Many people use the expression ‘it’s Chinese to me’ when they want to say they cannot understand a word of what they hear or read. This and other preconceptions are no more than preconceived ideas that create a myth of language impossibility. Chinese is no more than another language, a different system; but we are no different, physiologically speaking, to Chinese native people. So why wouldn’t we be able to learn this language, like they, and many bold people, do?

To Change Your View of the World

The Chinese culture is over 5000 years old, and it comprises a completely different conception of the world than that of the occidental people. The Chinese philosophy can teach us to be wiser and more in peace with ourselves and with others. In fact, without learning Chinese, a lot of people choose to follow the path of Tao, which is bound to bring good changes to your life. When taking Chinese classes Miami students start to change their point of view and enrich their lives, boosted by the Chinese philosophy.

Chinese Economy

China plays a crucial role in the worldwide economy. Just grab anything that you have within your reach right now…if you turn it over, it probably reads “Made in China” somewhere. Besides, as China represents one fifth of the world’s total population, every company seeks to do business with this country, and not too many of them are able to do so due to the lack of ways to communicate with them. If you run your own business, or work for someone else, speaking Chinese will give you the chance of getting a promotion, increase your sales, and broaden your horizons. This reason has been a trigger for students taking Chinese classes Dallas style.

To become a teacher

In recent years, the demand for Chinese instructors has increased significantly. Everybody seems to be aware of the benefits of learning this language. However, the greatest barrier to meeting student demand to study Chinese has been the lack of trained and qualified teachers, in spite of the fact that the Chinese population represents one fifth of the world’s total population. In fact, you don’t have to be Chinese to become a teacher; it doesn’t matter where you come from. The world is in demand for Chinese instructors, and this language is highly valuable around the world. With a degree in Chinese, you can teach the language anywhere you want to live.

The first day I walked so much that my feet were mush. Tiananmen Square and Sanlitun Village—the foreign quarter—would have to suffice. I’d save the Forbidden City for another day. I can do that any half day. The Great Wall would take a little more planning… mostly waiting actually, for the bus. I finally blew off the tour companies and opted for the public bus, but that meant the long lines familiar to Communism. Ha! That’s about the only thing left of Communism there, “Chinese characteristics” indeed! I think they mean “Chinese characters,” i.e. in name only. You can see the wall at many places, probably most of them better than the carnival atmosphere around nearby Badaling, but still I figured I should catch it while I could. I’m not sure I could back-fill the logic to myself trying to explain why I went to Beijing and missed the Great Wall. Marco Polo is still trying to explain it. So I figure it’s worth the hour-plus wait.

It’s impressive, too, as much or more as any picture could attempt to do it justice. I even thought about walking it, but… naah. On the way back, though, I jumped the bus line when I heard the guy yelling, “Spaces for two!” At least I think that’s what he said. Most Chinese travel in packs. They yell a lot, too. You’ve probably heard that they’re not really yelling, that’s just the tonality of the language. That’s pure BS; they’re yelling. In fact Beijingers are almost like any other big city residents, whether it be New York, Moscow, London, Mexico City or Jo’burg. They’re brash and rude and loud… That’s okay. It comes with the turf. If you parachuted into one from outer space, you probably couldn’t tell it from the others… but for the writing on the wall. Do not test these drivers’ basic humanity while crossing the street, I warn you. Take the subways. Line 2 is the ticket here, the loop line that circles the city, just like London, so hard to get lost.

Fortunately at least a little bit of old China still lives on in the back alleys of Beijing. Here you can find the best street food and the most interesting little shops. They’re rapidly becoming upscale and fashionable, too, since the faster they disappear the more valuable the few remaining ones become. It reminds me most of maybe the old quarter in Hanoi, with which it must share a common ancestor, if Hanoi is not a direct copy itself. Fortunately that district is not far from where I stayed, so it was the best of both worlds for me. I liked it. I’ll be back. But first I’ve got a date with Chinggis Khan… then Kim Jong-un.

