今年，来自 Walford Anglican School for Girls 的10岁小学生 Taylor Dean，将代表南澳小学组参加汉语桥全球总决赛，开启她期待已久的中国之行。
出发前，澳中文化交流协会走进 Walford，采访了学校小学校长 Ms Cathie Egarr、语言部主任 Ms Belinda Dello-Iacovo，以及即将赴中国参赛的 Taylor。
从“我为什么喜欢中文”，到“我最期待去中国看什么”，三个人的分享，也让我们看到了语言学习背后更深一层的意义。
This year, 10-year-old Taylor Dean from Walford Anglican School for Girls will represent South Australia in the Primary Division at the Chinese Bridge Global Final, beginning her long-awaited journey to China.
Before her departure, the Australia-China Cultural Promotion Association (ACCPA) visited Walford to speak with Ms Cathie Egarr, Head of the Junior School, Ms Belinda Dello-Iacovo, Head of Languages, and Taylor herself, who is preparing to travel to China for the competition.
From “Why do I like learning Chinese?” to “What am I most looking forward to seeing in China?”, their stories offer a glimpse into the deeper meaning behind language learning — and how learning a language can open the door to new experiences, cultures and connections.
面对镜头，10岁的 Taylor 谈起自己学习中文的经历。
她告诉我们，自己大约从3岁开始学习中文。当时家人为她找到了一位很喜欢的私人中文老师，从那以后，中文逐渐成为她成长过程中的一部分。
Facing the camera, 10-year-old Taylor shared her journey of learning Chinese.
She told us that she started learning Chinese at around the age of three. Her family found a private Chinese tutor whom she really enjoyed learning with, and from then on, Chinese gradually became a part of her life as she grew up.
为什么喜欢中文？
Taylor 的答案很简单：
“我喜欢中国文化，也喜欢学习两种语言。”
对她来说，学习中文并不仅仅是记住汉字、学习语法，更是打开了另一种文化和另一种思维方式。
当然，中文学习也并不容易。
Taylor 认为，汉字的记忆、中文发音以及声调都是学习过程中比较困难的部分。
但她的办法也很直接——继续练习，不断尝试。
Why does she like Chinese?
Taylor’s answer is simple:
“I like Chinese culture, and I enjoy learning two languages.”
For her, learning Chinese is about more than memorising characters and studying grammar. It has opened the door to another culture and another way of thinking.
Of course, learning Chinese isn’t always easy.
Taylor says that remembering Chinese characters, pronunciation, and tones are some of the more challenging parts of learning the language.
But her approach is simple — keep practising and keep trying.
今年参加南澳汉语桥小学组比赛，Taylor 准备了中文演讲、歌曲和舞蹈。
This year, for the South Australian Primary Division of the Chinese Bridge competition, Taylor prepared a Chinese speech, a song, and a dance performance.
其中，一首中文歌曲让她印象特别深刻。
为了掌握歌曲，她先把歌词一句一句拆开，理解意思、记忆内容，然后再把它们组合成完整的歌曲，最后加入舞蹈。
仅仅第一段歌词，她就练习了大约30遍。
One of the Chinese songs left a particularly strong impression on her.
To master the song, she first broke the lyrics down line by line, making sure she understood the meaning and memorised each part. She then put them together into the complete song and finally added the dance movements.
She practised just the first verse around 30 times.
从一个3岁开始接触中文的孩子，到今天站上汉语桥比赛的舞台，Taylor 对中文的兴趣已经逐渐变成了一份真正的坚持。
而这份坚持，也得到了学校的认可。
From a three-year-old who first began learning Chinese to standing on the stage of the Chinese Bridge competition today, Taylor’s interest in Chinese has gradually grown into a genuine commitment.
And that commitment has also been recognised and supported by her school.
Walford Anglican School for Girls 小学校长 Ms Cathie Egarr 在采访中谈到 Taylor 时，特别提到了一个关键词：
Self-motivated——自我驱动。
When speaking about Taylor in the interview, Ms Cathie Egarr, Head of the Junior School at Walford Anglican School for Girls, highlighted one particular quality:
Self-motivated — she is driven by her own motivation to learn and improve.
在她看来，Taylor 最令人欣赏的地方，不只是中文学习取得了成绩，而是她非常明确地知道自己想做什么，并且愿意为这个目标付出努力。
从准备比赛，到参加南澳州级比赛，Cathie 亲眼看到 Taylor 在舞台上的表现。
In her view, what makes Taylor particularly impressive is not just her achievements in learning Chinese, but the fact that she has a clear sense of what she wants to do and is willing to put in the effort to achieve her goals.
