Project Exhibition: Zhong Jia’s Sino-French Adventure, Kevin Wu

This project and the course itself have allowed me to understand more about my culture and those of others. For example, in my final project, I interviewed a friend from Taiwan, China, and France to see if there are different cultural messages hidden within the lyrics. I was able to incorporate the historical and political understanding that I learned from my major into the research aspect of this project.
Furthermore, CHIN143 with Wang Laoshi was an unforgettable class as we learned about Chinese customs that I was not fully aware of. As I left for Taiwan to teach this summer, I was able to incorporate certain life lessons I took away from this course. Wang Laoshi's lessons on what to say and do in front of your boss, coworkers or other individuals really paid off as I was able to communicate with locals in a respectful and 當地的 manner.

I personally think my intercultural competency changed not only because of this one project but rather through the build-up of multiple classes and assignments I was tasked to work on. My Chinese learning experience was enhanced as there were not many quizzes. I lost interest in learning Chinese back in elementary school due to the constant tests and presentations, but CHIN 143 brought back my interest in learning Chinese.
Asides from the class, this project has helped with my intercultural competency as I was able to understand what different cultures sang about in their songs. For example, in France, a majority of their songs cover the topic of politics while in Taiwan, we see how the songs are mostly about breakups and love. My view toward certain cultures and their customs have also changed due to this class as the class made it easier for me to understand why certain cultures do certain things.

In all honesty, I don’t think much has changed in terms of my relationships with others. But I was able to share each and every single detail about my Chinese class after school with my family. Wang Laoshi made my learning experience unforgettable and I was always willing to share the new things and topics gone over in class. I guess in some way my parents could relate because they have been through or experienced the topics we went over in class when they were young.

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone to learn Chinese or take Chinese courses. The instructors are amazing and care a lot about the students. They are also super easy to talk to if you have any concerns about your learning or any other subject. You will also learn a lot about Chinese culture and customs in addition to being able to communicate with those who speak mandarin. Furthermore, knowing Chinese is like having an extra tool in your toolbox when you set foot into society after you graduate. You would be at an advantage compared to others who either don’t know an extra language or know a language which is not in demand.
On a deeper note, I know some heritage students who have lost their connections with their culture and it saddens me when they tell me that they don’t know much about their cultural background. It’s worth reconnecting with your roots as you will learn a lot about the history of your family background. As a heritage student who is relatively fluent when it comes to speaking, I was able to improve my reading and writing over the spring semester. I can also recognize certain words here now in Taiwan as the course genuinely helped me out a lot.