Long Time No See! 很久不見！

The Chinese phrase 很久不見 Hěnjiǔ bùjiàn translates literally to “long time no see” in English. Some believe that the English expression “long time no see” comes from this Chinese translation, brought to the United States by Chinese immigrants in the 19th century.

I often am greeted with 很久不見 by my friends in Taiwan, after not seeing me for a period of time, in the exact same context my American friends say “long time no see!”

I think it’s fitting to introduce this Chinese phrase on the blog today, because it’s been a long time since my last post!

When I started writing Language Boat last year, it was really intended to be a personal chronicle of my immersion learning experience in Taiwan and beyond. I needed a space to express myself, geek out on language, and chart my progress. I had no idea that it would grow into a community of language learning allies!

What’s more, after I stopped posting several weeks ago, I began to receive a flood of emails and Facebook messages, asking me if I was okay and letting me know my posts are loved and missed! I am incredibly blessed and deeply moved by your loyal readership and encouragement. Thank you for your love, your support, and your concern.

All is well aboard the Boat! I’m still doing the usual, struggling and progressing with Chinese. And during my “time off” I collected some notes and thoughts for upcoming posts on all sorts of good stuff I’m looking forward to sharing with you.

I’ve also got a trip home to California planned for a few weeks to attend my cousin’s wedding and catch up with family and friends, and my beloved old cat Chon, who just celebrated his 14th birthday on May 8th. There’s a lot more to come, so stay tuned!

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