Language Exchange Partners Wanted

By Jian Shuo Wang on 2005-05-17 11:52 · English

I came to the Shanghai University of Science and Technology yesterday and talked to hundreds of students. I confirmed that English is very important, although the English examination is not. I encourage every students to find some foreign friends in Shanghai - to learn more about the world, to improve oral English and to help foreigners in this city feel at home. I am more than happy to do it. I asked the students to post their request on my classified site Kijiji and I will help them to post their information here. Here are two

Felix

Felix majored in Chinese literature and now is a graduate student. He wishes to make friends with foreign friends for language exchange. He can teach chinese, and provide other help for friends and want to improve oral English. His contact is:

Mobile: 13524591277

email：felixding@21cn.com

His Chinese last name is Ding. So you can call him Felix.

This information was originally posted on Language Exchange area of Kijiji

More will Come

Just as I said, a classified platform is not that useful if there is no service helping people to really get connected. I am willing to provide this service. No matter how big the business becomes, I am personally committed to do that.

For English speaking persons, you can post here. By posting, you grant me the permission to translate it into Chinese and post on Kijiji for you.

If you speak Chinese, you can post to Language Exchange Category on Kijiji. Please add four characters 口语醒目 at the end of your ads, so I know you grant me the permission to move it to this page.

75 Comments

I think the Shanghai Unversity of Science and Technology died at 1996, when Shanghai University merged her. :-(. I agree with you that English is important, and it's a key to a different world. Not necessarily better, but definitely different. Good to know that you are helping SUST students. As important as language exchanging is, students should realize that talking in English couple hours every week will only give you limited boosting.

— 曾经的上海科技大学 · 2005-05-17 12:24

Jian Shuo,

I have a lot of respect for your desire to help Chinese students advance in English by providing classified services through your blog. Keep up the great work.

— PC · 2005-05-17 12:58

Thanks for your effort to help the young like me to improve English skills. Some people also can find partners on net. For example: www.mylanguageexchange.com Once I got one messege from this site and made acquaintance with an italian man in Shanghai who said he would help me in Italiano. :)

— Nature · 2005-05-17 14:58

Shanghai University of Science and Technology Is it 上海理工大学？

I think it should be "university of shanghai for science and technology"...

— Jennie · 2005-05-17 15:51

hello everybody, i'm very glad to be here and thanks for Wang's help!

well, in fact, my major was Chinese literature and language when i was a undergraduate， but now i'm focusing in e-business as a postgraduate in ShangHai.

i have lots of interests, such as literature, music, computer related things, photography and almost all kinds of mordern arts. i'm a energitic man, huh!

btw: i have a personal website located at http://heartstringz.net/ls=wangjianshuo.com , maybe i'll design a English version someday.

— Felix · 2005-05-17 18:38

Jian Shuo Wang,

I am a Scottish girl who spent 18 months working in Shanghai. I left Shanghai about 5 months ago (my work contract was finished) but I miss Shanghai and her people very much. I am now working in the Netherlands but I hope to be working back in Shanghai by the end of this year, so if there are any students out there would would like to improve their English via email then I am more than happy to assist.

Since I am Scottish, my vocal accent is quite difficult...........but if you don't want speak like an American, maybe this is OK?

I work in the computer/engineering field with a specialised Computer Assisted Engineering application called "Intools". This was my job in China - assisting young designers and engineers to use this application.

I am really interested in what is going on in Shanghai so if any students are interested I am willing to assist with written English.

— Lady Macbeth · 2005-05-17 20:14

I am very happy to be here.

I have heared Jian Shuo Wang's lecture tomorrow.I think it's ver useful to me.

I am a postgraduate in Shanghai University of Science and Technology now.

My major in Computer.

Hello Mrs.Macbeth.Maybe you can assist me with written English.How can I contact you?

— Mickey · 2005-05-17 22:45

My email: st_mickey66@hotmail.com

— Mickey · 2005-05-17 22:47

I will be visiting Shanghai this May 25-29th and would be pleased to meet anyone who likes to meet to speak English.

