I want to learn the slangs, proverbs and idioms of the Chinese Language. Otherwise I'd be looking stupid there in China heh

i agree. when learning something new it's more than just about learning what's on the surface. it's also about getting underneath and now all history to the craft you're learning. educate and stimulate your mind more is very important to anyone whether you're learning a new language or something else.

Of course I agree. Who we are as individuals and as collectives (cultures) is predominantly a function of how we communicate. What we communicate is enabled and limited by the vehicles we use to do that job - namely the language. The romance languages have aural origins while many Asian languages especially Chinese have graphic origins. How language influences culture and thinking is part of the branch of science called semiotics. Look into it, it really shows how much we are a product of our languages. China/Chinese is different from the US/English in so many ways it's impossible to not want to learn about it. Also when traveling in China I met very kind and thoughtful people I couldn't speak with in a meaningful way. I felt like many opportunities to learn were lost because of that. Great question.