Heya!
So I finished my second lesson with my teacher Ling on Preply!
I recently found out about it and I am in love with it.
So basically you can learn any language with a private teacher over videochat.
You can also see the screen, depending if the person has a file or a program or something for schedule.
I wanted to be able to practice chinese with someone rather than using stupid apps that don't work.
Like when I was in Singapore and had the interaction with the teacher and the people, I learnt so much faster.
However, I cannot afford lessons. Usually, they are around 20-50€ per lessons here.
There are many teachers on the app that offer a 50 minute lesson for like 3-5€ or something.
That way I can schedule it weekly for practice and I am under 20€ in a month.
That's totally affordable!
Hell, I could even decide to learn two languages maybe.
But for right now, I want to get my chinese at least to the level, that I can have basic conversations.
It was so rusty, that when I tried the first lesson with her, I could not even say what my name is, ask about age or simply say "nice to meet you!".
So she started from 0 again, but since I know most of these things, I learn fast and my memory gets back. I also learn a couple new things with her for casual speech, that I did not learn in any other lessons or apps, which is kinda cool.
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I am almost done practicing the songs "Endure" and "Love Story".
Especially Love Story took some practice, since I was literally jumping octaves.
As next song I picked "One Mans Dream", because I wanted something a little bit simpler, but still melodic and beautiful.
And well, what can I say...I was wrong.
IT IS NOT EASY.
But also not as difficult as Love Story in my opinion.
I was so confused about playing the notes with my left hand and what fingers to use.
So, I looked up how someone else plays it, and on one channel he literally crosses his hand over.
I had done that before as a child in one song I learnt I cannot remember.
But hey, you got to come up with this...since I don't have a music teacher, I cannot tell by just looking at the notes.
Well anyway, I am determined to learn!
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Yesterday I ordered new books.
Yes I know, I have not read this whole year not one book...so why order more?
I felt a little torn again about what I believe in or not and always felt like there is something out there that might suit me.
Since I am a nonbeliever, I always felt like it's hard having nothing to guide you through life.
I did not ever need rules of a religion to decide what is right for me or not, but rather I felt like being a little lost with no guidance. Does that make sense?
So lately, I tried looking up for terms that might suit what I feel or think.
I got suggestions like pantheism, but nothing really felt like "That's it!" until I read more about Taoism.
The first time I heard of it, I kinda liked it and the idea of it but it was explained poorly so I didn't exactly know what it was about.
So this time I digged deeper and yep, this sounds like 99% of what is going inside my head.
There exists a religious version of it but mostly it is philosophical.
However, I kinda feel like even the religious side sounds...inspiring.
Yesterday night I post the story of Chang'e.
I heard it in Singapore in one of my chinese lessons but I forgot what her name was.
I just love stories like this.
So I ordered 4 books:
The Dao De Jing by J.H. Huang
The original writings you could say, in a modern translation with side notes of recent findings.
I thought this might make it more interesting.
The Complete Writings by Zhuangzi
So apparently Zhuangzi made Taoism more storylike in telling, so put this in as well.
Chinese Mythology by Anne M. Birrell
The "religious" part of Taoism and else I believe. It got suggested and honestly, even if there are other mythologies...like I said, I love stories and especially those from asia, mostly china in that case, are like the best stories to exist. They always come with a lesson.
and last but not least..
Monkey King by Wu Cheng'en
The Journey to the West classic...I heard of Wukong or Monkey King before but not exactly in detail, so I'd really like to read the story.
I heard a piano version of a song on XHS of a video game featuring Wukong and that song is incredibly epic.
Did I download the sheets for the piano? Yes, I did.
However it looks more advanced, so I might practice some other songs a little first before moving over to Wukong.
I hope these books might drag me out of my reading blockage.
Also it helps that I currently get sick of Netflix...I watched some interesting new shows I haven't seen yet like The Avatar or One Piece (the netflix show version). I also finished the show Phantom Lawyer, so obviously I was hooked for a while.
I just started Supernaturals again but since I already have seen the show, it does not excite me as much and functions more as background noise if I need any.
Tomorrow I might have to pick up my grandfather from the clinic, he had a tumor surgery and everything seems fine so far. I have to wait until he messages me and then I can go pick up my grandmother and drive to pick him up.
We will see what the doctors say tomorrow.
xoxo rinmero
