Found In Translation: Week 4 (VIDEO)

on 2-01-2012 in Found In Translation

Three weeks into Mandarin study, I give a little glimpse into what my lessons look like (and you can hear my wonderfully slooooww Mandarin).

I’m glad I’m tracking my time this way. I didn’t realize I had been slowly spending less time each week, but here it is. Will have to double up my efforts next week!

Total study time this week: 20 hours
Overall: 71 hours (average: 23.5 hours/week)
Written characters memorized: 57 (average: 2.7/day)
This week’s big test: talking with the nanny

The goal: Fluent as possible in six months (24 weeks). I have 21 weeks left.

If you are unable to see the video, click here.

Found In Translation: Week 3 (VIDEO)

on 2-01-2012 in Found In Translation

Two weeks into Mandarin study, Christine takes a cooking class and discusses some big changes going forward.

Total study time this week: 24 hours
Overall: 51 hours (average: 25.5 hours/week)
Written characters memorized: 33 (unchanged)
This week’s big test: translating recipes into Mandarin

The goal: Fluent as possible in six months (24 weeks). I have 22 weeks left.

If you are unable to see the video, click here.

Found In Translation: Week 2 (VIDEO)

on 2-01-2012 in Found In Translation

After my first week of Mandarin study, I give an update on how it’s going and Cole does his best Tigger impression as he leaps from couch to coffee table and back.

Total study time this week: 27 hours
Written characters memorized: 33
This week’s big verbal test: hiring a nanny in Mandarin

The goal: Fluent as possible in six months (24 weeks). I have 23 weeks left.

If you are unable to see the video, click here.

Found In Translation: Week 1 (VIDEO)

on 2-01-2012 in Found In Translation

The only way to really talk about learning a language, is to talk about it.  I can’t imagine writing, “I am now super fluent in Mandarin” in six months, and having that suffice.  ”It’s amaaaazing.  Too bad there isn’t technology that will let you see me speaking this language or track my progress as I learn.”

Oh crap.  Right.  We do have the equivilant of a traveling film studio because of our work on the documentary.  So here goes. Cole and I are learning Mandarin together.  I’m studying with a tutor, he’s watching a lot of Chinese cartoons (how is this fair?).  I might have a really bad case of the potty mouth, a raging cold and inadvertently offend/mischaracterize Italians and/or Italy.

The goal: Fluent as possible in six months (24 weeks).

If you are having trouble viewing the video, go directly to it here.