Matt's Journey

Having Matt speak at assembly really opened my eyes into the opportunities knowing a foreign language can take you. I was astonished to hear of his success, and although he may have just been very lucky in the business, he also worked to get a career, through a variety of internships, contests, and various trips to China. When Matt first entered China he knew as little as two words; when he left China, he was practically fluent. While I believe the classroom aspect of learning Chinese is important, Matt proved that by immersing yourself completely in a foreign country, you can absorb the culture at a much broader level. It was also interesting to learn about Matt's life as Yi's translator. He was given the opportunity of a lifetime and, because of his intensive studies, he excelled at it. The moral of the story: if you put in the effort and commitment you may possibly end up with huge success.