— Mick Zhuang · 2005-05-18 14:28

"Lady Macbeth", you are admirable !

I guess that almost any devoted chinese would like to speak "real english" rather than american, which is a sub-language derivated from english.

(So much, that there are even separate dictionaries for english and american in the chinese foreign language bookshops !)

In fact, my girlfriend Xiuying is studying at the Huadongligong University (East China Technological and Science University), and have attended an Australian special class in business trade and english language.

They emphasize the tonation of "teatime chat" true english a lot,

to avoid the american "potato-in-the-mouth" tonation).

So don't put yourself down, or underestimate the value of true spoken english (and the scottish accent is very cute, spoken by women !)

I wish you all the best of teaching chinese a good ol'fashion'd british accent !

But I'm danish, so I'm not exactly suitable to teach the chinese a correct english here in Shanghai...

— carsten · 2005-05-18 19:38

carsten,

I was in Edinburgh last weekend and I talked with two Chinese guys who had grown up in Scotland. It was absolutely amazing to hear them talk with "Sean Connery" Edinburgh accents!

— Lady Macbeth · 2005-05-18 20:31

well,really hope you can come to my school to give us a talk(Northeastern University in Shenyang:-)

— x5 · 2005-05-18 23:54

Lady Macbeth,

It would be a wishful thinking to teach Chinese to speak "Celtic" English.

In the real world, the Chinese would like to learn the American English so they recieve the latest technology, information, TOEFL etc. You can call it the substandard English, but it is presently the most popular language of the world. I don't like it that way, but this is the trend.

I therefore would suggest people to imitate the phase and tone of the news anchors of BBC/CNN who speak popular English and phase. I think this is the best way to improve people's ability on English.

Stephen

— Stephen · 2005-05-19 02:56

seems to me this blog becomes part of kijiji.

— Sean · 2005-05-19 11:44

almost all the Chinese at my age started with British English from school...

when I was in University I had planned to study in the States, so turned to US English with TOEFL test, :-)...

for past several years, I have been working in European company, turned back to British English again (at least I had thought so)...

but last month one Australian couple commented that I didn't have Any accent... (maybe because of too many changes in accent, and I had lost all, hehe)

still, now I feel British accent is more elegant that I wish I could have some... so... Lady Macbeth, please help our Chinese students if you feel like to.

— mcgjcn · 2005-05-19 12:56

Stephen,

Thank you very much for sharing your deep understanding on what is been the most useful types English in the real world!

Have you mastered the "popular" English and phase yet? How come those people who know you are all saying you speak with a Chinese accents?

What! You don't believe it. Go ahead ask them!

For Lady Macbeth ^_^!

— buster05 · 2005-05-20 01:02

buster05

Have you?

Stephen

— Stephen · 2005-05-20 01:34

It would be highly unlikely for China born and grown people who then left China (or start living in English speaking countries)at the age older than 20 to get rid of Chinese accent completely - which I think it's just fine. Language is for communication purpose. I know people from India who speak English with kind of heavy local accent, however what thay say are just understood completely by native speakers of English.

— shane · 2005-05-20 06:32

WJS, your idea and sentiments for helping Chinese learn English are really admirable. However, I would just like to mention something about your encouragement to Chinese students to make friends with foreigners for language exchange.

There are something like 13 million Chinese living in Shanghai, but only about 15,000 westerners. That means that each of us westerners who live in Shanghai are asked almost every day to be somebody's free language teacher.

Most westerners in China like to meet Chinese people and like to have Chinese friends, but it is disappointing to us when so many of the Chinese people we meet only want to meet us because they want a free language teacher. :-(

So, I just want to ask Chinese students to please be respectful that foreigners in Shanghai often have very busy lives, and maybe they hear this question every day, but do not have so much time for free language lessons.

