One Small Step for Man...

Most of you undoubtedly recognize those words. Many of you were probably alive when they were first spoken. On July 21, 1969 Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon, and as he did so he uttered these now famous words. Today, November 10, 2008, these words came to mind when I took a small step. I do recognize that, even if our being in China may sometimes feel like we are on the moon (to us and to you), there is almost nothing I could do that could even approach the significance of the moment Commander Armstrong stepped off of the Apollo 11 lander. That being said, I think I took a pretty significant step today. I actually read Chinese. That’s right I read a sign that was totally in Hanzi (characters) or as many of you call it “chicken scratch”. I figured out that the written Chinese language is not a big joke that China is playing on the rest of the world. Those symbols truly do have meaning. The funny thing is that I wasn’t even trying to read the sign at the time. We were on a bus and the sign just happened to be right in front of where I was standing. I was looking at the sign but I really wasn’t thinking about it, when out of nowhere the meaning slowly worked its way in to my brain. As it began to sink, in the corners of my mouth began to inch up until I had a full grin on my face. I think I may even have giggled. Amanda looked up at me with the look that wives must have to go to finishing school to perfect. Husbands, you know the one I am talking about, the “what did you do?” look. Well, I told her, “I just read this sign”. She says I was like a kid in a candy store. I will tell you honestly; at that point I really didn’t believe it. I didn't think I was right. So I tapped a young kid on the shoulder, and asked him what the sign said. He confirmed it. My, oh my; Mrs. Bruce’s boy may not be able to speak Chinese very well, but by Joe he can read it!


OK. Just so you know I have not lost all perspective on this, I am not going to run out and buy the Chinese version of War and Peace. It was just a sign on a bus describing the bus route. I know I am not going to win a reading contest any time soon. Heck, I don’t even read at a school grade level yet. But if there was only a preschool aged child and I around, and you had to get one of us to read it for you. I am sure most of you would pick me. This gives me hope that someday I will get it. So, with all due respect to Mr. Armstrong, I say “that is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind". For all of you who have said “I can never learn Chinese”, I say to you “if there is hope for me, there is hope for you”. Anything is possible. – Frank


Language exerts hidden power, like a moon on the tides.
Rita Mae Brown


PS - We are currently having difficulties post picture to the blog. Hopefully this will be fixed soon, until then we are going to upload a Word file with the pictures embedded in it with each new post. All you have to do is open the link. The ones below are from the last couple post.

http://brucesabroad.com/www.brucesabroad.com/Blog%20Pics%202.doc