Every since the age of 16, random Chinese people have been attempting to hold a conversation with me in Cantonese, Mandarin and possibly other dialects I am not aware of. To remedy the situation I have for some time been engaged in an on-off (well, mainly “off”) hunt for a local Chinese-speaking tutor. (Thus hoping to avoid the countless looks of disappointment in the eyes of a person hoping to speak to someone in their mother tongue, only to discover yet another person who talked slowly but loudly to them in a foreign language)
You would think that in a world where one quarter of the population is Chinese, this would be an easy task but apparently not.
In a moment of desparation, I ask the woman behind the counter in the local Chinese Takeaway. This brings on much hilarity and quick-fire conversation to her colleagues, but no, none seem willing.
So, back to the drawing board and xenophobic shouting in words of one syllable to the mystified.