Summer Fellows 2011-Learning Chinese Outside of the Classroom

As with any language, making use of new vocabulary and grammar structures helps reinforce the material learned in class. After all, class is only 3 hours a day. Prior to my departure, a common warning I received was getting stuck in an “American bubble,” where American students would only interact with each other and lose opportunities to enhance their language skill. Interact with locals as much as you can, they would say. Despite these cautions, I discovered that it easier said than done—especially for a student near the beginner/intermediate language levels like myself. In this blog post, I would like to introduce a few methods that I have learned to practice my Chinese outside of a classroom setting.

1. Don’t rush and take your time: If it is your first time studying Chinese outside of the US, it is only natural to need a few weeks to build your confidence in speaking. Speaking is the least practiced skill in Chinese classes in the US, so your pronunciation and word choice will at first be difficult for locals to understand. If you are in Taipei, many people can speak English, so they may even choose to start speaking English while you are stumbling over words. Personally, I needed two to three weeks of classes before I could string together sentences (that made sense).

2. Find a Language Exchange Partner: In Taipei, there are many students that are looking to practice their English, so language exchanges are easy to organize. It is a great segway into making local Taiwanese friends. I have so far used two methods to finding language exchange partners: the bulletin at ICLP and language exchange websites. On the first floor of the language center at ICLP, there is a bulletin board where students (foreign and Taiwanese) that are looking for language exchange post flyers with a brief description of themselves and their contact information. Using the bulletin ensures that the person you are getting in touch with is affiliated to the university, close to your age group. Language exchange websites, such as tealit.com, are also available. Using the website helps you find language exchange partners from other universities and various age groups.

3. Home Stay: Although I am not doing a home stay, I have heard from my classmates that it makes an incredible difference in the improvement of their Chinese. Being in a home stay ensures that you are constantly in a Chinese –speaking environment. Especially if you are planning to do a 2-3 month study abroad, I would highly recommend setting up a home stay to maximize your learning during a short period of time.

Kazu Koyama

BA International Affairs 2012

International Chinese Language Program

Taipei, Taiwan

Japan 2011 Summer Fellows - Nuance in Language

The institution where I’m currently studying is the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies, situated in the heart of the city of Yokohama. The center has both a ten month course and a shorter summer course. The summer course is fairly intensive, consisting of five hours of class and between two and three hours of homework every day. Much of the work consists of reading essays written by Japanese professors, watching the news, and participating in student-led discussions.

Watching political news and reading academic essays has impressed upon me the drastic differences between casual Japanese spoken with friends and professional Japanese used in the conduct of government and academic debate. The difference certainly exists in English as well. I tend to address my male friends as “dude” or “man”, and I clearly do not address my professors as such. Japanese, however, nearly makes an art out of this.

For example, there are several different words, with varying levels of politeness, that are used to mean “but”. I typically use the word kedo, which is perhaps the most widely used in daily conversation. One of my teachers, however, insists that we stop using kedo and instead replace it with the more formal keredomo (or one of a couple other options). Other aspects of my Japanese have undergone a similar transformation, including everything from the pronouns I use to how I conjugate verbs. My speaking and writing has become significantly more formal, and I’ve become much more accustomed to reading academic papers and political speech. This becomes a problem, however, when I meet my friends on the weekend and I can’t quite fully transition back to casual Japanese. As a result, my friends now tease me for sounding like a professor when we’re out having a drink. My teacher described it well, saying I needed to develop a “polite channel” and a “casual channel” in my mind that I can switch between. Something tells me I have a quite a way to go before I reach that point.

Part of the reason my Japanese is changing so much is how I learned it in the first place. I spent three years teaching at a Japanese high school, during which I picked up much of my Japanese ability organically. Moreover, I spent quite a bit of time around other teachers and speaking to students as a teacher, so I inadvertently sound a bit authoritative at times. Changing from a teacher back to a student has necessitated a similar change in my Japanese.

The manner in which even words as simple as pronouns and conjunctions can reflect social standing and perception is, to me, one the most fascinating aspects of the Japanese language. The nuance is nearly impossible to pick up unless one spends time in the country, hearing how people actually use the language in various situations. Even then, the language varies so much from person to person that it’s sometimes difficult to discern proper Japanese from regional dialects. It is, at times, quite frustrating as a foreign student trying to learn the language. Still, Japanese wouldn’t hold my interest as it does if it was similar to English. After all, variety is the spice of life.

