Alice - From studying Chinese in France to working as a French teacher in China

Nobody really understood why I chose Chinese for my bachelor's degree......

I'm Alice, and I'm French. I'm 24 years old, and I also have a Chinese name, Tang Qiu Jing（唐秋静）, which a friend and I created a few years ago. Currently, I work as a French teacher in Xi'an, China. I originally studied Chinese in Paris for three years, and during my third year of university, I came to Guangzhou, China, to continue my Chinese studies.

Study Chinese In France

Q: What inspired your interest in China and the Chinese language?

A: My interest in China and the Chinese language was rather random. Before I was 17, I had no particular interest in Chinese or Asian culture. After high school, I was uncertain about my future and the field of study I wanted to pursue. I knew I was good with languages, but I didn't want to study English or a similar language. I decided to challenge myself by learning a language and culture vastly different from European languages and culture. That's when I chose to learn Chinese. It was a spontaneous decision, and after just a few weeks of learning the basics, I fell in love with the language and culture.

Q: Did you initially come to China as part of an exchange program?

A: Yes, I came to China as part of a study program. From my last bachelor's degree, I had the opportunity to spend my third year in the country where the target language was spoken. Given that Chinese was my major, I had the choice to study in either mainland of China or Taiwan. I decided to seize the opportunity to study in China. Then I went to Guangzhou as an exchange student.

Q: How long did you stay in Guangzhou for your studies?

A: Initially, I was supposed to stay for a year, but I had to return to France after just six months due to unforeseen circumstances（COVID）.

Q: Did you continue studying Chinese in France after returning?

A: Yes, after returning to France, I pursued a master's degree in teaching French as a foreign language. During this time, I continued studying Chinese on my own. My Chinese language skills suffered a bit during those two years, but I maintained a basic level sufficient for everyday survival, such as ordering food, dealing with simple life situations and talking with my Chinese friends.

Q: How did you adapt to the differences in the Chinese language you learned in books and the various regional accents and dialects?

A: Adapting to the regional accents and dialects in China was initially challenging. Just like with any language, the way people speak in real life differs significantly from what you learn in books. Chinese people speak rapidly, and there are numerous regional accents and dialects. During my first month in China, I felt lost and overwhelmed. It was a big change from what I was used to in France, and it took time to adjust.

Q: Did you have any concerns or fears about coming to China, considering the different culture and political landscape?

A: While many people warned me about potential challenges and surveillance in China, I preferred not to judge the country based on what I hear. I wanted to experience China and its culture firsthand before forming any opinions. I wasn't particularly worried or afraid about going to China and decided to see for myself how I would feel about living there.

Q: How did your family and friends react when you chose to study Chinese for your bachelor's degree? Did you have specific reasons for choosing this major considering there are languages like French, Spanish, and Italian?

A: Nobody really understood why I chose Chinese for my bachelor's degree. I decided to study Chinese and go to Paris because I'm from the southeast of France, and I wanted to study something entirely new and experience life in Paris. One day, I told my parents about my decision, and they were quite surprised because I never mentioned Chinese language before. They asked "what?" and "why?". But in the end they supported my decision.

Q: It's surprising that you chose Chinese for your major. Did you face any challenges in your bachelor's program?

A: Yes, I did. Chinese was not easy to learn as the language, pronunciation and grammar are so different from languages that I already spoke (french, italian, english). And I feel like it was like that for many people. In the first year, there were about 50 students in my major as lots of people were motivated, but over time, the number decreased significantly. Many students had to repeat the second year due to exam results. However, I persevered and completed my bachelor's degree.

Q: After obtaining your bachelor's degree, did you consider continuing your education or finding a job?

A: During my third year, I spent six months in China. The second part of my third year was in France, but it coincided with the pandemic, so I stayed at home. At that time I decided to pursue a master's degree because in France, a bachelor's degree alone

is often insufficient to secure employment. Most people pursue both a bachelor's and a master's degree in France.

Q: Did you face any challenges or doubts when deciding to pursue a master's degree in a language-related field?

A: Not really, it was actually a master’s degree that I was really interested in. My parents were also not surprised by my decision because they knew about my passion for languages, teaching, literature, and communication. In France, it is quite common to pursue a master's degree after completing a bachelor's degree, so they supported my decision to continue my education.

