My enriching experience of learning Chinese

I have always enjoyed learning foreign languages. Besides my native language Portuguese, I can also speak French, English and German. When I retired in 2008, my biggest wish was to learn a new language to enrich my life.

As I looked at a map, I suddenly noticed China. I had visited Macao before and learned about China's rich history and splendid civilization, and I often saw news reports about China in Portugal. As China's influence on the global stage is burgeoning, I wanted to learn more about the Chinese people and understand Chinese culture better, so I made the decision to learn Chinese.

I lived in Covilhã, a city in central Portugal. There were no Chinese language classes available and no online courses either at that time. However, by chance, I discovered that the Macao Scientific and Cultural Center in Lisbon offered Chinese language courses. The classes took place every Saturday morning for two hours, and this made me very happy. Starting from 2013, I officially became a student at the center.

Covilhã is a little far away from Lisbon, and at that time it would take eight hours by car round trip with no direct train connection. However, this did not deter me. In order to attend the classes, I left every Saturday at 5 am and drove to a train station 40 kilometers away, then transferred twice to get to Lisbon, and finally took the subway and tram to the Macao Scientific and Cultural Center where the classes were given. After two hours of classes, I would have a quick lunch and study on my own for a while. It was usually close to midnight when I arrived home. Despite the long journey, I never missed a class, rain or shine.

In fact, the Chinese classes were scheduled for two different periods for different proficiency levels at the center, some starting at 9 am and others at 11 am. However, knowing the distance I had to travel, whichever class I joined, they always started my class at 11 am, which touched me deeply.

I started with learning Chinese numbers while delving into Chinese culture. After each class, I would come home and practice writing characters, listen to recordings and read the texts repeatedly.

Through learning Chinese, I developed a love for Chinese culture, such as traditional Chinese medicine and tai chi, and I even experienced acupuncture and massage. Upon the recommendation of my Chinese teacher, I also participated in activities such as Chinese song competitions and Chinese speech contests. Meanwhile, I increasingly looked forward to visiting China again to put my learning to the test in a real-life setting.

In August 2018, I finally had the opportunity to travel to Beijing with my family. I took on the responsibility of communication and handled tasks such as asking for the way to the bank, how to purchase subway tickets, and how to visit the Mao Zedong Mausoleum, all in Chinese. Our trip went smoothly, and my family's praise made me feel proud. In the summer of 2019, I signed up for a study tour organized by my Chinese language class and visited Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai and Wuzhen with over 40 classmates.

I still remember a small incident that happened when we were visiting the Summer Palace in Beijing. One of my classmates suddenly fell seriously ill, and our tour leader had to rush him to the hospital, leaving us with a tour guide who could not speak any foreign languages, and our Chinese skills were not yet very fluent.

As the student who had been studying Chinese the longest among us, I volunteered to translate for everyone. Throughout the journey, I understood and translated the guide's explanations, earning unanimous praise from my classmates. This experience further strengthened my determination to continue learning Chinese, and to delve deeper into Chinese history and culture.

Later on, our Chinese language class moved online, and I no longer had to commute back and forth. This gave me more time to focus on studying Chinese, but I still greatly miss that period of time. In my eyes, the beauty of Chinese characters is unparalleled, and I have truly fallen in love with Chinese culture. Through continuous learning, my retirement life has become more enjoyable, and I have become more disciplined.

The Portuguese often say, "Learning is a lifelong pursuit (Aprender até morrer)," which resonates with the Chinese proverb, "It is never too late to learn." I will continue to study Chinese and Chinese culture, committed to being a lifelong learner. I believe that learning Chinese will bring even more possibilities to my life.

(Helena Mesquita is a Chinese language learner from Portugal.)