Three Month Reflections

   I was thinking the other day about how long it's been since I wrote here. And then it hit me. One fourth of our first year here is already gone! And I started to feel discouraged.  A fourth of a year and I still don't know any Chinese. I mean, I know how to ask how much something costs, but when they tell me the price I'm lost. I actually asked a little girl, "how much does it cost?' when I meant to ask her for her name. Duh!

   It's frustrating. I want to talk to my neighbors that I see all the time. I want to learn their names. I want to reassure them that I'm a normal person and I don't eat children.

   I have studied Spanish, Russian, and American Sign Language. Chinese is crazy. Thankfully I have a really great tutor whose English name is Abby. She is studying at one of the local universities here. She does so good at explaining her language to me in English, but I often feel my eyes glazing over and my brain freezing as I smile and nod.

Little Bear studying Chinese

   So I ask myself, what have I learned over the past three months? I've learned how to survive here in this "foreign" country. I've learned where to buy groceries. I've managed to feed myself and Little Bear gluten and dairy free in a land where I can't read labels. We've started to develop a routine. Little Bear is FINALLY sleeping through the night.

   So although I'm still far from conversational in the local language, I can see progress. I will be at peace with my learning process. I will press on.