Liang Shuangguan learns English in the first year (my road to immigration)

For overseas Chinese, learning the local language is the most basic level. However, I didn't know enough about 1982 when I immigrated to the United States. Now in the blink of an eye. I (people used to call me a clown) have immigrated to America for 25 years. A quarter of a century's immigration experience has made me fully aware of the importance of "language barrier".

Learn English at listening age.

Before I immigrated, I was the host of children's programs on Taiwan TV, which was very popular with parents and children. However, after immigrating to the United States, I couldn't continue my passionate career because I knew nothing about English. I have to work as a handyman in a Chinese restaurant, peeling onions and washing dishes all day, keeping company with vegetables and dishes. You don't need to listen, speak, read and write English to do these jobs. After a long time, I can't tell a, b, c and d.

When I retired from a Chinese restaurant, problems followed. Since there is nothing to do, I have to hang around all day and kill time in vain.

One day I read a report in a magazine about an immigrant from China who came to the United States to learn English. After studying English hard for 70 years, this companion finally achieved something, became a scholar and professor, and lived a full and rich life. As the saying goes, it is never too old to learn. Although I am getting old, I hope I can learn old things and live a meaningful life. So I made up my mind not only to start learning English, but also to learn English well!

I told my family this idea, and they all fully supported me, especially my daughter, who personally took me to the community-run school to register, pay fees and buy books.

In this way, from 65438 to 0994, I became a student in a community school and began my English study.

My first English teacher was Donna Macaulay. She was an amiable lady. When teachers and students met for the first time, she was very happy to learn that I was from China and asked me to translate her name into Chinese. "Donna" is the name of many convenience dessert coffee shops in America, so I had a brainwave and called her "doughnut" teacher. Unexpectedly, the Chinese name I gave her was very popular with teachers.

From this day on, I studied English with the doughnut teacher, starting with the most basic A, B, C and D, drawing letters, memorizing words, writing simple sentences and reading articles. The teacher taught me to be lively and active, and I studied hard and seriously. Until now, I still have the homework paper for drawing English letters for the first time, and I have been reluctant to throw it away.

Clarify the facts and enhance understanding.

Last summer and last winter, after learning English with doughnuts for one year, I could have a simple conversation with other students in English. Although sometimes I have to "tell others what to do" to express myself clearly, I am still very happy and I am studying harder.

There are more than 40 students in my class, all of whom are immigrants from all over the world. Every holiday, everyone will bring their own country's special food to the classroom for a party, such as fried rice and spring rolls in China, corn leaf rolls in Mexico, curry sauce in India, and Italian macaroni ... While tasting delicious food, everyone will talk and laugh, which not only enhances understanding, but also exercises oral English. Now that I think about it, it was really a happy time.

In the process of learning English at school, there is one thing that I remember vividly. That's a course. The "Donuts" teacher is talking about the primary school English lesson 1 1, telling a story. The teacher recited the text for us first, and I noticed a paragraph that said:

An old woman is walking home. She is carrying a bag of fruit. Suddenly, a monkey ran away with groceries.

Where did this happen? This happened in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is a big city, and there is a big problem, the monkey problem. About 700 monkeys live in the forest near Hong Kong. Monkeys come to town to eat.

This passage means that Hong Kong, as a big city, has a big problem, that is, 700 monkeys often run to the streets of Hong Kong to rob pedestrians of food.

When the doughnut teacher read this paragraph, the whole class was dumbfounded and shouted "My God!" (Oh, my God)

Before immigrating to the United States, I once went to Hong Kong to make a film and was very familiar with Hong Kong. How can there be such a thing as "700 monkeys on the street" in Mong Kok, Tsim Sha Tsui and Taiping Mountain? So, I raised my hand and said, "Teacher, Hong Kong is a metropolis with a population of more than 7 million, but as far as I know, there has never been a case where 700 monkeys rob pedestrians of food in the street."

Teachers and classmates looked at me with puzzled eyes, so I gave them a detailed introduction of what I saw and heard in Hong Kong, the bustling business and customs of Hong Kong. Finally, everyone thinks that in developed and civilized Hong Kong, monkeys will not rob pedestrians of food.

On that day, I was proud of my English for the first time, and I realized for the first time that learning English was not just to enrich my old age.

From my first day of learning English to now, 10 years have passed, and my "doughnut" teacher has retired. Although my teacher has retired, I think I will continue to learn English.

Editor's words

In his early years, the author of this article was a children's program host of Taiwan TV station, and the screen model was a "clown". "Clown", optimistic and positive, who brings joy to others, these qualities are also displayed between the lines of this article.

When immigrants first arrive overseas, their cultures are different, their languages are not fluent, and their living environment is full of hardships. The author began to learn English at the age of 65, and his courage and determination are particularly commendable.

13' s road to English learning is not easy for an old man. The process of learning is also a process of persistence. Find fun in persistence, create fun, strengthen faith in persistence, and eliminate misunderstandings. This positive attitude is worth learning.