WEBVTT 00:00:09.001 --> 00:00:11.000 Hello, everyone! 00:00:11.000 --> 00:00:12.000 Hello! 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:19.000 I'm Jeanette Sakel, a professor of linguistics working at a British university. 00:00:19.000 --> 00:00:22.000 And I'm Gigi, Zheng Xingzhi. 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:28.000 I'm also working for the same university in the UK as a lecturer in digital media. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:35.000 Thanks for listening to our Mandarin Chinese and English bilingual podcast talk show. Chicken to Duck Talk! 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:39.000 Welcome to Chicken and Duck. 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:46.000 You can turn on the text captioning feature in Apple Podcasts or Spotify at any time while you're listening. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:56.000 You can see the subtitles by using platforms such as Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:00.000 Okay, so, Gigi, how long were you out in England? 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:07.000 I've been studying and working in the UK on and off for three or four years, I guess. 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:17.000 So yeah, I've been studying in London for two years, and then go back to China to continue my practice as a lecturer for two years. 00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:22.000 And then now I've come back to the UK to continue my practice as a lecturer. 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:25.000 Now I've been working in Bristol for one year now. 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:27.000 How long have you been working in the UK as well? 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:29.000 It's been about twenty years. 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:31.000 Wow, that's crazy. 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:32.000 It's been a long time. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:37.000 So have you been studying in other countries before you moved to the UK? 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:39.000 I'm originally a German. 00:01:39.000 --> 00:01:40.000 I see. 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:46.000 Then I grew up in Germany and also started studying, at the university. 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:50.000 But then I went to Denmark to study abroad. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:54.000 I studied my Bachelor's degree and my Master's degree in Denmark. 00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:58.000 Then back to Germany, Holland. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:01.000 Then move to... 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:05.000 You mean in German and also in Neverland to study? 00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:06.000 Right. 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:13.000 Then in Germany, when I came back to Germany, I was a PhD student. 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:22.000 Then I worked in the Netherlands, the post-doctoral work. 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:25.000 What you were studying when you were doing your PhD? 00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:28.000 Then I work at Amazon. 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:30.000 Amazon where? 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:32.000 Amazon company? 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:34.000 No? 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:37.000 So where is Amazon then? 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:39.000 It's South America. 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:42.000 The Amazon in Bolivia. 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:44.000 You mean the Amazon forest? 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:46.000 Yeah, Amazon. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:51.000 There, I spoke a minority language. 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:58.000 Learn their grammar, then write a grammar book. 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:03.000 Yes, I'm still not very certain of if I'm going to pursue my PhD. 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:07.000 I'm also not very certain of what I might be expecting to, 00:03:07.000 --> 00:03:10.000 what I might be learning during my PhD. 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:15.000 So, yeah, so, did you, so one important question. 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:18.000 Do you lose a lot of hair when you're doing your PhD? 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:23.000 That's about it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, extra stressful. 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:33.000 Right. But if all you're doing is your hobby, or a topic you're particularly interested in 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:35.000 It's okay. 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:40.000 So what, if you're interested in the subject of Dr. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:41.000 It's okay. 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:52.000 But the pressure was particularly intense, so I had a particularly hard time writing the last part of my thesis. 00:03:52.000 --> 00:04:00.000 Yes, it would be, yeah, I also like having trouble to decide what kind of theme or what kind of topic I would like to focus on. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:04.000 When I'm having some casual chat with one of our colleague, 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:11.000 we have been talking about confirming a PhD topic is more serious than having a marriage. 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:15.000 Because you need to keep study about the topic for six years. 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:18.000 So, it's maybe three years or maybe six years. 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:24.000 So, yeah, if I need to continue to focus on one specific topic for six years, 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:27.000 it would be, yeah, this is a huge decision for myself. 00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:33.000 So, I'm still not very certain what kind of subject I would like to continue to focus on. 00:04:33.000 --> 00:04:40.000 So, yeah, do you prefer teaching as a lecturer or still doing the PhD? 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:44.000 If you have the decision now, what do you prefer? 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:47.000 I love teaching classes. 00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:50.000 I also enjoyed my research. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:56.000 My current research is particularly interesting because I'm looking at what it's like to learn Chinese. 00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:58.000 You can learn a language. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:00.000 What do you do? 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:03.000 So, my current research is a particular favorite of mine. 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:09.000 But I like teaching, too. What about you? Do you like teaching? 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:14.000 Yeah, if I need to choose between PhD and lecturing, 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:17.000 at the moment I would prefer lecturing at the moment. 00:05:17.000 --> 00:05:22.000 But it doesn't mean that lecturing is just like a relaxing job. 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:24.000 It has its challenge. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:31.000 Especially when I'm working as a lecturer in UK, because I need to teach using English. 00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:35.000 So, which is kind of challenging for me. 00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:37.000 Why? 00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:41.000 Because of the language, because I'm not using my own languages, 00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:47.000 because I'm originally, I'm a Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese speaker. 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:53.000 So, for me teaching in English, it doesn't mean that I can't speak English. 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:57.000 It just means that it's much more difficult for me to improvise. 00:05:57.000 --> 00:06:09.000 I also remember, when I first moved to England, it wasn't easy for me to teach here, to teach in English. 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:12.000 Yeah, exactly, it's very challenging. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:18.000 For the first few weeks, because I'm so anxious about if I make mistake during the lectures. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:26.000 So, I actually like write all the script within my presentation slide, in order to avoid to make a mistake. 