Also, I hope students will understand that westerners are usually very uncomfortable about giving their personal phone number to strangers.

Thanks!

— Shanghai Slim · 2005-05-20 10:49

I think the English website is good.

www.dyned.com,the English course is nice.

— Shirley.gong · 2005-05-20 12:33

yup

that would be University of Shanghai for Sci. & Tech., instead of Shanghai University of Science and Technology.

aha.

I saw your shedule

— sam · 2005-05-20 21:04

My suggestion to all of you is to JUST LEARN ENGLISH and LEARN to BE POLITE. Forget about accents and which English is correct. Don't go around town haunting every foreigner to practice your English. Everytime I tried to do language exchange with a Chinese person they always took advantage of me and spoke more English and barely any Chinese. Even some of my close Chinese friends do that. I think my chinese is decent, it's definately the same level as their English but I am the one who has to put up with their English. Why can't Chinese people be patient towards a foreigner when he/she wants to talk Chinese? You might disagree but think of the last time you spoke to a foreigner. Didn't you speak English most of the time??????

— chiki · 2005-05-20 23:07

well chiki,

1. good to know your Chinese is decent. congratulations!

2. even if you really meet impatient Chinese, to yell at entire group of Chinese english learners is inapproriate.

3. as adult, you should be able to guard yourself of being taken advantage of, an example could be to put a sign on yourself saying you speak French and you are from Quebec.

4. for anyone learning a second language, it couldn't be more natural to try to talk to native speakers of that language to seek improvement. my non-chinese friends learning Chinese are doing this to me all the time.

Have a good weekend everyone!

— shane · 2005-05-21 00:47

It's tough to be a good guy, isn't it?. We all know Mr. Wang has good intentions to help others.

Shanghai Slim and Chiki, I can understand your frustration. At the same time, we all know there is an enormous pressure for students to be good at English in today's market economy in order to get ahead. For instants, let's look at this Blog's host, Mr. JS Wang, many doors opened up in front of him that otherwise wouldn't available for him.

You can try two things, 1, Insisting in speaking Chinese in response to others at all time regardless what they speak, no double standards.

2, To be firm and up front to let people know your true feelings. You may have fewer friends by doing that way. But you will have fewer real friends.

I hope this can help.

— ILH · 2005-05-21 03:51

I must say that I read about this article on http://www.talktalkchina.com/?p=4. You guys might want to check it out. I think a lot of foreigners feel this way. I also think everyone has the right to express themselves without people getting angry.

— chiki · 2005-05-22 00:49

Language is always one of the hottest topics on Wanjianshuo's blog.

— Lu Heli · 2005-05-23 01:17

ILH, I know all about that pressure on Chinese students, that's how I make my living. :-)

Of your two suggestions, from my experience, westerners living here a while usually follow the second strategy of being careful of the motives of those who seek friendship, while trying not to become cynical about the situation. I believe the same applies to romance.

My personal solution to the very common problem of Chinese refusing to speak Chinese, is to draw a clear line with the ones who matter most. I ask my closest friends to understand that while English is very useful to them, for me Chinese is a *survival* skill. So we alternate languages, to our mutual linguistic benefit.

As for truly impolite strangers, well, there are times where I simply become 罗马尼亚人 (Romanian). ;-)

— Shanghai Slim · 2005-05-25 23:30

"I encourage every students..." or should it be "I encourage every student...:? :)

— Yoghurt · 2005-06-03 22:52

jianshuo is a good person

— Mike · 2005-06-07 10:52

I have started an English resources page. Anyone like to do a Link Exchange?

Some pages of my site:

http://www.cyber-courier.com/cer/chinglish/

http://www.cyber-courier.com/cer/trans/

http://www.cyber-courier.com/cer/SP/

— CER · 2005-06-08 01:40

To Lady Macbeth

Many Chinese need your help at this forum:

http://www.cyber-courier.com/cer/forum/

Aye, I am not kidding.

