Tien Yu | Eden Terrace, Auckland

“我在新西兰出生的，然后我的母语是英文。 去年为了学会中文，我去了北京。 刚到的时候我一句话都不会说。

所以跟中国人聊天有点难。 因为他们都看到我，他们觉得我是本地的中国人. 但是我并不是。 所以我觉得去学中文对我的…… 当然对我的中文有好处，但是也对我的英文好处，因为要帮我提高我的那个……那个……怎么说，communication，的继续。 不是继续。 在北京我还有一些家人，我妈妈的家人。所以我的一个目的是会跟他们聊天。 我们……我刚到北京的时候，我很害羞，也很……不想跟他们见面，就是因为我觉得我不会跟他们聊。 我没有好说的。 但是后来，过几个月我慢慢可以跟他们聊一聊。这样给我一个很满足的感觉。 这个机会去北京带给我一些……多一点自信，还有我发现如果两个人 说不同的语言，你们还会当很好的朋友。 

因为我那时候，我现在也是，我很喜欢去攀岩。 当时我去一个北京的攀岩馆，然后我不会跟他们聊天，但是我们还是很好的朋友。然后我是基督徒，所以我觉得那个很重要。信仰很重要。但是除了那个我也觉得……我的爱好就是攀岩和音乐。 我觉得锻炼身体是一个很重要的事情。在我的生活中，我觉得家人很重要，朋友很重要。 身体健康也很重要。 头发也很重要。 我希望以后我老的时候还有很多头发

从我的文化方式来说，去北京在我的生活中是一个非常重要，非常有意思的事情。如果我没去的话，我可能没有这么多机会找工作，找朋友。 所有的东西，我觉得对华裔，对中国人来说，会说中文是非常重要的。因为在我们西方国家有很多那个华裔，还是别的亚洲国家的亚洲人，不会说他们的母语。所以他们会觉得他们没有自己的文化。学会你的族语会帮你找到你的文化。所以我觉得是很重要的。 

Translated

I was born in New Zealand. My first language is English. I went to Beijing to learn Chinese last year. I couldn’t say a single word in Chinese when I got there. So it was hard to talk to Chinese people. Because when they looked at me, they all thought I was a local. But I’m not. So I thought learning Chinese, of course, it improves my Chinese skills, but it also improves my English skills, because it helps improve my… what’s the word for it… continuing communication. Continuing is not the right word. I have family in Beijing, my mum’s family. So one of my goals is to be able to talk with them. When I first arrived in Beijing, I was very shy and I didn’t want to meet with them because I didn’t know how to talk to them. I had nothing to say. But after a few months, I could chat with them.  It gave me a sense of satisfaction. This opportunity of going to Beijing gave me more confidence, and I also realised that people can still be good friends even if they speak different languages. 

Back then I was very into climbing, and I still am now. I went to a climbing gym in Beijing. I didn’t know how to talk with them, but we still became good friends. I am a Christian, so I think that’s important. Belief is very important. Other than that, my hobbies are climbing and music. I think exercise is very important. I think family and friends are very important in my life. Health is also very important. Hair is also very important. I hope I will still have lots of hair when I get old. 

In terms of my cultural approach, going to Beijing was a very important and interesting event in my life. If I didn’t go, I might not have many job opportunities or the chance to make friends. I think being able to speak Chinese is very important for overseas Chinese people. In western countries, there are many overseas Chinese and Asian people from other Asian countries who can’t speak their own languages. It makes them think they don’t have their own culture. Learning your native language can help you find your own cultural identity. So I think it’s very important.”