Connor Cislo
MA International Affairs 2012
Sigur Center 2011 Asian Language Fellow
Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies, Japan

Taiwan: 2011 Summer Fellows - What to do in Taichung?

Tomorrow my best friend that I grew up with is coming from Nagoya, Japan to visit in Taiching. I'll admit, I've been a bit antisocial this summer as I've mostly been studying and attending class so I haven't made a tremendous amount of friends around the area. Moreover, the city closed all the bars down soon before I arrived after some pyrotechnics accident in April so mainstream fun is out the window. We can't leave Taichung most days because I have class and it's not exactly a hot tourist destination. I'll have to be a bit creative in figuring out what to do.

One fortunate thing is the Sinon Bulls are playing three home games this week so we can catch at least one. Also, the park on Yigong Street is a nice escape from all the crampedness of the city and the other park in the hills just northwest of town provides a nice view of the skyline. There are some mountains east of here as well, I'd have to figure out the bus routes if we want to head there because I've just been walking everywhere for past 2 months. Chinese/Taiwanese films can also be pretty interesting, we may just want to catch one or two while he's here.

If all that fails, another thing we can do is just walk around town. Fortunately he's coming from Japan where lots of cities are pretty drab (no offense to you Japan enthusiasts and please NEVER tell my girlfriend I said that), whereas Taichung's streets have a lot more life and can be very photogenic. Also, people are more likely to want to talk to us; I've been flagged down several times while roaming the streets and some individuals hoping to improve their English may not be able to resist the opportunity to speak with two foreigners. Then again, he's 6 foot 3 so this may intimidate would-be approachers.

Another good thing is on Saturday I have no class so we're free to travel. I suggested a day trip to Tainan because I still haven't been there and pretty much everybody tells me it's the best city in Taiwan. Unlike my misadventure in Kaohsiung, I've actually done some research before embarking and found some things to do in the area. It has the oldest Confucian temple in all of Taiwan and some ancient cultural streets that can be extremely interesting, especially to people who have never been to China (or an outlying pseudo-China island).

One thing a busy schedule and few acquaintances has forced me to do this summer is be creative about finding things to do. Also, an important thing I learned is that popular tourist destinations can be great, but it can be even more interesting to go off the beaten path. Fortunately I live in a place with lots of interesting scenery and great photos to take. Also, like I said a few weeks ago, keeping an open mind leads to more possibilities and an overall better experience. My friend's that kind of person so I'm sure when the week is over he'll agree.

Shawn Lynott
MA International Affairs 2012
Taipei Language Institute
Taichung, Taiwan

Korea 2011 Summer Fellows: The Sauna

Yes, I did it. There was one outing that I needed to cross off my list of things to do in Korea, and that was to spend the night in a sauna as if I had no other place to go. In many Korean dramas you will often come across themes of poverty and families or people being evicted from their homes.

It was a Friday night, and I was bored with nothing to do at home. ---so I called up a friend of mine and decided to spend the night in a sauna nearby. This was no fancy sauna, I walked in and paid 9,000won which is the equivalent to about $8.50 or something. And for 9,000won I was given a pair of overused clothes, two lockers (one for my shoes and one for my things), and two small towels. (Most people in Korea do not use large towels to dry themselves off).

I am not sure if this is appropriate to share with you all, but I have never been so shocked. (Men and women have separate washrooms) Maybe I have just never been in a public sauna before, but I have never seen so many people walking around naked freely in my life. Most of them were old grandmas but there were a few women that were ranged from ages 18-40 years old.

I spoke with a couple of people in the sauna as we were all sitting in an icebox, and they said that many of the older people here (at the sauna I was at) can not afford to pay for their own place, so they make just enough money during the day to eat and wash up and sleep in the sauna. They said that every once in a while they will come across foreigners like me, who are excited and curious to stay in a sauna.

It was a lot of fun; I really enjoyed my time there. Though it was no fancy high-end sauna, it was just exciting to be there.

