Driven by Passion and Perseverance: GCI Student Rosalie Louwes Wins the Chinese Bridge Competition in the Netherlands

This was not Rosalie's first time on the Chinese Bridge stage. In 2023, shortly after completing her HSK 3 studies, she participated in the competition for the first time and achieved an impressive second place in the Netherlands, along with the Best Speech Award. Three years later, she returned with greater confidence and maturity and ultimately claimed the championship title. Let's hear from Rosalie herself about her journey to success.

Q: First of all, congratulations on winning First Prize and the Best Eloquence Award at the 25th Chinese Bridge Competition in the Netherlands. How did you feel when the host announced that you were the champion?

Rosalie:
I was very surprised because all the contestants this year were extremely talented. I feel honored to have received this award, and I am also very excited about traveling to China to participate in the global finals.

Q: You achieved an excellent result when you first participated in Chinese Bridge in 2023. Compared with then, what do you think has been your biggest gain?

Rosalie:
When I first participated in 2023, the cultural workshops organized before the competition were very interesting, but I could not fully understand many of them because I had only just completed HSK 3. This time, I found that I could understand most of the content and enjoy the learning process much more. I also learned a lot of new things.

In addition, this year's competition was held together with the Chinese Bridge competition for secondary school students. I met Chinese learners of different ages and proficiency levels. Learning and exchanging ideas with them allowed me to make many new friends.

Q: How did you prepare for this year's competition?

Rosalie:
For the speech section, I practiced using topics from previous Chinese Bridge competitions available on the official website.

For my talent performance, I chose stand-up comedy. Before the competition, Ms. Jiang Wei from GCI recommended the Chinese program Rock & Roast to me. I found it fascinating and started writing my own script and practicing. Ms. Jiang also helped me revise the content and gave me many valuable suggestions.

At the same time, I watched Informal Talks to learn how other foreigners express their opinions in Chinese.

Q: Which part of the competition made you the most nervous?

Rosalie:
Definitely the talent performance. It was my first time performing stand-up comedy in Chinese, and I also had to coordinate my presentation with PowerPoint slides.

Sometimes I became so immersed in what I was saying that I even forgot to move to the next slide. Fortunately, the audience was very supportive and the atmosphere was wonderful, so I gradually relaxed.

Q: What inspired you to start learning Chinese?

Rosalie:
Actually, I originally wanted to learn Korean because I enjoyed listening to Korean music and watching Korean dramas.

While watching Korean dramas, however, I noticed Chinese characters appearing on screen and became curious about them. Later, I started watching Chinese television dramas and gradually became interested in Chinese culture.

I think Chinese is a very beautiful language, and China's long history and rich culture are extremely attractive. That is why I decided to learn Chinese.

Q: How do you usually study Chinese?

Rosalie:
I attended Chinese elective courses at the University of Groningen and also took both group classes and one-on-one lessons at GCI.

I have been fortunate to meet excellent teachers, especially Xu Wenjia and Yang Liuqing. Having teachers who suit your learning style can make a tremendous difference in language learning.

Besides formal classes, I have met many Chinese friends through cultural activities. Talking with them helps me learn authentic expressions that are difficult to find in textbooks.

Q: What challenges have you encountered while learning Chinese, and how did you overcome them?

Rosalie:
Chinese tones have always been one of my biggest challenges.

To improve my listening and pronunciation, I watch Chinese dramas, listen to Chinese podcasts, and enjoy Chinese music. These activities help me develop a better sense of the language.

I also regularly attend the Language Coffee sessions at the University of Groningen to practice speaking Chinese. Here, I would especially like to thank Ms. Jiang Wei from GCI, who volunteers there and has helped me greatly with my spoken Chinese.

Another challenge is writing Chinese characters. It is still something I am working on, so I continue to practice writing Chinese characters every day.

Q: How did you first become involved with GCI?

Rosalie:
I met Ms. Jiang Wei from GCI at Language Coffee. After learning more about the institute through her, I decided to enroll in GCI courses.

Q: Besides language courses, what other GCI activities have you participated in, and what did you gain from them?

Rosalie:
I have participated in painting workshops, calligraphy workshops, magic salons, and Spring Festival celebrations organized by GCI.

These activities allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and meet many new friends.

I think it is great to develop new hobbies while learning Chinese. It makes the learning process more enjoyable and motivates me to keep improving. Through these activities, I have also met many other Chinese learners, and we often practice together and share effective learning methods.

Q: You participated in GCI's Spring Festival celebrations twice. How were the two experiences different?

Rosalie:
The first time, I took part in a Hanfu fashion show together with GCI teachers and students.

It was my first experience wearing Hanfu. Before the event, Ms. Wang Cuina helped me with the styling and makeup, and I was immediately fascinated by the elegance and beauty of traditional Chinese clothing.

Later, I had another opportunity to wear Hanfu during a Mid-Autumn Festival event in The Hague. I have even joined a Hanfu association in the Netherlands.

The second time, I performed the Chinese song Fairy Tale together with GCI teacher Ren Yanli.

It was my first time singing an entire Chinese song and a very special experience. Through learning the song, I also expanded my Chinese vocabulary considerably.

Q: What are your plans for learning Chinese in the future?

Rosalie:
This July, I will complete my first master's degree at Leiden University.

After that, I will travel to China to participate in the Chinese Bridge Global Finals.

In September, I will begin a second master's program at Leiden University in Teaching Chinese Language and Culture.

My goal is to become a Chinese teacher in Dutch secondary schools. Many Dutch students think Chinese is difficult because China is geographically distant from the Netherlands and the cultural differences are significant. However, through my own learning experience, I have discovered many effective learning methods. I hope to share these methods with young people who are interested in Chinese and help them discover the joy of learning the language.

Q: What advice would you give to students who are learning Chinese or considering learning it?

Rosalie:
First, interest is the best teacher. If you can find a learning method that you enjoy and that suits you, you are already halfway to success.

Second, be persistent. Keep practicing in ways you enjoy and keep expressing yourself in Chinese. As long as you continue to accumulate knowledge and experience, you will definitely see progress.

This is Rosalie's Chinese learning story. From being captivated by Chinese characters and Chinese culture, to standing on the Chinese Bridge championship podium, and now aspiring to become a Chinese teacher, her journey has been guided by passion and perseverance.

We wish her every success in the upcoming Chinese Bridge Global Finals and look forward to hearing many more inspiring stories from her in Chinese.