Chinese degree, worked in China, questions on next steps

[maoniu]

Hi all, question please.

I have been interacting with the Chinese language in some form over last 12 years. I first received a two year degree from a Chinese university and recently finished working for two years in the technology sector consulting in China speaking only Mandarin. Now I am back living and working in US. I really enjoyed China and may return back in 5 or so years.

Question is - my current work in US does not require me to use the language, so for fluent Chinese speaking foreigners who go work in a non Chinese speaking capacity, how do you keep using your language skills productively outside of work (not studying per se but using it interactively to perform tasks independent of work)?

I've considered a few ideas though so far nothing has really stuck. I would like to hear other view points.

Thanks for any advice!

J

[dandmcd]

Keep immersing yourself in the language in any ways that you can.  Watch Chinese films every week, listen to music, find some TV shows that you can catch during the week, continue to read books and news, and keep up on China pop culture by watching videos on Youtube or Youku.  Watching TV and film is a great way to keep training your brain to remember all that you were taught.  Also, don't be afraid to keep learning even at your fluent level.  There's always new words to discover, new pop culture memes to learn about, and certainly some difficult words you learned years ago will be forgotten, so you must continue to put in practice every week.  Not a lot of practice, a few hours a week at most is fine, no need to go back to your studies, but certainly don't go a week or more without Chinese immersion through film or conversation.

 

Also, make Chinese speaking friends, video chat with them, or find Mandarin speaking people in your local area to hangout with.

[imron]

Read.

 

Try to develop a habit of reading at least 30 mins a day - preferably longer form material such as novels or long articles.

 

It's not difficult to find time for and is great at keeping knowledge fresh.  At 30 mins to an hour a day, you'll should be able to go through a book a month.

[murrayjames]

Hi maoniu,

Last year I moved back home after 5+ years in China, so I relate to your situation.

Like Imron suggested, I try to read for 20-30 minutes a day. This helps a lot. I also review flashcards as time allows, talk to old friends on WeChat, and get plenty of conversation practice with my wife, who is Chinese. I keep my phone and computer OS, Facebook, Gmail, Microsoft Office, etc. all in Mandarin.

My accent doesn't sound as good as it used to. This is frustrating, but I feel this would work itself out if I moved back. Watching Chinese television and movies is definitely one way around this, but I can't currently afford the time.

Contact frequency is important. I find the more frequently I do something in Chinese, the stronger my Chinese is. This may seem like an obvious point, but it's worth considering. Chinese input is not guaranteed in the west; you need to go out and look for it.

Good luck!

[maoniu]

Really appreciate the responses. All great suggestions. Yes it sounds like your situation, Murray, is very similar. I really like to do things like read books, watch TV, and watch movies too. For me not only is it difficult to find time also, it's that once I start doing these things I keep thinking I can spend this time more productively. It feels like I am doing it to just practice Chinese. I am thinking of activities where I use Chinese and it's independent of work and it has impact on others not just myself. Here are few examples I was playing with:

.1. Actively participating on popular China forums / Baidu offering perspective on interested topics. (Like you guys )

.2. Participating or organizing language corners and helping others learn.

.3. Writing a Chinese blog or articles over interested topics and sharing with community.

.4. Teaching or participating a sport interested in using Chinese.

.5. Freelance teaching / translating

.6. Travel buddy in US for Chinese tourists.

.7. Volunteer work with Chinese speaking organizations and businesses

.8. Helping organize local culture events in Chinese community

.9. YouTube Youku series in Chinese on culture differences

I like these examples but was trying to think of more that has potential for greater impact.

Along these lines could you think of other similar activities?

[maoniu]

Quick update - I have taken to subscribing to a few WeChat group feeds and popular forums.  I am finding that I am able to scan the headlines and knock out 3-4 articles in 30 minutes which I can do on my lunch break and during commutes as well as leave comments adding to the conversation or give me food for thought later.  I agree reading is the way to go as it allows you to quickly access and take in as much content as possible.  Will consider the other ideas in due time.  Happy New Year to all!