By Ping Zhang (SCIBC Chinese Co-Director) and

Wei Gu (SCIBC Mandarin Chinese Teacher )

孔院故事会——赫瑞瓦特大学苏格兰商务与交流孔子学院明星学生罗斌

作者：赫瑞瓦特大学苏格兰商务与交流孔子学院中方院长 张平

      赫瑞瓦特大学苏格兰商务与交流孔子学院中方教师 古炜

前言 Preface

罗斌（Robin Wilson）是英国苏格兰赫瑞瓦特大学语言系国际商务管理与中文专业的大二学生，也是赫瑞瓦特大学苏格兰商务与交流孔子学院的优秀学员。罗斌是地道的苏格兰人，他的家乡在英国苏格兰的欧文市。高中阶段，罗斌开始学习中文，2017至2018学年罗斌获得苏格兰中小学孔子学院奖学金资助，赴中国天津学习一年中文。

Robin Wilson is a second year student of the Department of Languages & Intercultural Studies (LINCS) at Heriot-Watt University, majoring in International Business Management and Chinese. He is also an excellent student of SCIBC at Heriot-Watt University. Robin is native Scottish, born and bred in Irvine. He started to learn Chinese when he was a high school student. He was awarded “Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools Scholarship” for the 2017-2018 academic year, and studied Chinese in the City of Tianjin for one year.

目前，罗斌已经学习中文近五年，跟随孔院教师学习也已有两年。他在中文学习方面取得了很多喜人的成绩。2020年9月，罗斌同学在第十九届全英汉语桥大赛中荣获二等奖，代表英国参加世界大学生汉语桥比赛，并获得优秀奖。2021年4月，罗斌同学又参加了英国大学生社会公益与商务创新汉语大赛，凭借出色的商业创意计划“二手电商助力低碳经济”和问答环节的完美表现，他斩获三等奖，并在大赛后获得了英国企业China Hour发出的工作岗位邀请。2021年春节期间，罗斌参与孔院中国美食的视频录制，并参与中国驻英大使馆“老外聊中国”栏目的视频录制。2021年4月，为庆祝联合国中文日，罗斌和朋友共同创作视频“春天记忆”，视频在联合国官方平台及全球媒体合作平台播出，罗斌也因此荣获“青年文化大使”称号。2021年6月26日举办的第二十届全英汉语桥大赛上，罗斌荣幸地成为大赛的主持人，其熟练的中文和稳健的主持台风给大家留下了深刻的印象。2021年7月，罗宾和朋友录制的视频“我的中国故事”获得中国驻爱丁堡总领事馆组织的视频比赛三等奖。

At this point in time, Robin has been learning Chinese for almost five years and has been supported by CI teachers for two years. He has made quite a few remarkable achievements in Chinese learning. In September 2020, Robin won the Second Prize of the 19th Chinese Bridge-Chinese Language Proficiency Competition UK Regional Final, thereby qualifying for the Competition for Foreign University Students on behalf of the UK and finally winning the outstanding performance award. In April 2021, Robin attended the Chinese Competition of Charitable Projects and Business Innovations for UK College Students. With his creative business plan “Second-hand E-Commerce for the Low-Carbon Economy” and his nearly perfect performance in Q&A section, he gained the third prize, which enabled him to receive a job offer from a British enterprise “China Hour”. During the Spring Festival of 2021, Robin recorded a video about Chinese cuisine for the SCIBC, and also participated in video recording for the program “Foreigners talking about China” organised by the Chinese Embassy in the UK. In April 2021, to celebrate the UN Chinese Language Day, Robin and his friends co-created a video “Spring Memories”, for which he was awarded the title of “Youth Cultural Ambassador”, and this video was also broadcasted on official UN platforms and global media partnerships. On the 20^th Chinese Bridge-Chinese Language Proficiency Competition UK Regional Final held on 26 June 2021, Robin was given the honour of co-hosting the competition and left a deep impression on the audience with his high level of proficiency in Chinese and steady hosting style. In July 2021, Robin and his friends co-created a video “My China Story” and won the third prize on the video contest hosted by the Consulate General of the PRC in Edinburgh.

