From struggling with Chinese to graduating with honors in Beijing

Ngo Ba Duoc, born in 2001 in Quang Ninh Province, studied Chinese Language at Ha Long University. When he first began learning the language, he had few advantages over his classmates.

“Some students had been exposed to Chinese from a very young age, and some even held HSK 5 certificates. Meanwhile, I had only encountered the language through TV series such as Journey to the West and Water Margin,” Duoc recalled.

After some time, Duoc realized that his academic performance was not particularly good. When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, online learning made it even harder for him to keep up with the curriculum.

One day, he heard his homeroom teacher talk about scholarships for studying in China. Believing that mastering Chinese required studying in an environment where the language was used every day, Duoc began researching the application process.

With his teacher's help, he quickly took his first HSK test and qualified to apply for a full scholarship to study International Chinese Language Education at Beijing Language and Culture University.

However, persuading his family to let him study abroad was not easy. His parents were worried because they understood little about what studying overseas would entail or the difficulties their son might face. Only after a lengthy period of persuasion did they agree to let him go.

Although he had already obtained an HSK 4 certificate, Duoc could barely understand what people around him were saying when he arrived in Beijing. This made him realize the gap between textbook knowledge and real-life communication.

“To communicate well, learners cannot simply memorize vocabulary and grammar. They need regular exposure and practice, and they must understand how to use the language in different situations,” Duoc said.

During his years studying in Beijing, Duoc maintained a serious and disciplined approach, spending around 12-14 hours a day studying.

His efforts paid off: he graduated with a GPA of 4.0, ranking among the top five students in his cohort. For Duoc, the result was recognition of the hard work he had put in throughout his studies.

“With these academic results, I had high expectations for my career after graduation,” he recalled.

Returning to Vietnam

While still in university, Duoc envisioned becoming a Chinese language teacher, an interpreter, or working in a role directly related to his major. "But life doesn't always go according to plan," Duoc said.

Upon returning to Vietnam, Duoc worked as an interpreter and tried his hand at business before becoming a purchasing staffer at a Chinese enterprise in an industrial zone near his home.

Working in a role far different from what he had envisioned caused Duoc to repeatedly question whether he was veering off his original track.

However, practical experience gradually reshaped his perspective. "I realized a suitable job doesn't necessarily have to be tied to a major city or a flashy title. What matters is whether the environment allows you to leverage your abilities, gain knowledge, and accumulate experience," Duoc said.

When considering a job close to home, he focused on opportunities to use Chinese, develop his professional skills, work in a suitable environment and maintain a good personal life. The industrial park where he works hosts many Chinese-invested businesses, giving him opportunities to apply his language skills and learn more about manufacturing, procurement and business operations.

“Now, I no longer feel that my years of studying in China were wasted,” Duoc said.

Entering the corporate world meant learning many things from scratch.

“University assignments usually come with clear requirements and specific evaluation criteria, whereas real-world work presents problems that do not always have a single ready-made answer,” he said.

For a purchasing role, knowing Chinese is an advantage, but it is not enough. Duoc also has to familiarize himself with internal procedures, product information, supplier requirements, prices, delivery schedules and coordination among departments.

He recognizes that an outstanding degree still has value, but it does not guarantee that someone can handle every practical challenge.

Looking ahead, Duoc wants to continue gaining experience in procurement while developing an interest in sharing his knowledge of Chinese and teaching the language for professional purposes.

Thuy Nga