I have bilingual dreams in both English and Chinese! And yes, I do get asked this question too! My husband reports that when I talk in my sleep, though, it's always in chinese.
I can totally relate to this, though my experience was a bit different; still, to this day, I don't know if I dream in English or Hungarian; I would guess both. When you talk about your first phone calls in English, I could see myself about in the first weeks and months of being in America. Even though I was an English teacher and "fluent" in English, before coming to the US, in the beginning it took me too long to understand people, and even longer to form an answer in my head. They spoke too fast, and even thought I understood them, it was tiring to keep up a conversation...
Love your post! Thank you for sharing your experience! :)
You have mastered both Chinese and English! Great story about your learning experience with uncle Peter. All the play time you gave up to learn language and piano did provide you valuable assets later in life. I currently find it difficult to speak Chinese without mixing in a few English words. I only took two required English courses in college to meet graduation requirements so my English is not good either. How I wish I had a uncle Peter in my life too when I was young. ;)
I think for first generation immigrants like us, we are forever straddled in between two languages and cultures. In stead of feeling stuck, I want to connect the two.
I have bilingual dreams in both English and Chinese! And yes, I do get asked this question too! My husband reports that when I talk in my sleep, though, it's always in chinese.
Haha, it's quite telling how our subconscious works. :)
I can totally relate to this, though my experience was a bit different; still, to this day, I don't know if I dream in English or Hungarian; I would guess both. When you talk about your first phone calls in English, I could see myself about in the first weeks and months of being in America. Even though I was an English teacher and "fluent" in English, before coming to the US, in the beginning it took me too long to understand people, and even longer to form an answer in my head. They spoke too fast, and even thought I understood them, it was tiring to keep up a conversation...
Love your post! Thank you for sharing your experience! :)
And yet, we plowed ahead, and braved the challenges of this New World! :)
Thanks for reading!
You have mastered both Chinese and English! Great story about your learning experience with uncle Peter. All the play time you gave up to learn language and piano did provide you valuable assets later in life. I currently find it difficult to speak Chinese without mixing in a few English words. I only took two required English courses in college to meet graduation requirements so my English is not good either. How I wish I had a uncle Peter in my life too when I was young. ;)
I think for first generation immigrants like us, we are forever straddled in between two languages and cultures. In stead of feeling stuck, I want to connect the two.
Such a great story!!