Q: After completing your master's degree, did you immediately start searching for a job?

A: After finishing my studies, I didn't want to work for a company right away, so I started my own business, teaching French online. But due to high living costs in Paris, I had to take another part-time job to make ends meet and I worked in escape rooms for a few months. After about 8 months in this situation, there came a point when my boyfriend and I couldn't stand Paris any more. We wanted a change of scenery, and either moved to another city or went back to the south-east of France. At that moment I then got this job in China, so that's the country I left haha.

Chinese Social Media

Q: How did you learn about Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book)? Did someone teach you how to use it, considering it's all in Chinese?

A: When I was in China four years ago, I didn't have many apps, I only installed some of the most useful ones like Taobao, Meituan, WeChat and Alipay... This time when I came to China, I wanted to get to know more local youths, so my colleague recommended the app Xiaohongshu to me and taught me some basic operations.

Q: Xiaohongshu is indeed a cool platform. Did you also explore other Chinese social media or apps?

A: In France, most social media require users to bind a Chinese cell phone number or they cannot create an account. Therefore, I can't log in to most Chinese social media in France, except for Xiaohongshu. I tried Weibo a few years ago, but there are too many social media apps in China and I don't like to use too many different social media. I already have a lot of social media accounts.

Q: Have you met any local college or friends in Xi'an?

A: Most of my friends are colleagues because I spend a lot of time at work. I didn't meet many people outside of my job, but people often approach me randomly on the

street. They might discuss what nationality they think I am, and I'd join the conversation in Chinese. Chinese people are excited to hear foreigners speak Chinese, so they often speak to me, to know more about what I’m doing in China or practice their english. But most of the time, it's just a one-time conversation. They add my wechat and then we never speak again.

Q: Yes, the quick addition of WeChat contacts is quite common in China. But sometimes you don't even know their name. Do you find it strange?

A: Yes, their WeChat names are sometimes like jokes, riddles or poetic lyrics. It's funny. And their profile picture is never their face, but a character, a drawing or a famous actor. And so sometimes when someone texts me on wechat, I cannot recall who the person is and when and where I met them, cause I cannot recognize them with their profile! So now, when I add someone on wechat, I directly ask their name and change it on my phone, to at least have the name of the person if I speak to them again haha.

Q: Have you noticed any interesting cultural differences while using WeChat, like the use of emojis or stickers?

A: Chinese people really love using stickers. I often use the basic smiley face emoji, but here the use of stickers is insane. Even my students respond to my messages with stickers.

Q: It's true; the use of stickers and emojis can be quite different between cultures. People can interpret them in various ways. Do you find sending heart stickers to someone confusing?

A: Yes, it can be confusing, especially when someone you just met sends a lot of hearts. For me, sending hearts can be quite intimate, usually reserved for close friends or a boyfriend. It's funny because I send these to my best friends and my boyfriend, but not to a guy I just met two days ago.

Work as a French teacher in China

Q: When did you decide to look for a job as a French teacher in China, and what motivated this decision?

A: After my year of work in Paris, I felt the need for a change and started searching for French teaching jobs. I wanted to return to China, but I wasn't sure about my decision because of my boyfriend in France. I had a heart-to-heart conversation with him, and he encouraged me to pursue my dream of going to China. I had a strong desire to return to China and fulfill the experiences I missed during my previous visit.

Q: Did your boyfriend consider coming to China to be with you, or were there any plans for him to visit you in Asia?

A: My boyfriend is working in France and just started a new job, so he couldn't take holidays initially. However, he plans to visit me in Asia, possibly during the Chinese New Year when I don't have work obligations. It's not finalized, but there are intentions for him to come.

Q: Is the work culture in China different from what you were used to in France?

A: The work culture in China is indeed different from what I was used to in France. In China, people often receive work-related messages even after their working hours. It's quite common for people to receive work messages at any time. This can make it challenging to separate work from personal life.

Q: Do you feel pressure to be available for work even after your official working hours?

A: Yes, it's quite common for people to feel pressure to be available for work even after their official working hours. Messages and notifications from work can come at any time, which means you might think about work outside of your work hours. It's a cultural difference, but it can be managed with a balance.

