I'm very blessed to be bilingual.
My Mandarin isn't the best, but being able to speak it fairly fluently has made it possible for me to connect with non-English-speaking families and to help them in a practical way.
Last week, we were in the middle of Coffee Club when I looked out the chapel and saw this Chinese-looking couple standing outside the gate, with a slightly puzzled expression on their faces, like, "Help!"
I went out and spoke to them in Mandarin. Turns out they are from China and were looking to enrol their child at our school for Term 4.
Before I knew it, I found myself taking them to the Admin Office, speaking to the staff about their request, helping them with paperwork and booking them in for an interview with the Principal.
Of course, as the hubby didn't speak English at all and the wife only haltingly, I volunteered to be their interpreter at the interview.
That was yesterday. My Mandarin was taxed to the limit when they asked the P about his vision for the College, and I had to be quite careful translating their queries about the School's ranking, priorities and values.
It was challenging but fun. I've made a new connection and practised my conversational Mandarin with people who speak it better than I do. They were offered a place for their child. Win-Win all round.
Today I got to do it again.
I overheard two members in my ladies' bible study talking about the need for A to see a TCM practitioner recommended by B. Neither A nor B speaks Mandarin, and the doctor doesn't speak much English. So I volunteered to help the lady make the appointment and accompany her to see the doctor.
Time to get out my Chinese-English dictionary again.
Thank you to the Singapore education system for its insistence on bilingualism.
I hope my children can be functionally fluent in at least one other language too, so that when the opportunity comes up to serve someone, whether privately or professionally, they will be able to do it.
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