罗斌在中文学习上表现出的热情和他对中国文化的热爱，让他收获了很多中国朋友，在当地汉语桥主办方和使领馆中间都小有名气，已经成为孔院的明星学员。让我们一起来听听他学习中文的故事和心得吧！

Robin’s enthusiasm for learning Chinese and his love of Chinese culture has helped him make many Chinese friends. As well as being a star student of the SCIBC, he is also well known among the Chinese Embassy in UK, the Chinese Consulate-General in Edinburgh, and the organisers of the local Chinese Bridge competition. Let’s hear his stories and tips on Chinese learning!

Q：你觉得中文学习中最困难的部分是哪里？

罗斌：我觉得汉字书写是最困难的部分。我知道有很多学习中文的外国人觉得声调最难把握，但对我来说，声调不是一个难点，但是汉字的书写却很难。

Q: What do you think is the most difficult part in Chinese learning?

Robin: I think writing Chinese characters is the most difficult part. I know there are many foreigners learning Chinese who find the tones the most difficult to grasp. However, for me, it’s not the tones but the writing of Chinese characters.

Q：你的中文口语和听力这么棒，可以和中国人在日常生活中无障碍交流，你平时是怎么练习的？

罗斌：我觉得首先是要不能害羞，要勇于开口。我2017年获得奖学金到中国天津时，周围很多外国学生都害怕说中文，但我不怕，我整天和中国人待在一起，即使说错了也不怕。要知道，苏格兰人也经常说错英语呢！当我用中文这个非母语和别人交流时，没有人会笑话的，我也不必害羞。我会多找普通的中国老百姓聊天，从他们那学习日常的中文表达；其次，要利用各种方式来练习。我的哥哥也学习中文，苏格兰疫情封城期间，我和哥哥在家只用中文交流。我也经常看中文的电影、电视和电视节目。我甚至打电话时都经常使用中文。我现在日常交流的中文都掌握得很好，但有时用中文去表达一些深刻的社会话题时，我还有些困难，这也是我今后要加强学习的地方。

Q: Your ability to speak and listen is so good that you can chat with Chinese people without communication difficulties in your daily life. How do you usually practice your Chinese?

Robin: Firstly, I think the most important thing is to avoid being too shy to speak up. Try to be brave! Supported by a scholarship, I went to the City of Tianjin, China in 2017. At that time, many foreign students around me were afraid to speak Chinese, but I wasn’t. I spent all day with native Chinese, and I was never afraid of speaking up even if I made mistakes. After all, Scottish people often speak English incorrectly too! When I communicate with people in Chinese, which is not my mother tongue, no one will laugh at me, and I don’t have to be shy. I try and talk to local Chinese people as much as possible and learn the most frequently used Chinese expressions from them. Secondly, practice can be done in a variety of ways. During the period of lockdown in Scotland, I often only use Chinese when speaking with my twin brother, who also has a good proficiency in Chinese language. I also usually watch a lot of movies and TV shows in Chinese, and I even use Chinese a lot when I talk on the phone. Now I have a good grasp of Chinese for daily communication, but sometimes I still have some difficulties expressing myself in Chinese when discussing more complicated social issues. This is the area I’d like to improve on in the future.

Q：随着中文学习的深入，你觉得你的生活发生了什么改变吗？

罗斌：改变太多了，可以说是不可思议的变化！中文学习给我带来了很多机会，特别是从两年前我来到赫瑞瓦特大学学习中文和接触孔院以来。以中文为桥梁，我有了来自世界各地的朋友。学习中文让我有了更多的工作机会，我去应聘时，经常都是马上就被录取，机会来得特别快！参加汉语桥比赛和其他中国文化活动，也让我有了很多生活的经验，有利于形成我的世界观和价值观。

Q: Do you feel that your life has changed in any way with the deepening of Chinese learning?

Robin: Too many changes! Incredible changes, I have to say! Learning Chinese has brought me so many opportunities, especially since I started to learn Chinese at both Heriot-Watt University and SCIBC two years ago. Using Chinese as a bridge, I have made so many friends from all over the world. Learning Chinese has also provided me with more job opportunities. When applying for jobs, I’m often hired right away. The opportunities throw themselves at you. Taking part in the Chinese Bridge competition and other Chinese cultural activities have also enriched my life experience which in turn contributes to the formation of my worldviews and social values.

