Last post from Taiwan

24 hours from now I will be on a plane somewhere over the Pacific Ocean flying back to Los Angeles. It's been an amazing three months, that have gone by very quickly. I'll answer a few questions to document this crazy event:

After 11 weeks of classes, 4 hours a day of additional studying, and living in Taiwan for 12 weeks, can you speak Chinese?

I can have a very basic conversation with people using only Chinese. It is frustrating, slow and humorous, but I can communicate with others only using Chinese. The unfortunate thing is right now, as I am leaving, I really feel like I am starting to pick up the language at an accelerated rate. If I could stay here for six months instead of just three months, I'd say I'd be able to speak the language at a very basic, but comfortable level.

When are you going to return back to Taiwan?

Honestly, I have no idea. Over the past 10 years I've visited Taiwan 10 times, perhaps the law of averages knows better than I do, but I really have no idea when I will be coming back. With a house, job, car, music and other commitments in Los Angeles, I'll have my hands full in the near future with a lot of things.

Are you going to continue to study Chinese in the USA?

Absolutely. I have a few books and DVD's that I will be working with to continue my studies. I've worked so hard and come so close to speaking the language at a comfortable level that I just can't see myself giving up. UCLA supposedly has some very good Chinese classes and there are three people at my job who speak Chinese, so I have no excuse for not continuing my studies.

I'm going to post one last blog when I return to the USA, but this is it from the Far East. I want to thank my wife Charlene, her family, my teacher Tian Lao Shi, my classmates and my friends for showing me a wonderful time in this great country of Taiwan.

"Zai jian wo de peng you!"

Jim