The Talking Traveller

Along came a day when I realized that there are few common questions that everybody asks about the Talking Traveler that is me. So here follows the first episode of common questions, with some common answers.

No.1.   Q. Your accent!? Where are you from? 
            A. I am from South Africa. 
            Q. Ok, nice. Which part of South-Africa ?
            A. I come from a little place called Lydenburg in the Eastern Transvaal, 350km North East of
                Johannesburg. (300/1.6km =  187.5 miles) 
            A. Oh! Nice! Is that near Cape Town!? (usually very excited ) I know Cape Town!
            Q. No.....(then a detailed visual explanation of where the most southern point of Mozambique is,
                 the Kruger Park as reference point, 130km left of that and there you go!)

No.2. Q. Which countries have you been to so far? 
A. New Zealand, Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, Taiwan and of course, South Africa.
Q. Ha ha ha! What do you think of (current country) so far?
A.  It's very nice, the people are very kind to me and here is much to see!

No. 3. Q.You are a recovering stammerer !? What is that ?

• A. A recovering stammerer is a person who used to give into out-of-control stammering. But now he uses a certain technique, mentality and even life philosophy to not be governed by the effects of stammering. A person who is constantly striving and working hard to become a better speaker, who challenges himself to have fun speaking in as many situations as possible. A person who is actively changing his old disempowering speaking and thinking behaviours into more empowering ones. I am part of a speech programme, The McGuire program, which has this aim.

Q. Very nice. Does it work !? (During days when I am really strong and almost totally fluent)
A.  Duhhhh....Yes it does! It is hard work, before I joined the program, I couldn't speak 3 to 5 words without stammering severely, I may seem fluent now, but I still stutter, I promise.

Q. Very nice. Does it work!? (During those turbulence days where I really have to concentrate and use VS (voluntary stammering) to bring down the level of fear)
A. Uhmmm....Yes it does! I am nnnnnnow having some t.......turbulence (then I usually revert back to basics...four words per breath.....intense)...but if I speak....using good technique...I am in control....over how I speak...I have made...excellent winning speeches...and have spoken...to many people.....I promise!  

No. 4. Q. What causes stammering!? Can't you just take some pills or something?

• A. No, If there existed any kind of medication, I would have found it by now.
  It is an age old question, but the truth is there is no real definite answer. I feel that it is a combination of physical, psychological and emotional development and difference than normal fluent speakers. I feel it is a behavior that can be changed if enough focus and intensity is applied over a long period. For more information "google" it. But I would like everyone to know that there is nothing physically or mentally "wrong" with people who stammer, point.

No. 5. Q. Don't you sometimes miss home and your friends and family?
           A. Yes, I do. But I am their eyes and ears, I am exploring the world on their behalf.
               In 40 years time when I am fluently telling stories about my travels to my children
               and grandchildren, this longing would have been worth it.
               I am young, able, independent, unbound, it's now or maybe never baby!

Stay tuned for the next episode of 5 FAQ's coming soon to a computer screen near you!

And always remember this.......When in doubt, fake it till you make it!            

I can walk the walk...but can I talk the talk ? The past two days I have entered into the realm of LE, language exchange. Since I had the first sparking sensation that the east is calling me I had the desire to learn Chinese Mandarin. And since I've been here this has grown in a realisation of necessity. The reason for this is many-fold, but three of the main ones being that A: I will be a better teacher, understanding what my children are saying, giving better commands, B: To understand what people in the street and shops are saying to me and also being able to communicate my desires towards them and C: To get into the culture and the minds of the amazing Chinese race.

