1 month of study!

I've now studied Chinese for four weeks, and the days pass quickly. This week we moved on to lesson 4 in our book. We've started to learn measure words, and there's many of them! Chinese use many different words for referring to different type of objects. Example: 3 books = San1 ben3 shu1 = 三本書. Ben3 本 is describing the type of object, and shu1 書 means book. This newspaper =  zhe4 fen4 bao4 = 這份報, where fen4 is describing the type of object. There's different measure words for long objects, flat object, electronical objects, vehicles etc etc. It's important to learn them though, especially the most used ones.

Some days in class are a lot of fun, while others are still quite frustrating. It helps to be well prepared though, by reading the current chapter and try to learn all the words before we start with the chapter in class, but even that is not always enough to avoid frustration. I try to remind my self that I'm no expected to understand every word that's spoken in class, as we actually haven't learned all of them yet. The important thing is to understand the content of the previous and current chapter, and therefor read the texts over and over again, listen to texts through the attached mp3-files several times, and write the characters over and over again. Some days I'm satisfied with the time I spend on study and homework, while I know that some days I could have done better.

Classmates eating lunch a couple of weeks ago :)

Study facilities

The library at campus offer a great study enviroment. In the basement you can get access to your own desk with- or without poweroutlet for laptops. It's quiet and a good place for concentration.

If you want to take a break from your study, you can go to first floor and borrow and watch a movie, alone or together with a friend, at one of the many available computers. Foreign students need to pay a fee and deposit of 3000NTD to borrow, I don't now if local students need to do the same. (I haven't paid the fee yet, but maybe I'll do it later..). It's also fun to see all the students sleeping around in the library, it seems to be a common thing to do..

In first floor of the appartment building where I live, there's also I nice place to do homework. The entrancehall offers tables, lighting, and is neither too noisy or too quiet ;) I might also talk to the nice gatekeepers to practise my Chinese.

Studentclubs and scholarship

This week there's been many welcomeparties by studentclubs. I attended the climbing club, magic club and the mixology club (cocktail club). I've met so many nice people and hope to be able to attend the club nights in the time to come.

Last friday I recieved my first scholarship-payment. 25.000NTD. I went straight to the cashier office and payed 22.500NTD for my next term. The winterterm is a little cheaper than the other terms because of the celebration of Chinese new year in February. I paid the fee now to get my enrolment certificate, which I will use to extend my ARC. I hope to go to the imigration office tomorrow to do this.

PS. I think I should try to take more pictures.. I didn't take anyone this week..