My name is Defne. I am a second-year student at 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ studying Political Science and East Asian Studies. I have a particular interest in learning about different cultures, learning new languages, and travelling. Since I started learning Mandarin four years ago, China has been at the top of my travel destinations list. When I heard about the Li Ka Shing initiative program, I knew it would be an amazing opportunity for me to not only improve my Mandarin skills but also to learn about Chinese culture. This trip proved to me that no matter how much we read about the history or culture of a country, the experience of seeing everything with our own eyes can never compare to anything written in a textbook. Prior to this trip, I took my first East Asian History course, which was also the deciding factor in choosing my East Asian Studies major. I learned a lot in that class about Chinese history and culture, and this trip was an amazing opportunity that helped put my knowledge to good use. It helped me create lasting memories that reinforced the historical and cultural information I learned in class.
I can also confidently say that my Mandarin skills have greatly improved. I remember the first few days were full of anxiety and confusion. Remembering words and characters was pretty challenging; I would sometimes have to switch to English mid-sentence to get my point across. Towards the end of the program, however, words started coming to me faster, and I even started remembering words in Chinese instead of English! Thanks to our amazing tutors, I was also able to learn words I wouldn¡¯t learn in textbooks and colloquial phrases. Always having someone to ask questions to was certainly a huge asset in improving my Mandarin, but our tutors were more than just tutors; they became our close friends. Over the course of four weeks, I developed a deep connection with my tutors as well as fellow 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ students. The tutors would take us to their favorite meal spots, ask us questions about Canada, and we would ask them questions about China. We would talk for hours about all kinds of different topics, and though we came from very different cultural backgrounds, our friendship bond never stopped growing.
Fellow 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ students in the program certainly played a huge role in making this experience unforgettable. From meeting them in the hotel lobby in Hong Kong for the first time, I knew we would become great friends. We bonded over our common love for the Chinese language and culture: We would ask each other questions about Mandarin, Chinese culture, or help each other out in communicating with locals. One of the highlights of the program for me was going to С¹«Ô°with three of my program friends and buying tea from a local tea shop. We felt so proud of ourselves for conversing entirely in Mandarin. The tea culture in China was something that struck me altogether, and being able to learn about it with friends I made from the program was an amazing experience.
Though at times the program felt a little intense, being surrounded by supportive tutors, teachers, and friends helped a lot. When I felt stressed, I felt very comfortable talking to my tutors or fellow program friends. Being in a foreign country, trying to get by with a second language is certainly not easy. However, the small inconveniences I faced were nothing compared to the memorable experiences I got to have and the amazing people I had the chance to meet. My note for participants in such programs would be to be aware of minor challenges, such as some technical issues, but not to let the fear of facing these challenges prevent you from applying and enjoying this amazing program! We got to visit 4 different cities in China, meet so many amazing tutors, create long-lasting friendships, improve our Mandarin skills, and learn so much about Chinese culture and customs. I can confidently say that in terms of both personal and academic growth, this trip was one of the most enriching experiences of my university life!