Learning Chinese

Tonight we started Chinese class again, after a long break for Chinese new year. It's good to start that up again, but besides my class once a week, I've been studying independently as much as I can. The Lord has blessed me with a friend who wants to improve her English and has invited me to her house for a language exchange once a week. We've been doing this for several months already and she and her family have become my good friends. They have both taught me a lot of new Chinese words, and helped me become more fluent in speaking Chinese. The family is really kind to me and has had me over for dinner and brought me sightseeing/hiking with them. We even played wii fit together one night! I'm really thankful that God has given me this friend. I had the honor of giving her an English name last semester: Esther.

Besides practicing Chinese with her once a week, our official chinese class once a week, and personal study, I've started a blog to practice Chinese and stay connected with students and friends in Taiwan. This kind of blog is very popular in Taiwan and recently I finally decided to get one. It started out mostly in English, but I've started typing both Chinese and English. It's good practice and It's just one more way I can practice Chinese. I thought I'd let you read my latest post.

When I grow up I want to be a violin teacher.
長大時候，　我想做一個小提琴老師．　

Today I realized that I REALLY need to start practicing my violin again!
今 天我開始明白　我真的需要聯練習小提琴．　

I haven't practiced in a LONG time! I am not as good as I used to be. :'(
我太久沒有練習．　我以前比較會拉.

I want to be a violin teacher some day.
我 想教小提琴．．．

What do you want to be when you grow up?
你長大想要做什麼工作?

'Grow up' is a relative term, right? ;) I'm looking forward to reading the responses I'll get from students.

Please continue to pray that God would bless our attempts at learning Chinese. Pray for perseverance when it gets tough. Thanks so much! 謝謝 ('xiexie'thank you in Chinese)
Oh, and if you think of it, you can pray that I would find time to practice my violin more, too.

Josie
林以恩