#Chinese Language Training Online

[languageintplaza]

Chinese Language Training Creates New Job Opportunities

There are many reasons why learning Chinese, which has over 1.2 billion native speakers globally, could appeal to you. Learning this most widely spoken language may be quite beneficial to both your personal life and professional career. The student may feel successful and have a wider range of opportunities if they are fluent in a foreign language, especially Chinese. Understanding Chinese can let you appreciate Chinese culture more thoroughly……..

[meiyuchinese01]

Chinese Language Training Institute in Delhi

In a world where borders are fading, and international communication is more essential than ever, learning a second language can open up a world of opportunities. Mandarin Chinese, as one of the most widely spoken languages globally, has gained immense importance in recent years. The demand for quality Chinese language training institutes is on the rise, especially in a multicultural city like Delhi. If you are looking for the best Chinese language training institute in Delhi, this guide will help you navigate the options and make an informed decision.

Why Learn Chinese in Delhi? Delhi, the heart of India, is a bustling metropolis known for its diversity and opportunities. With a rich cultural heritage and a thriving economy, the city has become a melting pot of various languages and cultures. Learning Chinese in Delhi comes with several advantages: 1. Expanding Career Opportunities China is a global economic giant. Learning Chinese can significantly enhance your career prospects, especially in fields like international business, trade, and diplomacy. With a strong understanding of the language, you can tap into a vast job market and communicate effectively with Chinese-speaking clients and partners. 2. Cultural Enrichment Understanding the Chinese language opens the door to a treasure trove of cultural riches. It allows you to delve deeper into Chinese traditions, history, and philosophy. This cultural enrichment can be a rewarding personal journey. 3. Enhanced Travel Experience If you plan to visit China for business or leisure, knowing the language can be a game-changer. It helps you navigate through the country, connect with locals, and truly immerse yourself in the Chinese way of life.

Characteristics of a Top Chinese Language Training Institute When you embark on your journey to find the best Chinese language training institute in Delhi, it’s essential to consider specific characteristics that set the top institutions apart: 1. Experienced and Qualified Instructors A reputable institute should have instructors with extensive experience and the necessary qualifications to teach Chinese. Look for teachers who are native speakers or possess advanced proficiency in the language. 2. Comprehensive Curriculum The institute should offer a well-structured curriculum that covers all aspects of the language, including reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The curriculum should also be tailored to different proficiency levels, from beginners to advanced learners. 3. Small Class Sizes Smaller class sizes ensure more personalized attention and better learning outcomes. It allows instructors to focus on the individual needs of each student, fostering a conducive learning environment. 4. Interactive Learning A top institute will employ interactive teaching methods to keep students engaged and motivated. These may include group discussions, multimedia resources, and real-life scenarios to apply what you’ve learned. 5. Resources and Facilities The institute should provide access to a library, language labs, and other resources to support your learning journey. An environment conducive to learning, with the necessary tools at your disposal, is vital. 6. Cultural Enrichment Activities In addition to language training, the best institutes often organize cultural events and activities. These help students gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture, further enhancing their language learning experience. 7. Track Record of Success Consider the institute’s track record. Do they have a history of producing successful Chinese language learners? Testimonials and success stories from previous students can provide valuable insights.

Conclusion Learning Chinese in Delhi can be a transformative experience, opening doors to new career prospects, cultural enrichment, and enhanced travel experiences. To make the most of your journey, it’s crucial to choose the best Chinese language training institute in Delhi. Consider factors such as experienced instructors, comprehensive curriculum, small class sizes, interactive learning, and a track record of success when making your decision. If you are determined to embrace the language of opportunity, your journey starts with the right institute. So, get ready to embark on a linguistic adventure and explore the richness of Mandarin Chinese.

[gremlingottoosilly]

Mrs. König who cannot stand still when she is anxious, in this case being captive in her own home without doing much change her activities every 5-10 minutes so as not to enter into crisis.

König would accept to buy material/courses to learn another language other than German? This his dear wife will continue to depend on him in that country, and will not enter into a crisis due to boredom.

Konig is willing to buy her the moon if she'd only ask for it! As long as her hobby doesn't require her to constantly be around other people, especially men, he is fine with her getting put if the house for a little bit. Would be more willing if he'd be the one to drive her, since he is too worried about her on her own.

He will expand on his small gym area in the house to include some if the equipment she might want! Sport is a good way of burning energy, and they can be training buddies together!!

He us fine with her getting an online language course for, for example, French or Chinese. He'd pay for individual classes and buy her all books needed. He is proficient in more languages than what you might think – he knows a bit if everything, French, Italian, some if slavic expressions as well, so he'd encourage darling to get as much hobbies as she might want.

He will also take her out whenever he can! To theaters, to parks, to sone dumb movies and nice cozy cafés without a lot of people around, so they both would feel comfortable.

[demifiendrsa]

Capcom Fighting Collection 2 - Announce Trailer

Capcom Fighting Collection 2 will launch for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam) in 2025.

The list of included titles is as follows:

Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro

Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001

Capcom Fighting Evolution

Street Fighter Alpha 3 UPPER

Project Justice

Power Stone

Power Stone 2

Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein

Key visual for illustrated by Shinkiro

Title logo

Screenshots

Overview

About

Combining hard-hitting classics like Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 with fan favorite brawlers like Power Stone 2 in one knockout package, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 comes chock-full of new features including online play and quality-of-life updates across all eight games!

Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is a lights-out collection of fighting games and fun-filled classics hitting modern platforms for the first time, including:

Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro

Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001

Capcom Fighting Evolution

Street Fighter Alpha 3 UPPER

Project Justice

Power Stone

Power Stone 2

Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein

Key Features

Face Off with Friends Online – Online play is available across all eight titles, featuring rollback netcode for a strong and stable online experience!

Hit the Training Bag – Training Mode is now available across all titles with tons of customizable options!

Expanded Language Support! – 14 languages will be supported including English, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, French, Italian, German, Castilian Spanish, Russian, Polish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Arabic!

A Museum’s Worth of Content – Explore art and music galleries with official art, concept art, design documents, and more never-before-seen content.

Customize Your Experience – Fine-tune specific features of your gameplay experience via EX Settings specialized to each game, various Display Filters, button customization, and more.

