(Friday, March 20, 10:05am)

While living in the United States, I considered myself an advanced communicator.  I could talk to people from any state, any age, and any race, and feel like I could hold an intelligent conversation.

The main assumption was that the other party was speaking ENGLISH!

Here in Beijing, I am relegated to the communication level of a 2-year-old.  Because I cannot speak a lick of Chinese, my hand signals and body language are all I have.  I have picked up a few words along the way.  Complete sentences?  Not a chance.  Even the most basic tasks I did in the United States are very difficult for me without a translator.

As I write this, I am sitting at a small copy center trying to pick up my business cards I thought I ordered the night before.  Well, it turns out I only ordered a sample, and even that is not finished yet.

How many 2-year-olds do you know that can say "business cards" or "the layout is wrong."  If CCTV (China Corporate Television - state-sponsored and highly regulated) would broadcast "Sesame Street" in Chinese, I would probably watch it every chance I had.

It is equally embarrassing talking in my childish Chinese dialect to someone, and then find out moments later that he speaks perfect English!  Some are forgiving, while some who are maybe a little more educated may take it as a slap in the face that I assume they can't speak English.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  I'm not sure where the tunnel is, or what kind of light is either!  Just kidding.  It's a process, that's all, and I'm learning to enjoy it.