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:32.000 But, yeah, I didn't make any mistake, but also make the lecture very boring. 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:35.000 Yeah, yeah, yeah, extraordinarily boring. 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:41.000 And what's one of the most embarrassing situations you've had to teach in the UK? 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:49.000 Yeah, one time when I was doing the presentation, because of the internet failed it. 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:58.000 So, because the entire topic, the entire subject is actually rely on this kind of internet videos. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:02.000 So, even when I fully prepare all the teaching materials, 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:08.000 so when something didn't actually work out, the entire presentation just collapsed. 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:13.000 So, I just feel directly just go into panic attack. 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:16.000 And then, yeah, the students are quite actually understanding. 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:19.000 So you show them the video? 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:21.000 No, I actually didn't just. 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:23.000 This is the embarrassing part. 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:29.000 This is, yeah, I just, just everyone just skip that part, just avoid that actually happen. 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:31.000 So, this is, yeah. 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:38.000 So, but, however, because all the teaching materials is already online on our online system. 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:45.000 So, if the student actually would like to learn about this kind of subject, they can also go to online as well. 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:52.000 So, yeah, most of the time when you are learning, you actually doesn't need to rely on the lecture anymore, 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:54.000 because you can already learn online. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:08:15.000 So, yeah. 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:23.000 Throughout my experience of teaching in UK, I would understand that, yeah, I actually make a lot of mistake. 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:27.000 I've been like fooling myself, not fooling around. 00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:30.000 Fooling around is about what is the fooling around mean? 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:34.000 I think fooling around mean that I'm trying to do some stupid thing. 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:38.000 Joking or... Right. 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:43.000 I'm making fun of myself. 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:48.000 What I trying to mean is that, yeah, I'm trying to not be very serious. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:55.000 So, yeah, actually, most of the students are actually quite understanding of where my background come from. 00:08:55.000 --> 00:09:01.000 So, yeah, they are actually quite understanding that even when I'm making mistake, they are very tolerant about me. 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:03.000 So, yeah, I'm quite grateful. 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:12.000 Yeah, I assume that throughout your experience of teaching throughout your career for 20 years now, you also make a lot of mistake. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:13.000 Of course. 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:23.000 But it's usually just textbooks in a language that's not your native language. 00:09:23.000 --> 00:09:30.000 You have to know you're making a mistake or. 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:34.000 Yes, especially when we are talking about the podcast. 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:37.000 We are just speaking not in our own language. 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:44.000 As a Chinese, I'm speaking Chinglish. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:49.000 And you as a German, you are speaking not your mother tongue as well. 00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:57.000 So, yeah, we are just like, even for the show itself, Chicken to the Duck Talk, the title of our show is already making mistake. 00:09:57.000 --> 00:10:02.000 Our entire podcast is already talking about making mistake. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:06.000 That's is why we're recording this podcast. 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:12.000 It's because it makes sense. I'm speaking Chinese. My Chinese is not that good. 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:19.000 You're speaking English, so your English is better than my Chinese. 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:28.000 But then we make mistakes, and we're here to show you or to listen to you. 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:36.000 Some professors or college teachers can make mistakes too. 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:41.000 And when you talk, you make mistakes in talking. It's okay. 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:50.000 Yeah, I guess we are expecting in the following episodes, we are going to keep fooling, make a fool of ourselves in the future. 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:54.000 And then you will be listening to us to make a mistake in the future. 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:59.000 So this is all, this is actually about, the podcast is about them. 00:10:59.000 --> 00:11:04.000 Yeah, but that's what happens when you move to another country. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:05.000 Yes. 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:09.000 There are other languages. You need to speak other languages every day. 00:11:09.000 --> 00:11:10.000 Yes. 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:17.000 So, first you need to know that you're bound to make mistakes. 00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:18.000 Yes. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:20.000 Just a certainty. 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:35.000 I'm totally expecting that when you are coming to UK to study, your lecturers, you, me and Jeanette are also making a fool and making mistake together throughout this podcast. 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:38.000 So yeah, this is the purpose of the podcast. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:40.000 But that's okay. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:51.000 Yes. But on our podcast, we also talk about the experience of studying in the UK or another country. 00:11:51.000 --> 00:12:05.000 Yes. Yeah, I assume in the following episodes, we will be talking about going to, where to go to UK to play, where to have fun, how to cook food, what kind of language mistake we made. 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:16.000 In the following episodes, we might be talking about how we keep using the 他/她/它 the situation, the "he, she and they" situation. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:19.000 Yes, yes, yes, extraordinarily interesting. 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:24.000 So yeah, this will be our plan for our podcast. 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:29.000 I hope we can looking forward to meet you in the following episode then. 00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:52.000 Yes, we will also be interviewing some of our guests, international students from China, as well as other guests who can share with you their experiences or what they are doing here. 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:56.000 So, this is the podcast that we recorded for you. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:13:02.000 Yes, we are looking forward to keep recording the episodes. Cool! 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:14.000 Thank you for listening to The Chicken and the Duck. What we discuss in the podcast represents our personal opinions. 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:30.000 If you guys have some questions or insights about studying abroad that you'd like to share, please visit our podcast's website, ChickenToDuckTalk.com, to follow along and join in the discussion. 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:39.000 Thank you for listening to our podcast, where we talk about studying and working in the UK from our personal perspectives. 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:46.000 You can visit our official website at chicken-to-duck-talk.com to leave any questions or feedback. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:49.000 We are looking forward to hearing from you. 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:54.000 Do subscribe to our channel if you like what we are doing. Thank you.