Need a Snack Break? – Mid-game saves have now been added!

Additional Updates – Various gameplay balance adjustments and quality of life improvements across all eight games.

[thatsonemorbidcorvid]

5 minute read

Women who are groped on trains in East Asia face the further threat of their assault being filmed and uploaded for sale online. In a year-long investigation, the BBC World Service's investigative unit, BBC Eye, has gone undercover to unmask the men cashing in on sexual violence.

It was the morning rush hour in Tokyo. The train was packed and rocky.

Takako (not her real name) was on her way to school. The 15-year-old tried to hold on to a grab bar.

Suddenly, she felt a hand pressing on her behind. She thought someone had accidentally bumped into her.

But the hand started to grope her.

"That's when I finally realised - it was molestation," Takako recalls.

The hand quickly disappeared in the crowd. "I couldn't do anything about it." She arrived at school in tears that day.

That was her first time being sexually assaulted on public transport, but Takako was molested almost daily for more than a year on her commute. On countless nights, she went to bed crying. "I felt like there was no hope in my life," she says.

Many women like Takako are targeted in public by sexual predators. In some cases, they face another violation - the attack is filmed and the videos are sold online.

Most videos follow the same pattern - a man secretly films a woman from behind and follows her on to a train. Seconds later, he sexually abuses her. The men act discreetly, and their victims can seem totally unaware. These graphic videos are then listed on the websites for sale.

In a year-long investigation, we traced the men behind three websites which sell and produce thousands of these sexual assault videos.

An epidemic in Japan

Encountering sexual abuse almost daily, Takako found herself unable to speak up during the act due to fear and shame. But every night, she covered her mouth with a towel and repeatedly practised in front of the mirror how to call out a harasser: "This person is a 'Chikan'!"

"Chikan" is a Japanese term describing sexual assault in public, especially groping on public transport. It also describes the offenders themselves.

Chikan perpetrators typically take advantage of crowds, and the victims' fear of causing a scene. In Japan, speaking too directly and openly may be seen as rude.

Thousands of arrests are made every year for Chikan offences, but many more go undetected and unpunished. Saito Akiyoshi, mental health professional and author of a book about Chikan, says that only about 10% of victims report the crime.

The Japanese police encourage victims and eyewitnesses to speak up, but the crime is far from being eradicated. The problem is so widespread that even the UK and Canadian governments warn travellers to Japan about it.

Chikan has been normalised by its prominence in Japan's adult entertainment industry. One of the most popular types of pornography in the country - the Chikan genre - has spread to other Asian countries.

Chikan websites

One Chinese-language website called DingBuZhu (which means "I can't hold it" in Chinese) immediately caught our attention.

It's a marketplace for Chikan videos, filmed secretly on mobile phones in crowded public places, such as trains and buses. They are shot across East Asia, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China.

Some videos cost less than a dollar. The site even once allowed users to order tailor-made abuse videos.

We also found links on DingBuZhu to two other websites - Chihan and Jieshe - with the same type of content.

There is a Telegram group with 4,000 members who share tips on how to sexually abuse women.

One name kept coming up on the Chikan websites - "Uncle Qi".

He was hailed as the guru in this community. Dozens of abuse videos were labelled as his work. On Twitter, he put up teasers of the websites' videos to his 80,000 followers. But who was he?

The Telegram group we had been monitoring revealed a clue. One day, an admin claimed in a series of messages that he had abused a woman with Uncle Qi.

The messages were accompanied by photos of a woman standing on what appeared to be a metro platform.

Within hours, we found a match for the location - Ikebukuro station in Tokyo.

And there were more leads pointing us to Japan.

The websites listed a Paypal account receiving Japanese yen which was linked to a Gmail address. When we put the address through Google Contacts, the profile picture that came up was a young man with an elaborate hairstyle and theatrical makeup.

A reverse image search put a name to the face - Noctis Zang, a 30-year-old Chinese-born singer living in Tokyo. He was the frontman of a metal band called The Versus.

Noctis had a glamorous public image, but we soon found something hidden behind it.

In early 2022, The Versus' photographer had alleged on Chinese social media platform Weibo that Noctis built "porn websites" alongside another band member, Lupus Fu.

He had posted pictures of a notebook, which showed some accounting and video categories similar to those on the websites. The photographer had also posted a video which appeared to show Noctis's browsing history, with links to Chihan, Jieshe and the admin pages of DingBuZhu.

Could this rock singer be Uncle Qi?

Unmasking the admins

Posing as a music talent scout called Ian, our undercover journalist met Noctis at a fancy rooftop bar in Tokyo.

They first talked about music, but the chat soon moved on to the subject of sex. When Ian said his company used to make porn films, Noctis's eyes lit up.

The two met several more times, and they even celebrated Noctis's birthday together.

Noctis introduced Ian to his fellow band member Lupus Fu, whose name had been mentioned by The Versus' photographer. Lupus, also from China, was studying sociology in Japan.

Ian said his company planned to invest in porn sites and asked if they knew anything about this business.

Noctis confessed he had "some exposure" through a friend, "Maomi", who had created his own porn sites with "metro" content.

Ian then casually brought up DingBuZhu.

Lupus and Noctis both laughed: "That's Maomi's website!"

They revealed that the person behind the Chikan websites was a Chinese man in Tokyo nicknamed Maomi. They said Maomi was reclusive and paranoid.

Noctis and Lupus also admitted that they played admin roles for the websites.

They spelled out their business model.

"In China, sex is the most suppressed," Noctis said, "Some men are very perverted, they just want to see women getting…" Lupus finished the sentence: "screwed over."

Lupus said he was in charge of promoting abuse videos on Twitter. Noctis revealed that he had uploaded more than 5,000 videos on the websites, received payments for the business and taken 30% of revenue. The rest he had transferred to Maomi.

Lupus also said he could help connect Ian to Maomi.

The Chikan club

On a quiet back street in the red-light district of Yokohama, a storefront decorated like a metro station catches your eyes. A sign spells out its concept: "legal Chikan trains".

In this sex club, called Rush Hour, customers can pay to enjoy the Chikan experience legally.

Its manager Hasuda Shuhei welcomes us on board. "We let people do things that can't be done outside. That's why people come here."

