I'm making a lot of new Chinese friends, which is awesome. I'm learning so much about Chinese culture, about how the Chinese perceive Americans, and I'm getting an inside look into life in rural China. I've always got somebody to hang out with, to take me out to new restaurants, and to show me cool things in and around Haimen. It's fantastic.
The one downside; my vocabulary is committing suicide. I find myself speaking in very short and basic sentences. No words over two syllables. I've never really been overly loquacious in person – I've always expressed myself better in writing – but now I find I have to stop myself from mimicking my Chinese friends English patterns. Even to other native English speakers.
We go restaurant, yes? I very like this.
Speaking like that is obviously not going to do any of us any good. My Chinese friends want to learn proper English, and I don't want to go around speaking like a toddler. I'm finding I must make a conscious effort to keep speaking like myself – not something I thought to be concerned about before I moved to China.
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