— CER · 2005-06-11 12:41

Hello All,

I am a Canadian living in Japan ... just arrived last night and will stay for about two weeks. Please send me an email if you would like a language exchange in the Shanghai area. I am doing some academic research nights and business negotiations in the day. I REALLY NEED TO LEARN CHINESE!!!

look forward to hearing from you,

Will

leizero@bpesoft.com

— Will · 2005-07-01 00:19

I think Mr.Wang's idea is really good, but I have some question.

What if I'm not western, just a Asian girl that work in Shanghai and have to use English with my colleague, would Chinese will please to talk to me?

Because my English is not so good but I really want to speak and learn Chinese.I hope I can find some Chinese that I can talk to from this blog.

I'm glad to speak with you with my simply English. :)

pouy09@yahoo.com

— pouy · 2005-07-07 15:35

I am Meryl, a Canadian girl in Toronto. I have an easy-to-navigate site where you can just post a message directly. You may write in Chinese. Registration is optional.

http://www.cyber-courier.com/cer/japan/

I also have a Chinglish and English only room. :)

http://www.cyber-courier.com/cer/japan/forum/viewforum.php?f=2

— Meryl · 2005-07-11 11:59

i want to learn english. i can teach persian in exchange.

— marziye · 2005-07-11 12:32

My tip my hat for you who has initiated this forum.

I am an American working in Shanghai (well, about 60% of my time). We are an engineering and construction company and we do recruit good engineers.

Now, going back to the English language issue, though many Chinese people (sorry for generalizing) understand, there appear to be a large gap between "speaking" and "communicating" in China. Therefore, we have conducted several training programs in our company to "teach" our Chinese engineers how to communicate in English. This is especially necessary since most all our clients are multi-national companies.

Perhaps, this is due to cultural differences whereby communication in the Chinese culture is less direct. I will be willing to assist those who are seriously interested in improving their English. I can start by assisting those who would want me to provide feedback to their written English and for those who live in Shanghai, and time permitting, I can meet informally at Starbucks or so.

— Henry · 2005-07-13 15:49

Henry...

I am foreigner working in Shanghai, and I'm not good in English and Chinese ( -_-' ).

I'm really interested to improve these two language, you said you have conducted several training programs to teach how to communicate in English.

Can I join that?

Xia Xia

— Pouy · 2005-07-14 13:14

We are two young Shanghainese ladies. A friend in Toronto has agreed to host the following forum for us.

上海不眠夜Sleepless in Shanghai

Tell us what you think about our city

http://www.cyber-courier.com/cer/forum/viewforum.php?f=15

— Lily and Cherry · 2005-07-21 04:18

henry:I do agree with your opinion about 'speaking"and" communicating" in english .I am seriously interested in improving my english, but good teacher is difficult to find for, do you agree with it.

— lu · 2005-08-18 12:02

Check out this page for lanaguege exchange!

www.xLingo.com

— james · 2005-08-25 04:42

I found many language exchange friends here:

http://www.lingozone.com

— Pouy1 · 2005-08-26 12:16

i just finished my study and came back from Brisbane. gonna to find some foreigner friends to keep practising English or to learn a new language, such as German or Italian. At the same time i can teach u mandarin, and shanghainese as well : ) my name is Elaine,living in shanghai. My connect number is 13524796610. waiting for ur call :)

— Elaine · 2005-09-06 22:32

Hi,

I m an indian man, i can teach english tru internet, if any one interested plz send me mail

cheers

Shine

— Shine · 2005-09-17 21:16

cool site! i'll be back. to compute pair you should be very bad: http://www.empireonline.co.uk/ , to Increase Soldier you should be very Tremendous double percieve create - that is all that boy is capable of , Lose Bet Percieve - that is all that Corner is capable of right soldier will play corner without any questions

— jacob baumann · 2005-12-06 15:41

I need to learn chinese (Mandarin) for school, well, in a years time and was hoping to get started sometime this year. I'm in Ballarat Victoria, In Australia and so if there are any chinese people interested in doing a learning exchange contact me, mc.hammertime@gmail.com

— Alex · 2006-02-19 21:41

Hi,

Here is a a language exchange website where you can find a lot of penpals and everybody there is willing to learn languages and help each others. www.sharedtalk.com

:D Val

— Valentin · 2006-02-20 16:56

I also think that examination in English is not so important as the ability to communicate.

