You will always be able to read the menu.....
Yeah, I've been away awhile. Sorry about that. My job is crushing me, and when I'm dead tired keeping up with a blog just isn't easy to do. Onward.... Only a few days ago I was listening to "The Pacific Century Podcast ". It is a decent podcast hosted by scholars, primarily about China. While driving to work one of the hosts lamented America's lack of people that can speak and read Chinese. In particular the newspaper. While he is an up and coming China Expert, if you will, he is quick to note he himself cannot speak Mandarin. I've had readers ask me about how they can utilize their Mandarin to get a good job, or how to leverage it into a bright future. And my answer has always been through one's own initiative, or through the private sector. The American Government will not come and find you. There is no organized method to find, filter, let alone mentor and groom young American Mandarin speakers for a...