On another note: My language program, it ends in about two weeks. :] And of course wherever I go I bring along with me a piece of Hawaii. So I taught all the women in my class—a hula dance that we performed last Thursday in front of everyone that works and studies at SNU’s KLEI.

It was hard teaching these girls because they have never danced before and they were extremely stiff and shy but after long practices and a few words of encouragement, they went on stage and killed it! Everyone loved our performance and I have never been so proud.

Julianna Ngo

BA International Affairs and Asian Studies 2013

Sigur Center 2011--Korean Language Fellow

Seoul National University, South Korea

Taiwan: 2011 Summer Fellows – Language Exchange

Some of the cooler experiences I’ve had so far in Taipei have involved language exchanges with local friends. I meet with two Taipei residents, Lynn and Angela, separately once or twice each week, and we alternate between English and Mandarin conversation for a couple of hours. For me it’s a good way to practice with a native speaker and someone familiar with the country, while for Lynn it’s a way to practice her spoken English before she leaves this August to work in Hong Kong, and for Angela it’s a way to keep up her oral English since returning from a year abroad in England.

From a language-learning perspective, these meetings are a nice break from the classroom environment. We can chat casually about a range of topics and move at our own pace. I find it helpful for picking up the common parlance that I don’t really get from standardized Chinese textbooks and regarding which I don’t always have the opportunities to ask my instructors. It’s useful because I still struggle day-to-day not so much with getting my point across but with being able to produce natural turns of phrase that won’t elicit double-takes from the person I’m talking to.

From a social perspective as well, language exchange has been pretty rewarding. I mentioned in an earlier post that it’s been a challenge breaking out of the English language bubble around my university and moreover making friends with people outside of my program. Getting together for language exchange has been a good way to branch out and meet different people and learn new things about the city. Although I don’t think when it comes to straight Chinese-learning that language exchange is nearly as effective as being in the classroom (since it’s so undisciplined and unstructured), it’s still been great for chatting and learning by extension about politics, education, youth culture, and other topics.

Usually I’ll meet Lynn or Angela at a coffee shop or tea house close to campus or the central train station, but we’ve visited different places around the city as well. Last Tuesday for example, Lynn suggested that we see the National Taiwan University symphony orchestra perform at the national concert hall, since she was a former member herself and knew many people involved in the show. It’s something I never would have checked out on my own since I’d never attended a symphony before anywhere. Or last Sunday morning instead of doing our usual thing at Starbucks, I met Angela near the Taipei 101 skyscraper and she showed me around a famous local bookstore after we finished our exchange.

Before coming to Taiwan, even though I’d heard of language exchanges, the possibility of trying one out wasn’t really on my radar. At home I’ve only seen the occasional flyer advertising them on bulletin boards in Gelman Library or in the Elliott School. It seems to be a pretty common practice here in Taipei though. The foreign language center on campus has tons of flyers from people seeking language partners, and the bulletin board in the lobby of my dormitory is the same (although you have to use your better judgment to shift through the sketchier-sounding posts). That’s not how I met Lynn and Angela, since it was mutual friends who originally introduced us, but finding a language partner still isn't a particularly difficult thing to do here if you're willing to reach out to someone. For me it’s been a fun way to get in extra Chinese practice time, meet new people, and also learn more about the city.

Christopher Wong
MA International Affairs, 2012
Sigur Center 2011 Chinese Language Fellow
National Taiwan University, Taiwan

Taiwan: Summer Fellows 2011-Taipei

My current studies in Taipei marks my first ever study abroad experience. I hope that some of the discoveries I have made during this summer program can help guide students (especially undergraduates) who are keen on studying abroad in Taipei. In my four blog posts, I plan to cover different aspects of my experience; in this post I will introduce the International Chinese Language Program (ICLP) at National Taiwan University, which I am currently attending.

ICLP’s main philosophy is to focus on improving the student’s speaking abilities. During class sessions, instructors refrain from lecturing and instead organize student –led discussions.It is an approach that makes much sense. In language courses at American universities, class sizes tend to be large and professors inevitably focus on reading and writing scores to weigh grades. However, as I have discovered, being able to write and being able to speak are almost two entirely different skills. The Chinese courses at GW armed me with a wide variety of vocabulary. However, in my first week in Taiwan, I found myself having difficulty formulating even a single sentence (such as, “Where is the closest bank?”)

