The Wandering Monkey

Hello All-
Today was my first lesson with my new Mandarin tutor, Yang Yang. It turns out she is female. I had thought Yang was a male name. I believe she will be a very good tutor. She is studying for her Master's in English as a Second Language. She is originally from Beijing, so I imagine I'll be learning the Beijing accent (which some people have noted I have already). We covered the pronunciation of the basic consonants and vowels.
In Phoenix, I have found the heat tolerable. It does get up to 108 or 110 during the day, but so far its not that bad. Growing up in Chicago has trained me to deal with heat, and there's no humidity out here so its really not that difficult. 98 degrees with humidity is far far worse than 110. I'm adjusting to the new house well. Getting along with everyone, and there's a constant flow of visitors.
I have wondered why I decided to go to China, assuming I do actually go. When I went to California, I learned about what people call "First Generation" and "Second Generation". This refers to immigration to America. Most people I know count "First Generation" as a person who immigrated as an adult, and "Second Generation" as a person who was born here of immigrant parents. There was also a distinction for "Third Generation", after which people apparently don't keep track. I was told that on average First Gen people have the same sort of issues with their parents and in personal relationships. Second Gen have their own set of issues, and so forth. Apparently its a topic of much discussion in California and a thing to be aware of when dating somebody.
Growing up in the Midwest there was no such terminology as far as I knew. No one really spelled it out like that.
My father is First Generation, though my mother's family has been in the States for seven generations. In a way, that makes me Second Generation. I think this has had a very significant impact on my growing up and my interpersonal relations.
Going to China will give me some of an idea of what my own father's family and other immigrants went through. There will be a big difference; I will be a priviledged foreigner, already educated and with some means. Plus I am studying the language ahead of time, and as a U.S. citizen I probably have a better position than many.
But I remember the experience of taking a train on my own from Souzhou (sp?) to Shanghai, just 60 miles. I was dropped off at a train station and had to get a ticket and get on the right train. But it was very confusing. No signs were in English, as I had been told. The information booth woman did not speak English, either. I could have going person to person asking if they spoke English but I'd have felt quite foolish as they looked at me oddly. Also, I felt like I stuck out tremendously. There were only 4 other white people in a terminal of a few hundred. When I got in line for my train I really didn't know for sure if it right line or not.
And during all of this, I had many options. I had enough cash to get another train if I went on the wrong one. I had a phone number of someone I could call to pick me up if there was a problem. And still it was a moment-by-moment experience. You really don't know what you are doing but you are taking it step by step, hoping its right.
It was the right train, and I was the only white person in my car. Someone was sitting in my seat, and it occured to me how difficult it would be to explain to them the situation, especially if they chose to be uncooperative. But I showed them my ticket and they got up OK. I hid behind a book for the rest of the trip, and I was glad to get back to my hotel that evening.
So I'm preparing now. I hope I'm up for living in a foreign country when the time comes.
Peace,
Jim