From learning Mandarin in Launceston, to teaching English in China, Launceston College students Bronte Hume and James Britton are bridging a divide of language.
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The linguistic duo graduated this week and are headed to China in early 2017, taking with them a year’s study of Mandarin and a sense of adventure.
“I’m going for a year … but I might stay for a couple,” Mr Britton said.
Ms Hume is going initially for six months, but, she said, “knowing me I’ll probably stay longer.”
They will be based in the busy port city of Ningbo, one of China’s oldest cities, where they will be teaching English and developing their own skills in Mandarin.
Neither Ms Hume nor Mr Britton had any experience in the language before they started lessons this year at Launceston College, but are keen to put their new language skills to the test.
Ms Hume already speaks fluent French after spending a year in France, and decided to pick up Chinese lessons simply because she loves languages.
Mr Britton said he is studying Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and sign language.
Moving to China for the year will be his first overseas trip.
Both of them agreed that the greatest challenge in learning Mandarin was adjusting to the completely different characters.
“That’s definitely the most interesting part about it – the challenge,” Ms Hume said.
At Launceston College’s graduation ceremony on Wednesday, Ms Hume was awarded the subject prize for Chinese Foundation, and Mr Britton the ‘Global Understanding Award’.
And after their China sojourn? Ms Hume plans to study international relations in Brisbane, while Mr Britton wants to pursue a degree in linguistics – but both of them hope to end up at the United Nations.
Their Chinese teacher Louise Ives said that both students were “outstanding” with “extremely bright futures ahead of them.”
Ms Ives said that she hopes students who enrol in the Chinese course at Launceston College for 2017 will be able to apply for the same scholarship to travel to China in 2018.