Yumeng Week 2: My Weekly Spurts of Love and Growth
I hated being Chinese. Actually, to be more specific, I hated learning Chinese.
I never had fond memories of Chinese schools or programs—whether it was being a first grader sitting around classmates (who were technically forced to be my friend, since our class size was literally four people) in a small portable classroom at Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary, or being a sixth grader taking online classes in the comfort of my parent’s room, completely distracted, under Haiao Chinese Academy. There were many reasons why I didn’t like Chinese school; having to mindlessly copy down every stroke of a character to avoid a quiz score below 90, sitting alone because I joined the class late and everybody already has their groups from the year before, and spending a good portion of my Saturdays in a stifling atmosphere because my mom paid for a year’s worth of tuition felt stupid. Thankfully, by the start of seventh grade, my consistent complaints finally made it through with my mom, and she stopped pushing Chinese school on me; I was beyond ecstatic!
So, when my mom asked if I wanted to start Chinese 3 in eighth grade, I surprised myself by immediately answering, “Okay!”
I don’t know what possessed me to throw myself in a tied bond with Chinese school for the next three years, but it felt right—like Chinese was coming around for a second chance. So, I let something that consumed me, even in the hot summers of visiting China because my aunt bought me and my cousin a Chinese practice book, into my life again.
And it didn’t let me down—not even in the slightest.
Slowly, Chinese school and my language became more than just learning and speaking. I met a group of amazing, amiable and smart friends. My weekends spent in Chinese classes transformed from blankly writing down words and phrases to laughing uncontrollably and making silly Chinese inside jokes. I began enjoying every part of what was expected from studying Chinese, even reviewing for quizzes felt less like a chore because I knew my friends were also working hard, just in different time and space. Of course, with new school years came change, but what remained a constant for me was the connections, support and morals I gained from being in Chinese school.
Somewhere along the way, I started to notice the huge role those weekly Chinese classes took in redefining myself and the things I thought I knew. More than that, I realized the privilege I had to both afford and have the time to attend those classes. Surprisingly, the language that I dreaded the most, also became the inspiration of starting my passion project with one of my friends that I became closer to through Chinese school, Language Illuminated; I hope to make learning languages and the opportunities that comes with it accessible to everybody—I hope to bring the love and growth I felt in my last three years of learning Chinese to as many people as possible.
Hi Yumeng 😊I love how you documented your journey! 😊I also loved being in your class 😊 and playing Roblox with you 😊 and our silly skits in Haiao 😊 I'm so glad you were able to find a community through Chinese school, even though it can be quite boring at times... it's safe to say that you definitely made my weekends less boring 😊 and I know this isn't my cohort but I just had to say hi 😊 (or in Chinese, 你好😊)
ReplyDeleteHello Yumeng! The beginning of your blog perfectly described the similar dilemma I was in at a young age, conflicted between wanting to learn the language of my ancestors and dreading the 4 hour classes where the only thing I seemed to learn was how boring writing and re-writing characters is. However, I quit at a much younger age. I began to feel the effects of my neglect when I realized I could no longer communicate with my grandparents without stuttering, and speaking to my parents in Mandarin felt more like a challenge than second-nature. Although I was not motivated by a random urge to pick Mandarin back up, but rather by the gaping hole I felt growing between me and the rest of my family, I began to appreciate the classes that originally “ruined my weekend” and the lessons that used to be “the bane of my existence.” Anyways, I now recognize the importance that Mandarin served in my life, and I am so glad to see that you were able to find the same connection to the language. I have never been in Chinese school, largely due to my weekend commitments, but I can feel your love and admiration for your peers from through the screen. It is amazing that you were able to build up a community that made learning Mandarin fun for you, and that it became an important, integral part of your life. On a side note, I love how in the photo you provided, everyone’s outfits are color-coordinated and match the rest of the classes’ outfits. It really pulls the photo together and makes it look neat and tidy.
ReplyDeleteHi Yumeng! I really enjoyed reading your post about Chinese classes! As a former Chinese student myself, I really relate to your past self, when you didn’t like Chinese school. You struck the nail directly on the head when you complained about using up hours of our precious weekends sitting in a classroom learning Chinese. I felt the exact same way! The classes were just too long, making it both physically and mentally tiring for me. Even worse, I could only enjoy the benefits of knowing how to read Chinese in niche scenarios, so it really just felt like something I had to do for the sake of getting it done.
ReplyDeleteStill, I had gradually started enjoying learning about certain topics in Chinese, such as all those interesting stories behind each idiom and holiday. Learning Chinese was a convenient excuse for watching C-dramas when I was supposed to be studying, too! I guess Chinese school was a roller coaster of personal changes for the both of us.
On that note, I’m so glad that you were able to make your way through Chinese school with a great group of friends! It sounds like you really enjoyed your last three years of Chinese classes. I agree that even previously boring situations can do a complete 180 when you’re with your friends. I also find it really inspiring that Chinese school motivated you to start a project of helping others learn languages. I’ve been seeing Language Illuminated a lot on Instagram stories! Thank you for sharing your journey of personal growth through Chinese school, Yumeng!
Hi Yumeng! I really enjoyed the way you structured your blog this week and your use of literary devices such as em-dashes. I like your writing style, and the way your blog sounds so effortlessly natural as if you were talking through the screen to me. I have not personally experienced a language school, but my mom often threatened to send me to one if I continued to speak in English at home. I feel that especially as someone who is the daughter of immigrants, it is significant to indulge myself in my culture and native language. Although it may seem tiring, challenging, or boring at times, it always pays off. The way you have written this blog tells your story vividly, and I really enjoy how it all ties together in your last paragraph. I had a similar experience where as I got older, I began to appreciate my culture and identity more. I grew up in an area where I felt I had to hide my ethnicity at times, and it can be so foreign when you no longer have to hide one of the most obvious things about yourself.Overall, your blog is wonderfully written and I definitely noticed a difference in how you structured this blog in comparison to last week's, while maintaining your bubbly tone. I think the image you used in your blog is really cute and represents your writing so well!
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