Small class sizes go hand-in-hand with ICLP’s approach. There are three classes in a day, and one of them is a personal, “one-on-one” class. The remaining two “group” classes never have more than four students. I have great relationships with all of my instructors, who understand my strengths as well as my weaknesses. My speaking and listening skills have improved dramatically thus far, despite it only being 4 weeks into the program. I have gotten so much more confident that I can now find the courage to chat with cab drivers.

ICLP students are a mix of undergraduate and graduate students. Most study in the U.S., but are from various institutions across the country. Although prior to my departure I was frequently warned about the “American bubble”—where American study abroad students only befriend each other at the expense of interacting with local students---to me, it has been a rewarding experience befriending my classmates. I have found many like-minded people who are studying subjects related to East Asia, as I am. Many of my graduate student friends have given me valuable future advice.

If I were to address a drawback, it would be that ICLP does not enforce its students to speak Chinese outside of the facilities. There is a language pledge that every student signs, but the pledge is only in effect within the two floors where ICLP is located. Once outside of class (even at lunch time), ICLP students often only speak English. Although I could imagine the additional stresses of a broader language pledge, a part of me is left wondering if I am wasting valuable time to be exposed to a Chinese environment.

Kazu Koyama

BA The George Washington University 2012

International Affairs Major, Regional Concentration: Asia

Taiwan: 2011 Summer Fellows - Kaohsiung

One of the nicest things about Taiwan that I failed to take advantage of until today is the fact that you can take a day trip just about anywhere. The entire island is smaller than my home state of Pennsylvania, and since I don't live at the northern or southern tip, nothing is more than a 5-hour drive away. Except for a weekend trip to Taipei in early June I've barely left the Taichung city limits these past 2 months. Today I finally had nothing important to do so I woke up before dawn and took a bus down to Kaohsiung.

Kaohsiung is like an Osaka, Japan or maybe something like a Philadelphia or Pittsburgh in the US; definitely a big-city feel but not so much of an international atmosphere like the capitol. It's the second-largest city on the island only to Taipei and is substantially bigger than Washington, DC. The city's name translates roughly into English as "Tall Hero" but this is actually the name Japan gave the city when it took over Taiwan in the late 19th century (before this it was called "Dagou," or "Beat the Dog." Naturally). Everybody there seems pretty capable of speaking Mandarin Chinese when I ask a question but they seem to mostly speak Taiwanese with one another.

Here's a dumb thing I'm willing to admit; I didn't look at any books, buy a map, or make any other kind of preparation before I headed down there, so I was armed with nothing but a camera and had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I missed nearly all of the touristey sites and didn't get to try any exotic foods but I still had a great time. One thing I did get to see was the Tuntex Sky Tower, a famous skyscraper shaped like a tuning fork. The weirdest thing about the building is that people actually live there among the offices and department stores.

The Central Park also had some great pictures to take as well as the Martial Arts Stadium, although there were no events going on so I was unable to see inside. I also had to view the baseball stadium from the outside but it appears to be slightly better than the one here. The harbor appeared unfortuntely closed to visitors so there was not much to see. Overall, though, I found the city very photogenic, much like Taichung. There were far too many streets and alleyways to explore in the several hours that I was there but I snapped a few great photos.

A friend of mine is coming to visit in two weeks and we're probably going to Tainan since several foreigners told me that is the best place to visit. This time I'll be sure to do some research beforehand so we have a few ideas on what to do, but one thing I figured out today was the only thing really necessary for a meaningful trip is an open mind.

Shawn Lynott
MA International Affairs 2012
Taipei Language Institute
Taichung, Taiwan

Internship: US-ASEAN Business Council: Membership and Events Internship

Reports to: Manager, Outreach Based in: Washington, DC

Role Summary:

Internship Dates: Fall semester (approximately August 29 through December 9) Role: Membership Assistant/Intern.

The Membership Assistant will assist the Outreach Manager in providing world-class and forward-looking services to the Council's 100+ member U.S. companies, which include Google, ExxonMobil, The Coca- Cola Company, Microsoft, Boeing, and Harley Davidson.

