“学一门语言，就是多一个观察世界的窗户。” “To learn a language is to have one more window through which one can look at the world.” Chinese Proverb

As odd as some humans come, we are startlingly more attracted to all things even. There is a certain safety that comes with the idea of even things, of balance, perhaps because if one half of something fails, evenness promises another identical side to lean on. Just as, when puzzling over an abacus, a child is unable to satisfy himself with a row of beads divided into two unequal halves, we as humans seek equilibrium even when it is unattainable. Similarly, we seem to find safety in patterns; subconsciously, we strive to connect ideas, feelings, and events that to others may have no evident link, but in our own minds make perfect sense--until, of course, we are asked to explain these connections to someone else. Nevertheless, while beginning to learn (really learn, not simply scratch the surface) a language, the natural instinct and craving for patterns, though we may initially dismiss it as childlike, comes very much in handy. It is not until we are thrust into a situation that requires us to express every thought in a different language that we realize the sense of security we derive (albeit subconsciously) from our ease of expression in our native tongue. If we want to develop such a sense of security in a second language, we follow the same path we did as infants, back in the hazy past when we had to master that first language. We learned to crawl, walk, and speak our first words once, however instinctual those capabilities have since become, and there is no reason that this process cannot be repeated. Through this method, a new set of vocabulary and grammar develops, guiding both simple and abstract thought in a second language. Ultimately, this second-language lexicon creates a more astute mind and a more profound sense of self. After I had built a solid foundation in the Chinese language, my host mother told me that I had been sleep-talking about my Chinese homework (and other various embarrassing subjects). I would find myself singing in Chinese in the shower and obsessively writing characters on every piece of paper within my reach. I was also finally able to listen to Chinese TV without asking questions to my host family. The mind can adapt at an unbelievable speed when it has no other choice but to make do in the current situation provided, and although it is not easy at first, everyone can eventually reach a point where things just seem to click. Be it dreaming in the language, thinking in it, or just no longer translating, from that point on any previous knowledge will grow exponentially. For many a “老外,” or foreigner, with no prior Chinese language experience, the mere idea of reading and writing characters is enough to put someone off the language completely. Even more frightening can be the idea of tones, which even the most seasoned Chinese-learners would agree are difficult to master. But once you reconcile yourself with the necessity of learning all facets of Chinese from characters to strokes to tones, the process almost becomes second nature. Those aforementioned individuals who find safety and harmony in patterns should be able to take the challenge in stride: instead of counting sheep, begin counting character strokes before falling asleep. After a while, the signs around the city, which at first seemed nothing but alien, will slowly assemble themselves, character by character. Staring out the taxi window at the abundance of bubbly fonts in every size and color imaginable and quizzing yourself on characters eventually becomes as natural as breathing. Indeed, learning Chinese for a foreigner may seem like an “odd” activity, best defined in Chinese as a “乱,” or chaotic, process. But, our brains are determined to turn the oddest of situations and systems into even ones, and thus eventually we as individuals will find our own ways to interpret patterns within the Chinese language--even if they seem nonsensical to anyone else. Writing characters becomes addictive, and you will begin culling from the ever-expanding library of radicals that now occupies a specially reserved spot in your brain. Although there is no escaping the challenges of learning Chinese, there is a certain regularity to be found in the vast array of characters to be memorized and grammar to be mastered. All it takes is finding a place for that last bead on the abacus. This article was written by Wes Livingstone. Send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Art Credit: Marjorie Wang