Inside, a sickly-sweet smell of cleaning products permeates the air. Private rooms are decorated like train carriages and equipped with a sound system that plays train announcements. Even the club's membership cards look exactly like Japan's transportation cards.

"I think it's important for men to be able to pay to vent in place like this, so they don't commit rape and other forms of sexual assault," says Hasuda.

Mental health professional Saito says that the matter is not as straightforward as Hasuda claims. He says that most Chikan perpetrators are aroused by the idea of domination over and humiliation of their victims.

"They do not treat their victims as equals, but as objects."

It's an opinion that rings true with Takako.

After months of assaults, she fought back one day. As she felt a hand reach for her skirt in a packed train carriage, Takako shouted at the top of her lungs and grabbed the assaulter by his wrist.

Takako took the man to court, where he only got a suspended sentence, even though he had previously been caught for Chikan offences.

Disappointed by the outcome of her case, Takako went on to start an anti-Chikan campaign, producing colourful badges reading "Chikan is a crime!" People can wear them to show they will not keep silent.

"It's a deterrent for criminals," says Takako, who is now 24. There is now an annual anti-Chikan badge design contest among Japanese high school students.

The hamster

Maomi means "kitty cat" in Chinese. However, Lupus said his personality was more like a hamster. "He's harmless, but cautious of everything and he sometimes overreacts."

Lupus was right. Maomi repeatedly refused to meet Ian.

But on Chinese New Year's Eve, Ian's luck changed. Maomi agreed to a meeting at a karaoke bar.

The air was thick with cigarette smoke, the sound of clinking glasses and Chinese pop songs.

The person who turned up was not who we expected. A skinny young man wearing half-rim glasses and a dark trench coat, Maomi looked like he could be a college student. He said he was 27.

Showing an interest in investing in his business, Ian asked how much he made.

"Our daily turnover is around 5,000-10,000 Chinese Yuan (US$700-$1,400; £565-£1,130)," Maomi said proudly, showing the transactions on his phone. "Very stable income, right?"

Ian acted impressed, and mentioned the name Uncle Qi.

Maomi admitted: "I am Uncle Qi."

But to our surprise, he revealed Uncle Qi was not just one person.

He managed a team of 15 people, including 10 in China who made videos under the same name. Maomi received 30 to 100 videos from them each month.

The videos were then sold on the three websites which Maomi confirmed he owned. They had more than 10,000 paying members, mostly Chinese men.

"The key is to be authentic. It has to be real," Maomi said. He later told us his websites even sold videos of drug-facilitated rape.

Maomi talked about his business as though it were any other budding start-up. He described his team as "passionate" and "brave". He even casually mentioned he had been training others to carry out and film sexual assaults.

But there was one thing he never mentioned - the women in his videos. It was as if they didn't matter to him at all.

Maomi exposed

We wanted to know Maomi's real identity. At another meeting with Ian, he opened up about how he got into this business.

Like many boys, Maomi liked Superman, anime and video games growing up. But when he was 14, he started watching sexual assault videos like the ones he sold now.

He knew his business was not risk-free.

"I am so cautious," Maomi said. "Safety first." To avoid scrutiny from the Chinese authorities, he planned to naturalise as a Japanese citizen.

However, as careful as Maomi was, he made a mistake.

When Ian asked where to send the investment funds, Maomi pulled out his bank card and handed it to Ian.

The card revealed his real name - Tang Zhuoran.

Later, we confronted Maomi with our allegations.

As we approached, he tried to cover his face and walked away. And all of a sudden, he snapped, hitting out at our camera and crew.

The next day, by coincidence, we spotted Maomi at the airport. He was leaving Japan.

Uncle Qi's Twitter account, where he openly promotes the abuse videos, is still active.

Twitter did not respond to our request for comment. Instead, they sent us a poo emoji, which has been an automatic reply to any inquiry directed to their press email since March.

We also put our allegations to Noctis and Lupus. They did not respond. We have since learned they no longer work with Maomi.

On a spring day, we meet up with Takako to tell her about our investigation. Appalled, she says: "We women are just content in their videos. They see us as objects. They don't think we have a heart."

Takako advocates for tougher laws against these crimes.

Japan is set to reform its sexual assault laws. However, campaigners say these changes don't go far enough.

But Takako will not give up. "We will not cry ourselves to sleep."

Additional reporting by Chie Kobayashi, Ryuzo Tsutsui, Hanae Arrour Takahashi and Joel Gunter

[maigeiko]

Back in 2021, I was asked if there was any book about Geisha I would not recommend. The time has finally come. Time for a book review. The Flower and Willow World, the Story of the Geisha Girl, by A. C. Scott (no ISBN) Date of Publication: 1959 Language: English Format: Hardcover Availability: Found at plenty of online antiquarian bookshops Price: 10-25 EUR Errors: I didn't count, but, yes The author writes that this book is for people who have absolutely no clue about what a Geisha is or does. If there was any western person in 1959 with a genuine interest in Geisha... Mr. Scott did them a disservice with writing this book. But let's start with the good points. + nice photos + an actual English-language book about Geisha And that's it! Bad points? - the first 100 pages or so are solely about ancient Chinese entertainment, which, according to Mr. Scott, was the precursor to early Geisha - everything was better in the old days - Geisha training may be more humane now, but - they are more specialised in their arts! No more allround artists (not sure where he got that idea from?) - dude is constantly writing "Yedo" instead of "Edo", even when referring to present-day Tokyo - Shinbashi, Akasaka and Yanagibashi are the "good" Tokyo Kagai. The others are not worth mentioning - there are no Hangyoku in Tokyo anymore! (simply wrong! It seems as though Shinbashi had no Hangyoku in the 1950's, but there are photos of Tokyo Hangyoku from undefined Hanamachi from 1945 and 1956. Akasaka Odori 1955 had three Hangyoku participating.) - since the minimum work age was raised after the war, Maiko don't exist in Kyoto anymore. They are just young Geiko dressed as Maiko (for real?) - the worth of a Geisha doesn't depend on her dedication to her job, or her artistic skill, but the city in which she's registered - bad labelling of the photos. Shinbashi Geisha are labelled as such. Then, there are some "country Geisha" and a "pre-War Geisha" from an undefined city, and a "Tokyo Geisha" from an undefined district. - detailed biography about Shinbashi Geisha Okoi, probably under the impression of the book "Three Geishas" by Kikô Yamata, released in 1956, and the death of former Okoi in 1948. I'm curious how much overlapping I'll find once the opportunity to read this book, and if it isn't just majorly ripped off... (no source is given in Scott's book) Rating: 2/5

[traineecryptid]

NPSS Weibo Q&A (20240831) Part 9

This is a Q&A session held on Weibo. People will tag their questions with the hashtag #南派三叔藏海花在线答疑# (#NPSS Zang Hai Hua Online Q&A#) and NPSS will look through the tag to pick some to answer. The event started at 1500 hours on 2024 August 31st.

