Narration is a cornerstone of a Charlotte Mason homeschool. But looking at the results of the poll on my Narration Helps page, a lot of us simply forget to do it! I could use reminders as well, so I created some simple bookmarks to put in all the books we're reading.
Some are standard rectangular styled bookmarks, and some are the corner pocket type (seen above).
For my first two years in China, I thought that my main communication problem with Chinese people was the language barrier. That certainly was a huge obstacle, but even when my Mandarin was gaining in fluency, there still seemed to be huge misunderstandings and frustrations when talking with locals. I’ve realized that it’s not just the words, grammar, and pronunciation that matter. There are cultural patterns of communication that are peculiar to China.
One example is the tendency to answer a question with a question. It’s one of those things that (as a Westerner) really irritates me. In our culture, answering a question with a question is the result of poor listening skills or purposely evading the subject. Although that is sometimes the case here in China, I’ve learned that it is simply a common pattern of communication.
At the restaurant
Me:Do you have fish?
Waitress: Do you eat hot peppers?
At a store
Me: Do you have a thing that you put your dishes in after you wash them so that they can dry?
Saleslady:What do you want to do with it?
Then there are these kinds of conversations that for some reason do not seem to irritate Chinese people at all. But they remind me of a ridiculous Monty Python or SNL skit!
At the checkout counter (In an effort to promote environmentalism, China has passed a new rule that stores cannot give plastic bags. Customers can purchase them or bring their own.)
Me:I need to buy some plastic bags.
Clerk:What size bag do you want – small, medium, or large?
Me:Large
Clerk: We don’t have any large ones. All sold out.
Me:Okay, medium then.
Clerk:No medium ones either. Only small.
At a department store looking at bedding
Me: What size is this?
Saleslady:What size is your bed?
Me: Please just tell me what size this is.
Saleslady:What size is your bed?
Me:180 cm. Is this 180 cm?
Saleslady: No. It’s 150. But we have 180 cm.
Me:Do you have 135 cm?
Saleslady: That won’t fit. Your bed is 180 cm.
Me:Do you have 135 cm?
Saleslady: Yes, we do. Why do you want that?
Me:I want to buy two – one that’s 180 cm and another that’s 135 cm.
Saleslady:But these are not pretty. You should buy those over there. They are more attractive and they’re cheaper.
Me: Thanks. But I really like these.
Saleslady: But they’re not good. They’re ugly.
Me: But I like them.
Saleslady: Those are better.
Me: I want this kind. Can I buy them today?
Saleslady: Yes, I’ll go get them. (coming back with them) Here. But why do you want these ugly ones?
Me: Where do I pay? [See, I’m learning how to communicate!]
Again, at the department store, looking at two articles of bedding
Me: What’s the price on these?
Saleslady: (looking at UPC codes and pointing) It’s this price – 380.
Me:Are these both the same price?
Saleslady:Yes, the same. This one is 300. No, 225. And the other is 350. No, 325.
Me:So they are not the same price?
Saleslady: I can give you a discount.
Me:Good! How much?
Saleslady: (tapping on a calculator and showing me) This price for this one.
Me: How much discount is that?
Saleslady: 20% off [finally a straight answer!]
Me:I’ll take them!
And when shopping, there’s another pattern which involves trying to pry the price out of the salespeople and bargaining for a better price while they are trying to sell you on the item’s amazing features.
At an appliance store
Me:How much does this cost?
Saleslady: That’s an oven for making cakes.
Me:Yes, I know. How much does it cost?
Saleslady:800 RMB.
Me:Can you give me a discount?
Saleslady: You can also use it to roast a chicken.
Me:Yes, I know. I see that. What about a discount?
Saleslady: Let me show you how it works……
Unfortunately, these are all real examples, not fiction from my imagination. It's quite trying on one's patience... to say the least.
When Beth took me to Spotlight the last time, we got this fun cotton print for only 10 Hong Kong dollars per yard ($1US = 7.5HK$).
Wish I could say that I made the dress. I didn't. I found a tailor. He charged me 30 RMB to make it. That's less than $5! So this dress cost less than $7 total!
We'll be taking this one along with three others he made when we get Sprite's yearly portraits done tomorrow.
So, Beth, what've you done with YOUR fun fabrics?
I love all the questions you've asked, readers. And I'm going to get to answering them soon. :-) Stay posted.
Moving means getting to know a new city, finding new restaurants, and discovering new Crazy English! Here you go... enjoy some menu and restaurant related bloopers.
After you eat all that, you may need to visit this place.
But no matter what, just remember this...
For much more hilarious fun, visit Crazy English, where I've compiled all my Crazy English pics onto one photo gallery.
Thanks for all the "housewarming" wishes! We are enjoying our new home so far. There's still a lot to be done, but I expect that within a week we'll be fully back to "normal" life and homeschool.
Here's a glimpse of the inside of our apartment. I haven't included every little bit of it --just a few key photos to give you an overall impression.
The home opens into the living room/dining room.
All the furniture and appliances you see belong to the landlord. They are not what I would necessarily choose, but we find the convenience of a furnished apartment outweighs other factors.
Here's my kitchen! It's lime green! :-) I've learned to simply appreciate size and cabinet space over color.
This is our massive refrigerator! The biggest we've ever had! It's still small by American standards, but HUGE by Chinese ones.
The hallway area is quite large and will become part of our homeschool area eventually.
How big is it? It's around 1600 square feet or 145 square meters. We think it's huge! We have three bedrooms, an office, and two bathrooms.
One bathroom has a western (sitting) toilet. One is a squatty style.
The washing machine goes in this empty space that is part of the squatty potty.
So, I know that you have a lot of questions for me. Fire away! I may turn those into a post of its own if you have enough. I'll post our finished, unpacked home later.
Here are some views of our apartment complex. I love the way it's green and looks like an old fashioned Chinese home.
These garden areas are in the middle of the complex. They are shared areas to walk around and enjoy fresh air.
Look at this door! Isn't it great! It looks just like the old doors that used to be used in China.
We are going today-- our first night in our new home! Sprite and I are very exited! Then DH will follow tomorrow with our boxes of belongings.
Before I take you to the apartment, I thought I'd take you back a step to where it started -- the real estate agent. Since we're new to this city, we simply walked around the city center looking for an agent.This is what we found.
Here's my dear husband waiting at the agent's stall while the agent makes some calls for us. (Yes, there are nicer offices in some places in China. But in our new home, this is pretty standard.)
The available apartments and storefronts are listed on boards like this. We tell the agent what we would like, and she charges 10 RMB (about $1.50) to show us two apartments. We have to pay for the taxi if we take one. The agent receives anywhere from 3% of the yearly rent to one month's rent. This is all negotiated. We visited three different agents. The third one was the charm.
~^~Homeschooling my only child with a somewhat Charlotte Mason approach and a healthy dose of lapbooks, crafts, and field trips.
~^~Showcasing my photography hobby by sharing images of life in China.
~^~Why "One Child Policy Homeschool"? I happen to have an only child, and I live in China. It is just my attempt at a witty name for the blog.