Q: How long are you planning to stay in China?

A: I have a one-year contract, so I'll decide whether to stay longer or return home after this year.

Q: Did you consider other cities in China before choosing Xi'an?

A: Yes, I applied for jobs in several Chinese cities, including Chengdu, Tianjin, and Wuhan. In the end, I had the choice between Tianjin and Xi'an, and I preferred Xi'an. But honestly, I was so thrilled to go back to China that I would have accepted a job in any city !

Q: The work in Xi'an was more interesting than in Tianjin?

A: The work in Xi'an and Chengdu was for the same company and had similar missions. However, the job in Tianjin was with a different company at a university for engineers. I thought that the missions with the French Union were more interesting because they involved various activities like teaching different age groups, from children to adults, group and one-to-one classes, teaching at university, preparing people for interviews, and organizing cultural events and more. It was more diverse and engaging.

Q: So, working with the French Union provided a more diverse and engaging experience?

A: Yes, the French Union job involved a wide range of activities, making it more interesting to me. The experience was dynamic and different from the more static role at the university in Tianjin.

Q: I can feel it's like every day is a challenge because every day is different. That's why you find it interesting.

A: Indeed, every day is a new challenge, and that's what keeps the job interesting. My schedule is different every week, so I never know when my free days will be. It makes planning trips a bit tricky, but it's part of the adventure. Also I can't plan vacations in advance due to my ever-changing schedule. But the diversity of my work keeps it exciting.

Q: So you come to this French Union already few months. How many Chinese students have you met?

A: Quite a lot as I have various classes: children around eight to 12 years old who have just started learning French, university students in their third year, and adults in intensive courses, one-to-one classes... They all have different French language levels. It's quite diverse.

Q: Do your students learn French in English or in French, or only in French?

A: I try to teach only in French as much as I can. However, I can speak a bit of Chinese, especially when dealing with kids, as they need building trust. While I teach mainly in French, I might use a bit of English if it helps clarify something. But overall, immersion in the language is the best way to learn.

Q: Do you encounter common issues when teaching Chinese students?

A: Yes, there are common challenges. In China, the language learning system focuses heavily on reading, writing, and listening, with minimal emphasis on speaking. The students usually lack confidence in speaking because they fear making mistakes. They tend to consult dictionaries frequently, which can hinder their fluency. It's crucial to encourage them to be more confident and less afraid of making errors. We prioritize understanding the message rather than perfect grammar, which fosters a better learning environment.

Q: Is it difficult to teach kids who may not be enthusiastic about learning French?

A: Yes, it can be challenging when children are not eager to learn. In many cases, they are there because their parents want them to learn a foreign language. Consequently, some children might not be interested in the class, leading to potential behavioral issues. To make language learning fun, I incorporate games and interactive activities into the lessons. However, finding ways to engage children who didn't choose to learn the language remains difficult.

Q: Do you need to communicate with the parents of your students?

A: Generally, I don't have direct communication with the parents. The parents may want to observe the classes, but we advise them to let the teachers handle the teaching process. We have administrative staff who handle any parental inquiries. Although I do have a WeChat group with the parents and administrators, the parents seldom ask questions directly in the group. I usually update them about the class progress and share information or any homework.

Q: It's good that you don't need to engage with parents directly regarding the class.

A: Yes, it's beneficial because, in the Chinese education system, it's common for parents to be very involved in their children's education, sometimes excessively. So it's an important thing that the parents respect the teacher's role and let them manage the classes.

Q: Oh, I forgot to ask you an important question. How did you find your job in China?

A: I found my job through a website called "French as a Foreign Language," (fle.fr) which specializes in connecting French teachers with job opportunities in France and abroad. It's a popular platform for those in our field. I think such platforms can make it easier for French Teachers to find job opportunities abroad.

Q: That's interesting. It's a valuable resource for finding opportunities in your field. I hope that the Eu Youth In China platform can also provide information on these opportunities and reduce the information gap.

XiaoHongShu(Little Red Book): Alice | 法语老师

Instagram account: castalys

Instagram account about French: fle_de_lys

Interviewer: 想想ZiZi

Interviewee: Alice唐秋静

Editor: 丰也青年PAZZO YOUTH