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I have always thought that good things must be shared, and if you have the chance to help others through your experience is almost a responsibility to actually do it.
In this case, I have the opportunity to do it through this review about Rocket Chinese, and how it has helped me in a professional and personal level.
I didn’t learn just a new language, but I’ve been learning as well about an amazing culture and have met great people, that were completely out of my scope before, which is one of the coolest things about this method.
You will see…
Chinese in my life… no way!
Even though I’ve been traveling for 2 years now and I work for an international organization, if you would ask me 2 years ago when I was back home in my comfort zone, I was not thinking, not even considering, to learn Chinese.
I like to learn languages, I can handle 5 now, but I used to think “I don’t mind if I can’t speak some languages (especially if they require me to learn some weird symbols), you can always speak English”
Well, you might imagine that my boss wouldn’t be agree nor happy with that argument, but also, I was wrong, you can’t always speak in English when you’re traveling, and it’s not nice to being listening people speaking around the whole time in some language that you don’t understand at all… sometimes they might do it not with intention to piss you off, but it does!
International life
Also, there are a lot of people, not only in China but around the world that can’t speak English at all, and then the struggle is real.
Anyway, even being exposed to this environment of traveling and get to know people from all over the world, the real reason behind for me to not even consider learn Chinese was: I used to find it very difficult (yeah, again those symbols)… you know the saying? “Life is too short for…” learn Chinese in my case.
But then, one day I would receive that email that will make me change my mind: an email from my boss saying that I would be traveling to China in 2 months, and staying for 3 months there by the way, but with 1 condition, I had to learn at least basic Chinese before to leave.
An opportunity in my hands… One condition: Chinese
And then after receiving that email, as you might imagine, the hell starts in my head with thousands of pros and cons in my brain, thinking first on how to escape with ridiculous excuses, but you know? Was an opportunity to travel!
So then, I had to face the fact of this language out of my plans because was “too hard”, and that fact accompanied with many other fears, what if I can’t do it? What if loose a great opportunity? What if they don’t consider me anymore after this?
So, with fears and all, I decided to take the opportunity and commit to myself to learn and make this happen… yeah, I was motivated now! But that was not meant to last, my motivation dropped when I found that actually, is very difficult to find good lessons or tutors of Chinese, and also are too expensive, or too slow!
I started my research instantaneously, I had no time to lose so I tried everything, I swear.
- I asked friends
- Googled places and tutors
- Calling them
- Looking for videos on YouTube
- I tried even for a few days to learn myself with a book and will
I don’t know if the book was good or not, but I know that my will seemed to be very weak… and I was losing time!
I was getting desperate, but fortunately, a friend would introduced me to the method that would save my career (or at least that’s how it felt in that moment): Rocket Languages.
The light at the end of the tunnel
My friend is from Mexico, and she was learning German with this method which, according to her, was amazing.
I had my doubts, because I have tried many other things, and I really wanted a tutor, this thing of learning online wasn’t too attractive really, but I didn’t have too much time either.
I was needing something adaptable with my busy days, but really efficient. She told me about the trials, where you can try for a few days the method for free, so that caught my attention finally.
Getting started
First, I went to the website and the method seemed to be actually interesting, different to the options I had before, and very adaptable.
The reviews were very good as well, but I’m always a bit sceptical about reviews (yeah, look at me now writing one), so I decided to give me an opportunity with this option, anyway there was a trial for Chinese so, if I didn’t like I could just stop it without regrets.
I started and now I can say I couldn’t take a better decision, the method is very flexible, but you can notice results fast and keep motivated with the different activities they have.
Also, I tend to be busy all the time, but you can even use what appears to be downtime for learning, at your own pace and whenever you want.
Are your worries real?
Another thing that was worrying me, was to actually be able to speak because well, one thing is to take the lessons and answer tests, but another thing is to talk and be able to maintain a conversation, or at least understand a few things and be able to communicate… and this is still an online method, what if as soon I arrive in China anyone can understand me or I’m not able to have a normal conversation with a local?
Well, even for this Rocket Chinese had a solution
- It is not only you with your computer
- You can actually get in touch with people that can help you to solve that part
- I had a tutor (the adorable Lin)
- Native speakers
- And other fellow Chinese enthusiasts that won’t let you feel alone on this endeavor
By the time I was about to go to China, my boss and colleagues were very surprised on how much I knew about the country, of course, this gave me extra points because they noticed I was taking this seriously.
Long lasting results
I have to give credit for this as well to Rocket Chinese, because actually, that makes all the lessons even richer, that you’re not only learning the language, but about the culture, and that helped me as well during my stay.
I could understand better my environment and the people around me, I could have meaningful and interesting conversations as well, and to do friends for life.
And if you want to know what happened with my job after China, I think that actually was a great opportunity that also, opened many more further, made me noticed that go out of your comfort zone might be scary at the beginning but always pays off.
Today, still I can consult the program (because after buy it is yours forever), without the pressure I had in that moment and I always enjoy it and find useful.
Final thoughts
Time flew, and by the moment I was leaving to China, I had learned so much and was so fun that I didn’t want to stop, my trial was finishing, but I wanted more.
I did important connections, and I had still so much to learn, so I decided to buy the program. Again, I can’t be happier to have done it, was a great support during my stay there.
I was improving very fast and making very good friends that if I would arrive only speaking in English and with zero knowledge of the culture wouldn’t be possible.
So, you might be thinking that maybe it’s for me but not necessarily for you, or that I’m very good with languages but maybe you don’t, and things like that, right?
Well, let me tell you that actually, the method has been helpful for me to gain confidence about my languages skills, to keep learning and to know that I’m capable, because has so many options on how to learn that you can adapt it to your style of learning, you can measure yourself constantly and share what you have learnt at the same you practice with other people.
So, why not give it a chance? You don’t have to buy Rocket Chinese now, you can use one the free trials available and see if works for you or not, the rest you will find it out later.
I’m sure you won’t regret it, start now, you might not have a clear and short deadline like me (I really hope you don’t, too much stress), but you don’t have time to loose either, life is too short to not take the opportunities in front of you.
Happy lessons!
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