The Assistant will work out a schedule with the Outreach Manager and may help on some or all of the following: * Manage and draft reports on Council outreach to members (weekly); * Create and manage a report on changes in legislation affecting doing business in ASEAN for distribution to members;

* Assist with research for membership meetings and on potential members; * Develop talking points for meetings; * Participate in weekly conference calls to build a summary of membership activities in the United States and in ASEAN nations; * Assist with sponsorship activities and events; * Attend events with visiting delegations and take notes for members;

*Assist managers on the preparation and running of Council events * Provide administrative support responding to membership activities to include mailings, preparation for events, and special projects.

Qualified candidates will have attention to detail, interest in the region and learning, superb writing and editing skills (mandatory) and exemplify professionalism. A confidentiality contract on proprietary information will be required.

This is an opportunity to build experience in membership services and knowledge of political, economic and trade issues in Southeast Asia. The Council will work with college programs to obtain credit where possible. The position is unpaid but will be an excellent educational experience and

includes monthly Smart Trip benefits. Please email resume and interest to the US-ASEAN Business Council's Outreach Manager, Mads Stockwell at mstockwell@usasean.org

Japan 2011 Summer Fellows - Kabuki Takes Center Stage

My class took a trip to the National Theater in Tokyo the other day to see two scenes from the kabuki play, Yoshitsune Senbonzakura, or “Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees”. The actual performance was preceded by an explanatory session, during which one of the actors explained to the audience the meaning behind certain motions and sounds. This, along with the brief explanation of the history of kabuki, was particularly useful to a first-time viewer like me, who would otherwise miss the certain cues that indicate how to properly view a scene.

I’ve had some exposure to Japanese theater before in the forms of noh and kyogen, but this was my first brush with kabuki. Kabuki, unlike many other forms of Japanese theater, does not embrace minimalism. The scenery and backdrops are rich in color and detail, and the actors’ costumes are impressive works of art in and of themselves, some of which can weigh as much as fifty pounds. The sounds and chanted narration are highly effective at conveying a variety of moods, ranging from the fury of battle to the despair of recognizing impending doom. As one can tell by the moods created, the story lines are not understated.

If performed in its entirety, the play I saw would take well over an entire day to complete. As a result, the play is almost never completely performed, and we were treated to only two scenes of the saga. The play revolves around the resolution of an ancient conflict between two Japanese clans, the Genji and the Heike. The Genji proved victorious in the conflict, but the great general Yoshitsune is now hunted by his brother, who fears Yoshitsune’s prowess. The scenes I saw depict a fugitive Heike general’s attempted revenge on Yoshitsune.

In all honesty, parts of the play were quite boring. At certain moments the actors’ movements were painfully slow. While the minutely choreographed movements had a certain grace and elegance about them, they did not make for good action scenes for a child raised on Hollywood blockbusters. Furthermore, the actors spoke in an archaic form of Japanese used by warriors throughout feudal times, making it difficult to understand segments of dialogue. A partial narration is available in English, and while it is useful, I couldn’t help but feel I was missing some of the drama. I was somewhat consoled to learn that many Japanese require a similar narration in modern Japanese.

There were elements, however, that made the experience thoroughly enjoyable. Some of the themes presented, such as duty executed honorably even in the face of inevitable defeat, were very powerful. Moreover, there were moments where it seemed as though more than simply watching a play, I was watching real events unfold before me. For example, at the climax of the scene, the defeated Heike general has come to terms with both his own failure and with his enemy. Gravely wounded, he ties a massive anchor around his waist and throws himself into the sea. I think the reason this struck me so powerfully (in addition to being the climax of the scene) is that despite the gorgeous costumes and elaborate scenery, much of kabuki is left to the imagination. The sound of the waves crashing against a jagged cliff is represented by a specific drum roll. The cry of plovers overhead is performed by a simple musical motif. This was probably done out of necessity during feudal times, but the fact that the viewer is left to imagine much of the scene, rather than simply passively observing, made it that much more detailed and impressive to me.