— Joe · 2006-02-21 15:30

There's been time when I fount it difficult to pass exams in the language and thought that I'm a looser. But now i understand that it's not the main criteria. If you can talk to the native speakers so that they understand and talk to you that's more important.

http://www.astra-design.com/directory/

— Dereck · 2006-02-21 15:33

I found this site very useful in my language learning.

www.xLingo.com

I practice with native speakers, and I help them in English in return.

— James Ritz · 2006-04-07 11:26

Hey. I am half Korean and half Canadian who wish to learn Chinese! I can teach you both Korean and English but at the same time, I am desperately willing to learn Mandarin. I travelled China for 6 months.. so basic conversation is possible.

If you wish to learn English and Korean, contact me at hwangdi@hotmail.com

hope someone contact me!

P.S: I have 4 Korean friends beside me who also wish to learn Mandarin...

— Daniel Hwang · 2006-06-16 11:08

interesting to see this site getting so many enquiries for learning chinese ... keep up the enthusiasm!

— 陽明室內設計 · 2006-06-18 23:54

i want somebody who likes to visit india and do some parttime job in teaching english.I hope this would be a better forum to express this issue.

JOBY JOHN

— joby john · 2006-06-26 02:57

Hi, I'm a Shanghainese girl who's been living in New York for 10+ years, need people to improve my Chinese, especially the writing part.

— Grace · 2006-07-11 15:12

I don't think it's appropriate to confront strangers for anything, unless you're a beggar. Mind your own business, including your English study.

I have a resource page for Chinese students looking to get rid of their accent and correct what damage IPA has done to their lives. It's ad-free and you can reference the link at will ---> www.mrtao.com/fayin.htm

— heirabbit · 2006-07-28 17:38

like your blog, recommend you a website for language exchange :www.lehere.com/indexb.asp

— OLIVEA · 2006-08-31 11:39

Easy learn languages with frends - http://www.language-friends.com

— Language Exchange · 2006-09-01 23:51

I like this place. It is easy to find a language exchange partner.

Language Exchange

Community

— Marten · 2006-09-21 18:21

The Link http://www.ccxccx.com

— Marten · 2006-09-21 18:23

Here is another language exchange site. Most of the users are either English speaking or Chinese speaking.

italki.com

It's free, and you should be able to find language partners there pretty easily.

— Victor · 2007-02-09 11:34

MY COMPANY WORKS WITH CHINESE PRODUCERS. WE ARE EXPORTERS AS WELL. I AM INTERESTED IN A CHINESE PRETTY LADY WHO SPEAKS ENGLISH OR INTEND TO SPEAK OR HAVE ENGLISH AS EXCHANGE PROGRAM, TO INTERACT FOR OUR BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS.

SHE IS FREE TO STATE HER TERMS IF ACCEPTABLE, WE DEAL.

— MICHAEL PATTON · 2007-02-13 18:29

there is a new website, babbley.com, dedicted for language exchange, they focus mainly on chinese-english and english-chinese, so if you're looking for someone to do language exchange, just search the members database for native speakers! it's much easier than classifieds way... just try www.babbley.com

— surfer · 2007-05-09 11:58

yes, i found there are many new shanghai expats and college students on http://www.babbley.com

— shexpat · 2007-05-09 12:03

Hi, I'm an American guy who has been in Shanghai for a few months. I am here for work and would like to improve my Chinese. If you would like to help me with my Chinese, I would love to help you improve your English. Please email me at eric.copland@gmail.com.

