TASK/ GOAL

This language task was buying a metro card and asking to split a ¥100 bill because we didn’t want too much money on our metrocards for only two weeks.

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ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY

1. Metro card 交通卡

2. Bill (money) 钞票

3. Ticket machine 售票机

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CRITICAL SENTENCE STRUCTURE

为了... (*in order*)

This structure was essential to clarify our inability to buy the card because *in order* to buy the card we needed to break a bill. 

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VOCABULARY I WISH I KNEW

1. Break (money); split 破开

2. Change (money) 零钱

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REFLECTION

This was some of my classmates’ and my first time taking the metro. We didn’t know what to do and struggled for a couple of hours trying to figure out what to buy. We ended up trying to buy reloadable cards, but if it wasn’t for the eventual help from one man who spoke English, I think explaining our requests would have taken longer than a couple of hours. Then, I realized towards the end of this trip that buying single-ride tickets every time would have been easier, but I wouldn’t have as much practice if it wasn’t for this challenge. I learned how to ask for change which is a useful thing to know that did not think about until this moment.

TASK/GOAL

The task I set for myself was to ask about clothing sales and savings. I also was challenged to ask for help in finding specific clothing items in certain sizes.

 

ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY

1. to give a discount 拍卖

2. Black 黑

3. Turtleneck 高领衫

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CRITICAL SENTENCE STRUCTURE

V(看) + 起来

I used this phrase to say “it appears that… (there are no more black turtleneck sweaters...)

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VOCABULARY I WISH I KNEW

1. Dressing room 化妆室

2. Sale 拍卖

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REFLECTION

I went shopping with my classmates in a clothing store and we didn’t know the sale on this sweatshirt. So, my biggest challenge was understanding the sale explanation. I had difficulty explaining what I didn’t comprehend about the discount. We did, however, get an answer for the price but the promotional deals still confuse me to this day. I also was asking an employee for help in finding a specific clothing item. We were looking for a men’s black turtleneck and that part of the language notes went smoothly because I could say two out of the three words I wanted to say. However, we didn’t find it and I need to ask for the dressing room, but could only ask where one can wear clothes. In the end,  I had both successes and failure moments that taught me some new vocab.

TASK/GOAL

I went grocery shopping for rice crackers and coffee at Global Harbor. The task I set for myself was to find some coffee that wasn’t instant and snack-size rice crackers.

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ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY

1. 米果 rice crackers

2. 咖啡 instant coffee

3. in stock 现存

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CRITICAL SENTENCE STRUCTURE

只要 + Condition, 就 + Result  

This was essential to stay the following statement, “as long as (the item is ___), I’ll buy it.

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VOCABULARY I WISH I KNEW

1. same; similar 类似 

2. Alternatives选项

3. Classifier for canned beverages 聴 

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REFLECTION

This was one of my most planned out language tasks, but I still didn’t get what I came for. However, I believe my conversations went pretty well because people didn’t question my pronunciations as some others have. They didn’t have exactly what I was looking for, so I was less prepared for asking for some alternatives. This was probably one of my most successful language notes and least stressful.

TASK/GOAL

I went to the post office to buy stamps for this language note. However, I was not ready to send them.

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ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY

1. Postage/stamps 邮票

2. Mail 邮寄

3. Postcard 明信片

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CRITICAL SENTENCE STRUCTURE

在 specified time 之前

This is a critical sentence structure for explaining my intent on when I wanted to send my postcard.

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VOCABULARY I WISH I KNEW

1. Eventually; to be going to 将要

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REFLECTION

This language note was also a task for the scavenger hunt. I came prepared with only knowing how to ask for stamps, but the man kept asking me questions. I wasn’t prepared to send my postcard yet and that was the hardest thing for me to communicate, so I got a little stressed out and forgot all my Mandarin for a bit. Either way, I managed to tell him what I wanted and only made him a little annoyed with my miscommunication. Clarifying that I wanted more stamps even though I wasn’t going to send that many cards was the trickiest part. I didn’t know how to say I just wanted stamps for now because I’d send them eventually, but I got all the stamps I needed in the end.

TASK/GOAL

For my final language note, I went to the metro station to return my card and get the remaining balance from the card.

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ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY

1. Return 退回

2. Metro card 交通卡

3. Deposit 押金

 

CRITICAL SENTENCE STRUCTURE

把 + N + V

This is a critical sentence structure to express, “I want to ‘take’ my metro card and get my deposit and remaining money back from it.”

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VOCABULARY I WISH I KNEW

1. return card 退卡

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REFLECTION

This language note involved a simple exchange of words, but I couldn’t figure out the best term that meant refund or return. I almost thought it’d be easier to not get my money back, but it was a good last challenge to find the station and ask how to refund my money on the metro card because I also got the deposit on the card back as well. To do this, I used vocab that got my message across, but it wasn’t the most common phrasing because I saw the confusion in the response I got. I was at the wrong counter the first time, so I got a second shot using the right terms with the next person. The one fail became a success.