Sometimes it’s great and sometimes it’s not. I bet you have all experienced this in your Chinese adventures!
Last month I published the package for lesson 13. I wanted to finish book 1 before the 7th of July. It’s the 19th right now and I haven’t even finished lesson 13 😦
What happened?
The usual bunch of things:
- I was on holiday
- Mum came to visit
- I had work to do
- I indulged myself – everybody needs a lazy day once in a while
- I had to run regularly. Running is more important.
- I’m sooooo tired!
- party
- …
It’s obvious. It’s all my decisions (apart from my mum’s visit – I couldn’t change it, but I didn’t want to!).
Family is important. My healthy lifestyle is important. Partying can also be important. Balance is important and there ARE things much more important that my Chinese.
But (and it is a big BUT): Chinese is a goal here. And the clock is ticking.
I don’t want to find myself in a year from now with no true knowledge of Chinese, now do I.
What went wrong?
I didn’t do my tasks daily. I stopped learning characters on-line. I didn’t listen and repeat the dialogues. I did not learn the construction of all characters. I tried to do things quickly. And I didn’t manage. My lesson review gave a terrible result of roughly 50% of correct answers. That is not enough if I want to speak fluent Chinese.
Chinese is not something you can do quickly. You can be fast, organised, you can have a good method and great memory. But unless you really spend some time with the material, you will forget it. I forgot it. I forgot 50% of it.
So what do I do now?
I don’t cry. I don’t get angry or depressed. I regret the lost time. And I work.
I got back to work on Tuesday and I will stop working today (my parents are coming and my cousin is getting married this weekend). But I will now use all my time and all my powers to finish lesson 13 by the 25th of July and the book by the 4th of August.
100%!
CHINESE IN 1 YEAR 