Just had my first conversa- tion in Chinese about religion! It was with a young woman from Beijing who works as a tutor at China Institute, and I dare say I needed help with most of what I was saying. But still, we talked for an hour! I tried to write down some of the things she helped me say in the subway on the way home. Something I find very interesting is... I've heard Chinese young people read a lot of books about religion... Compared to Europeans American have faith but Europeans know more than Americans concerning religion... I would like to discuss these things with Chinese students... I taught Buddhism and Modern Thought... Some of my students are creating their own religion... I'd like to know if American and Chinese young people are the same... For most people knowing how to use religion is enough; for me, a professor, not enough... I'm studying Chinese in order to be able to have this kind of conversation! Approximate, no doubt (in a foreign language it's easier to use your few words, say your things, than understand fluent speakers' wealth of words and things) but it feels like I've arrived somewhere!Tuesday, June 17, 2014
我第一次有关宗教讨论
Just had my first conversa- tion in Chinese about religion! It was with a young woman from Beijing who works as a tutor at China Institute, and I dare say I needed help with most of what I was saying. But still, we talked for an hour! I tried to write down some of the things she helped me say in the subway on the way home. Something I find very interesting is... I've heard Chinese young people read a lot of books about religion... Compared to Europeans American have faith but Europeans know more than Americans concerning religion... I would like to discuss these things with Chinese students... I taught Buddhism and Modern Thought... Some of my students are creating their own religion... I'd like to know if American and Chinese young people are the same... For most people knowing how to use religion is enough; for me, a professor, not enough... I'm studying Chinese in order to be able to have this kind of conversation! Approximate, no doubt (in a foreign language it's easier to use your few words, say your things, than understand fluent speakers' wealth of words and things) but it feels like I've arrived somewhere!