Teach English in PingshAn Zhen - Chongqing

Foreign language experience Studying foreign languages has been an amazing experience for me. I have learned to appreciate people from varied backgrounds and learn from them. I have learned that there are many different ways to look at life and to adapt to the world around us. Learning about language for me is intricately connected with learning about the people who speak that language. When I studied Spanish in high school, I wanted to learn as much as possible about the people of central america. When I studied Russian, it gave me an insight and appreciation for our Russian neighbors. Studying German was a fascinating journey into my own ancestral roots. Language is, after all, just a means of connecting with people. I have had a lifelong appreciation for other cultures and languages. I had the goal of learning a foreign language in high school. I chose Spanish which seemed to be the nearest opportunity with many Spanish-speaking people working in the USA and Mexico just across the border from Texas. I used the Berlitz Language series created by the Foreign Service Institute to study Spanish. I thought it was difficult, but I pressed on anyway. I never met my initial goal of total fluency for lack of opportunity to speak with native speakers or to travel and study on location. Later I met and became acquainted with a neighboring Russian family. I became fascinated with the language with its sharp edges and hard sounds so unlike the musical, staccato Spanish language. A friend lent me his Pimsleur language series. I studied that for a year with great success. I supplemented the language course with copious listening to Russian Bible on cassette, listening to Russian music and listening to Russian children?s stories. These got me familiar with the sounds and rhythm of the language. My favorite was the story of Doctor Aybolit (Doctor Ouch-It-Hurts) by K. Chukovsky. I listened to that hundreds of times. As I listened, the words would pop out at me one at a time in context. I learned a lot of words that way without actually studying them. I was able to visit Ukraine and Russia twice. I went to a language school in St. Petersburg. I visited a church, a ballet and a school play. A part of the play was a satire of British and American ways. Three flag-bearing students skating across the stage represented Russia, Great Britain and the USA. The Russian flag was borne across in proud fashion. After him came Great Britain struggling to keep his feet and barely managing to cross. Last came the USA to fall flat on his face. Great Britain had to come back to help him across the stage. After the production I met the students back stage. They were visibly embarrassed that I had seen the show. I came away thinking that the political feelings ran deep, but that when they met me personally, they wanted friendship. I left with a deep fascination with Russia and its people. Now I no longer think about sharp edges and hard sounds. Rather, I hear a rich expressive language that is at once fascinating and mysterious. The sounds of the language blend into the rich fabric of people I have met and appreciated. I remember the amazing breakfast prepared for me every morning by a Russian housewife. I remember the times spent talking around a campfire or at a social gathering. The language is the expression of real people with triumphs and heartaches. Men, women and children of all ages are expressing the deep yearnings of their hearts. In the end I realize that language is the beautiful creation of an amazing benevolent God. He wants our attention. He is the one who sent us Jesus Christ to show us Himself. Language was made to allow us to express ourselves in rich ways. Language was made to allow us to praise God.