So the answer to the floating questions of "Ok, bla, bla, bla please tell us how you are doing this" and "What the heck is this LE you started with !?" follows. I have called numerous universities in Hsinchu, but to my disappointment found out the next semester, and thus the next enrollment, for OFFICIAL Chinese classes is only in September. Hence I had to discover a means of learning the language in the most exciting, challenging and (not forgetting) fun way. Therefore I started doing language exchange with native Chinese speakers.I put my pretty face up on the www.tealit.com website, sat back, yawned once or twice, and the replies came rolling in. We corresponded via e-mail, and the ball started to roll! This involves meeting a person in a coffee shop, sitting down, ordering and then exchanging language lessons. I have had two meeting so far and it was definitely worth it as there seems to be an eager urge to soak up and share among these people. Sessions usually last about 2 hours if time available.I help them in pronouncing words and constructing sentences while they help me get the hang of the four different tones of the Mandarin language. I have made appointments for the next two days with different individuals and I have a vision that friendships will develop. I feel that this is an excellent way to learn , to teach, and of course, challenging myself with speaking in a whole new dimension, for free!  

I've managed to finally get my ARC (Alien Residence Certificate) with enabled me to buy my own simcard.

My new mobile number is +88 6(0) 91 364 2 364 , and you know it.

People say that when solo travelling it takes time to become used to the idea of being alone, and not part of a strong social group. For me, because I'm so very special, that was no problem. Maybe because of my past formed beliefs that I am not good at social events!? Who knows, and who cares, it is in the past. My newest feelings I experience are those of becoming part of a strong social group. I am fortunate to be in daily contact with a few "very nice people", and I'm forming very close friendship relationships with them. There is a certain satisfaction one experiences if you attain a certain social comfort status. I have finally made full disclosures to a few of them explaining my whole story as you know it by now. Once again I am impressed with the effect of being honest about who, what and "how" you are has on people in general. Feeling the transition of being "solo" and then "grouping" again is really something to mention. 6612 contacts.

Thank you for all the positive responses I've had from my video on Youtube. We'll never know what pops up next....

Yesterday I was drifting over the world in my thoughts and I was smirking at the fact that only a handfull of people can say my surname or even attemp to say it....so what did I do? I took action! I have launced my first video over the internet!

Go and watch in on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wALMuyj7PCI

or, go to the bottom left part of the webpage and watch it directly! Hope you like it.

I am sitting in my apartment, it is almost time for lunch, I realize that although I have some jam and peanut butter my bread is finished. I decide to go and buy bread at the local supermarket. I get up, take off my key from the special hook and walk out the door. I turn around, insert the key, and turn it the wrong way around to lock it, clockwise and not anti-clockwise that I'm used to. I turn around and face the neighbours front door. There are some chinese characters written boldly in red on the door. I do not recognize them, I cannot match them with any of the 134 chinese characters already stored in my memory bank. All around the front of the door pairs of shoes are placed with neat intention. I count a total of 12 pairs, ranging from child sizes to high white leather woman boots. I've only seen our neighbours once or twice, and once again when their Maltese poodle stormed me, jumping up my leg with the hopes or reaching my knee and do something,I don't know what, but we all had a great laugh. I walk to the elevator and join two people already heading down, a mother and her child. Vaguely I can conclude that the child said "There's a foreigner!" Giggling shyly while the mother tries to save face and avoid embarrassment. I turn, giving my best smile and say "Hello! How are you?" The child is ecstatic, hiding behind her mother, giggling, playfully avoiding eye contact with me.The mother is also smiling broadly now, encouraging her child to practice some english. The lift stops, I hold open the elevator door, the mother smiling even more and uttering a recognizable "Xie Xie Ni!" which means "Thank you very much!", the child is tactfully placing her mother between us while exiting the elevator, just before the door closes I manage to slip in a "bye!bye!" waving at the child and smiling, once again the child is ecstatic with laughter while the door closes. I reach the basement where my scooter is parked at it's allocated position, no 590. I take my helmet that was loosely placed on the seat, releasing that my fear of non-secured items being stolen has been greatly diminished. All around I see helmets and raincoats loosely placed on scooters, and I'm sure If I pay more attention, I will find some keys left in the ignition overnight, no worries.

