Month: November 2023

Awhile back my wife told me that she got the luck draw in a raffle and that we were entitled to a free outing to TopMun Island. Tracy’s work decided to offer this activity to encourage colleagues to relax. They organized the boat ride, lunch, sharings, and coffee activity. I thought it sounded like a good opportunity. When Tracy and I arrived at Wong Shek Pier, the tour guide met us and introduced us to the others in the group. She wanted to know if I could speak Cantonese. I told her that I understood Cantonese and that if I…

The answer could be both yes and no. If you put in the effort you will undoubtedly learn useful words and expressions. Even a beginner can learn to say thank you and receive a smiling approval from a taxi driver. Language is all about connecting with others. Sometimes connecting with others is easy and for limited exchanges, your Cantonese might be enough. However, longer exchanges tend to be another matter. To answer the question, "Is my Cantonese good enough" we need to consider your expectations and other people's expectations. Recently, I heard a proverb - "Inch by inch life’s a…