16, 2012 at 10:27 PM

    I'm making a comment on each one... all the way back from the beginning. Love you!

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  14. roySeptember 18, 2012 at 6:54 AM

    Marty:

    I see now that my comment never showed up on this blog. (Damn!) Suffice it to say I've been thinking of your and envy your adventure. China has lots to offer anyone and I always enjoyed my time there and loved the people. Publish pix when you can! More anon. --Roy Fox

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  15. AnonymousDecember 22, 2012 at 8:00 PM

    Marty!

    Thank you so much for the pictures, they are wonderful, you behind that gnarled tree is my favorite and and also the one where you can't see anyone but it's all of you hugging.

    I have just read through your December blogs and I find them fascinating. On language and translation and how difficult it is to do, how often the quote exact word translation is all wrong and you can only hope you do better at capturing the meaning with a totally different word or phrase. Anyway lots of food for thought in your musings and future discussions I hope. Loved the Mark Twain passages, how did the audience react?

    Tell me, is it freezing there every night and do you not have heat?
    Sleeping in a down jacket and hood, under another jacket, OMG what is the temp?

    My whole family is arriving tomorrow, Rachel and family from Rochester, my California cousin Yoly and his wife, and Daniel and company will be here on Xmas day along with Cindy's parents. I feel so fortunate that everyone is coming here, and my fridge is about to burst in anticipation!

    We are all in shock and distraught about the Sandy Hook massacre, and so hope that this time, it will make a difference and we can at least get the assault rifle ban back with some loopholes closed.
    Do you see all this stuff on TV? Those little children are heartbreaking.

    I noted that very few people write long blogs so I am off. I think of you often, my wonderful, brave, smart friend and I miss you! Take care of yourself, hear! Get a down blanket!!

    Aline


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