Is my Cantonese Good Enough?

Is my Cantonese Good Enough?

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…
An Interview with a Cross Cultural Couple

An Interview with a Cross Cultural Couple

A few weeks ago my cousin Aaron, his wife Misha, and their 2 year old son Kide (It means Maple in Filipino) visited Tracy and I in Hong Kong. We had a great time together. I'm always curious about the role language plays in a cross cultural couples marriage, so I asked Aaron and Misha for an interview. They graciously accepted. Three key take aways from our talk are the importance of patience, Misha says Aaron is patient, the importance of having a vision, and thirdly being positive.
Can You Relate to Understanding Everything and Then Nothing?

Can You Relate to Understanding Everything and Then Nothing?

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone in English when a few others stepped into the room, and all of the sudden the channel was switched to another language, and you no longer understood what was going on? You go from understanding everything and then nothing. Well, if you have taught English as a second language in another culture, I’d being willing to bet that you have. How did you feel? How did you respond to it? It happens to me quite a bit. I think it’s a little bit like eating a meal with a person, but…
A Look at 4 Years of TWGH’s English Summer Camps

A Look at 4 Years of TWGH’s English Summer Camps

Growing up, Summer camp was extremely important to my development. I attended a variety of camps in middle school and in high school. Now as an English teacher in Hong Kong, I am happy to see students participating in TWGH's (Tung Wah Group Hospitals) English camps. TWGH is a large organization. All together there are 18 schools. Each school sends around 8 students, so that means there are approximately 150 students attending. Thankfully The Seventh Day Adventists Academy has been able to host the camp for many years now. In Hong Kong it is rare to see so much grass. Their campus…
End of the Year Globalization Tour

End of the Year Globalization Tour

The English Ambassadors from my school just had a globalization tour field trip in Tsim Sha Tsui. Ms. Kwok, Mr. Wai, and Ms. Wong all worked hard to train the ambassadors. I am proud of the students for sticking with the program and I think it is fitting that the school offered the students an end of the year treat for all of their hard work. Ms. Kwok scheduled for us to meet our tour guide Audrea at the chock- tower in TST at 9:45. Audrea took us to 10 famous tourist spots and explained their significance to us. She…
An Interview – Help From Others on Our Language Journey

An Interview – Help From Others on Our Language Journey

I suppose you heard of the self-made man, the self-made woman or rugged individualism. The idea is that you can be successful on your own without the help of others. The problem is it simply isn’t true. Don’t lie to yourself. Of course, there is a lot that you can and should do for yourself, but at some point we all need other to help us. In this video, I talk with my friend Patrick about language learning. Patrick is a Hong Konger, who both studied and worked overseas. I start the interview in English, but then shift over to…
Sizing People Up

Sizing People Up

They say that you can't judge a book by the cover. The problem is that we do it all the time. Years ago a Chinese friend that I met in Rochester NY told me that I need to memorize a clever sounding introduction for myself to recite every time I met a new Chinese person. At the time, I thought his idea was a little over the top. Why go to that much trouble to make a good impression. Well, as a blond hair blue eye white guy, I meet lots of Chinese people who just assume I can’t speak…
Chinese Characters are Hard

Chinese Characters are Hard

Saturday morning a little after 11 am, I was walking back to my motorcycle from Trio Beach when I met this elderly couple. They were visiting a relative here in Hong Kong for a month. Both of them wish that they could stay longer. Hong Kong is an amazing place they told me. There are so many islands and places to visit. Reading Chinese The gentleman pointed to above sign and said that he finds the characters very fascinating. By that point in our conversation, I had already told them that I have lived in Hong Kong for 7 plus…
Get them to Speak More English

Get them to Speak More English

As many of you know, I resigned from my teaching position at WFLC, Wong Fung Ling College, in December of last year, 2022, due to the vaccine mandate. Now it feels like I am beginning again. Upon returning from a home-visit to the US, the vaccine mandate was lifted. The vice-principal of my school reached out to me to let me know that the school was looking for a NET teacher. She asked me if I wanted to interview for my former position. I said sure. The first interview was being held the week after I arrived back from the states.…
You Can Learn a Language Later in Life

You Can Learn a Language Later in Life

Everyone’s got a different language journey. We all come from different family backgrounds. My guest today, Hubert, comes from a Hong Kong family, but his parents were adventurous. They decided to establish themselves in Singapore when Hubert was only 2 years old. Hubert had to learn Cantonese at home, but today he considers English his first language, Mandarin his second and Cantonese his third language. We decided to make this interview just an audio one. In the interview, I recall the time that Hubert helped me look for a village house. I thought he was smart because he could speak…