Folder with screenshots and big compilation google doc is here. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here. Part 3 is here. Part 4 is here. Part 5 is here. Part 6 is here. Part 7 is here. Part 8 is here.

1301

Q: Shu, what’s the flower language for the Tibetan Sea Flower? A: The distance of a step. (T/N: this is a proverb meaning something that is very close either in distance or as in close to success.)

1302

Q: If the black spot’s tunnels can go from Inner Mongolia to Mount Kunlun, doesn’t that mean that it’s a good candidate for making train tracks? Could it be that the few key locations have tunnels connecting them? When Xiaoge disappeared during the West Queen, did he go somewhere tens of kilometers away?

A: Uh… That’s not my profession. 

1303

Q: Sanshu, Sanshu, I really need to know this. When Hei Xiazi and Xie Yuchen finish their mission and go back to their hotel at night, would they chat and drink wine to unwind?

A: On the way, Hei Xiazi would suggest eating at all the street food stalls but would be rejected every time. In the end, the two of them would buy some bread and make do with sitting by the city’s river.

1304

Q: Why does the Zhangs' names always have to do with seafood? Then why isn’t there a Zhang Cuyu? (T/N: Zhang Vinegar Fish.)

A: Now there is. It’s you.

1304

Q: Does Wu Xie like to eat Chinese bayberries? Would he go up to the hills to harvest bayberry during summer while sightseeing the spring in the hills and then make bayberry wine?

A: He likes them but worries that there’s bugs [inside them].

1304

Q:Sanshu, Sanshu, can you describe Hei Xiazi and Xie Yuchen’s story in Iceland in three characters? A: Insanely crazy. (T/N: this was four characters in chinese.)

1305

Q: I would like to know how Sanshu picks the questions to answer. Do you just scroll and pick whichever that you like?

A: [I pick] the ones that I have answers for at first glance. I won’t answer those that require me to think for half a day.

1305

Q: Lei, why do you say that you want to lose weight every year? But why are you still a little fatty every year? Did you say that you’ll do Pilates? Didn’t you say that you want to act as Wu Xie? How will this work if you lack determination?

A: I walked ten thousand steps at 5am yesterday.

1307

Q: What is Hei Xiazi better at, the violin or the erhu?

A: Violin, but musical instruments are interconnected.

1311

Q: Shu, will we see Zhang Yixing act as Eryue Hong again in this lifetime? The prettiest Honghong.

A: I don’t know. Leave it to fate. I’m very chill. (T/N: the term he used here “佛“ is an internet slang meaning to be unconcerned, let things be like Buddha would. )

1312

#NPSS Zang Hai Hua Online Q&A# A lot of people wanted to know how the paper dolls move around. You’ll understand it after looking at this explanation picture about the Kumuli Snake Disaster from Zang Hai Hua.

1317

Q: Is it a leader-follower relationship between the big paper doll and the small paper doll? Then why did Wu Xie see the big paper doll eating the small paper doll?

A: Snakes eating snakes.

1319

Q: I can't stop thinking about this: When Wu Xie and the gang are on the road of adventure for so long, would their hair get oily? How do they deal with this? Would they bring shampoo and wash up now and then? A: What’s wrong with Xie oil? Is Xie-oil inauspicious? (T/N: the comments say that there’s a pun here, but I can’t figure out what’s the pun.)

1323

Q: Does Zang Hai Hua’s Zhang Qiling’s muscular body fit your imagination? A: It’s not bad.

1326

Q: Sanshu, Sanshu, when there’s nothing to do around Yucun, would Wu Xie feel like his current life is like a dream?

A: This feeling is very nuanced. A dream is too shallow of a description.

just one update for today! i've gotten a bit lazy with translating today because there are a few long ones in a row... wah wah wah whine whine.

[marlo-noni]

Here's part 2 of my Mandarin learning journey. For part 1, go here.

After I left university in 2003, I started working in an office. I was able to scrape together enough money to travel to China for 6 weeks in 2005.

I was 25 years old when I went to China for the first time in October-November 2005. I was traveling on my own, and I really didn't have much money, so it was the backpacking type of travel.

I started in Hong Kong, in Chungking Mansions. Then stayed with a friend of a friend in Guangzhou. Then I bussed to Yangshuo, Guangxi province; then an overnight train to Kunming, Yunnan province. Then buses to Dali and then Lijiang in Yunnan. Then back to Kunming, and then a 36-hour train ride back to Guangzhou (this was before high-speed rail in China), and then finally back to HK for a final week.

This was before smartphones and social media. It was the era of internet cafes in China - that was the only way you could get online. It was also before the Great Firewall (China banned Google in 2010). I kept in touch with my family and friends through email, long-distance phone cards, and Livejournal. My posts are still up, actually (that's the first one; you can use the navigation arrows to go to the next one).

My only way of looking up Chinese vocab when I was there was my Oxford Chinese-English dictionary, which as you can imagine is extremely limited! So I had lots of experiences where I embarrassed the heck out of myself and/or was simply not able to get my point across or understand what someone was saying to me. But that's also just learning a second language. Your skin gets thicker the more you do it. There were plenty of times where I was speaking to people who didn't know any English (see: literally 99% of the people on the train), so I just had to muddle through.

Being a white foreigner obviously helps - most people were pretty curious and friendly. When I was in Lijiang (where there were a ton of Chinese tour groups and hardly any foreigners), people wanted to take their picture with me.

I could say plenty more about this trip, but this is about my Mandarin learning journey. You can go read my account of it on Livejournal if you like. Keep in mind it's my PoV from 2005.

