Quote:
Originally Posted by SingViet
My bx know some Mandarin when i first met her. Thru the years, i talk to her daily in mandarin and correct her if necessary. One thing about my bx is that she watch a lot of taiwanese drama serial on Channel 8. She says she learned a lot of her mandarin there. She also talked to my parents and siblings in mandarin. My children communicate with my bx in mandarin, i disallow my kids to learn Tieng Viet as i want them to master both English and Mandarin to a certain level so that they can do well in school. These few years after my children went to school, my bx learned english from my kids. My family operates differently from other families with viet spouse. My bx had a hard life since young and after being with me for the past decade, i educate her a lot thru TV news and also newspaper. I will explain to her what the papers say about vietnam and what's on current affairs daily. She understands and agree with my way of educating and bringing up my kids. I always tell my kids that they are Singaporean chinese, not vietnamese. Although their mother is vietnamese, but since my bx married me, then my kids are chinese.
I bring my bx to coffeeshops to eat, teach her about local food and also local customs. The only thing is that my bx is not too good with Singapore as i drive her everywhere she goes. She has only taken the MRT twice for the past many years and have never taken the bus before in Singapore. My bx understands that she is a Singaporean now and she needs to adapt to the life here. My bx doesn't ask to go back VN all the time. We will only go VN when we need to meet customers in Saigon. My bx's family made her very disaapointed and she places her effort and love in me and my kids.
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Thanks Bro, and all other bros that shared their experiences.
My BX can only speak english, i rate her Spoken - Primary 3 standard, Written - Primary 1 Standard. Her Mandarin is basically non-existent that is my huge concern as my 2 kids from my previous marriage good in english and super bad in their chinese, i want to avoid the same mistake again. I understand there are slight similarities in TV and mandarin and hope this will shortcut my BX learning curve.
I never had chance to bring my BX to coffeeshop alot as she cook almost every meal as she cannot take much SG food as of now. But she like Singapore Breakfast - like our prawn noodles, you tiao, soya bean drink etc etc. She almost can go to market without me going to help her translate with the hawkers in wet market and food centre near my house.
Haha, i am ashamed i am Singaporean lor. I dont know how to take bus, as in which bus to take to go where! (i have my own transport, motorbike at 18, car at 25), never take bus mrt anymore since 18years old. Me and BX always go waterloo temple pray guanyin, usually we take a cab go if my taxi is not available for my usage. Now my bx asked my 2 tenents (viet students studying at kalpan) how to take bus. She even tell me the number of the bus hahaha. But of course, i have to guide her how to use ezlink and where to alight la. Now she can go waterloo street herself without me already. but she need a tissue lol, she cannot stand the smell of bus or other people taxi, she will get car-sick!
I had brought her to take MRT 3-4 times already also. She need more time to learn how the stations only.
Well, i side tracked too much, yes my main concern is for my BX to learn mandarin fast... and my mandarin standard also suck cannot be good teacher and we are not staying with my parents... i guess bros here had provided enough advices, i will take it from here. Thanks again!