I went into the National Theater feeling skeptical, but I emerged a believer. Despite the sometimes slow pace, the invitation to mentally participate in the creation of my own version of the tale, even if I was just filling in details, was a powerful draw. Judging by the length of kabuki performances, I have plenty of material to enjoy.

Connor Cislo
MA International Affairs 2012
Sigur Center 2011 Asian Language Fellow
Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies, Japan

欢迎中国! - Welcome to China!

My experience in China has been a whirlwind of new experiences, both good and bad. This is actually my second time in China, so I expected many things, but this time I am staying much longer and the feeling is altogether new because I am living at a Chinese university and this time I don’t have a tour guide to help me along the way.

Beijing has so many exciting things to see, and it feels like it is the beating heart of the rising tiger that is China. In Beijing, I have had so many different types of good and inexpensive food. The people are all incredibly friendly to Americans and the hospitality is absolutely fantastic! I have to say that Chinese people are some of the most generous people I have ever met. Their willingness to pay for a dinner or to give a small gift is something that I have never experienced before. In America I would never expect to be treated with such kindness and hospitality, but here every contact I have so far has opened up their homes and their hearts to me. Being so far away from home for the first time in my life, I really do appreciate this attitude from the Chinese. It makes me feel at home and as though I still have family even though my true home is halfway around the world. If you know anybody overseas, it is incredibly useful to call these contacts. Having just one friend overseas can change the whole complexion of a trip and alter your entire impression of a country. Plus, only natives can give you a true understanding of the culture of a foreign country.

Beyond that, I have had plenty of opportunities to practice my Chinese, and I am proud to say I see the improvements every day. It’s a deeply satisfying feeling. Of course, any Chinese person will say I speak so well, but the truth is I still have a lot of progress to make, but it’s heartening to see that I am making progress; especially in hearing and understanding the Beijing accent.
Unfortunately, I have had a miniature series of bad events in the midst of my excitement. I have fried two of my electronic devices: a hair straightener and mp3 player; by not setting the converter to the proper setting. On top of that, my internet is not very strong in my dorm, so it’s very difficult to contact family and friends. At times it seems the only novelties I still have are my books and my Bible. It has forced me to alter my lifestyle a little bit. It’s only been a week, but I am learning to slow down and to have a deeper focus on the task at hand rather than constantly juggling a million tasks at once. I even have had to slow down on coffee, since it is relatively expensive in some places and it is a little far from my classes in the morning. In America I often watch TV, listen to music, check my social media, do homework and apply for scholarships and internships simultaneously. But in China, I have become an early-riser, waking up every day between 5:30 and 6:00 to start my Tai-chi class at 6:30 in the park. Then I go to class and calligraphy after that. Calligraphy is a slow process, but it is also a peaceful time. From there, most of my free time is spent trying all of the delicious Beijing food, and spending time reading my Bible and deepening my spiritual relationship. All in all, I think it has been good to lose access to TV, internet, music, politics, and all the other minor distractions I love in America. It gives me a new experience and a better opportunity to more deeply explore Chinese culture. I can’t wait to see where my journey will take me next.

Kalisha Holmes
BA International Affairs, 2012
Sigur Center 2011 Asian Language Fellow
Peking University, Beijing, China

Freer-Sackler Gallery : Asia After Dark

Embark on after-work adventures at the Freer and Sackler Galleries with Asia After Dark. Mix, mingle, and sip specialty cocktails while checking out musicians, performances, traditional cuisines, and Asian art and art activities.

ASIA AFTER DARK: ONE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS
Featuring DJ Turbo Tabla, Karim Nagi
Thursday, July 28, 6:30–10:30 PM
Freer Gallery of Art

Experience a night of enchantment inspired by the collection of tales in One Thousand and One Nights. View a vast range of works in the featured exhibition Arts of the Islamic World. Enjoy hypnotic Arab beats by DJ Turbo Tabla (Egyptian musician Karim Nagi), a belly-dance performance by Barakaat Middle Eastern Dance Company, and art activities, as well as traditional cuisine and enticing cocktails.

Suggested attire: Styles of North Africa and South and West Asia

Must be 21 years old with a valid photo ID to attend.

For more info, visit:

https://www.asia.si.edu/asiaafterdark/default.asp