I secure my helmet with the chin strap and put my glasses back on, get on the scooter, subconsciously finding my balance and start pushing back. I start the engine with a push of the button, turn the fuel throttle and off I go. A thought swiftly sweeps through my mind that I am one of hundreds of foreign teachers driving without a license, and picturing myself being stopped by traffic police,talking afrikaans very fast, causing confusion, and being let go with a warning, that is the suggested protocol. I exit the parking area, nodding to the traffic attendant and receiving a smile in return together with an open arm confirming that it is safe to exit into the traffic. I look, find and enter a gap in the traffic line and start heading for the supermarket. I stop and wait and the traffic light concentrating on the countdown that is displayed in bright red numbers, only 46 seconds to wait. My eye catches the pedestrian crossing indicator and I cannot help but smile at the walking green man. I have seen this nowhere else, usually it's a stationary light in a man form but in Taiwan they added movement, like a comic. During the last 10 seconds of allowed crossing the walking tempo increases, causing a feeling of haste for the crossing pedestrians with the result of increased speed. I cross the intersection and after a few minutes of inhaling too much pollution I park at the supermarket. Once again leaving my helmet loosely on the seat I enter the supermarket remembering to wait a second for the automatic doors to respond otherwise crashing into them, they are definitely seconds slower in response that all the other automatic door world wide...for sure. The smell of unpronounceable chinese cuisine entertains me while I walk past the fast food section to the supermarket bakery. I know exactly where the sliced bread is and head straight for it, but after collecting my preferred taste I cannot resist to once again look at the different kinds of brown, black and GREEN bread delicacies that are on display, unique to Taiwan from my experience. I stare and examine while recognizing beans and almonds in one bread and also the classic bacon and melted cheese in the other with the knowledge that any kind of pork meat in TW is much much much sweeter that you would expect. After satisfying my visual temptation and denying my burning temptation to taste I head for the counter. Before the assistant starts scanning the barcode of my merchandise she asks me something that I do not understand a word of, but I know the procedure is to ask for any vouchers, and then to ask if I  need any bags. With false confidence in understanding I polite say "Bu, Bu , Xie Xie" No, No thank you. Walking with a unreadable receipt to my scooter I look up and secretly long for the clear blue skies of africa. But then also getting excited for the awaiting adventures of this now-still-strange culture where even buying bread makes me feel like a daring explorer.     

Have you ever wondered what my voice sounds like, or you do now what it sounds like but you are wondering if it still sounds the same? Wonder no more! I am alive on skype and willing, eager and able to verbally communicate to anyone or any...thing. There are two options. Firstly, you can use SKYPE to talk to me, my skype ID is hein_vdm, and you will even be able to see me on my webcam. 2nd option is that you can privately (or publicly) send me a phone number of a landline and I WILL call you! Anywhere on earth as long as it's a land-line. Isn't that a bargain!?

I will tell you everything you want to know about the countries I have visited, my life, stuttering or the McGuire program. So come on! Don't delay! Do it today! 

Talking about talking of the talking traveller. The past week I have entered into two new speaking situations. Of course this has to do with teaching. Last week I was a substitute teacher at a kindergarden school. I had a class of 16 children between the ages of 4-5 years, wow, what an experience. At that age you won't even let them try to recognize written words and the teaching method is totally focused on amusement with the aim of letting the hear them words, say them, and associate with the correct picture or movement. They have an attention span of about 5 seconds, but loads and loads of love to give. If all else, I at least taught them to say "Gooda Morning Teacher Han!" The teaching went very well, and talk about letting go.....5 little monkeys jumping on the bed! One fell down and broke his head........., ringa ringa rosies....etc etc etc ha ha ha etc.

The other situation is that of 1 2 1 (get it?) tutoring of more advanced students who want to improve their English by just having some conversation. Basically I visit them at their home and then we discuss a magazine article or other interesting material for an hour. The pay is pretty good but even better is the practice I get as these 1 2 1 conversation gets me to really focus on my articulation and enunciation of words and also my listing skills as I have to correct their tenses, grammar etc. With the use of skype I have been able to receive some support worldwide from other McGuire grads. This has helped me to work out some of the major "glitches" in my speaking technique and there is an improvement on the frequency of fumbles, stumbles and crumbles I had in 121 talks during the last 3 weeks.   

Chinese proverb of the day........." Fall down seven times, stand up eight!"