New Year Resolution at Learning a World Language

Weekly Topic: Happy New year! For the students who are hoping to start learning a new category, tell them what is great about studying the category that you teach!

Hikaru Yang

One of my new year resolutions is go kayaking or paddle boarding every weekend and take a short language learning video on a kayak or a paddle board. 
I am not only a Mandarin teacher but also a kayaking and paddle boarding instructor. I feel so blessed that I am able to do two dream jobs at the same time. Have you imagined doing something you like during your leisure time and speaking in a language you're learning at the same time? Language learning is not about passing an exam or getting a good score enable to get into a college you want to attend. It is a lifetime investment and a social skill to best fit you into that target language society. 
You are not just learning the language but also the culture and building leadership at the same time. Furthermore, the upside down pyramid of language level also describes the relationships of language, culture and leadership. Language locates at the very bottom of the upside down pyramid, culture in the middle and leadership places at the top. 
Congratulations to all the language learners, you are getting your foot in the door. You all have my respect that you have the commitment to invest lifelong and learn a world language. 
It took me 22 days and kayaked 520km east coast of Taiwan in 2016, the total amount of 520km might surprise you but think of the average length of each day, it's 23km per day. Language learning is the same as kayaking. It's not about the length you kayaked through but the small amout of time you invest in each day and the skill, experience and leadership accumulated everyday. 
Taking an instructor who is experienced and is able to guide you to your goals straight without zigzagging. I am the instructor you are looking for. 

This column was published by the author in their personal capacity.
The opinions expressed in this column are the author's own and do not reflect the view of Cafetalk.

Comments (0)

Login to Comment Log in »
Recommend ribbon

from:

in:

Lesson Categories

Language Fluency

Chinese   Native
English   Fluent
Vietnamese   Daily conversation
Spanish   Daily conversation
Japanese   Just a few words

Hikaru Yang's Most Popular Columns

« Back to List of Tutor's Column

Got a question? Click to Chat