What does it take to go from barely speaking Chinese to giving a three-hour university presentation in Chinese? For William Whitaker, the journey was anything but planned, and when that intimidating presentation finally arrived, he wasn't even sure he could pull it off.
William originally moved to Shenzhen, China, to pursue his passion for basketball, not to learn Chinese. After spending his first year picking up relatively little of the language, the COVID pandemic unexpectedly changed everything. What was supposed to be a short trip to Bali with his future wife turned into nearly seven months, giving William an unusual opportunity to throw himself into learning Chinese.
When he finally returned to China, he discovered how much had changed. Street signs suddenly made sense, conversations became more accessible, and an entirely new side of life in China began opening up to him.
In this episode of You Can Learn Chinese, William shares how he went from self-study with graded readers, audiobooks, Anki flashcards, and Chinese basketball podcasts to eventually moving to Taiwan and enrolling in a master's program in East Asian Studies taught entirely in Chinese.
We explore the surprising benefits of handwriting Chinese characters, the difference between understanding Chinese and being able to use it, and how friendships and real-world experiences can transform language learning. William also recounts one of his biggest breakthroughs: overcoming his fear of delivering a lengthy academic presentation in Chinese in front of native speakers.
Throughout his journey, William has developed a perspective that every Chinese learner can benefit from:learning Chinese is a lifelong journey, and that's something to be excited about, not discouraged by.
Whether you're just getting started or have been studying for years, William's story offers practical insights and a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful progress comes from embracing the struggle, following your interests, and finding ways to make Chinese part of whatever season of life you're in.
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