When I came back to Canada, I worked in the same office for about a year until I got totally sick of it, and then I became a bike courier for 9 months. This is relevant to the story. Being a bike courier affords you a lot of freedom, but it's physically tough and the pay is terrible. So I started applying for office jobs again, and I eventually got hired as a receptionist for a woman who was a notary public and immigration consultant. The reason she hired me is because I could speak Mandarin.

So, I worked as a receptionist/legal assistant at that office from 2007 to 2013 using my shitty Mandarin every day. My boss was from Taiwan and had originally been a paralegal at an immigration lawyer's office, until she started her own notary and immigration consulting practice. She was also a certified Chinese-English translator. So, the whole reason I'm a paralegal today is because this one lady wanted a receptionist who spoke fluent English and also understood some Chinese.

There were some really great things and really terrible things about that job. The good: I got to use Chinese every day, I learned how to be a legal assistant (notaries in my province can handle real estate transactions and prepare Wills and Powers of Attorney, and immigration consultants represent immigrants to Canada and prepare and submit their applications), and I got to do some simple translations because she was also a certified translator. I also gained a very rudimentary ability to read some traditional Chinese. Most of our clients were from the Mainland, though, not Taiwan.

The bad things: the pay was terrible (I started at $12/hour and ended at $18/hour, and by the end I was fully doing paralegal-level work - at my current job, I make about $42/hour now before taxes!), during the 2008 economic crash my boss had to cut my hours to 4 days/week because she lost a bunch of money in the stock market, and my boss was a tyrant. She scolded me a lot, and I'd often get in trouble for reasons that totally mystified me. I'm sure some of it was cultural, but I also think she was just unnecessarily harsh a lot of the time.

I knew someone who worked at a big law firm who tried to get me hired there, but their HR said I needed to get a legal assistant certificate, so I eventually went to school for 8 months full-time to get that, and then I got hired at my current law firm. I've been working at my current law firm since 2013.

The drawback for my Chinese learning at my current firm is that it's a legitimate mid-size law firm. There are about 45 lawyers. So everything has to be super professional, which means even though I speak some Chinese, I can't use my busted-ass Mandarin with clients. I know very little legal terminology, so anytime a lawyer wants someone to interpret, I can't really do that. Plus, it's Vancouver, so there are already some legal assistants at my firm who are actually fluent in Chinese who can do proper interpreting.

So, Chinese went back to being my hobby. That meant that there were ebbs and flows. I remember watching The Legend of Zhen Huan (Empresses in the Palace) in about 2015 when there was a super edited version of it on Netflix, and I got into it enough that I found the original series with English subs on some streaming site like Dramacool/Kissasian/its equivalent and watched the whole thing. After that, I watched the first half of Nirvana in Fire before something else grabbed my attention - eventually I need to watch that entire series! I remember learning a bunch of guzhuang vocabulary from those series that I hadn't heard before, like concubines referring to themselves as 奴婢, and people saying 陛下息怒 when the emperor was angry.

But what really happened is that my Chinese languished for quite a while. In 2017 I started planning a trip to Japan that I'd eventually take in 2019, and I started studying Japanese on Duolingo and then Lingodeer. I also discovered Skritter at that time, and used it to practice kanji, which of course I already had a huge head-start on because of Chinese. And I gotta say, even though Japanese has a very complicated writing system, it is SO MUCH easier to learn than Chinese, at least in my experience.

Then the pandemic hit, and I'm a white girl on Tumblr with an interest in Asian culture and a Netflix subscription, so what happened next was - you guessed it - in early 2021, I watched The Untamed for the first time. And when I finished it, I rewatched it again. And then I fell down that entire rabbit hole.

And as ridiculous as it is, The Untamed is what fully reignited my Chinese learning so that I'm at the point today where I've learned about 2900 Chinese characters, and I can watch Liu Yuning's livestream and understand about 75% of it. But let's leave that for the next part of this long-ass story.

[satoshi-mochida]

Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road Worldwide Beta Test Demo for Switch launches March 28, fifth trailer

From Gematsu

The Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road Worldwide Beta Test Demo will launch for Switch on March 28 at 4:00 a.m. PT / 7:00 a.m. ET / 20:00 JST, LEVEL-5 announced. It will support English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Portuguese (Brazil) language options.

Here is an overview of the beta test, via its official website:

Competition Mode

Enjoy competing online or against bots, and train up your players! A spectator mode is also available to watch online matches!

Team Formation Tips and Tricks

All characters have their own Team Passives. Think of how to combine them to bring out the best in all of your team members!

Increase Rarity via Spirits

The higher a player’s rarity, the better they are! To increase a player’s rarity, you’ll need Spirits, which you can acquire by playing matches!

Player Selection

You can select up to 48 players for your team! Assemble your dream team! Teams include Inazuma All-Stars, National Champs, and Alius Masters.

Victory Gallery

Win matches to flip over the panels and reveal concept art! There are plenty of pieces of character art and scenery to find. 100 in total!

Story Mode

Enjoy the main story! The main story, featuring Destin Billows, our new protagonist, will be added soon! It will also feature a wealth of animated cutscenes !

Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road is due out for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, PC via Steam, iOS, and Android in 2024.

Watch a new trailer below.

Trailer #5

English

Japanese

Traditional Chinese

Simplified Chinese

[dognonsense]

oh i didn’t know you were from singapore! do you speak another language?

Singapore girly heree!! I was born in hong kong and raised in singapore from 2 and a half to 18

And yep i speak mandarin, no cantonese tho. I learned from kindergarten to grade 12 full way thru. I can read, write and speak :3 but i like writing best. I also have the chinese keyboard shortcut on my keyboard. Its rlly fun because it fucks up ppl who try to search smth on my phone for example their url on instagram, because suddenly they misclick the globe button and now everything they write becomes chinese.

Lmao i was going thru my old quizlets on the train this week trying to work on it more :3 funny that the quizlets i used in middle school r still available online from my teacher in 2015.

[banqanas]

Guide on where to find official EXILE TRIBE contents

This list focuses on sites/services that is managed by LDH, therefore does not include social media

Includes free and paid contents

Disclaimer: Focuses more on Jr EXILE groups contents as they're the ones I follow most.

