I had my first *real* telephone conversation today. (Chinese - English)
This is usually what happens
PHONE
PHONE: Ring, ring
ME: grrrr. I hate answering the phone
PHONE: Ring, ring
ME: Hello?
MAN: Wei? Ni Hao? - Hi? Hello?
ME: Hello?
MAN: blah blah blah blah blah
ME: Ting bu dong - I don't understand
MAN: blah blah blah blah blah (same thing, just slower)
ME: I don't speak Chinese
MAN: blah blah blah blah blah
ME: I'm sorry, I don't speak Chinese!
MAN: blah blah blah
ME: (hang up)
But today was better!
Here's what happened: (Chinese - English)
PHONE: Ring, ring
ME: grrrr. I hate answering the phone
PHONE: Ring, ring
ME: Hello?
MAN: Wei? Ni Hao? - Hi? Hello?
Me: Hello?
MAN: Blah, blah, blah Anshun Xue Yuan - something, something, something Anshun Teacher's College?
ME: Dui, Anshun Xue Yuan - Right, Anshun Teacher's College
ME: uhhhhhh, bu hui shuo zhongwen, wo shi waijo - uhhhhh, I don't speak Chinese, I am a foreign teacher
MAN: Ni shi waijo ma? - You are a foreign teacher?
ME: Dui - Yes
MAN: Duibuqi, xiexie - Sorry, thanks
ME: Xiexie, zaijian - Thanks, bye
MAN: Zaijian - Bye
Granted, my first real telephone conversation was just saying that I don't speak Chinese, but I still feel proud of myself! :)
Monday, March 12, 2007
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1 comment:
hey! you seem to be doing well =) I totally understand the phone thing. people are always calling me on my cell phone and just talking away as I give the 'ting bu dong' answer. or text messages, in characters... no way I understand those.
Melissa W
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