China challenge: AUSA president's trip of a lifetime

“You might push yourself harder than you ever have before, but it will be one of, if not the most, worth it experiences of your life; give it a crack!”

This was University of Auckland AUSA president Nimish Milan Singh’s verdict on his two weeks in China as a contestant in the 'Chinese Bridge: Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students'.

Nimish is completing a conjoint Bachelor of Science, majoring in physics and statistics, and a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in history and Chinese.

He was one of only three New Zealand students to represent the country, with the other two being from Victoria University of Wellington and the University of Canterbury.

“We connected and came together in our Kiwi-ness, including in a photo of the three of us with the New Zealand flag that we took on the opening day,” he says.

The trip was a chance to practise Chinese in a range of daily situations and take part in various events, including tea picking and calligraphy. He even found himself doing a rap in Chinese and an impromptu Macarena dance.

The group also went sightseeing; visiting the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, as well as travellling to Fujian province on the southeast coast.

The competition brought together 137 students from all over the world and that was the most fantastic thing about it, says Nimish.

“The greatest part of the trip was the people. The opportunity to meet 136 other contestants from all around the world, including places I know nothing about, was special. I also enjoyed interacting with the Chinese university-student volunteers and professional staff who made it all so smooth.”

He says visiting the Great Wall was a real highlight.

“There was something symbolic about 137 students from all walks of life ascending the wall together.”

However, two weeks of constant communication in Chinese was challenging, he admits, as well as the intense schedule and 40-degree heat on some days.

“The schedule was no joke, typically beginning at 6am every day and running until around 10pm. On top of that, we had to study and prepare outside of those hours and find time for sleep if we could!”

The most surprising part of the experience were the efforts of the Chinese student host-volunteers, he says.

“They went incredibly above-and-beyond for us. If we needed anything done, they did it without question. Things like buying props for performances, contacting different people for assistance, and organising extra things for the group. That was special.”

Nimish says the locals could generally understand his Chinese, but he didn’t always understand them, especially in Fujian province.

“They have their own accent and dialect, especially the older generation. The Chinese I learned is very standard, in line with the Standard Mandarin spoken in Beijing, and is universally understood.”

Another highlight of the trip, he says, was the excellent food. “Delicious snacks, teas, and large meals featuring tender meat and vegetables were available throughout the whole trip.”

A great bonus, especially for budget-conscious students, is that all expenses were paid.

“Flights, five-star hotels, buffet meals, other expenses. It would have been entirely possible for me to have paid $0 in total across the whole trip, but I did get a bit hungry and thirsty (especially with the heat) at the airport and some of the sites, so I spent around $50 all up. Not bad at all for two weeks!”

He says he’d definitely recommend others enter for next year.

“There are preliminary rounds all over the world, so if there are university students reading this who aren't based in New Zealand, you might still have a pathway to enter.”

Nimish was hugely encouraged in his efforts by the head of Chinese at Auckland, Associate Professor Danping Wang.

“Wang laoshi (Teacher Wang) has looked after me and countless other students of Chinese over the years. Without her support, this could never have been possible.”

Find out more about the competition.