M A N D A R I N S U P E R S T A R
M A N D A R I N S U P E R S T A R
M A N D A R I N S U P E R S T A R
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Caleb Jenkins
Selwyn College
When did you start learning Chinese? What inspired you to take up the language?
I started learning Chinese in Year 3 at my primary school, and it gave me a good foundation
for understanding China's history, culture and society. I was inspired to recommence my
Chinese learning journey at the start of high school. Through continuous learning and
practice, I began to realise that Chinese is not only a subject, it is the key to open the door
to China. Now, with China's growing influence on the global economic and political stage,
being able to speak semi-fluent Chinese is a huge advantage for me. I have Māori ancestry
and I feel like I am now connected to three cultures.
Tell us about your Chinese language learning journey. What has been the most unexpected or rewarding part of the experience?
Throughout primary school, I participated in Chinese speech competitions and sat YCT, both
of which fuelled my passion for Chinese greatly. I hit a road bump when I saw that Chinese
was not taught as a subject at my intermediate school, and for two years, my knowledge of
Chinese began to flounder. Fortunately, this passion was rekindled at my high school, where
I have taken Chinese since Year 9. Since then, I have participated in the Chinese Bridge
Speech Competition three times. A highly unexpected part of my journey came during the
most recent General Election, in which I worked at a voting place. I was able to use Chinese
to greet and help Chinese-speakers.
What opportunities have opened up for you as a result of your Chinese speaking ability?
Do you mean besides being a Youth Ambassador for New Zealand Chinese Language Week,
because that’s an opportunity and a half! Besides this incredible honour, Chinese has given
me the opportunity to express my passion for public speaking and writing through a
different medium. Another massive opportunity is that having Chinese under my belt is a
huge advantage when applying for positions; just by knowing Chinese, you immediately
stand out from the crowd. Of course, the social opportunities are also very abundant!
Why do you think other New Zealanders should learn Chinese?
Right now, there are approximately 283,500 people who identify as Chinese living in New
Zealand, making them one of our largest ethnic groups - and those numbers are still rising!
Simply by cross-lingual interaction, we can break down so many social barriers and make
Chinese-speakers feel instantly at home in our country.
Do you have any tips for anyone thinking about taking up Chinese?
To pick up the language quicker, it’s important to observe conversations in Chinese, and find
the meanings of unfamiliar words. By simply copying down these words and going over
them in your head a few times, you can pick up the language noticeably quicker. Also, pay
attention to tonal markings! If you get the tone of word wrong, you could end up changing
the meaning of your entire sentence!
Do you have a favourite Chinese word or expression? Why do you like it?
My favourite Chinese expression is ‘a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’.
This expression resonates with me because it reflects my Chinese learning journey. It started
with learning ‘hello’ and now I am speaking to you in Chinese today. Although learning an
entirely new language can seem incredibly daunting, all it takes is a first step to set you on
your way!