What To Do Next?

**EDIT**

I'm using an app called ChineseSkill that helps you learn Chinese recommended by my sister.

http://www.fluentu.com/blog/
Fluentu is a very helpful website for people who want to learn new languages. There are multiple

Off the Great Wall is a great youtube channel that introduces Chinese Culture and Language.
https://www.youtube.com/user/NTDOffTheGreatWall/videos

Chinese Link
http://www.prenhall.com/chineselink/

http://wps.prenhall.com/wl_wu_chinese_link_2nd_edition/145/37150/9510631.cw/index.html
Chinese Link provides very helpful lessons for beginner learners in Chinese.  The lesson books/workbooks corresponding to the audio lessons will help but I believe are not necessary. However, if you want to learn how to recognize the characters and/or avoid the risk of confusing the vocabulary, I recommend getting the lesson book.

Great sculptors and artists spend countless hours perfecting their talents. They don't pick up a chisel or a brush and palette, expecting immediate perfection. They will understand that they will make many errors as they learn, but they start with the basics, the key fundamentals first. - Joseph B. Wirthlin (American businessman)

Brand New!

Hello! This is Amy Tsan :) ....the "T" is silent.....aha

This will be my first ever post of my first ever personal blog!
To whomever that may come across this, please bear with this noob-level blog (ahaha).
This blog will be showing my progress (or lack of progress...I mean NO! Only progress!) on my journey to learning Mandarin Chinese...and possible guest appearances from Cantonese Chinese. xD

I will be learning Simplified Chinese Characters rather than Traditional Chinese Characters just because it is what's commonly used nowadays. Even though Traditional Characters are beautiful, they can also be very complicated to memorize and recognize. *cry* So let's keep things simplified. *ba dum tss* Ah~? AH~? Ah. Okay.

I'll also be sharing anything I find interesting regarding to the language or the culture and whatnot. Anyone is welcome to share anything they find interesting or recommend as well!

One reason I believe why we should learn Chinese (or another any other language) is for the jokes (haha). The puns (hehe). The tongue twisters (hoho). Anything silly or fun that can make you and those around you laugh. (huhu) Everyone could use a good laugh or a little stress reliever now and then or to break some ice that suddenly appeared between you and someone you were suddenly introduced to and expected to get along with but the two of you have absolutely NOTHING to talk about so the both of you sit there awkwardly laughing awkward polite laughs while trying to avoid eye contact and finding intense interest in anything/everything else *inhale* *exhale*...... (hihi).
....although I am easily amused so what I find funny might seem pretty stupid to others...

Here's a joke that only makes sense using Chinese characters and tones:
(and probably only funny to those that are easily amused such as someone previously mentioned.... *cough*)

(Simplified Characters)
快考试了，老师在课堂上帮同学们做重点提示。 
老师：这一题很重要，在前面画星星。 
小志：老师....可不可以用打勾的啊，「猩猩」好难画哦....

(Translation)
Just before a test, the teacher was helping the students prepare by pointing out the important parts of the text. 
Teacher: This topic is very important. Mark this section with a star. 
Xiao Zhi: Can I just use a checkmark? A monkey is too hard to draw…

(Pinyin)
Kuài kǎoshì le, lǎoshī zài kètáng shàng bāng tóngxué men zuò zhòngdiǎn tíshì. 
Lǎoshī: Zhè yī tí hěn zhòngyào, zàiqián miàn huà xīngxing. 
Xiǎo Zhì: Lǎoshī, kě bù kěyǐ yòng dǎ gōu de a, “xīngxing” hǎo nán huà é …

*In Mandarin, "star" (星星) and "monkey" (猩猩) have the same sound and tone.*
Source:
http://mandarin.about.com/od/chineseculture/a/draw_star.htm

If you have reached this point, I thank you for sticking through this post and tolerating my ramblings. You're the best! >w<
Hope this sparked some interest for Chinese language/culture for someone!

Amy