It's still hard for me to believe I got through that two hour long show, which was attended by about 200 people, without any major blunders. I would never have been able to do it without the encouragement of my professor, the pronunciation help from my friend, and the lighthearted attitudes of my co-hosts. It was a group effort, and I pulled off my part as best I could.
One of my favorite things about learning a new language is that it humbles me. I can't pretend to know everything (or much of anything) because there's no way to fake it, especially among native speakers. I have to ask for help, I have to correct my many mistakes, and I have to be open to learning completely new things. It's hard to cling to a sense of pride when I know a second grader in China is infinitely better at Chinese than I am.
When that pride is stripped away, it can be scary, but I'm not alone. I have classmates in the exact same boat as me. I think I'm closer with the students in my Chinese class than in any other classes I've taken because we're not really competing; we're collaborating. We practice speaking Chinese with each other, correct each other's work, study together, and even laugh about the silly things our professor does in class on any given day. We have all been reduced to a humbled state and we have no choice but to support and enjoy one another.
Sometimes, people ask me why I'm taking Chinese and I don't always know what to say. Because it will help me get a job? Because I want to go to China someday? Because I like the language? All of those answers are true, but I think the real reason is that I like making connections with people through language. Native speakers appreciate that I'm taking an interest in their culture and language (and get a good laugh in when I try to speak it!), and I become closer with my fellow non-native speakers. Nothing bad comes from learning a new language.
I think everyone should experience the unique feelings that come with learning something completely new. Chinese may not be for everyone, but learning any language helps people think in new ways and socialize a little differently. It opens the mind to new experiences and usually makes people more accepting of differences. I wish I had started this process earlier in life, but I'm so glad I'm doing it now. Here's to learning new things and making deeper connections in 2014! 新年快乐!
