Why I choose to learn Chinese
In July 1989 I successfully passed examination Belgrade univerity, nearly all will be after the same question: why ask me choose to learn Chinese? That year, my motherland Yugoslavia haven't disintegrated, relationship with China, but China has been very good merchants, enterprise haven't into our market. It is perhaps for this reason, learn Chinese people are really very little. For China, the yugoslav for us that too distant youth!
The university entrance exam before, my mum and dad have their ideas: dad hope I learn English, because in Britain have relatives, can go there every summer internship. Mother was born and has a when the doctor's dream, has not been realized, so she wants me to go to medical school. After hearing parents after considering the idea, I said: I never learn, see medical blood I will faint; English I think also not line, because I can't imagine yourself in a western country life. Our home some relatives living in France, Britain has two, three years, I feel they the sort of life to me not suitable. But the most important reason I speak with anyone without, I choose to study Chinese, probably with the family education from my youth was concerned.
I grew up in the former Yugoslavia federation of bosnia-herzegovina countries now, a small city - Gladys mo neat an ordinary worker family. Dad and mom did not attend college, dad because there was no money for his school, mom is that girls should not because my grandfather college. So dad swear: must give their children to create the best learning conditions. He often buy us a lot of children's books, popularize the we extracurricular knowledge.
I remember, has not gone to school I would be able to accurately answer every Chinese republic's provincial capital, the capital, and neighbors with Yugoslavia friendly nation's capital. When I first know that there is a call to China's state, she is the capital of Beijing. Ever since I can remember, I knew that the Chinese and the russians are our brothers. I have watched it on television, a Chinese movie name I forget, but beautiful clothes, house and hairstyle leave me a special deep impression. Afterwards just know the movie of the late qing dynasty of China. Although I grew up with Chinese or Chinese culture, but no direct link to China and Chinese culture's favorite, has been buried in my heart.
College life is just beginning, my difficulty came, let every day I have a headache that our teaching materials are in English, can I explain from primary school is Russian! At that time to find some books on China is not easy, find dictionary harder. Do? Fortunately Della GanNa teacher saw my distress, she volunteered to new words give us into Serbian, and often patiently explained to us the meaning of each word. In teacher's encouragement and help, my Chinese learning has made great progress. Then each text "for me are so important, so interesting, it brought me tells the story of the Chinese people, far about Chinese culture, students' life in China. I'm still clearly remember a text, is about the maple leaves Beijing xiang shan. Oh, listen to the teacher's explanation, my heart fly to xiangshan, my eyes saw hongye, nose smelled xiangshan fragrance. I really hope to have the opportunity to go to China, to look at the fragrant hills raisins and turpan maple, Shanghai huangpu river, and China's overall.
A senior year after reading the first time I came to China, in sichuan university study in a year. That year I learned a lot, made a lot of Chinese friends. Our Chinese teacher often took us to dinner at the home, take us to the park, told us many stories, teach us how to do Chinese dishes.
I'm in the year of sichuan, is our most intense year civil war, my mood is very low. I remember March 1994, due to excessive for family worry, I finally fell ill. Many Chinese classmates and friends came to see me, especially one of them I'll never forget, she came to my room, bring me some Chinese traditional medicine, told me she was know Yugoslavia, seen Yugoslavia's film "walter defend sarajevo", "bridge". Chatting chatting, I feel her how so close, as is my close sister as well. Imperceptible began telling to her family's concerns. She listened, a full face of are the tears, sad to say: "I understand, I also have brother!"
It is because of her this sentence, because she and all of my Chinese friends, I'm more in love with China. I sincerely feel, I learn Chinese was the right decision. Because learning a foreign language is the most important is not how many words you learned, but what you can and that countries with the people communicate. If only to words, translation are very hard to accurately. For example: "you eat?" If direct translation of words, the europeans will want to: "are you going to invite me to dinner?" They don't think this is just a simple greeting.
Today I am a foreigner ", "Beijing already in China Radio International work for many years. From start learning the Chinese language has been 22 years, but so far I speak Chinese or make mistakes, such as putting "slang" into "carp". There is no way, Chinese too difficult, especially the tone. Luckily, my home have a Chinese teacher, that is my daughter. Her kindergarten when we came to China, then her a Chinese will not say, but with Chinese children play together, learning together, her Chinese level already over me.
We return there are still a few people who would ask me: "why do you let the child so hard? For a kids learn Chinese very hard!" My answer is: "she grew up, and fluent Chinese to herself, for relations between the two countries would benefit both the friendly development."
(The author tower, Dartmouth Virginia for ole Gunnar solskjaer China Radio International plug language department experts)