Photo provided to Hangzhoufeel
Experiencer
By Rhuan Coelho Cavalcante
Speaking Mandarin allowed me to deeply understand Chinese culture and make Chinese friends, and to fully enjoy the conveniences of living in China!
I started my journey as a teacher of Mandarin in 2011, after returning from Taiwan, China, to my hometown, Salvador, Brazil. How did I, a Brazilian with no Chinese roots, learn Chinese? The turning point was 2008, when I spent a year as an exchange student in Sanchong, Taiwan, and later studied at Chengchi University Language Center in Taipei.
I reached an intermediate-advanced level in Chinese and began teaching Portuguese to Chinese immigrants in Brazil to stay connected with Chinese culture. Soon, I was invited to teach Mandarin to Brazilians, which had become my passion.
In 2018, I opened my own Chinese school. Based on my experience of learning and teaching Chinese/Portuguese, I began writing my own books using a methodology that better suits Brazilians. My approach merges what they urgently need to learn with what is easier, along with the fundamentals of the Chinese language that many materials often skip because they don't know the best approach for Brazilians.
My school, the first specialized Chinese school in Salvador, thrived until the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Fortunately, in 2019, I started teaching Chinese on YouTube Live, which transitioned my classes online. This shift allowed me to move to China to expand my teaching knowledge. Inspired by a Brazilian friend who lived in Hangzhou, I applied for a master’s degree in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language at Zhejiang University. I was thrilled to be accepted and began my studies in 2022, completing one semester from Brazil while teaching in-person. In January 2023, I came to Hangzhou to continue my studies.
My online school remains active with three teachers and about 1,000 students. If you’re from Brazil and want to learn Chinese, search for Academia Guhan de Mandarim. I’d be happy to share my experience and passion with you!