I had an enlightening conversation with a few expat friends this weekend. The topic of discussion was why we came to China or Taiwan. Most of us wondered how friends and family "back home" viewed us living and working here. First we focused on why we came. Most of us came to the conclusion that something what I’ll call "cultural mysteries" lead us to wonder in this direction.

It appears that Westerners have a romance or sense of mystery with anything Chinese, and this includes the language. I myself, and many other non-Chinese living on either side of the Taiwan Strait, may come under this category. Interests in Chinese food, medicine and Chinese Martial Arts can easily be found in the West. I think this view of anything Chinese by Westerners is too well understood by people marketing these "cultural mysteries." Now a day you hear more non-Chinese quoting Confucius than Chinese. Take a visit to the Jade Markets of Taipei or the hutongs in Beijing. The hutongs of today have become market places for local and international tourists.

Today, more and more people of non-Chinese decent are finding the studying of the Chinese language of great value. This is a direct result of China and the region’s future economic and global strength. I can’t say that I have the answers because I don’t. My only purpose here is to share some reflections on this topic.