During the fall 2017 semester junior and Mathematics major Liam Bury will be taking his classroom studies outside of the United States as he travels to China for an international study abroad opportunity. To prepare for his journey, the Vermont native has been studying Mandarin since 2015 and having recently completed all offered Mandarin courses available Castleton, Bury has found a creative way to continue his language learning.
“I never expected to get involved this deeply in a foreign language, but now it has been nearly 2 years since I started learning Chinese,” he said.
To continue taking his language still to the next level, Bury enlisted the help of a fellow student. Throughout the spring semester he completed an independent study in Mandarin tutored by Business Management major and Chinese international student Frank Wan.
“I've tutored him since the beginning of this spring semester. He is passionate and he can even speak to our Chinese students in Chinese now,” said Wan, adding that he believes Bury will do well speaking Mandarin in his home country.
During the academic year the two met for three hours a week to practice and train in the Mandarin language.
“Overall I spent an average of 17 hours per week studying Chinese,” explained Bury. “Since I began spending more time with the students from China my skills have drastically improved, especially my listening skills.”
Bury will be studying the entirety of his junior year at the East China University of Technology, one of Castleton’s international partner schools, in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, which is also Wan’s home city.
“What is compelling about this story is how an international student is empowering an American student by teaching his native language to him,” said Director of International Student Services Deborah Singiser. “Usually we talk about how our native English speaking students support the English language learner students.”
Bury, who will also be living in Wan’s house during his stay abroad, is thankful for the help and support of his international peers, and is looking forward to his enriching study abroad experience.
“Learning a language vastly different from my own has been an incredible experience and never ceases to be interesting,” said Bury.