I try to include pictures for most points, please click on them to see the details clearly

FREE

CL (LDH's own VOD site)

Type of content available:

live cast from groups & individual members

short live broadcast (<10 minutes) during concerts

original LDH show/programs (limited quantity)

is also one of the main platforms to interact with artists

✅ Not region blocked, targeted for JP & international fans

✅ Some shows have subtitles and are available in multiple languages (English, Chinese, Thailand, Korean)

✅ Types of shows varies and some dated before ~2017 (you can get to know the group from their formation until their current state)

2. Radio

Type of content available:

Early preview of new songs

Members responding to listener's requests & questions

Behind the scene stories

Some groups/members serve as DJ for various radio programs on different mediums. Some examples include:

GENERATIONS: CultureZ (Sano Reo DJ - broadcasted live on YouTube) THE RAMPAGE: WEEKEND THE RAMPAGE (Zin and RIKU DJ - BayFM) FANTASTICS: Fantastics Radio (all members - OsakaFM), Design Your Fantastic Future (Nakajima Sota DJ - FM802), Quartet (Jr Exile) EP (Sato Taiki DJ - Exile Tribe Mobile), SawaSota's carefree radio show (CL) BALLISTIK BOYZ: BALLISTIKRADIO (all members DJ, free to listen on website)

❌ Most of the radio shows hosted on Japan's radio FM are region blocked

✅ Weekly updates

✅ You get to listen to your oshi talking about mundane stuffs that doesn't fit on camera like their favourite McDonalds order or them complaining how noisy some members are during their train rides

3. TV shows

Type of content available:

Music TV show (e.g: Music Station, NHK Utacon)

Reality shows (e.g: Hirunandesu, Susteina)

drama series

Short segments in tv shows

Mainly for tribe members that are also active in acting or often goes on variety tv shows e.g: Katayose Ryota, Shirahama Alan, Sato Taiki, Yagi Yusei etc. Most JP tv shows are archived at TVer and can be watched for free

❌ Need to find TV streaming service + VPN

❌ Archives on TVer are only viewable for a week after the tv broadcast

✅ Contents that are not covered by CL

4. EXILE TRIBE MAGAZINE

LDH's own monthly magazine. Contents include:

Event reports

Interviews with artists

✅ Can see pictures from closed events that most international fans can't participate

❌ Some articles can only be accessed for FC members of respective groups

TL;DR: the are quite a lot of free contents however they are restricted behind region blocks and language barriers. You have to be updated with the group's news to catch them on tv/radio.

PAID

CL (premium account - monthly subscription)

Type of content available:

Includes aforementioned free content and more (e.g: PPV online broadcasts for concerts/events, live cast archives, CL anniversary stream)

Premium account members are also eligible for special benefits when buying CD/DVD from LDH official shops

Detailed information between free & premium account here

✅ Payment via app store available

2. EXILE TRIBE OFFICIAL FANCLUB (yearly subscription)

Type of contents available vary between each group's FC but general content each FC has includes:

monthly calendar wallpapers

exclusive images and videos that are not posted in mobile sites (after concert message, seasonal videos, video call-like videos etc)

reports from FC Events (online talk, fan meeting, bus trips, live shows etc etc) that is not covered by Exile Tribe Magazine

Messages for celebratory days (birthday, Valentines', White Day, anniversaries etc)

AR cameras

Chance to get members forgotten belongings (FANTASTICS only)

✅ Eligible to get FC only merchandise (which changes every year)

✅ Eligible for special benefits when buying CD/DVDs from LDH official shop

❌ Requires Japanese address and bank account

❌ Mainly used to get first dibs at concert tickets/fan events so unless you're planning on going to physical events, it's not that worth it.

3. EXILE MOBILE SITES (monthly subscription)

LDH's comprehensive blogging sites. Is considered Exile Tribe's/LDH main website where contents they covered is divided according to groups (refer to images above) and all of them covers:

latest news

backstage photos from concerts (rehearsals, off shots, events)

blog posts with photos/vlog updated by the artists themselves

original content (radio show, independent programs)

※ Members that are part of EXILE and other groups (e.g: Alan, Gun-chan, Mandy, SEKAI, Taiki, DEEP SQUAD) have separate blogs on EXILE mobile/LDH mobile and Tribe Mobile.

⚠️ Pictures that have the LDH/group logo on them are all pictures from their mobile sites. Please be careful of sharing them publicly (as they are widely known to be paid content)

✅ Main source of online content for Exile Tribe straight from the members themselves

✅ Updated daily (depending on member)

✅ Contents are more personal and in-depth compared to their SNS posts. I've translated some of them here and here

✅ Chance of fans directly interact with members (some would reply back to fans replies, also depending on member)

TL;DR: Paid sites are not region blocked as long as you can get through the payment site

Others (sites not managed by LDH but are official collaborations)

1.ABEMA TV - PAID (is not covered in the same category as free tv show because these are not available on regional JP tv channels:

Contents include but not limited to:

ABEMAxLDH: Concerts (PPV), documentary and fanmeets

Past and currently airing GENEkou TV episodes

Incomplete episodes of SHIBUEXILE (2020 - 2021)

2. Tribe Kingdom (puzzle mobile game) - FREE: I have made a separate post about the game here. While the in-game stories are fictional, some parts (voice lines, kitchen talk) include real facts about the artists themselves

Q&A:

How do you sign up/access sites that require JP address and phone number? A: I sign up to Tenso and use the address and number they provide. Most JP sites I've used accepts the address and phone number Tenso provides. None of the sites I've mentioned above require any sort of code to be sent to your Tenso phone number

How do you pay for the services that require JP bank accounts? A: I do not have any jp bank account and have only used my local (asean) bank account. I just pick a card and pray it's accepted by the payment site

Which site do you recommend the most for international fans? A: CL. Other than the fact that the contents are subbed, it is also the platform where you can openly post in other languages (not Japanese) whether in replies or live chats. I really encourage getting the Premium subscription to show LDH how international fans are supporting them.

