A Key to New Experience

Chen Xiaoyu

A-27-year-old international sales manager in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province

The importance of a second language, which refers to English in most cases in China, can't be overemphasized as the country becomes increasingly integrated with the rest of the world.

My generation is one that is greatly influenced by Western culture. When I was a little boy, I was already sitting spellbound in front of the TV watching Superman in a cape saving the world from the evil, the hideous Alien destroying the aircraft in outer space and Godzilla treading over New York City.

After I entered university and chose English as my major, knowledge of English helped me access Western music, arts, history, politics, economy and natural landscape so that I could better understand the diversity of this planet.

Though Chinese students are criticized for spending too much time on learning English, a good mastery of the language can indeed lead to more job opportunities, especially when you are fond of a more international lifestyle. After graduation, I worked for a state-owned company contracting international power projects. My post required me to draft contracts in English, interpret for my boss, communicate with foreign embassies in China and negotiate with other international companies. Without English I was barely qualified for my job.

The language has also helped me better experience and understand other cultures. My job involved business trips abroad, and the first country I visited was Egypt, where most people could speak some English. I bought perfume and Hijab from the local market; I had a kebab in a Lebanese restaurant by the Nile; I rode on the camel near Khufu Pyramid and the Sphinx; I toured Egyptian Museum visiting sarcophagus, mummies and the Face of Tutankham.

What a wonderful and unforgettable experience! Without English I had no way to hail the ride via Uber, order meals, buy tickets, bargain with peddlers, not to mention understanding the splendid Egyptian history.

In a nutshell, English as my second language enables me to see more stunning views, hear more different takes, and experience the world.

An Essential Communication Tool

Taiwo Blessing Ogunseyi

A 35-year-old Nigerian lecturer in Yibin, Sichuan Province

Learning a second language has become very dominant as people move from one location to another in this globalized world. I believe acquiring a second language is an essential communication tool and its importance cannot be exaggerated especially if it is a popular language. Personally, I like the fact that I don't feel left out when people speak a language that I can understand as this enables me to be a part of the conversation.

In my opinion, some of the importance of being able to speak more than one language includes the ability to connect and communicate with other people in their language, thereby building friendships and relationships.

Secondly, learning another language could give one a competitive advantage as an employee, as this could enable you to communicate with other clients whose language you speak and represent the interest of your organization. Actually, multinational companies prefer to hire employees who can speak more than one language.

Another reason to acquire a second language, especially for people who intend to study abroad, is that it makes learning easier, gives one a better understanding of the subject, which can ultimately enhance one's academic performance.

Lastly, it helps to improve memory and develop the brain by learning new grammar and vocabulary rules and committing them to memory. People who can speak more than one language can multitask more than people who speak one language, as switching from two or more languages helps enhance the multitasking skill. Additionally, it is said that it is much easier to learn a third language if you have acquired a second language, i.e., it is easier to be multilingual if you are bilingual.

On the fun part, it is good for traveling if you are the type that loves to explore different countries and it could also be a good way to spend your spare time, but just remember to learn a popular one. The world is a global village; as such, being able to speak another popular language makes it easy to integrate into that society, in addition to other benefits. CA