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Forget hiring some young, enthusiastic fresh-faced college graduate - the new trend in hiring nannies seems to be looking for ones that speak Mandarin. The BBC reported that more families are looking for Chinese nannies who might be able to give their kids an edge in the future when China is expected to become an even bigger superpower. And two families were bidding over a nanny that the final salary rose to $70,000! If only Gothamist knew Mandarin - then we'd have another backup job option. Reader Alex, who passed along the link to us, wonders if this is similar to the 1980s trend of parents teaching their kids Japanese (just look at Sofia Coppola!). Gothamist suspects another important reason: To be able to order off the menu at Chinese restaurants. But what's daunting is the Chinese character system - although a 6 month old apparently read a thousand of them (that's about 950 more characters than Gothamist knows).
Check out our site in China, Shanghaiist.
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This will really piss the French off now. First English, now Chinese.
What are the Chinese symbols for 'Freedom Eggroll' ?
I thought Asian girlfriends were all the rage.
No disrepect,but can someone explain "the asian girl w/ a token white guy" trend I'm seeing heavily in the city? I've seen my fair share of fugly couples ("In it for a greencard?") and beautiful couples. ("cute children!"). Wikipedia seems to be baffled too!
Too bad you're a minority (in China) Cantonese-speaker, eh, Jen? Or are you one of those jook sing?
New York Mag had an article about this a while back...
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/people/columns/intelligencer/11629/index.html
hr, nryr
White guy/Asian girl couplings have always been around - and yes, they tend to be either really attractive or nerdy/fobby. Though I've been seeing more and more White girl/Asian guy combinations recently, a trend I have absolutely no problem with.
Wow that's crazy. I wish I woulda learned cantonese as a child so I wouldn't have to read anymore movies.
That New York article is precisely why I avoid that magazine like the plague. There are children without health insurance out there and some ***hole parent on the UWS is worried that his 9-year-old won't be speaking the highest level of Mandarin.
As long as Chinese driving instructors don't become popular, we'll be ok.
I'm annoyed my mom pushed me to learn French in high school. Wanted to study German. Should've studied Chinsese (if it had been offered) or Spanish. Eventually learned Chinese. But now I've forgotten too much to speak much at all....
When I went to Public school in NYC they taught Mandarin, in high school the choices were much limited. then I picked it up again in College.
This is the most neurotic thing i've ever seen. New Yorkers never cease to amaze me.
Do they breastfeed the children too? I don’t think Chinese nanny breast milk is as good as Cambodian.
I only want the best for my kids.
I felt kind of funny being an ABC in high school taking a Mandarin class taught by a Greek woman with an Italian surname. Of course, the rest of the Chinese students were taking it for an easy A.
Kojak: roflmao
Brightliner: indeed, jen is 100% jook sing! she's twink, but she's got a fobby brother! how could this be? actually i'm not that fobby... i speak but i cant read. what what for college mandarin, wooo.