1100 Words -- The Equivalent of Chinese Literacy

In my 11th grade world cultures book, I read that to become literate in Chinese, students needed to memorize 1100 characters. So, being the goal-oriented girl that I am, I decided that if I could memorize 1100 Creole words, maybe I could speak Creole by the end of the summer.

Starting in May, I decided to learn 75 new word each week until September. Finding 75 new words each week has been kind of fun because I have to get creative about where I get these words. If I'm sick, I memorize words like stomach ache, diarrhea, and cramps (all important words in Haiti). If I go to the market, I learn vegetable words, money words, and phrases like "you ask for too much."

This week I will pass the halfway mark (wohoo!), adding 75 new words to my current 546 to make a total of 621. Whew! But I'm starting to find that memorization and conversation are not enough.

Though I'm understanding and speaking more Creole, I still can't put all my little words together to make coherent Creole thoughts. To help with this, I will spend 1 month in Port Au Prince studying intensively.

I'll leave this Saturday, and while I'm there, I will keep working toward my goal of 1100 words. But I will also work on a new goal of leaving Creole infancy for the equivalent of Chinese literacy. :)

(You could pray for me as I study. That I can learn quickly, that I connect well with my teacher, and that God gives my brain supernatural ability to think in my new language.)