Nic TP-11

My tutoring time with AR went well. We discussed many different things. One thing he was curious about was party etiquette and what to bring to a party. I told him it depended on the situation. Typically, most situations you would ask the hostess. Even if she refuses, wine is a good choice.

For a potluck, casserole is a good choice or an American-friendly Chinese dish. I asked if there was a dish that is not American friendly, and he said Pi-Dan. It is fermented duck eggs. Most Americans…would not be that adventurous.

We discussed the multiple musings/connotations of the word “crabs”. I explained why the phrase “I have crabs!” would elicit snickers from Americans and that the phrase “I have blue crabs at my house” would be more appropriate. He also shared with me a few more definitions about crabs. One is that an airplane flying into the headwind is “crabbing” because it is similar to the movement crabs make. Hence, crabbing.

He taught me some Chinese culture, too. The story of the dragon and his 9 sons, where each of the 9 sons protects a different aspect of Chinese culture from cooking ware to temples. He also taught me the phrase “Lee Yu Tiao Long Meng” which means “the carp turns into the dragon”. It is the equivalent of our saying “rags to riches”. I like the Chinese version better, it is more romantic.

He shared with me the cultural difference of Cantonese (spoken in Hong Kong and parts of China) and Mandarin (the official language of China). In Cantonese they have a phrase that, to speak to a Mandarin speaker, is like a “chicken speaking to a duck”.

It was a great meeting time, one that I thoroughly enjoyed. I am so honored that I get to work with him, and I am excited that I will continue tutoring him this fall.