Oh-uh! I am in trouble. I know this day is coming but I didn't expect it to come so soon - coming to grip with my Chinese language again.
Gracie asked me how to write the numerals in Mandarin. Normally, Raine would handle Mandarin while I handle the English language for our 5-years old. But hey, I can handle 1 to 10. Yeah, right! I got stuck at 9. I had a hint of the problem at 7. I can vaguely remember the numbers but I wasn't so sure and 9 took the opportunity to floor me. I had to admit to Gracie that I had forgotten. It came back to me after a few minutes but it hit me that I had forgotten so much of what I had learnt in school. Just at a time when Mr Lee Kwan Yew was encouraging Singaporeans to use more Mandarin at home with their children and leave English to be taught by teachers at school.
Sheesh! Need to hit the book on Mandarin again. Just to keep up and be able to tutor Gracie. I gave on Mandarin years ago. I absolutely hated the subject. Mainly because of one lousy teacher - Mr Tan, my Mandarin lesson teacher in Primary 3 and Primary 5. I was tortured for 2 whole years and traumatised for the past thirty odd years. I look forward to Mandarin lesson as eagerly as one would look forward to having one's finger nails yanked out, and then dipped in sea water. I was humiliated every week when the result of the weekly spelling test was announced. I was made to stand in front of the class and given a dressing down before being smacked on my palm with a ruler.
The worst was dealt by my classmate. Once, my teacher organised a class debate in Primary 5 and divided the class into 2 opposing teams. The topic was whether a woman can be the President of Singapore. I was one of the top students in my class then (but obviously not in Chinese language). So, over my feeble protests (I was already paralysed whenever I attended Mandarin lessons), my classmate chose me to be one of the debaters. I was sick in the stomach for a few days. When the day of the debate came, my team mates thrusted at me, a few newspaper clippings and told me to read them. The next 5 minutes seem like hours as I stuttered and muttered. I broke out in cold sweats when I realised I could not even read most of the words. After a while, I gave up trying and fell silent. The whole class was quiet for a few moments, adding to my severe discomfort. It was worst than being hit by my teacher - the realisation that I was indeed that bad in my command of the Chinese language.
Fortunately, I had great teachers in Primary 6 and Secondary 4. The crucial years for examination (Primary School Leaving Examination and O Level respectively). Mdm Chen and Mrs Lim were perhaps, the most influential people in my life. They did not gave up on me. They gave me good reasons to study harder. Amazingly, I scored A for PLSE Chinese language and B3 for O level.
Of course, after leaving school, I left behind my Mandarin. In daily life, I use either English or Hainanese. I only spoke Mandarin to a few close friends. Well, until I met Raine. That is a story that I have already written about earlier.
Moving forward, I need to regain my proficiency in Mandarin. Sign!~ Thankfully, Mdm Chen and Mrs Lim had already proven to me that I can do it. Now it is for me to demonstrate to Gracie.
Gracie asked me how to write the numerals in Mandarin. Normally, Raine would handle Mandarin while I handle the English language for our 5-years old. But hey, I can handle 1 to 10. Yeah, right! I got stuck at 9. I had a hint of the problem at 7. I can vaguely remember the numbers but I wasn't so sure and 9 took the opportunity to floor me. I had to admit to Gracie that I had forgotten. It came back to me after a few minutes but it hit me that I had forgotten so much of what I had learnt in school. Just at a time when Mr Lee Kwan Yew was encouraging Singaporeans to use more Mandarin at home with their children and leave English to be taught by teachers at school.
Sheesh! Need to hit the book on Mandarin again. Just to keep up and be able to tutor Gracie. I gave on Mandarin years ago. I absolutely hated the subject. Mainly because of one lousy teacher - Mr Tan, my Mandarin lesson teacher in Primary 3 and Primary 5. I was tortured for 2 whole years and traumatised for the past thirty odd years. I look forward to Mandarin lesson as eagerly as one would look forward to having one's finger nails yanked out, and then dipped in sea water. I was humiliated every week when the result of the weekly spelling test was announced. I was made to stand in front of the class and given a dressing down before being smacked on my palm with a ruler.
The worst was dealt by my classmate. Once, my teacher organised a class debate in Primary 5 and divided the class into 2 opposing teams. The topic was whether a woman can be the President of Singapore. I was one of the top students in my class then (but obviously not in Chinese language). So, over my feeble protests (I was already paralysed whenever I attended Mandarin lessons), my classmate chose me to be one of the debaters. I was sick in the stomach for a few days. When the day of the debate came, my team mates thrusted at me, a few newspaper clippings and told me to read them. The next 5 minutes seem like hours as I stuttered and muttered. I broke out in cold sweats when I realised I could not even read most of the words. After a while, I gave up trying and fell silent. The whole class was quiet for a few moments, adding to my severe discomfort. It was worst than being hit by my teacher - the realisation that I was indeed that bad in my command of the Chinese language.
Fortunately, I had great teachers in Primary 6 and Secondary 4. The crucial years for examination (Primary School Leaving Examination and O Level respectively). Mdm Chen and Mrs Lim were perhaps, the most influential people in my life. They did not gave up on me. They gave me good reasons to study harder. Amazingly, I scored A for PLSE Chinese language and B3 for O level.
Of course, after leaving school, I left behind my Mandarin. In daily life, I use either English or Hainanese. I only spoke Mandarin to a few close friends. Well, until I met Raine. That is a story that I have already written about earlier.
Moving forward, I need to regain my proficiency in Mandarin. Sign!~ Thankfully, Mdm Chen and Mrs Lim had already proven to me that I can do it. Now it is for me to demonstrate to Gracie.
