Happy Chinese New Year! It's the Year of the Rat. Legend has it that Buddha staged a race across a river with the animals of the Chinese zodiac to determine the order of the lunar calendar. The race was almost won by the determined Ox, but at the last minute, the Rat who had been riding on his back, jumped off at the end to win the race--sneaky bastard. And if you were curious, Tigers, you came in third. Thus, the Rat comes first in the cycle, meaning this year is a good time to start over and begin anew.
Perhaps I'll use this year to start over with learning Mandarin Chinese, which I might be able to achieve doing what I do best--watching TV! From The Boston Globe (via Pop Candy):
Kai-lan Chow, the newest addition to Nickelodeon's "Nick Jr." preschool block, has big, wide-set brown eyes and a penchant - like some others on her network - for breaking the fourth wall. Many times in every episode of "Ni Hao, Kai-lan," the new animated series that launches at 11 a.m. today, she will gaze beyond the TV screen and ask her audience for help. Often, the task will involve repeating a word in Mandarin.Strange to think that Wild Willie's and Fandango's kids will probably know more Chinese than me. Now, even they can make fun of me behind my back with my wife and her family.
Of the many goals packed into every half-hour "Ni Hao" episode, this is the most inventive and ambitious: To give preschoolers a rudimentary lesson in the Chinese language. (Ni Hao, incidentally, means "hello.") There is precedent, of course; PBS's "Sesame Street" taught a generation to count to 10 in Spanish, and Nick Jr.'s "Dora the Explorer" and "Go, Diego, Go!" have continued the tradition. "Ni Hao, Kai-lan" promises political relevance, too. Of all the languages worth knowing in the future, Mandarin ranks high.
6 comments:
I was actually watching Nick the other day and it was the Diego show. I thought to myself that this was a great show for my little one because she gets to learn spanish at the same time. I also saw Kai-Ian Chow advertised, but I didn't know it followed in line with the language piece.
It's about time Americans (make that United States-ans - because Mexicans are Americans too) started to get with it in terms of other languages.
I remember Chinese New Year in High school because one of our other Asian friends celebrated it by giving us stuff at school. I always thought that was pretty cool.
I always thought that it was a desperate attempt to buy friendship. Remember the Branch Davidians? Everyday during that standoff I'd take my lunch back to my dorm and watch it on the news. I kept waiting to see him poke his head out a window of the complex. He was a prime candidate for that kind of cultism, and he did his undergrad in Waco.
What was the original topic again? Ah yes! I'm getting dumplings tonight! I have some Chinese students, and their mom is bringing me dumplings for new year. WOOT!
Oddly, he now does what my dad does.
"What color is it? Is it sore to touch?"
Think about that while you're eating your dumplings!
I think the mom is trying to buy your approval. She is abviously a wise Chinese woman going striaght for the man's stomach.
With FC getting dumplings it made me think that there aren't even any Asians that I ever see where I live. There is no hope for me here.
Like you saw that many where you grew up.
Funny how this conversation sort of wandered over to Chinese food. My wife is right! And you don't even have to see a Chinese person, just think of one in your mind.
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