For a long time, Jon has really wanted to take language lessons. We both really would have loved to have just gone to language school instead of teaching. As the semester was winding down, Jon was researching some schools here in Hangzhou. So, both he and Hallie signed up for lessons. It is not cheap, but we really think it will be worth it. They go every week day morning for two hours of class. (I can't go right now, I am watching the little kids). It is hard, they both have homework, but they are also really making progress. The plan is for them to go everyday the entire month. Hallie may continue a couple of days a week when the new semester starts. Jon wants to do some more late in the summer after we come back from America and before his classes start.
One thing I have noticed, is that Hallie has more confidence in speaking Chinese. She is not as shy with it. So far, I have not heard her say anything she did not already know how to say, or something I did not understand, but she is a little more bold.
For example ( I mentioned this on my Face book status), at lunch yesterday, she wanted to know if something was spicy. She piped up "Auntie, is this spicy or not?" Before, she would have asked us, and then we might have told her to ask. I was proud of her. I told her so, and she said, well, if I spoke English she would not have understood me!
I wasn't just proud of her for speaking, Chinese. I was proud of her for speaking at all.
Oh, yeah, Hallie and Jon are also learning to read and write Chinese characters. Wow!!
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