Q：你未来有什么以中文为优势的个人计划吗？

罗斌：我的未来计划中必须要有中文的身影，我的未来计划里必须包括能让我有机会多说中文和多去中国。中国现在发展很快，工作机会也越来越多。我最理想的工作是以后能够利用中文的优势，从事中英之间的外交工作或者是中国和苏格兰之间的交流工作。我注意到有些从事中英外交工作的英国人，中文水平并不高。我相信凭借自己的中文优势，可以把中英交流工作做好。

Q: Do you have any personal plans for the future by taking advantage of your excellent Chinese language skills?

Robin: Chinese would be indispensible in my future plans. My top priority is to do something that allows me to speak Chinese and go to China more often. Now China is developing very rapidly, and there are more and more job opportunities. Taking advantage of my Chinese language skills, my dream job for the future would be working in diplomacy to promote exchanges in many fields between China and the UK, or between China and Scotland. I have noticed that some British people working in Sino-British diplomacy are fluent in using Chinese, so I think with my advantages in the language I could really make a positive difference.  

Q：你对孔院有什么意见和建议吗？

罗斌：赫瑞瓦特大学苏格兰商务与交流孔子学院给了我很多好的机会，孔院特别关注我的学习，总是一有好的平台和交流机会就想到我。我今年的新年愿望就是抓住每一个机会，而我确实收获了孔院提供给我的很多机会，我也取得了令自己满意的成绩。孔院给了我很大帮助，我特别感谢孔院。我觉得孔院在大学里很重要，特别是对大学开设的中文专业特别重要，因为我们不仅能从孔院教师那里学习中文，也能通过和中国人交流了解正宗的中国文化，这些是英国教师无法教给我们的。孔院以后应该和大学继续密切联系，使得中文专业学生一直有好的平台和机会。

Q: Do you have any comments or suggestions for the SCIBC?

Robin: The SCIBC at Heriot-Watt University has been providing me with so many good opportunities. The SCIBC particularly pays attention to my studies, considering me whenever there are good platforms and exchange opportunities. My New Year’s resolution was to seize every opportunity that comes my way. Up until now, I’ve taken up so many opportunities offered to me by the SCIBC and have been extremely pleased with the outcomes. The SCIBC has been a great help to me, and I really appreciate their help. I think the Confucius Institute is very important for Heriot-Watt University, especially when it comes to Chinese-related majors, because not only can we learn Chinese language from CI teachers, but we can also gain a much deeper understanding of authentic Chinese culture by interacting with native Chinese people. This sort of education is harder to get from British teachers. The SCIBC should keep its close ties with Heriot-Watt University in the future so that the students majoring in Chinese language will always have access to the great platforms and opportunities it provides.

Q：你能不能给其他学习中文的人提供一些学习窍门？

罗斌：一是不要害怕说错，失败是成功之母，要勇于练习；二是要从一开始学习时重视声调的学习，好的口语比好的写作更有实用性；三是要克服害羞，要勤加练习，要多找中文母语的人交流。

Q: Could you please offer some tips for learning to other Chinese learners?

Robin: Firstly, be brave and speak up, don’t be afraid of making spoken errors. There is a saying in Chinese: “Failure is the mother of success” so it shouldn’t be something to fear. Secondly, attach more importance to the tones when you start to learn Chinese language because the ability to speak is more practical than to write. Thirdly, overcome your shyness, practice as much as possible, and communicate more with native Chinese speakers.  

后记

在苏格兰有很多像罗斌一样朴实、阳光、勤奋的大学生，他们热爱中文学习和中国文化。中文也为他们实现梦想插上了翅膀。赫瑞瓦特大学苏格兰商务与交流孔院会竭尽全力帮助他们，用爱心和耐心教授他们中文，助力他们以“汉语为桥”，成为中英友好的文化使者。“国之交在于民相亲”，孔院正在得到越来越多罗斌一样的大学生的认可，中英友谊一定会源远流长。

Postscripts

Like Robin, in Scotland there are many honest, energetic and hardworking students who love Chinese language and culture. Chinese language also gives them wings to fulfill their dreams. The SCIBC at Heriot-Watt University will do its utmost to help them with their Chinese language learning, teaching them with love and patience so as to make them become cultural ambassadors for Sino-British friendship by using Chinese language as a bridge. As reflected in the Chinese saying: “Affinity between peoples is the foundation of state-to-state relations”, the Confucius Institutes are increasingly recognised by more and more university students like Robin, and the Sino-British friendship is one that is sure to last for a long time.