Read in regards to the incredible adventures of our current Language Study Abroad students.
Alex
Hi, my name is Alex. I was very recently given the awesome opportunity to go to Xiamen, China, via the School of Languages and Cultures’ Language Study Abroad programme. I had 4 weeks at the stunning Xiamen University, deeply immersing myself in the Chinese language and the culture of the realm. The in-class time was devoted to the language learning with the assistance of many beneficial volunteers. Outside the classroom was spent exploring the local area and trying out all the native delicacies, which, due to a long historical past of the town being a port, were all seafood. The college additionally arranged some journeys to sights, similar to GuLangYu Island, and by self-organisation we have been able to visit the amazing Wuyi Mountains. The language abroad program actually confirmed me the difference between ‘studying’ and ‘learning’ and has actually boosted my confidence in my capacity to talk and perceive Chinese. I would suggest this studying by way of immersion alternative to all language college students.
Autumn
My name is Autumn Prow and I’m presently in my second yr right here at Vic. Languages and travel are my ardour and, as such, I am presently finding out Spanish, Chinese and French, with an International Relations major to tie them together. Last summer season, seven Victoria University of Wellington students went on a 4-week intensive language course to Xiamen, China, in the hopes of improving our language skills, and learn about life and culture in China. We spent the four weeks dwelling within the university dorms and participating in every day life on and off campus. Every weekday, we had class through the day and explored the native city at evening, experiencing the massive variety of unbelievable meals and nightlife the city needed to supply. On the weekends, we ventured further from campus, spending days out at local attractions, similar to Gulanyu Island and the Hulishan Fortress. With the help of our academics and fellow college students, we even organized a weekend trip further north to the mountain village of Wuyishan, where we spent two days climbing, cycling, rafting, and seeing extra of rural China. It was a fully unimaginable experience—our language abilities have been put to robust tests and our talents to improvise, compromise, and downside solve were pushed to their limits. Overall, it was every thing I could have hoped for and more—I would do all of it once more in a heartbeat!
Brady
Hello, my name is Brady and I am a third-year BCom and BA Student. Last 12 months, the School of Languages and Cultures provided an WFHSS Study Abroad for Language Learners course in Xiamen, China. I was lucky sufficient to have the ability to take part on this course and spend a month on certainly one of China’s most lovely campuses at Xiamen University. The method the course was organized was really beneficial for studying Mandarin and was well-balanced, permitting lots of spare time for exploring the city and weekend trips to different cities round China. We spent round 20 hours every week learning Mandarin in school and we also partook in different classes with International students, corresponding to Chinese Politics and Calligraphy lessons, which have been actually fascinating. We stayed in a dorm of worldwide college students from all corners of the globe, similar to Ghana, Tajikistan, Algeria, Colombia and tons of more. We were living in part of China not frequently visited by foreigners, so it was a rare sight whenever you saw one other foreigner across the metropolis. My time spent over in China flew by and it was an incredible and challenging expertise, which helped develop my Mandarin. I truly had an incredible time and would highly advocate folks considering of doing a examine overseas course to get on the market and do it as a result of you’ll not regret it.
Ed
My name is Ed and I’m a Chinese language and TESOL main who spent a month in Xiamen, China, as part of the WFHSS program at VUW. I went together with six underclassmen from the Chinese programme and we found ourselves nicely built-in into the local campus life at Xiamen University. Xiamen is a beautiful city in the tropical southeast coast of China and the alternatives it gave us to speak and enhance our Chinese have been second to none. Besides dwelling the town life in and around campus, we also spent a weekend taking an independent journey as much as rural Wuyishan in the north of Fujian province, where we experienced the gorgeous native mountains and rivers on foot, bikes and rafts. Ultimately, the best present the WFHSS programme gave us was the opportunity to actually live life in China for a month—away from English and away from tour guides—and spending time with the locals learning their language and culture. My change was an amazing expertise for me and I extremely advocate it to anybody looking to get the best kickstarter their language studying can get—or even just for a barely different strategy to OE!