From preparing for the competition to competing at the South Australian state level, Cathie has witnessed Taylor’s growth and performance on stage firsthand.
她说，看到 Taylor 在舞台上展示自己的中文、舞蹈和自信时，学校感到非常骄傲。
She said that the school was incredibly proud to see Taylor confidently showcase her Chinese language skills, dance, and self-confidence on stage.
对于孩子而言，一次比赛真正带来的收获，也许并不只是一个奖项。
自我驱动、专注、坚持，以及为了自己喜欢的事情不断努力的能力，才是更重要的成长。
For a child, the true value of taking part in a competition may go far beyond winning an award.
Self-motivation, focus, perseverance, and the ability to keep working towards something they love — these are the qualities that truly matter as they grow.
说起即将开始的中国之行，Taylor 的期待非常高。
她最期待的，是亲眼看看自己曾经在课堂和书本中了解过的中国。
长城、故宫、鸟巢……
这些曾经出现在学习内容中的地方，很快就会真正出现在她眼前。
而这次中国之行，对 Taylor 来说还有一个特别的意义。
When talking about her upcoming trip to China, Taylor is clearly very excited.
What she is looking forward to most is seeing, in person, the places in China that she has previously learned about in the classroom and from books.
The Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Bird’s Nest…
Places that once appeared in her lessons will soon become real sights right in front of her.
And for Taylor, this trip to China holds an even more special meaning.
去年，她的哥哥曾经去过中国。
当时的 Taylor 用一个非常可爱的词形容自己的感受：
“Jealous——有点羡慕。”
她甚至主动对妈妈说：
“我明年也可以练中文吗？”
于是，她开始为汉语桥做准备。
Last year, Taylor’s older brother travelled to China.
At the time, Taylor used a very cute word to describe how she felt:
“Jealous.”
She even asked her mum:
“Can I practise Chinese too, so I can go next year?”
And that was when she began preparing for the Chinese Bridge competition.
如今，一年过去，她终于要亲自踏上中国的土地。
从“羡慕哥哥去中国”，到自己即将成为参赛学生走进中国，这也许就是语言学习最有趣的地方——
当你学会一门语言，它最终会带你走向真实的世界。
Now, a year later, she is finally about to set foot in China herself.
From feeling “jealous” that her brother had been to China, to becoming a participant herself and travelling there, perhaps this is one of the most rewarding things about learning a language:
When you learn a language, it can eventually take you into the real world.
Walford Anglican School for Girls 语言部主任 Ms Belinda Dello-Iacovo，是一位拥有丰富中文教学经验的教育工作者。
在她看来，中文最吸引人的地方之一，是它背后所蕴含的文化深度。
Ms Belinda Dello-Iacovo, Head of Languages at Walford Anglican School for Girls, is an educator with extensive experience in Chinese language teaching.
In her view, one of the most fascinating aspects of learning Chinese is the rich cultural depth behind the language.
汉字本身就具有独特的视觉意义，而中文里的成语、故事和表达方式，也承载着丰富的智慧和文化。
她认为，中文文化是世界文化遗产中非常重要的一部分，学习中文，不仅是在学习一种语言，也是在接触一种拥有悠久历史的文化。
Chinese characters themselves have a unique visual significance, while Chinese idioms, stories and expressions carry a wealth of wisdom and cultural meaning.
She believes that Chinese culture is an important part of the world’s cultural heritage. Learning Chinese is not only about learning a language, but also about engaging with a culture that has a long and rich history.
Belinda 自己也曾有在中国台湾学习中文的经历，并在之后持续学习和使用中文。
她特别强调了一点：
语言学习其实是一场终身学习。
无论身在中国、台湾，还是澳大利亚，只要身边有丰富的中文学习和交流环境，就有机会继续提高。
Belinda herself also spent time learning Chinese in Taiwan and has continued to study and use the language ever since.
She emphasised one important point:
Learning a language is really a lifelong journey.
Whether you are in China, Taiwan or Australia, as long as you have a rich environment for learning and communicating in Chinese, there are always opportunities to keep improving.
