Here is a short vlog/ progress video I have been meaning to make. As I mention in the video, I have been pretty busy lately. School and exploring the city don't leave as much time as I had hoped. Nonetheless, I will find the time to share my experience in Beijing with you all (who really cares about Boston anyways, am I right?)
All joking aside, here is the vlog I mention. I include subtitles in the video for those of you who don't understand Mandarin. I won't make every vlog in Mandarin, but occasionally I will just to show you my progress with the language. As you can probably tell, I was a little 紧张(nervous). I hope to get a little bit more comfortable talking to the camera. The video quality wasn't the best, nor was the editing. I apologize in advance and promise the quality of both will improve with time! Hang in there people, don't quit on me yet!
To end with, I need to report that I am having the time of my life out here in Boston. I love the environment and more importantly, spending some quality time with my brother! I will be sad when my time in Boston is done, but I also can't wait for the next chapter in Beijing!
Only two weeks, two days, and 23 hours left..
Cheers,
Zachary Zehner
张睿杰 (For those of you wondering, this is my Chinese name. It is pronounced in the video. I plan to do a short video on my name and its meaning in the future!)
很好！我也想有一个中国名字！嗯。。。说不定我叫 "石弗兰" (石 = rock, as in "Peña" as in "de la Peña". 弗兰 = first two characters of "弗兰西斯", which by itself is already too long.) 意下如何？
ReplyDelete一路平安，我的朋友！Looking forward to what you've got here!
It looks like you have been studying! Great job man, I am extremely impressed! I waited a while for my 中国名字, but the time paid off because I really like my name. I know a few people that have done literal translations of their names (弗兰西斯 would be yours it seems) and stuck with it. I think it is all a matter of personal preference. I got my name from my tutor. His last name was 张 so I took that (which conveniently starts with a 'z'), and then I told him 2 adjective to describe myself. He worked on it for a couple of weeks and came back with 张睿杰. I think if you like the name, then go with it. If you want an authentic** name then ask a trusted friend that is Chinese. **= I say authentic with asterisks because you aren't really getting a new name, you will still be Francis Dela Pena. I am still called Zack even though I have a Chinese name, but they are fun to have nonetheless! Thanks for holding down the fort while Tim and I are away. We will miss you man, stay in touch! 祝
Delete好
－Zack
Admittedly I've skimped a bit lately, but I'll get back on it!
ReplyDeleteWith a little help from Pleco, I pulled my little Chinese alias outta my ass. I did ask a trusted Chinese friend what kind of name would suit me, and her response boiled down to "come up with multiple names, write them on paper, throw them up in the air, and whichever lands closest to you, pick it", since that's apparently how her parents picked her name when she was a baby.
I couldn't think of anything else, so that's what I'll do for now. I know I still have my English/Spanish name, but yes, foreign names are fun to have!
I'll miss you guys too, but make the most out of it while you're there!!