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Part 1: What feedback and suggestions do prior participants have for new students?
(Salma Alali, LC111,
LC112OL Summer student)
"The virtual exchange experience really contributes to us students learning the language but under more casual conditions, which lessens any nervousness students may feel if they were under only classroom conditions (more structured, or formal). I also like that it gave more chances for me to practice my speaking skills in the language. I find that this program strengthened my desire to continue pursuing learning the Chinese language and it made my goal for learning it ever clearer: Sometime within the next five years, I wish to go visit the country and comfortably converse with the citizens to get about my days of exploration there. I do truly think that this VE project has helped me potentially become good friends with my language partners and find further reasons to learn the language.
Suggestion: though the VE is more casual than lectures, dedicate the effort (by preparing good questions and practicing writing the characters) and time into the VE to ensure you get as much use out of it."
(Xiang Jin, LC112OL Summer student)
" I didn’t exactly know what to expect going into the virtual meetings, but I’m really glad I was able to take part in it, because I was able to make new friends from abroad and learn Chinese while doing so. I came in not knowing a thing about my partners’ hometowns of Nanyang and Hami to knowing about their geography, climate, culture, and attractions. It was rather surprising and a relief to know that some of my stereotypes of Chinese people aren’t the full truth, but rather stereotypes such as forcing one’s kids to go into a certain profession was less prominent in modern times. Overall, I think the virtual exchange project was a big success if I look at how Chinese I have learned from my partners, or how much I learned about their hometowns and local cultures. I would definitely be willing to do more of this in my future Chinese classes."
(Josh Yip, LC111, LC112 Summer OL student)
"I had the opportunity to meet several students from different parts of China. The virtual exchange meetings helped students address biases and blind spots we had regarding each other's cultures. For example, my exchange partner and I were able to explain how our respective schools and countries were dealing with the COVID-19 epidemic. My partner helped correct my misconceptions about Chinese herbal medicine by explaining its history and usage in daily life, and I helped my partner understand the cultural and geographic differences between the East and West coasts of the United States. I continue to remain connected with my virtual exchange partners from past semesters, and we regularly converse about movies, video games, and particularly English/Chinese language conventions!
One suggestion from me: Break the ice before your exchange meeting by learning some Chinese songs! Listen to TFBOYS, JJLin, Joker Xue, Eric Choi, and Jay Chou! "
(Madeleine Gesell, LC319, LC420 student)
" My keystone project in Topics in Chinese Through Media involved working with a student at Tianjin University to select and analyze American and Chinese news coverage of tensions surrounding the Mexican-American border. This project enabled my partner and me to examine biases present in different countries' news outlets and engage in discussions regarding our own preconceived notions of current events and government actions. These projects motivated my peers and me to question our existing perspectives and enhance our oral and written Chinese communication skills."
(Stone Harris, LC211 student)
"My partner and I navigated through conversations about our daily lives, our cultural differences, and even our favorite movies. This not only made learning more engaging but also helped me to think in Chinese, rather than just translating from English in my head. The program also served as a window into Chinese culture, way beyond what the classroom can offer. The experience has been incredibly enriching on multiple fronts. On a linguistic level, my conversational Chinese definitely improved, and I've gained a better grasp of sentence structures that I had learned in class. Most importantly, this experience has widened my worldview. Understanding the perspectives and life experiences of someone from a culture very different from mine has not only been eye-opening but also has given me a deeper appreciation for diversity.
My suggestion for you: definitely prepare for the required conversational topics and vocabulary beforehand, but also allow room to have fun with spontaneous conversations to make the most out of your sessions."
(Erik Duchnowski, LC319 student)
"Engaging in prolonged and intricate conversations in Chinese pushed me to use the language in new ways and led me to embrace new perspectives. I also benefited from the sense of camaraderie that developed through our shared language-learning journey as exchange partners. This collaborative spirit made the experience more enjoyable and reduced the amount of pressure I felt. By participating in the VE experience, I gained confidence in my Chinese and proved to myself that I was able to navigate complex subjects using the language.
Suggestions: find and research a topic you're genuinely curious about; if you can manage that, your VE project will become a rewarding source of growth and discovery.
(Lilian Xiao, LC111 student)
"The VE experience helped me apply what I learned in class in a practical way. Speaking with someone around my own age made it feel like a safer environment to make mistakes, and
I liked that I was able to use the phrases and words that I had been taught. It was a very cool experience all around, and definitely something that I would want to do again. I felt nervous at first about meeting my partner with my bad Chinese, but they were super understanding and patient with me--so just relax and take your time remembering what you want to say!"
(Selina Jeslyn Manua, LC111 student)
"The VE experience has helped me hone my Chinese speaking skills. I was able to practice speaking Chinese in real-world scenarios, which enabled me to improve my intonation and fluency. Sometimes, the things I talked about with my partner were beyond the scope of the vocabulary taught in class, so I learnt new words that were not in the curriculum, which made me a better speaker. I was also able to learn a lot about Chinese culture and debunk myths I have heard. I was able to gain an interesting insight about Chinese college life and the things to do in China. Overall, it was a very interesting and positive experience!
I would encourage you to take the time to go beyond the scope of what is told to be covered in the meeting instructions so that you can gain more interesting insights about Chinese language/your partner/China as a whole!"
(Asad Soomro, LC211 student)
"The VE project gave me an opportunity to engage in my Chinese learning in a way that I hadn't been able to before. Many people say that the absolute best way to learn a language is to spend time in a place where it is predominantly spoken. Speaking to a native speaker, especially one who doesn't have a perfect grasp on your native language, emulates that. I found that after the VE project, my conversational speech has become a lot smoother, and I can recall the correct words much quicker. The VE project didn't just improve my ability to speak Chinese, but to have a conversation.
Suggestions: I would say to remember that your VE partner is a student, not a teacher. They're also trying to learn a language, so make sure you put some thought into their learning as well."
(Kiana McQuade, LC112OL Summer student)
"Learning about a completely different environment is incredibly valuable to developing understanding and inclusivity. When people have different customs and cultures and come together, they are stronger as a group due to the variety of their experiences, which is why I enjoyed this project and hope to have an opportunity like this again. Practicing speaking a foreign language with native speakers is priceless. I encourage the teachers of this course to continue this collaboration for future students, as they will also greatly benefit from it."
(Caitlyn Alysha Aryanto, LC112OL Summer student)
"It was very informative to know the language landscape in the city of Liangshan. This greatly helped me by letting me know about its language accessibility and if a beginner Chinese speaker like me will be able to enjoy my trip around Liangshan and other parts of China. I learned a lot from my partner, about the different culture, the different types of food, the different weather conditions, and many more. It was awkward during our first meeting, but as we kept seeing each other, we were getting comfortable with each other and asked each other a lot of questions to know more about one another. It was an amazing experience to be able to communicate with our partners all the way from China every week to share with each other about our hometowns and what we think about. "
Part 2: What do students say about the linguistic landscape fieldwork?
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