About A Mandarin-Learning Bunch in Abilene TX

Joining this group allows people interested in promoting learning of the Mandarin language and Chinese culture to communicate (either in person at various activities or by electronic means) about activities, ideas, information, and plans related to that goal.

This group (bunch, coalition, alliance, or relationship network) exists for the purpose of working together to make things happen locally to help people learn both spoken and written Chinese and to understand and respect Chinese culture.

All ages are welcome, including children and their parents. Together we can assess needs and make plans accordingly. We are willing to do things differently to meet the needs of new members, but they must speak up and help us to develop workable options.

Note: We have often had folks express enthusiasm for joining our group, then we never ever meet them, and sometimes never hear from them again. New members who do not come to any activity, log into our web site, or contact us within a reasonable time (say, 6 weeks) after joining may be removed from our list.

Check out the following external links and their extensive collections of files and links:

http://groups.yahoo.c... (that is, "Austin Learns Chinese")
http://www.saynihao.o...
http://learn-chinese....
Also try out:
http://www.zapchinese... and
http://www.languagegu... (from Austin, Texas)
See the picture, read the text, hear the pronunciation (just guide your mouse over the picture, no clicking!) Alphabet, numbers, many categories of vocabulary. A wonderful resource.
http://www.arts.monas...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/...
http://learn-chinese....
http://www.ctcfl.ox.a...

When you get to know people from other parts of the world through their language, you are learning to understand others not from your own perspective but on their own terms, and that is one of the best ways to lessen prejudice and ethnocentricity. Marc Brudzinski, specialist in sociolinguistics, University of Miami (Florida)

If you want something to happen, you must make a space for it. 如果你想要一件事发生,你必须给它一个空间。Ru2guo3 ni3 xiang3 yao4 yi2jian4 shi4 fa1sheng1, ni3 bi4xu1 gei3 ta1 yi2 ge4 kong1jian1.

The fire can be made great only when more people contribute their wood to it (Chinese proverb). 众人拾柴火焰高。Zhong4 ren2 shi2 chai2 huo3 yan4 gao1.

Be not afraid of going slowly. Be only afraid of standing still. Chinese Proverb