In 2018, (Elliot) Lao Ai set off from the UK on his bicycle, aiming for Singapore. But during six weeks pedalling through the deserts, mountains, and jungles of western China, he hit a wall. He couldn't speak the language, and relying entirely on translation apps left him feeling isolated from the local people he met.
Fast forward to today, and he’s sitting in the evening classrooms at the University of Sheffield Confucius Institute (SCI). He has transformed from a solo cyclist who only knew "nǐ hǎo" into a husband, a new father, and a high-scoring HSK3 graduate.
The Story of the "Safety Eggs"
Returning to Sheffield after his cycling trip, Lao Ai met his future wife, who is from China. His motivation to learn the language was simple and deeply moving: "Honestly, I chose to learn Chinese to prove to my future parents-in-law that I was serious about our relationship."
Early on, video calls with his in-laws across the world were a mix of earnest effort and hilarious language mix-ups.
A few years ago, we had pet quails in our garden and loved eating their eggs," unfortunately for me, the Chinese words for 'safety' (安全, ān quán) and 'quail' (鹌鹑, ān chún) sound very similar. During a video call, my parents-in-law were completely baffled because I kept enthusiastically shouting, 'I really enjoy eating safety eggs!'
Elliot
Those shared laughs over the screen became the earliest warm memories binding him to his new family.
Balancing Fatherhood, Work, and Fluency
Lao Ai tried the usual routes, language apps and early morning online tutorials, but found it hard to stay consistent. By the time he enrolled at SCI, his schedule was packed. Not only was he working full-time, but he and his wife were running a local travel group for international students, and in January, they welcomed their first child.
How does a busy new dad find the time? Lao Ai points to the structure of SCI's evening classes.
- Fixed Routines: Evening classes allow him to finish his dad duties before logging on or heading to class.
- A Shared Home Environment: He and his wife text and speak in Chinese at home, picking out vocabulary from daily conversations.
- The Bilingual Blueprint: They have a strict language plan for their new born son. Mum speaks to him in Chinese, Dad speaks in English. "The challenge for me now is to keep up with my son! I have a head start, but kids learn fast."
Cracking the HSK3 and Speaking Exams
Despite skipping the HSK1 and HSK2 levels entirely, Lao Ai went straight for the HSK3 and the HSKK (speaking test), achieving top marks.