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It is interesting from what you said. I know most friends from East Asia with the same habit. It takes a lot of training to perform small tasks in English. And

It is interesting from what you said. I know most friends from East Asia with the same habit. It takes a lot of training to perform small tasks in English. And my German friends count their money in German event they speak fluent American English. I stayed in Taiwan for education until I got my Bachelor degree and served military service. I forced myself to read textbooks in original version and I read a lot outside textbooks when I was in high school. I spent first 3 months in U.S. to count number in English reflexively. And so far my problem is that if I remember anything in English, it takes me time to translate them back in Chinese. Like every time I told my mom and sister about my phone number, I need to think how to say them in Chinese by going through all numbers that in my mind are pronounced in English. But I can type in exactly the digit as someone else said. Another thing is I have problem to perform physics calculation in Imperial system because all physics constants that I remember are in Metric system. Another problem is to explain knowledge in Chinese that I learn first in English. Especially terms in computer science are not unified in Taiwan and China. At the other hand, I read both Chinese and English media. But it seems there are two brains in my head that are complete separated. I am also ambidextrous to the degree that I can write in both hands and using chop sticks in both hands. So maybe my brain did not develop specialization well as others.

riobard 18y ago
"Another problem is to explain knowledge in Chinese that I learn first in English. Especially terms in computer science are not unified in Taiwan and China." I have the same problem, too. A much worse thing for me is that I use English as my primary language for quite some time now, I sometimes have difficulty finding the appropriate Chinese words when I need to talk to Chinese friends. I guess that's the price one has to pay if one really wants to re-wire the brain :| "I am also ambidextrous to the degree that I can write in both hands and using chop sticks in both hands." This is quite an achievement. Is it a born gift, or you trained yourself? Very amazing! :)
- eugenejen 18y ago
  I don't think it is born. But I felt curious when I was in teens after reading stories in Jing Yong's novel about Zhou Botong's trick. I started to practice to hold chop sticks in left hand and after a month practice. I can do it without problem. But some friends noticed that I always unconsciously switch hands when picking up trash on the floor or opening doors. They mistook me as left handed. And you read from Wikipedia that a theory of ambidexterity is that most ambidexterity are in fact left handed by birth. So maybe I just forget my unhappy experience during the right handed when I was kid.
  - riobard 18y ago
    Emm, interesting. I'm always curious of how to work more with left hand (I'm right handed). I started with using mouse/touchpad with my left hand, but when it comes to writing with a pen or using chopsticks, my left hand always makes me feel dumb ... I guess more practice is needed. Gonna try that in the next month. Thanks! :)
- whacked_new 18y ago
  I am similarly "ambidextrous," self-trained as well. It started as a hobby in 3rd grade, so here's my anecdotal evidence that it is highly trainable. As for age, it is certainly a factor, but it doesn't make it untrainable. What I find more amazing is how people think it is unbelievable; I once felt like a circus animal in demonstrating it is possible to my friend. Everybody is "ambidextrous" (at least in regards to common motor tasks) to varying degrees. It's up to you to control this degree. A highly-trained violinist has a more functional left-pinky (more than the right pinky), for example. Another interesting thing about lefty and righty-ness, is that some people make the observation that lefties cross their arms and their fingers opposite of righties (e.g., left thumb on top for lefties). I reasoned that this was just habitual, so I deliberately changed mine, and over the years the "lefty way of crossing" is the most natural one.
  - riobard 18y ago
    I actually tried to train myself somehow. It's just no knowing how long/hard I need to practice until I'm able to work OK with my left hand makes me stagnant. Now both u and eugenjen said it's doable, I'll continue my daily exercise. Thanks! :)

riobard 18y ago

"Another problem is to explain knowledge in Chinese that I learn first in English. Especially terms in computer science are not unified in Taiwan and China." I have the same problem, too. A much worse thing for me is that I use English as my primary language for quite some time now, I sometimes have difficulty finding the appropriate Chinese words when I need to talk to Chinese friends. I guess that's the price one has to pay if one really wants to re-wire the brain :| "I am also ambidextrous to the degree that I can write in both hands and using chop sticks in both hands." This is quite an achievement. Is it a born gift, or you trained yourself? Very amazing! :)

eugenejen 18y ago
I don't think it is born. But I felt curious when I was in teens after reading stories in Jing Yong's novel about Zhou Botong's trick. I started to practice to hold chop sticks in left hand and after a month practice. I can do it without problem. But some friends noticed that I always unconsciously switch hands when picking up trash on the floor or opening doors. They mistook me as left handed. And you read from Wikipedia that a theory of ambidexterity is that most ambidexterity are in fact left handed by birth. So maybe I just forget my unhappy experience during the right handed when I was kid.
- riobard 18y ago
  Emm, interesting. I'm always curious of how to work more with left hand (I'm right handed). I started with using mouse/touchpad with my left hand, but when it comes to writing with a pen or using chopsticks, my left hand always makes me feel dumb ... I guess more practice is needed. Gonna try that in the next month. Thanks! :)
whacked_new 18y ago
I am similarly "ambidextrous," self-trained as well. It started as a hobby in 3rd grade, so here's my anecdotal evidence that it is highly trainable. As for age, it is certainly a factor, but it doesn't make it untrainable. What I find more amazing is how people think it is unbelievable; I once felt like a circus animal in demonstrating it is possible to my friend. Everybody is "ambidextrous" (at least in regards to common motor tasks) to varying degrees. It's up to you to control this degree. A highly-trained violinist has a more functional left-pinky (more than the right pinky), for example. Another interesting thing about lefty and righty-ness, is that some people make the observation that lefties cross their arms and their fingers opposite of righties (e.g., left thumb on top for lefties). I reasoned that this was just habitual, so I deliberately changed mine, and over the years the "lefty way of crossing" is the most natural one.
- riobard 18y ago
  I actually tried to train myself somehow. It's just no knowing how long/hard I need to practice until I'm able to work OK with my left hand makes me stagnant. Now both u and eugenjen said it's doable, I'll continue my daily exercise. Thanks! :)