目前，Walford Anglican School for Girls 的语言课程包括中文和法语。
在小学阶段，学生会接触中文学习，而对于有特别兴趣和能力的学生，学校也会提供进一步拓展的机会。
到了中学阶段，中文学习还可以进一步延伸，学生有机会通过更系统的课程完成相应的 SACE 学习。
Currently, the language program at Walford Anglican School for Girls includes Chinese and French.
At the primary school level, students have the opportunity to learn Chinese, while those with a particular interest and aptitude can also access further extension opportunities.
In the secondary years, Chinese studies can be taken further through more structured courses, with students having the opportunity to complete relevant SACE studies.
而学校正在探索的中文项目，也正在变得更加丰富。
Belinda 透露，学校未来还计划开展结合STEM与中文学习的中国之旅。
学生除了参观传统文化和历史景点，还将接触中国的科技、大学以及新能源汽车等现代产业。
The Chinese language opportunities being explored by the school are also becoming increasingly diverse.
Belinda revealed that the school is planning to develop a future China study tour combining STEM and Chinese language learning.
In addition to visiting traditional cultural and historical sites, students will have the opportunity to explore China’s technology sector, universities, and modern industries such as new energy vehicles.
从长城、故宫，到大学、科技和新能源汽车——
这也是今天的中文教育正在发生的变化。
中文不只是课堂里的一门语言，它也可以成为孩子认识中国、认识亚洲、认识世界的一扇窗口。
From the Great Wall and the Forbidden City to universities, technology and new energy vehicles—
this is also how Chinese language education is evolving today.
Chinese is not simply a language taught in the classroom. It can also become a window through which children discover China, explore Asia, and better understand the world.
Cathie Egarr 在采访中表示，中国之行能够让孩子真正沉浸在中文语言和文化环境中。
对于一个正在学习中文的孩子来说，这种真实的体验非常珍贵。
在澳大利亚课堂里学习到的汉字、成语、历史和文化，当它们真正出现在眼前时，学习会变得更加立体。
In the interview, Cathie Egarr said that the trip to China would give students the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in a Chinese language and cultural environment.
For a child learning Chinese, this kind of real-life experience is incredibly valuable.
The Chinese characters, idioms, history and culture they learn about in Australian classrooms can take on a whole new dimension when they are able to experience them firsthand.
她也相信，Taylor 从中国回来以后，会更加希望继续学习中文。
而学校也会继续支持学生发展自己的兴趣和热情。
在采访的最后，Cathie 对即将出发的 Taylor 送上了祝福：
“Take lots of photos. Enjoy every moment.”
多拍一些照片，享受在中国的每一个瞬间。
她还告诉 Taylor：
学校为她感到骄傲，也期待看到她从中国回来之后分享这次特别的经历。
She also believes that after returning from China, Taylor will be even more inspired to continue learning Chinese.
The school will also continue to support students as they explore and develop their own interests and passions.
At the end of the interview, Cathie shared a few words of encouragement for Taylor before her journey:
“Take lots of photos. Enjoy every moment.”
Take lots of photos and enjoy every moment in China.
She also told Taylor that the school is very proud of her and looks forward to hearing about and sharing in her special experience when she returns from China.
对于一个10岁的孩子来说，汉语桥也许只是一场比赛。
但比赛之外，她正在收获的，是勇气、自信、坚持，以及一次真正走进另一种语言和文化的机会。
For a 10-year-old child, the Chinese Bridge competition may seem like simply a competition.
But beyond the competition itself, Taylor is gaining something much more meaningful — courage, confidence, perseverance, and the opportunity to truly step into another language and culture.
而对于澳中文化交流协会来说，我们也希望通过汉语桥这样的交流平台，让更多在澳大利亚学习中文的孩子，有机会走出课堂、走进中国，在真实的文化体验中感受中文的魅力。
从一句中文，到一次远行；
从学习一门语言，到认识一个国家。
For the Australia-China Cultural Promotion Association (ACCPA), we also hope that platforms like the Chinese Bridge competition can give more children in Australia who are learning Chinese the opportunity to step beyond the classroom, travel to China, and experience the beauty of the Chinese language through real cultural experiences.
From a single sentence in Chinese to a journey across the world;
from learning a language to discovering a country.
祝 Taylor 中国之行顺利，也期待她把这段特别的经历带回来，与更多同学分享。
Taylor，加油！中国，我们来了！
We wish Taylor a wonderful and successful journey to China, and we look forward to hearing her share this special experience with her classmates when she returns.
Go, Taylor! China, here we come!
