From starting in Shanghai and ending up in Taiwan, I am grateful to the John Speak Trust for supporting me in my language studies, despite the interruption and change of plans!
Coming back to where I spent my university year abroad two years ago, Taiwan, has been a fantastic opportunity. To think that when I last was here, I found speaking a full day in Chinese exhausting and frequently struggled to express myself. Now, after two semesters at the ICLP at NTU, I am confident in expressing my ideas and at a moderately fast pace! (Despite still getting a lot wrong). Had I known quite how long reaching this point would take, I probably would have chosen a European language, but I’m so far down this road I may as well Just Keep Swimming. Fortunately, I love it. It’s fun. And without Chinese I probably wouldn’t have the job in Hong Kong which starts this August. That’s a huge benefit of the trust, since one of it’s goals is to promote British trade abroad. I was luck enough to secure a final interview at one such company, and when they asked me about my language school, bringing up being a trust grant recipient and the goal of the trust probably contributed to showing my interviewers just how serious I am about staying in Asia, ideally with a language component in my future role.
Another great thing about coming back to Taiwan this time around is that I didn’t really feel like I needed to explore! Maybe that is boring, but it is a very small island and as I have already spent a year here in the past. I know my favourite places and actually that is just Taipei, so this time I was really able to focus on improving my Chinese and preparing for final interviews.
A photo from my final class of Social Chinese for Diplomats
Language schools such as the ICLP also attract a great cohort. Although the majority were Ivy League Americans on their year abroad, there was also a strong contingent of professionals who were there to improve their Chinese and also their network. I met diplomats, people with great corporate jobs, and also people who were sent their by their companies to improve their Chinese for future expansion into Taiwan and China. Regardless of where they were in their journey, everyone had a great attitude, stuck to the immersive language pledge of only speaking Chinese in the building, and the great friends I’ve met I’m excited to meet eventually on their home turf!
The last time attending Monday park fitness group!
My recommendation for anyone learning Chinese who is over intermediate level, is to ditch the flash cards and Anki! It’s such a red herring and sadly one that makes you feel you’re making such progress … when really you’re not! My reasoning is not just my own personal experience but also the recommendation from many of my teachers at the ICLP. If you do resort to flashcards, they should really just be for distinguishing similar words or start with one side showing the word, and the opposite side showing the possible compliments or conditions that are set on that word. So remember, Listen Listen Listen, Speak Speak Speak, and if you’re fed up of those, just Read Read Read…. Never waste your time on flashcards. Words learnt in isolation don’t support your 語感 (language sense).
My last time attending the Wednesday stair running at Chiang Kai-shek memorial hall.
Finally, thank you again to the John Speak Trust and Debra for all of the support. Even though I began my journey planning on doing a masters in Shanghai and ending up moving to a language school in Taipei so I could focus on applying for jobs, John Speak kept supporting my ambitions despite the convuluted route I took to realise them.
Running into some teachers from the office!
Thank you John Speak Trust! And if you’re a Chinese learner – I know the mountain feels never ending, but the places you’ll go if you just keep going are truly worth it in the end.
Now, I move to Hong Kong to start work – potentially impossible without the help of the Trust! Feel free to reach out. Happy studying!