Back in Beijing there wasn’t much left to do locally, since I’d already visited the Great Wall, and I was saving the Forbidden City for the last day. So I went to Chengde, now only a few hours away after the completion of the new four-lane highway. We beg for high-speed Internet; they still beg for high-speed highways (hotels in China don’t have Wi-Fi btw; they have slow-ass hard-wire data ports). Chengde is on the UN World Heritage list for its Qing-era summer palace and Buddhist temples, but I’ll confess to not seeing much of them. The pollution was so bad on the day I was there I decided not to press my luck too much. I’ve still got a cough. It’s nice to see a smaller city, though, at a half million people Chengde being something of a village by Chinese standards. Back in Beijing I went to see the Forbidden City almost as an afterthought, that and to spend the hotel deposit that they refund at the end of your stay and which would all be eaten up in charges if you tried to exchange it. And it’s way cool, like a magic Chinese box full of smaller nested boxes.

All in all it was a good trip, if a bit wet and unusually muggy. Asia is a mother like no other, and it’s no longer a matter of working around China. These days China is right in the middle of it, and not a bad place from which to visit the neighbors. I’ve got a multiple-entry visa and just may use it again before it expires. The old days of separate systems for locals and foreigners is pretty much a thing of the past, and the country is wide open for travel. My only concern is to get to Tibet before the traditional culture is all gone. Before that, though, I just might travel to the far west around Kashi/Kashgar. It’d be nice if there were a high-speed highway from there to Tibet, but I don’t think I can wait that long. C U there.

Tea Farmers, Dealers and Professionals Preparing for Oolong Fun!

Oolong or “black dragon” tea is most commonly known for being a traditional Chinese tea. Over the last 400 years the teas reputation of superior taste and health benefits has spanned the globe. People from the far east to the United States now regularly enjoy this staple tea.

In Taiwan, tea farmers, agriculturalists, and tea dealers are preparing for the 2012 World’s Best Oolong Tea Contest, according to Taiwan Economic News. They will be looking far beyond their own country for the world’s best oolong. Local tea professionals and experts have set up Taiwan Tea Information (TTI), a private institution that has teamed up with the Taiwan Outstanding Agriculturalists Association (TOAA) to organize the event. The contest is set for December 25-28. If you’re a tea fanatic and in Taiwan during those dates, you may want to check out the happenings.

Oolong is a widely popular tea in Asia and the United States. It is derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, the same species that is used to harvest black, white and green tea. According to The Tea Site, oolong’s flavor lies somewhere between the taste of green and black tea, but without the distinct leafy taste of green tea. Oolong is also different because it has a particularly interesting preparation process. When the leaves dry, they are placed into a basket. The basket is then shaken until the leaves are bruised, which is what gives the tea its own distinct flavor.

A Tea That Promotes Mental and Physical Health

Oolong is often the tea of choice for people looking for a beverage that has natural health promoting properties. According to WebMD, Oolong is used to “sharpen thinking skills and improve mental alertness.” Even more interesting is its ability to treat arteries hardened by diabetes and obesity. It has also been linked to the prevention of cancer, heart disease and even tooth decay, as WebMD also notes. Many fans of oolong are aware of these benefits and enjoy the tea’s nice, earthy taste. It’s not uncommon for Asians to drink several cups of oolong, green or black tea through out the day.

From Hawaii To New Zealand: Oolong is Everywhere

With organic and holistic health practices on the rise in the United States, it’s common to see herbs and teas from the east incorporated into traditional American cuisine, especially in fusion restaurants. Even Hawaii is using tea in an unconventional method.

Hawaii News Now released “Sam Choy’s Kitchen recipe: A Blackened Oolong Tea New York Strip Steak Loin.” The recipe includes one ounce of oolong tea spice and 4 tablespoons of oolong tea, along with a myriad of spices and herbs that create a cajun-miso-oolong steak rub. The delicious recipe may catch on and become a trend in the states, as tea seems to be getting bigger than ever all around the world.

China, Vietnam, New Zealand and Thailand are some of the leading countries that produce oolong tea. Taiwan, whose tea production has been recently declining, is importing their tea from other countries. 31,000 metric tons of tea was imported to Taiwan, and 87 percent came from Vietnam and China. China seems to be an innovator in this market, teaming up with Taiwan for its promotion of “Taiwan Tea Experiment Station NO. 12.” “Number 12″ is a species of tea that was planted across provinces of southern China, where dealers from Taiwan used special technologies to sow the seeds. With a pro-active tea community in Taiwan, and a burgeoning industry in its neighboring Asian counties, it should be interesting to see how the “2012 World’s Best Oolong Tea Contest” pans out.