For Natalia Makoto, learning Mandarin began with a simple curiosity about languages and cultures. What started as an interest in discovering a new language has grown into an exciting journey that has taken her from a classroom in Auckland, New Zealand, to real-life conversations during her travels overseas.

Natalia has always been fascinated by different languages and cultures. However, before discovering the Taiwan Centre for Mandarin Learning (TCML), she had never had the opportunity to formally study another language. When she realised that the TCML centre was located just down the road from where she lived, she decided it was time to give Mandarin a try.

“I have always been fascinated with other languages and learning about other cultures, but I never had the opportunity to take part in a formal language-learning setting,” Natalia said. “When I discovered that TCML was so close to where I lived, I decided to join the Taiwan Mandarin classes.”

She was also attracted by the personal benefits of learning a new language. “I have heard that learning a new language helps keep the brain active and improves memory, so I thought that would be good for me too as I am getting older.”

From the beginning, Natalia found herself learning alongside classmates from a remarkable range of backgrounds, including New Zealand, Singapore, Fiji and India. Originally from Zimbabwe, she particularly appreciated the diversity of the class. Everyone came from a different cultural background, yet they shared the same experience of beginning Mandarin from the basics.

“We were all learning from scratch,” she recalled. “We started with very basic words and gradually continued to build our vocabulary.”

One of her early discoveries was that Mandarin was not nearly as complicated as she had imagined. Numbers, for example, quickly gave her confidence. Once she understood the basic numbers from zero to ten, she realised that she could apply the same principles to count much further.

For Natalia, discovering that Mandarin could be approached step by step helped make the language feel much more accessible. Rather than being overwhelmed by a completely unfamiliar writing system and pronunciation, she began to see that each new lesson provided another building block.

However, there was one significant challenge. Natalia frequently travels out of town during the week for work and was initially concerned that she would not be able to maintain regular attendance. Rather than allowing this to interrupt her learning, TCML teacher Sheryl found a way to support her. When Natalia was away for work, TCML made online participation available so that she could continue joining the class each week. This flexibility became an important part of Natalia’s learning journey. Instead of having to choose between work commitments and Mandarin, she was able to continue both.

Natalia’s experience with TCML has also gone beyond the regular classroom. She particularly enjoyed the cultural sessions offered alongside Mandarin lessons. During one activity, students learned about the history and traditions of the Lunar New Year, including the significance of red lanterns. They had the opportunity to make their own lanterns and taste food traditionally enjoyed during the festival.

“These extra sessions helped me understand Asian culture much more,” she said. For Natalia, these cultural experiences added another dimension to learning Mandarin. The language became connected with traditions, food, celebrations and everyday life, allowing her to understand more about the cultural context behind the words she was learning.

Another memorable part of her TCML experience was the Mandarin Auction activity. The activity gave students an opportunity to use the language they had learned in a lively and practical situation. Rather than simply practising sentences from a textbook, students had to listen, respond, negotiate and interact with one another in Mandarin. The experience helped her to build the confidence to speak spontaneously and later became particularly valuable when she travelled overseas.

The real test of her learning came when she recently travelled to China, the Mandarin she had been practising in New Zealand became a living language that she could use with people in everyday situations. One of her favourite memories came from a visit to a handbag shop. Seeing an opportunity to practise, Natalia confidently told the shop assistant, “太貴了，便宜一點！” (“It’s too expensive. Can you make it a little cheaper?”)

The shop assistant was surprised to hear Natalia speaking Mandarin, and the two of them ended up laughing together. The price was eventually reduced, turning what could have been an ordinary shopping experience into one of Natalia’s favourite memories from the trip. This moment represented more than simply remembering a phrase from class. It was an opportunity to discover that the language she had been learning in Auckland could be useful in the real world.

What began as a desire to explore another language has therefore become much more than learning vocabulary and grammar. Through TCML, Natalia has discovered that Mandarin can open doors to communication, cultural understanding and memorable experiences.

Looking ahead, Natalia has another goal: to visit Taiwan. “One day I hope to travel to Taiwan and experience in real life all the things that we are learning through the Taiwan Mandarin classes.”

Her journey is a wonderful example of how language learning can extend far beyond the classroom. With the support of TCML, a flexible learning environment, dedicated teaching and opportunities to connect language with culture and real-life experiences, Natalia has gained not only Mandarin skills but also the confidence to use them.