Kate
Hi, I’m Kate, and I am extremely grateful that I was capable of take my first step in studying Chinese over the course of this research overseas experience. Most people imagine that Chinese is among the most troublesome languages – and after a month of learning it, I have no doubt this is true! However, I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction than to have been totally immersed inside a mandarin-speaking college setting. Each day we attended Chinese lessons and tutorials, and slowly but certainly my vocab and conversational skills developed – a credit to my sort, and patient tutors. I also attended politics and philosophy courses taught in English. In the weekends we used our spare time to journey in and around the Fujian province. Our trip to the Wuyishan Mountain Range was positively a highlight. Over the course of forty eight hours, our beneficiant hostel owner, Lin, took us for a 7-hour hike through the Wuyi Mountains, a 15km bike journey, a swim in the river, a rafting excursion and a stint of sundown watching on the sting of a mountain. As I reflect again now, my time spent in China was all that I had hoped for and more. Throughout my travels, I was lucky enough to witness the immense great thing about the country – an element that is usually overshadowed by ill-informed perceptions. Likewise, we have been continuously on the receiving end of unwavering generosity, a side I credit to the nice and cozy Chinese tradition.
Katherine
My name is Katherine Kooistra and I am in my final yr studying a BA, majoring in International Relations and German. I was the fortunate recipient of a DAAD Winterkurs scholarship, which noticed me spend final summer time in the hustle and bustle of Berlin, Germany. The entirety of my trip in Berlin, I was surrounded by compassionate and beneficiant students from all all over the world studying German at IIK BerlinerID. With these college students, a lot of whom quickly grew to become life-long friends, I not solely bettered my German knowledge, but also learnt to completely experience the life of a Berliner. Monday to Friday, I attended class from 9am to 1pm. Classes were stuffed with things like grammar, talking and listening comprehension. The class was very very related to German back at Vic, which allowed for a seamless integration—I really feel much more assured with my German as a result! I stored my days and nights very full! When I wasn’t learning, I was with friends—visiting museums, going to bars and gigs, on road artwork tours, strolling the streets and eating German delicacies. I managed to go to nearby metropolis Potsdam (in picture), in addition to Hamburg and Dresden. My aim was to go to essentially the most attention-grabbing places in Berlin—highlights together with Teufelsberg (an deserted US communications spy tower turned avenue art paradise) and The Green House (a multicultural artist 7–storied house with a weekly open jam night). Every day in Berlin was totally different and I wouldn’t swap my experiences for something within the world!
Makere
Hi, my name is Makere and I was fortunate enough to spend my summer on the French territory, New Caledonia, within the capital, Noumea. Most folks know New Caledonia from the publish cards; seashores, palm timber and solar. I am one of many lucky few who can say I even have experienced the real NC—the culture, the meals, and the individuals. Living on campus, my mornings consisted of intensive language courses (grammar, pronunciation, tenses, conjugations, you name it!) and because of the warmth classes normally start round 7.30am. By the time it hits the afternoon, you’re normally exhausted, but power via a lecture (French historical past, literature, politics) and at 2pm lessons are done. It’s time for the seaside or to head into city for some exploring and mingling with locals. Weekends have been spent travelling to Noumea’s many islands, getting misplaced on the bus routes, lounging on the beach, snorkelling or consuming myself into a meals coma. One of the highlights of my trip was with the flexibility to communicate with individuals in their very own language and learning one other culture. Nouvelle Caledonie, tu me manques, and I hope to return once more soon. If you are contemplating applying, the one recommendation is—do it, whatever the language or culture, you will not remorse it.
Sammy
My name is Sammy O’Hara and during the summer season of 2016, I was fortunate enough to spend one month learning on the University of Noumea, within the stunning New Caledonia! At first, I felt nervous to even think about pursuing a French change as I had only begun learning the language throughout my first 12 months of university, nevertheless, the concept of a brand new journey was too thrilling to cross. I arrived in New Caledonia having solely discovered French for eight months and I couldn’t presumably have anticipated the development that the change would have on my language capacity. One of my most treasured recollections from my change was snorkelling with some pleasant, wild sea turtles at a small island off the coast of Noumea. The local students and people had been very excited to share their country, customs, delicacies and nightlife with us, and I might be eternally grateful to them for permitting us to experience an genuine piece of the country. The best memento that I deliver back from my exchange are the friendships that I produced from all over the world, some of whom I am planning to go to very quickly. The experience has made me realise the alternatives obtainable to me and I am so excited to travel and pursue extra them! I would extremely suggest the trade to New Caledonia, or any other country, to all college students of every age—you won’t remorse it!