What is the difference between Official Fan Club contents VS mobile sites? A: Mobile sites main contents are blog posts that are updated by members themselves so the contents mainly focus on individual members (good for people who are only fans of specific members of a group). Mobile site contents are also less formal (pictures/videos are not edited professionally). FC are mainly group-centered contents and the quantities are not as many as those that are posted in mobile sites. But no same contents are posted in both site. ※ Personal note: Mobile sites is worth your money more compared to FC

END. Thank for checking this out and feel free to hit me up if you have any questions regarding these services/sites as I've had a chance to use most of them

(e.g: I can answer questions such as how to sign up to site A, what kind of contents members A, B, C post in their blog or how regularly they post blogs, or which VPN do I use when using site A or B. Unfortunately I can't help with any question regarding payment)

Let's try to support our boys where we can :) 👍

[languageintplaza]

Chinese Language Training Helps To Speak Fluently

The Chinese language which has over 1.2 billion native speakers worldwide, might entice you for a variety of reasons. Both your personal life and professional career can tremendously benefit from learning this most extensively spoken language. The ability to speak a foreign language, particularly Chinese, may provide the student a sense of success and open up a world of new prospects……..

[meiyuchinese01]

Mandarin Language Training in Delhi

Are you eager to unlock the world’s most spoken language? Mandarin Chinese, with over a billion native speakers, is an incredible linguistic journey waiting for you. Learning Mandarin isn’t just a path to seamless communication but a gateway to a rich culture and countless opportunities. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the nuances of Mandarin language training, helping you embark on this exciting journey.

Why Learn Mandarin? Before diving into the intricacies of Mandarin language training, it’s crucial to understand why learning this language is a valuable endeavor. 1. Global Relevance Mandarin is the most widely spoken language globally. It’s not only the official language of China but also used by Chinese communities worldwide. From business to travel, knowing Mandarin can be a game-changer. 2. Cultural Profundity The Chinese culture, with its rich history and traditions, is an essential part of the global tapestry. Learning Mandarin allows you to appreciate this culture on a deeper level and fosters cross-cultural understanding. 3. Career Opportunities In today’s interconnected world, multinational companies are always on the lookout for employees who can speak Mandarin. Learning the language can open doors to various job opportunities and career advancements. 4. Cognitive Benefits Studying Mandarin can enhance cognitive abilities. Its complex characters and tonal system challenge your brain, improving memory and problem-solving skills.

Now that you understand why learning Mandarin is a smart choice let’s explore the best ways to start your Mandarin language training journey.

Mandarin Language Training: Where to Begin 1. Enroll in a Language School One of the most effective ways to learn Mandarin is by enrolling in a reputable language school. These institutions offer structured courses and experienced instructors who can guide you through the learning process. Look for schools that offer beginner-level courses and gradually advance to higher levels. 2. Online Language Platforms In the digital age, online language platforms have gained immense popularity. 3. Private Tutoring For a more personalized approach, consider hiring a private Mandarin tutor. This option offers one-on-one attention and tailored lessons to meet your specific learning needs. 4. Self-Study If you have strong self-discipline and motivation, self-study is a cost-effective option. Utilize textbooks, online resources, and language learning apps to progress at your own pace.

Tips for Effective Mandarin Language Training Regardless of the method you choose, here are some tips to make your Mandarin language training more effective: 1. Consistency is Key Make language learning a daily habit. Consistency is crucial to mastering Mandarin. Spend at least 30 minutes each day practicing your skills. 2. Practice Listening and Speaking Mandarin’s tonal nature can be challenging. Practice listening and speaking as much as possible. Watching Chinese movies, listening to music, and conversing with native speakers will significantly improve your pronunciation. 3. Learn Chinese Characters While pinyin, the Romanization of Mandarin, is helpful, understanding Chinese characters is essential for reading and writing. Start with basic characters and gradually progress. 4. Join Language Exchange Programs Engaging with native speakers through language exchange programs can enhance your conversational skills. You can teach them your language, and they can help you with Mandarin. 5. Set Realistic Goals Set achievable milestones and goals to track your progress. It can be as simple as ordering food in Mandarin or having a basic conversation.

The Journey Begins Embarking on a Mandarin language training journey is a rewarding experience. It’s not just about learning a language; it’s about gaining insights into a rich culture, expanding your horizons, and creating new opportunities for yourself.

Remember, the path to fluency may be challenging, but with determination and the right resources, you can master Mandarin. So, whether you’re looking to advance your career, explore new cultures, or simply challenge your mind, learning Mandarin is an invaluable pursuit.

[sinni-ok-sessi]

the summer holidays draw to a close and once again I must ask myself whether I can face reintroducing Hell Wednesdays to my life

(hell wednesdays being the series of bad decisions that mean I work my 9-5 job, do an online chinese class 5-7, leave the house at 7 to get a train to my 8-10 dance class, get back from that at 11ish and then I guess just die? idk, somehow I kept this up for two terms last year, but I'm another year older and tireder and I just. don't really want to. except that I do very much want to take a chinese class again and I love dancing and don't want to quit it, and I unfortunately don't get a choice about the job thing, so here I am :/ I am very much in the market for recs for small-group language classes though (cannot deal with 1:1 tutoring for reasons of I am very shy))

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

I'm in TARTU, ESTONIA! Overcoming the Enshittocene (TOMORROW, May 8, 6PM, Prima Vista Literary Festival keynote, University of Tartu Library, Struwe 1). AI, copyright and creative workers' labor rights (May 10, 8AM: Science Fiction Research Association talk, Institute of Foreign Languages and Cultures building, Lossi 3, lobby). A talk for hackers on seizing the means of computation (May 10, 3PM, University of Tartu Delta Centre, Narva 18, room 1037).

out of atrocity photos https://www.salon.com/2007/07/23/torture/

#20yrsago Floppy RAID https://web.archive.org/web/20040202110812/http://ohlssonvox.8k.com/fdd_raid.htm

#15yrsago Chinese provincial government orders local officials to smoke more https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5271376/Chinese-ordered-to-smoke-more-to-boost-economy.html

#15yrsago San Francisco Muni begins to enforce imaginary no-photos policy https://web.archive.org/web/20090510023205/http://www.whatimseeing.com/2009/05/06/what-is-munis-photography-policy/

#15yrsago MPAA to teachers: don’t rip DVDs, just record your television with a camcorder https://vimeo.com/4520463

