My Mandarin Learning Journey
I've talked about this on my blog a few times before, but two years ago, I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Linguistics and Cultural Studies from a university here in Seattle. I was 29, feeling super old, but overflowing with happiness, pride, and a sense of accomplishment that I hope everyone is able to experience at some point in their lives.
It was a long, grueling road, and after attending five different schools in a number of different cities and states, I finally pulled it together and stayed in one city long enough to fully finish my degree; something I had always dreamed of doing.
In order to finish my degree, I had to jump through a few hoops. Aside from the fact that I started at the university as a transfer student with tons of credits that didn't exactly transfer at this particular school, I also had to take additional religious courses to fulfill their requirements because it was a Christian institution. This made my course load even more intense and difficult than I had anticipated. Another factor was my study abroad requirement. This is required for all Linguistics majors, and my university had a very laid-out plan for their traditional four-year students, but because I came in with only a year and a half to go, that meant I'd have to study abroad after my final quarter ended, and after I had already walked across the stage on graduation day. It was all very confusing.
Completing two years of a foreign language is another requirement for Linguistics majors at my university. After dabbling in Spanish on and off since middle school, and fulfilling my Spanish requirements at a community college a few years prior, I found myself in a bit of a pickle at my new school. I didn't feel ready to enter the advanced Spanish class there, but I also felt I was at a level well beyond entry-level Spanish, so I really didn't want to waste money re-taking courses I had already paid for in the past, or risk starting somewhere in the middle and not getting the full background necessary to move forward.
SO, my last option was to start out fresh with a new language. That way, I'd start out at the same exact level as my classmates, and have the chance to push my language-loving brain to its limits by learning a third language and signing up for either German, Russian, French, or Mandarin.
Which language did I choose? Well, one of the hardest languages for English speakers to learn, of course: Mandarin!
My language learning journey has had so many ups and downs that it's hard to fully put it all into words. But today, I wanted to talk a little bit about my challenges, victories, and the roller coaster of emotions I experienced while learning Mandarin. I'll also share tips and tricks and talk about which language-learning apps I found most helpful.
The first app I downloaded after week one of my Mandarin classes was Mango Languages. Not only does it help you pronounce tones correctly and give a bit of background on each word and tone, but it's also pretty adorable to see mangoes have conversations with each other! You do a lot of speaking into the app, so this isn't really an app you'd use on the bus or an airplane. This app also isn't free (though your first lesson is, and there are a few ways you can find free access!). Typically, you pay $20 per month or $200 per year. But if you don't have a lot of speaking partners and really, really want help learning a new language through an app, I'd say the cost is worth it! They have a TON of languages to choose from, too. Plus, they partner with local libraries and help you find language partners and clubs.
Another app I started using after they finally introduced Mandarin was Duolingo. I used Duo for Spanish years ago, but was so excited when Mandarin finally became available. Duolingo is great for the bus or plane because you don't have to do a lot of speaking into the app, but you can if you so choose. You're also given the option to practice writing characters! This was not my strongest skill while I was in school, no matter how many times I practiced. My Mandarin professor told me it was because my stroke order was all wrong, haha. (Yes, stroke order is a real thing!) Another thing about Duolingo: they hold you accountable! You will get daily reminders telling you it's time for your Chinese lesson. If you ignore the reminders long enough, you'll finally receive one that says, "These reminders don't seem to be working. We'll stop sending them," and let me tell you, it is the sassiest, yet most motivating reminder ever! I felt so disappointed in myself the first time that popped up on my phone's screen. I really felt I let the little owl guy in Duolingo down, and it definitely pushed me to pick up my phone and start my lesson! Duolingo is free, though they do have a "plus" membership you can purchase.
These are just two examples, but really, there are so many other ways you can listen & learn online when it comes to mastering a new language. The hardest part is motivating yourself to put in the work. I think there is often this preconceived notion that bilingual or multilingual people are really smart because they can speak more than one language, but in reality, all that means is they've actually put in the time and energy to learn that second or third language! Anyone can master another language if they work hard enough.
My husband read a book recently called The Outliers, and in the book, author Malcolm Gladwell believes you are not an expert in anything until you have practiced that thing for 10,000 hours. Though yes, I'm sure there are people who would disagree with that statement, and yes, I'm not sure this would apply to ALL things, but I do think he has a valid point. I think as humans, we tend to look at other people who are masters in their craft and we feel intimidated and think to ourselves, "Wow, I could never do something like that," but if you've never actually tried it, how would you know? What if you practiced every day for a year or many years? What if you found every piece of literature available on the topic and consumed it daily? Would you still feel that way after 10,000 hours?
Learning a language isn't any different! For me, personally, I have slacked big time in keeping up with my Mandarin skills. I don't practice every day, and I'll really only open one of my language apps when I'm super bored and have absolutely nothing else going on. That's obviously the worst way to keep your language brain active and stimulated!
I miss learning Mandarin. My time in China feels so far away from me now. I hardly remember falling asleep at the kitchen table while writing characters over and over again, or cramming every morning walking to class, preparing for my daily quizzes. (If you're a Mandarin speaker, please don't judge any grammatical errors in the above photo, lol!) Classes were long, hot, and so mentally draining. I cried myself to sleep so many nights (partially because I was overwhelmed, but also because there were cockroaches in my room). I was in a class full of students around my level, but was given double the amount of work and often called on first in class, or was used as the "example student" because I was considered more advanced due to the extra workload in order to satisfy my language requirement for graduation. It was a daily struggle. (And believe me when I say professors in China are not as forgiving as professors in the US.) It was a character- building experience, and one I'm so proud of myself for completing.
Nevertheless, if there's any one thing I look back on and remember fondly about my time in college as an adult student, it’s my Mandarin classes. Though they were definitely the most challenging, I also believe they were the most rewarding, and I do not regret all of the extremely hard work I put in to make earning my degree a reality.
It takes serious dedication to master a skill, to complete a degree, or to overcome a fear. I'm going to make a promise to myself to get back into the swing of things and start practicing Mandarin again every day. And if you've been thinking about learning a new language, I hope this post has inspired you to do the same! As always, 谢谢 (thanks) for reading. xo
This is a collaborative post, but words and opinions are my own.