Blur:(

I am desperate to learn Mandarin.

I speak and listen a little. But right, I barely understand a full sentence. :(Wo bu dong Wo bu ming bai :(


I realised that I have a few disavantages not understanding Mandarin.
I can't socialize or communicate well enough with people.
Sometimes I try to avoid serving Chinese customers.
Even MeiQi knows that, so sometimes she tries to help me.
When I serve a Chinese who seriously doesn't know any English, I feel like as if a dog following her tail around without uttering a single word. The only thing I'll do is nod and smile. And the rest goes to MeiQi.
Sometimes the arrogant ones don't even wanna talk to me.

Sometimes I do get fed up too. Cos people tend to be curious and then ask me questions like :

• U're not Chinese arrhh??
• Are you a Malay?

That's the two top questions people will ask me. Honestly, this happens to me practically everyday in my life. Don't mind the curiosity, but imagine if like at least every person asking me everyday. And I have to answer the same thing everytime : I'm not fully Chinese.

But some annoying ones commented that it's not an excuse not to learn Mandarin. Cos my dad's a Chinese. Well you, yes he is a Chinese but my family's English educated plus my dad too wasn't brought up in a Chinese way. See, he's a Babanyonya. BUT, it's true one thing. That it should not be an excuse cos I am a damn half Chinese. I should know how to speak.

Not understanding Mandarin, seriously makes me feel far from people.

But also, I also love the attention sometimes. I mean, who doesn't? People think I'm different. =)=)

Despite some of the dirty comments, I do have more flattering comments too,like:

• No wonder you don't look like a typical Chinese lah. Your nose is sharper.
• Are you Australian/Portugese/Arabian/Siam/Philipino ?
  
• I thought you weren't from here.

Anyway, a funny situation happened today during work.

Customer came in and questioned me about a pretty top.
Customer: Blablabla. *she spoke in Mandarin which I don't understand*
Me : Er..sorry miss, but I don't speak Mandarin.
Customer: *luckily she knows English* Oh sorry. Do you have any tops that I can wear with 3/4 jeans?
I showed one, and she took it and tried it on , and comes out from the fitting room.
Customer: Got discount ornot?
Me : MeiQi, ada discount tak ni?
MeiQi : Ada..Tujuh puluh ringgit.
Me : *turns back to the customer* Got..it's seventy ringgit.
Customer:*Then speaks to MeiQi in Mandarin*
MeiQi :*spoke back to customer which mean rm70 also.*
Customer: Okay, I'll take this.
MeiQi : Anna, dia ambil tak baju ni?
Me : Ya, dia ambil yang warna grey.
Customer: Wait. Green or grey?
Me : Grey.
MeiQi :*speaks in Mandarin*
Customer: * also in Mandarin*
Customer:*Speaks to me* okay grey. :)

See, three Chinese people speaking in three different languages. Cacat-ed ornot? -.-
So, I need to learn Mandarin! :)


XOXO's