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Mr. Pascal Mpawenayo from Burundi, holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Technology (taught in Chinese) from the University of Science and Technology Beijing. He answered a few often asked questions about learning Mandarin Chinese for us.

When did you come to China?

I arrived in China in September 2005 after receiving a Chinese government scholarship to pursue my computer science bachelor degree.

Could you speak some basic Chinese when you first came?

No I could not speak any! Well, maybe just the salutation "nihao" (Hello) but pronounced in a wrong way of course!

What was your impression when you first came to China?

My first impression when I arrived in China was in one word "Astonishment". Before even the plane could land at the Beijing airport what I was seeing through the window was very different from what I thought China would look like! (consequences of being a long time fan of old Chinese kung-fu movies^^), the level of development was as I had never imagined.

Besides looking like one of American big cities, Beijing, the city I was in, was rapidly changing and everything growing fast from buildings to high-tech in almost every domain, i was very impressed by how local people were working hard day and night, and finally how they were keeping their culture authentic despite the fast pace of modernization.

Well… now you speak very fluent Mandarin Chinese, so how long did it take you to speak fluently and where did you learn?

I still have a lot to learn, but I am proud of the level of fluency I have now even if I keep trying to improve. In brief my Mandarin is "Mamahuhu" as they would say in China, but for a non-Chinese I am quite fluent!

The length it can take to speak fluently depends deeply on the amount of time you invest in practicing. After completing the first year of elementary Chinese, mandatory to be able to follow degree lessons in Chinese, I had strong basics even if I still could not speak fluently, and since then I practiced day after day, I cannot tell exactly when I started to speak fluently but all I know is that it was really fast for a language they said was among the most difficult in the world! After the first year I could go shopping by myself or travel alone.

Do you think learning Chinese language is difficult?

No, it is not difficult to learn if you put enough time on it. Of course the beginning is never easy for any new language learning but for Chinese language it is a little bit different and one of its advantages is the shortness of most of its words, what makes it easy to quickly remember them. But the secret is still more practice, grab every opportunity of a conversation and most of all never be afraid to talk to people.

You have worked as a foreign volunteer along with other Chinese volunteers in Beijing Summer Olympic 2008, please tell us something about that?

Volunteering for the 2008 Beijing summer Olympics was definitely one of the best moments spent in China. Since I was a kid I always had a dream of being at least one day in a city hosting the Olympics, but being part of them never crossed my mind, I could not believe it when my volunteering application was approved and the following was just a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was amazing to see the whole world gathered in one city to just have fun while speaking one language the "language of smile" which was also our motto as volunteers.

Is it possible to improve your Chinese language skills by participating in various activities with native Chinese speakers?

Not only it is possible, I think it is the only possible way to improve your Chinese language skills. It provides a relaxed occasion to learn while having fun differently than being in a class.

For example a few weeks after I arrived in China I joined a Chinese singing choir at my school before I even knew how to pronounce well my Chinese name, in just weeks I was easily starting to make simple conversations with my Chinese teachers and friends! Since then I never stopped participating in my school's extra-curricular activities such and singing and writing competitions and so on.

What is the fastest way to learn Chinese language in your opinion?

Well, the speed of learning might differ from a learner to another and native speakers of some languages may encounter a few problems than others, especially on the pronunciation side, but the ways to learn fast remain the same, "practice and practice". Get involved in activities that you love and which involve Chinese native speakers, the good news is, in China you will find a wide range of social or academic groups that will warmly welcome you or kind people who will just ask you if you can be friends.

And the best of all, when you make mistakes, most Chinese native speakers will kindly correct you and teach you how to say it the right way. TV shows, Chinese movies and music are also a great way to learn Chinese, it helped me a lot.

What is your advice for those who are planning or going to learn Chinese?

My final advice for all those who are planning or going to learn Chinese is to be open minded and be ready to make good use of your time because when you arrive in China the clock seems to double its speed. Have fun and 祝你成功 (wish you success)!

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