My first phone call

[dstarsboy]

So there I was... playing a video game on my computer... enjoying my Sunday night... then I looked at the time. Great Scott! I have to call my SO for the first time! So I called her and boy was it weird!

 

I'll let ya know, I wasn't entirely unprepared. I have done around 40 Pimsleur 30 minute Mandarin lessons (half way through CD 2) and I actually thought I was hot stuff, breezing through whenever the audio guy asked for me to translate a sentence. I even wrote down, like, 20 phrases in Mandarin I could use on the phone.

 

Then she picked up the other line, said,"Hi" and I started spittin' my game. I must tell you that she understood about 20% of the Mandarin I was speaking! It was rediculous, I had no idea I was that bad! Surprisingly, she spoke English a little and was able to say some things, but most of the conversation exchanged between the two of us consisted of "I don't understand" said in about 20 different ways.

 

It was 30 minutes of frustration, but I must tell you I was excited and had fun and loved every minute of it. Even though she doesn't sound very happy about it, I convinced her that we should try talking once a week to get better and for the love of god, I hope we get better!

[Mick]

Actually, if she understood 20 percent of your Mandarin, you did pretty well. I lived in China for five years and had trouble hitting that high a mark.

[LeeFisher3]

It gets better, but talking on the phone even if it is saying you don't understand or laughing or just hearing her voice is great.

 

It takes time before you will have indepth conversation over the phone, but having fun and sharing the time together is it's own reward. Try not to get frustrated as that comes through the phone pretty easy, keep it light and happy.

[mercator]

Fun stuff. My wife is from GZ and "book Mandarin" and actual spoken Mandarin (at least in Guangdong), are WAY different.

 

http://www.xuezhongwen.net/chindict/chindi...e=worddictbasic

 

Great site, and they will verbalize the words. When I blow it, it just go there and have the site tell me. The guy is an Aussie, and his wife's Mandarin is Beijing-area. (I assume its her voice).

 

Nice crutch in those early calls, and a nice extra help when you are trying those difficult conversations later.

[warpedbored]

Don't sweat it. The first time I called my wife we didn't understand each other either. We continued to email and I would call her just to hear her voice. What helped the most though was when we both finally had webcams. My wife could read and write English pretty well then but had forgotten much of what she learned in middle school for speaking. Being able to read the words she heard me speak made a huge difference. being able to see her face and hear her laugh kept me sane.

[Randy W]

If you were able to successfully say good-bye - that is, hang up when both of you knew you were going to hang up - I would call that a successful phone call.

[Yuanyang]

Hey Dude, same story here as everyone else. Sounds to me like you two did great! It still takes time and patience. Let her laugh at your bad Chinese. That will help take the tension out and give her more confidence with her English. She'll get English down faster than you will get Madarin

 

BTW: If she has English reading/writing skills, and an electronic translator, it's a lot easier talking on the phone AND with a chat session for spelling out some words.

[Thomas Promise]

It does sound like you did a good job here. I remember the 1st time I called my So. We where both happy to hear from each other and we tried to understand each other as best we could.

Like Randy said if you know you are going to say good bye and each of you understand you had a sucessful phone call.

Just ask any Professional Telephone Solicitor.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

It was 30 minutes of frustration, but I must tell you I was excited and had fun and loved every minute of it. Even though she doesn't sound very happy about it, I convinced her that we should try talking once a week to get better and for the love of god, I hope we get better!

192335[/snapback]

Every person has their own personal tolerance level regarding communication and what effect a language barrier will have on a romantic endeavor. To me, while talking by telephone once a week with someone with whom you're attempting to learn about is a start, it's only that. Certainly you know whether or not this is something in which you're interested, or simply curious. At this stage for you, it's likely curiousity.

 

If you're not using Onesuite , Dynasky or one of the other calling card services, it would be a good idea to invest ten or twenty bucks so that you can call China for two cents a minute. Doing so will provide you some latitude at calling more often once and if you move beyond the curious to the interested level....

Edited February 21, 2006 by ShaQuaNew (see edit history)

[esun41]

If you were able to successfully say good-bye - that is, hang up when both of you knew you were going to hang up - I would call that a successful phone call.

192383[/snapback]

Yes, very successful indeed. Getting into a repetitive routine is the way to go. Developing that comfort zone and repeating the same phrases over helped us both communicate to each other.

 

Saying goodbye is big...

[david_dawei]

I remember my first call... I was told to NEVER call again !!!

 

BTW Randy... that was probably the only 'helmet moment', so good thing it was from afar! It's been all pillow fights since then...

[Joanne]

I am just painstakingly considering what I can do to earn income from home. Do you think I am able to earn some money from you guys interpreting for your phone calls? (Get some inside stories at the same time. )

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

I am just painstakingly considering what I can do to earn income from home.  Do you think I am able to earn some money from you guys interpreting for your phone calls?  (Get some inside stories at the same time. )

192545[/snapback]

I think you should publish your rates Joanne. Hmmm, three way call between Joanne, American guy, and Chinese girl; could be very interesting and helpful.....

[Joanne]

I am just painstakingly considering what I can do to earn income from home.  Do you think I am able to earn some money from you guys interpreting for your phone calls?  (Get some inside stories at the same time. )

192545[/snapback]

I think you should publish your rates Joanne. Hmmm, three way call between Joanne, American guy, and Chinese girl; could be very interesting and helpful.....

192547[/snapback]

Let me see... I usually put the little one to bed before 11, then I can stay up for a couple more hours. If I get paid 30 dollors/hour, then I can earn 60 dollors per day and 1200 per month assuming I work 20 days a month. It would be enough to cover our grocery bills plus the daycare.

 

Yes, my rate is $30/hour. Sounds fair?

[Joanne]

I am just painstakingly considering what I can do to earn income from home.?Do you think I am able to earn some money from you guys interpreting for your phone calls??(Get some inside stories at the same time. )

192545[/snapback]

I think you should publish your rates Joanne. Hmmm, three way call between Joanne, American guy, and Chinese girl; could be very interesting and helpful.....

192547[/snapback]

Let me see... I usually put the little one to bed before 11, then I can stay up for a couple more hours. If I get paid 30 dollors/hour, then I can earn 60 dollors per day and 1200 per month assuming I work 20 days a month. It would be enough to cover our grocery bills plus the daycare.

 

Yes, my rate is $30/hour. Sounds fair?

192562[/snapback]

It would be worthwhile for you to hire me. Because just letting your SO know how much money trickles away while you were talking would immediately put her hard at work learning English.