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Corona Confusion? Strange Times & Stranger Behaviour.
I went to a large downtown supermarket (Montreal) last Friday to buy some groceries. The Corona Virus had been mostly a foreign issue here until Thursday (the day before). I had lived in China for 4 years - I left just 4-6 weeks before the virus surfaced last December - and was aware of all that had been happening in the Middle Kingdom largely through my Chinese friends back in Hangzhou, Shanghai, Qingdao, Beijing, Chengdu and Harbin. I knew something similar - albeit on a smaller scale - was likely to happen here in Montreal. It was only a matter of time. Still, I was surprised by what I saw on that afternoon in that crowded supermarket.
There was an air of panic-shopping and strange behaviour. It was crowded and many shelves were emptying quickly. Most people were still friendly - and I was able to exchange recipes or suggestions with a few others - but I woke up to the reality of the fear and irrational behaviour this virus has caused while waiting in line to pay. I started talking to the man behind me in line and noticed that he took two or three steps further away from me when I told him I had gotten out of China 1-2 months <em>before </em>the outbreak. He took another couple of steps back - losing his place in line - after I told him I had spent 3-4 days in Wuhan last March (2019). I actually started laughing while waiting in line.
My younger sister - a flight attendant for Air Canada - experienced something similar in Ottawa last weekend. She was on her way to the airport in her flight attendant's (travel) uniform and had people cross the street to avoid being on the same sidewalk as her. It was worse than walking down the street with a "dangerous" breed of dog, like a pit-bull.
I understand being careful and taking precautions. These are truly strange times. I have sympathy for everyone who has been hit hard by this. But let's all try to remain reasonable and calm, and keep living normal lives (as much as possible). Learn new hobbies, skills and work on language skills while staying at home. I am writing more short stories again, and improving my Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai and Indian cooking skills. Stay busy and keep the mind occupied. Stay positive.
This too shall pass..:)
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Is it possible to learn a language (ENGLISH) and become relatively fluent if you start after the age of 30?
I started learning Mandarin 4.5 years ago (well after my 40th birthday). Of course, it helped that I lived in China for four years. I am nowhere near fluent, and still have a hard time with pronunciation. But I am able to communicate effectively, and improved my tones and accent during the last year (when I got over my "fear" of sounding bad). During that year, I also met an "older" British woman who was fluent in Mandarin (she didn't speak a work until her 42nd birthday).
All this to say that learning or improving English at an older age is possible. I think the biggest obstacle is overcoming the fear of sounding "ridiculous." It took a long time, but it doesn't bother me that I will not sound natural speaking Mandarin. Once I accepted that, my fluency and ability to speak and to be understood improved a lot.
Some people will laugh at you in the beginning. So what! A good Chinese friend (she did not speak a word of English) used to laugh with me - and at me - as we spent several evenings walking through the streets of Shangrila, China (Yunnan province) with her helping me read and pronounce storefront signs. Her "laughter" was a tremendous help to me.
I am fluent in English, French and Greek and sound natural speaking these three languages. I am lucky. I learned them at a younger age - before graduating from high school. But that does not equal the satisfaction I have had improving my Chinese skills later in life.
No, it did not happen because I have a "gift" for languages. I improved because I wanted to and worked at it. And because I got over the fear of sounding silly or ridiculous.
YES, learning or improving ENGLISH is possible at an older age.
Why should the young people have all the fun?
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