Sunbird Chronicles (6): Dan Johnny’s Chinese Crosstalk Dream (Photos)

Sunbird Chronicles (6): Dan Johnny’s Chinese Crosstalk Dreams (Photos) (Editor's note) At a certain time, in a certain space, we are here, Arizona, USA...

(Editor's note) At a certain time, in a certain space, we are here, Arizona, USA. Some people have stayed, and some have returned from overseas. In time At the intersection of space and space, there are many stories composed of minutes and seconds. In the Sunbird Asia Chinese Network, we see Zhang Zhaohong, Qi Ruhong, Wen Ruo, Huiming, Fengming, Xinshui and many other old overseas Chinese recording their lives in words. First of all, we would like to thank them for their records, which allow us to see the growth footprint of a generation of immigrants. In Phoenix, there are also some new immigrants who are busy in the high-tech district, as well as international students who come to study. They come here with the aura of Chinese people born in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The life changes and choices they face are happening now. "Sunbird Asia Chinese Network" hopes to record these and mobilize the power of interviews to record the stories in this time and space. If you have interesting people or interesting stories around you, please contact us and share "Sunbird Chronicles" together.

(Reported by Chengyan Xie of the Alberta Times) On May 5, the “Chinese Bridge” audition competition in the southwest region, co-sponsored by the Confucius Institute at UCLA and the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles, concluded successfully at the Popper Theater at UCLA. Jonny Dangerfield and Zach Marin, representing the Confucius Institute at Arizona State University, won first and second place. Dan Johnny performed a stand-up comedy called "Laughing and Crying" that made all the guests laugh out loud. Consul Chen Zhunmin, head of the Chinese Consulate of the Ministry of Education in Los Angeles, and Xu Cuiying, consul of the Ministry of Education, both expressed that they were very impressed by the contestants from the Confucius Institute at Arizona State University.

>Dan Johnny performs cross talk

Performance scene

Cross talk: phone call

Dan Johnny said that when he first watched the previous program of "Chinese Bridge", his heart beat "bang bang." Bang" accelerated, and he felt that he had been waiting for this moment his whole life: to step onto the stage and bring joy to everyone. He enjoyed this feeling very much. When asked if he was nervous during the entire competition, he said one thing: "I was a little nervous for the first minute, but then I felt very enjoyable, especially when I saw everyone laughing. I knew I had done it and achieved my goal." The reporter asked Dan Johnny if it was the happiest moment when he knew he won the first place in the competition. , he said, "Of course I am very happy to know that I won the first place, but it is not as good as standing on the stage and bringing happiness to everyone. That is my driving force!"

Dan Johnny started learning Chinese about two years ago. What impressed me most was that he participated in the exchange training between the Confucius Institute and Sichuan University. I lived and studied at Sichuan University for two months. "At that time, all the exchange students liked to eat out in restaurants, but I liked to eat in the cafeteria because the food in the cafeteria was also very good. More importantly, I could chat with local classmates. I would ask them what the Chinese characters hanging on the wall were, and then notate them and write them down. Learning Chinese is like a fellow student I learned three foreign languages at the same time, such as tones, Chinese characters, and pinyin, which are all completely independent. I also learned Spanish, and it was not that difficult. "When he was in Sichuan, he heard cross talk, and when he saw all the classmates watching "two people talking," the whole room burst into laughter. At the time, he didn't understand it and didn't know what it was. Later, after learning Chinese and watching the stand-up comedy "Da Shan", he decided to perform it in the Spring Festival activities of the Confucius Classroom. Unexpectedly, it was very successful and everyone in the audience laughed. Later, he became obsessed with the art of cross talk. When asked, do you have any tips for learning Chinese well? Dan Johnny said: "Of course there is. In the first two months when he decided to learn Chinese, he began to take the initiative to meet Chinese friends, play with them, and get to know their friends." He said that this way he could quickly understand their culture and improve his Chinese level quickly. When it comes to "persistence", Dan Johnny said that when learning a new language, he is often very distressed and disappointed, and feels that the progress is not fast, but when he thinks of the friends around him who have met through Chinese, he feels that it is very worthwhile.

Dan Johnny said that he enjoys speaking cross talk in Chinese, and that is what he hopes to do. Now he is preparing for the next competition, hoping to go to China to participate in the finals and realize his Chinese cross talk dream.