#15yrsago End of Overeating: the science of junk-food cravings https://memex.craphound.com/2009/05/07/end-of-overeating-the-science-of-junk-food-cravings/

#10yrsago Imagineer Rolly Crump on the 1964 NY World’s Fair: audio memoir https://itskindofacutestory.com/?p=135

#10yrsago Vi Hart explains Net Neutrality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAxMyTwmu_M

#10yrsago Kids are mostly sexually solicited online by classmates, peers, teens https://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2014/05/05/sexual-predators.html

#5yrsago danah boyd explains the connection between the epistemological crisis and the rise of far-right conspiratorial thinking https://web.archive.org/web/20190427233128/https://points.datasociety.net/agnotology-and-epistemological-fragmentation-56aa3c509c6b

#5yrsago “Steering With the Windshield Wipers”: why nothing we’re doing to fix Big Tech is working https://locusmag.com/2019/05/cory-doctorow-steering-with-the-windshield-wipers/

#5yrsago Facebook hands hundreds of contractors in India access to its users’ private messages and private Instagram posts in order to help train an AI https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-ai/facebook-labels-posts-by-hand-posing-privacy-questions-idUSKCN1SC01T/

#5yrsago People with diabetes are scouring the internet for a discontinued insulin pump that can be reprogrammed as an “artificial pancreas” https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/04/looping-created-insulin-pump-underground-market/588091/

#5yrsago App lets you auction your San Francisco parking spot https://web.archive.org/web/20140506133800/http://blog.sfgate.com/techchron/2014/05/05/sell-your-s-f-street-parking-spot-for-20/

#5yrsago How the diverse internet became a monoculture https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/276-20-years-after-napster-cory-doctorow-on-what-went-wrong-2/

#5yrsago Apple’s growth strategy is a textbook case of antitrust abuse https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/6/18531570/apple-company-purchases-startups-tim-cook-buy-rate

#1yrago Don’t Curb Your Enthusiasm https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/07/dont-curb-your-enthusiasm/

[tearsinthemist]

Want to learn something new

Want to learn something new in 2022??

Absolute beginner adult ballet series (fabulous beginning teacher)

40 piano lessons for beginners (some of the best explanations for piano I’ve ever seen)

Excellent basic crochet video series

Basic knitting (probably the best how to knit video out there)

Pre-Free Figure Skate Levels A-D guides and practice activities (each video builds up with exercises to the actual moves!)

How to draw character faces video (very funny, surprisingly instructive?)

Another drawing character faces video

Literally my favorite art pose hack

Tutorial of how to make a whole ass Stardew Valley esque farming game in Gamemaker Studios 2??

Introduction to flying small aircrafts

French/Dutch/Fishtail braiding

Playing the guitar for beginners (well paced and excellent instructor)

Playing the violin for beginners (really good practical tips mixed in)

Color theory in digital art (not of the children’s hospital variety)

Retake classes you hated but now there’s zero stakes:

Calculus 1 (full semester class)

Learn basic statistics (free textbook)

Introduction to college physics (free textbook)

Introduction to accounting (free textbook)

Learn a language:

Ancient Greek

Latin

Spanish

German

Japanese (grammar guide) (for dummies)

French

Russian (pretty good cyrillic guide!)

Jan 2, 2023

Want to learn something new in 2023??

Cooking with flavor bootcamp (used what I learned in this a LOT this year)

Beekeeping 101

Learn Interior Design from the British Academy of Interior Design (free to audit course - just choose the free option when you register)

Video on learning to read music that actually helped me??

How to use and sew with a sewing machine

How to ride a bike (listen. some of us never learned, and that's okay.)

How to cornrow-braid hair (I have it on good authority that this video is a godsend for doing your baby niece's black hair)

Making mead at home (I actually did this last summer and it was SO good)

How to garden

Basics of snowboarding (proceed with caution)

How to draw for people who (think they) suck at art (I know this website looks like a 2003 monstrosity, but the tutorials are excellent)

Pixel art for beginners so you can make the next great indie game

Go (back) to school

Introduction to Astronomy (high school course - free textbook w/ practice problems)

Principals of Economics (high school course - free textbook w/ practice problems)

Introduction to philosophy (free college course)

Computer science basics (full-semester Harvard course free online)

Learn a language

Japanese for Dummies (link fix from 2022)

Ukrainian

Portuguese (Brazil)

American Sign Language (as somebody who works with Deaf people professionally, I also strongly advise you to read up on Deaf/HoH culture and history!)

Chinese (Mandarin, Simplified)

Quenya (LOTR fantasy elf language)

Dec 26, 2023

Want to learn something new in 2024??

Beginner-oriented video on how to sail

This guy has so many videos on baking different types of bread. SO very many.

Coding in Python - one of the most flexible and adaptable high-level programming languages out there - explained through projects making video games

Learn to swim! (for adult learners. I don’t care if you live in Kansas or Mali or wherever. LEARN TO SWIM.)

Learn how quantum mechanics works. Then read some more about it

[Learn about quantum mechanics again, but in a more advanced engineering/mathematics class. Then read more about the math and physics of it]

Poetry Handbook, by Mary Oliver

Something I learned this year: how to sew a quilt (Here’s a very easy beginning pattern that looks amazing and can be done with pre-cut fabric!)

How to hit the ball in softball

Tutorial video on what is under the hood of most (gas) cars + weird engine sounds and what they mean

Full beginner mechanics technical training, if you want to go more in depth

Playlist on how car engine physics work if you want to go ultra in depth

Lecture series on architecture design through study of buildings

How (American income) taxes & tax law work (choose “audit course” at checkout for free class)

Pickleball for beginners (so you can finally join your neighbor/friend/distant cousin who is always insisting you join their team)

+ Para-Pickleball for beginners (for mobility aid users!)

School is so much more fun when there’s no tests:

American Law - Contracts

Shakespeare’s Life and Plays

Fairy Tales: Meanings, Messages, and Morals

Modern Poetry

World History [Part 1, Part 2]

Learn a language:

Arabic + Resource Guide compiled from Reddit (includes info on different dialects)

Chinese (Cantonese) (audio)

Urdu (frequently recommended course on Reddit) + Resource Guide

Yucatec Maya