Chinese Language

I never had the intention of learning Chinese. I spoke Dutch and Spanish at home and learned English when I was 14. Once I arrived at Soka, I had the opportunity to study a language. I chose Chinese because I sought a new experience. Once I chose it there was no holding back.

I fell in love with the process of learning. Friends often found me in the study room, endlessly writing and erasing Chinese characters. I watched TV shows like iPartment, went to tutoring hours, and even got a job at a local Chinese restaurant, working in the kitchen as assistant to the shifu, a man from Guangzhou who did not speak English. Forcing myself into uncomfortable situations led me to learn the language at a quick pace.

At the end of my study abroad I passed the HSK IV exam, able to converse in Chinese on a wide range of topics and communicate fluently with native speakers.