Mandarin Chinese Learning Notes
Vocabulary
- 我 (wǒ): I/Me
- 你 (nǐ): You
- 他 (tā): He/Him
- 是 (shì): To be
- 不是 (bù shì): Not to be
- 用英文 (yòng yīng wén): Use English
Conversation Practice
- Where are you from?: 你是哪国人？(nǐ shì nǎ guó rén)
- Answer: 我是___国人 (wǒ shì ___ guó rén): I am from ___.
- What language do you speak?: 你会说什么语言？(nǐ huì shuō shén me yǔ yán)
- Response: 英文, ___, 和一点儿中文 (yīng wén, ___, hé yī diǎn ér zhōng wén): English, ___, and a little Chinese.
- Major: 计算机科学 (jì suàn jī kē xué): Computer Science.
Reflections on Company Culture
Observations
- Language barriers can cause feelings of exclusion among employees who don’t share a common language or culture.
- People tend to group by shared values, language, or culture, leading to less organic interaction.
Suggestions for Improvement
- Offer language courses (e.g., Chinese) to promote cross-departmental interaction and inclusivity.
- Use engaging, culturally diverse media in company videos (e.g., hip hop/rap rather than generic piano tracks).
- Encourage employees to merge personal philosophies with their professional roles to enhance their sense of identity at work.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Avoid direct bank transfers; use services like Remitly for international transactions.
- Enhance personal finance tools to automate travel and financial needs:
- Credit card selection (no transaction fees).
- Account setup and bookings for effortless planning.
Key Takeaways
- Learning Mandarin: Focus on practical phrases and vocabulary for basic communication.
- Workplace Diversity: Improve inclusivity through shared learning opportunities and diverse cultural representation.
- Personal Finance Vision: Design a finance assistant to streamline global travel and financial setups.