— Eric · 2007-05-21 03:05

Not sure you guys know www.italki.com?

Maybe it is helpful..

— Timmy · 2008-01-09 13:56

Hi,

I'm a chinese girl and want to improve my oral english,

so, if any foreigner friends who want to speak fluent Chinese ,please contact me.

my E-mail :djf715@hotmail.com

Thanks ^&^.

— Du · 2008-01-09 15:58

Hi, I am Colin from China. I'd like to make foreign friends who speak English but like to learning 中文/Chinese. I am very glad to teach you speak Chinese. As language exchange, I will improve my Oral English according to communication with you(by your help). Because I have been working in a European company more than 10 years, Communication with you in English is OK. If you are ready, please send me by e-mail: wrldal2005@163.com. You are always welcome.

— Colin · 2008-01-11 23:19

I am Marcela from Cameroon. I am a girl of age 26 looking for a language exchange partner.

— Bin Marcela · 2008-01-14 02:16

I'm software engineering in china and live in shanghai for 8 year. I want to practise my english with you or exchange language. Feel free to drop me email if you are interesting in it. my email address is: jbfeng@gmail.com

— Gerald · 2008-01-23 23:38

Thank you for your helping email. You did a great job for all english learners.

KEEP WALKING!

— Tony · 2008-01-27 23:08

Hello

I am looking for the one whom i can share my time and including me language....i want to learn chinese.

Instead of that i can teach him or her nepali or help to practice english.

So if you think i can be usefull person in your life.Than don't feel hard to contact me in ran_koketi@hotmail.com

bye.

— kiran · 2008-01-29 09:56

I like your post ... good job

— Learn chinese online · 2009-06-18 18:06

I am Shah. I have grown a strong attachment to Chinese these days.

How long can it go? That i don't know but it COULD die out if you

gals and guys don't respond positively.

farhad(UNDERSCORE)alishah(AT)yahoo(DOT)com.

Thanks.

I am MA Eng and dream about becoming an MA Chinese. I love

travelling, blogging, learning mandarin etc. I can teach you

English (only if you need it). I have a good collection of

amazing files. And astonishingly, i want visa on each and

every empty page of my Passport. I love humanity for the

sake of humanity. I can't bear to see some one with tears

in the eyes. I feel too much about those who need food,

clothes and shelter. Education has been a driving force

so for for me. Sympathy, guidance and love are the things,

i think all the human race is in dire need of which. I want

to share my thoughts with those who know how to hear someone

and who are eager to become good neighbours in the global village.

I hate lies. Cheating is No.1 crime in my book of morals and my

school of ethics. A human being with cheat should not be called

a son of man. He is coward and worse than the very name of hate.

Chinese is my favorite language. I love chinese songs. Chinese

are trutworthy people and they are full of unstained loveful

emotions. Please respond tome positively at:

farhad (UNDERSCORE)alishah(AT)yahoo(DOT)com.

Wishing you best of luck for now and always.

IT IS SHAH.....................

the chinese language lover and admirer.

How can i say good bye in chinese??????

— shah · 2009-08-07 14:37

I am studying chinese at Shanghai University and I do need a language partner to improve my comunication skills.

So if you have any desire to improve your english or to learn spanish, I can help you with that!!

Just let me know!!

Thanks,

Natalia.

— Natalia · 2009-09-17 21:00

Alsalamo alikom,

my name is Alaa 22 male from cairo- egypt

my native language is Arabic

am speaking english and french

so if anyone would like to learn (Arabic,english or french)i have the ability to teach languages, and the deal is

i would like to learn some other langu

so,

contact me if u interested

alaa_selvir@hotmail.com

c ya

— Alaa selvir · 2009-10-30 14:13

I am a Chinese boy and would like to find an English native speaker to be a language partner. If you would like to practise your Chinese also, please contact me. :)

My QQ is 282235872

And My cell is 150-2127-2907

I am in Shanghai

— Jin · 2012-02-07 17:12