U of A student preparing to talk up a big game in China
Heather McGee may soon become a celebrity in China.
The fourth-year international business student at the University of Alberta has been selected as one of 30 students from across the globe to travel to Hunan province in southern China to compete in a nationally televised Chinese-language competition.
Not only do the students have to participate in language proficiency tests and public speaking competitions, they also have to perform in group and individual talent shows: think a Miss Universe pageant of language skills.
McGee, 26, left on Saturday and will stay for a minimum of two weeks competing in the first round of challenges. If she passes, she could remain for a month or more.
The Edmontonian started learning Mandarin while teaching English in China five years ago. She ended up spending two years abroad.
Later, she enrolled at the U of A and now studies Mandarin as part of her degree.
The competition, called Chinese Bridge, is sponsored by the Chinese government to encourage foreign students to learn the national dialect.
Chinese Bridge exists at the elementary, high school and university level, although only the top university students get to travel to China on an allexpenses-paid trip.
Daniel Fried, an assistant professor of East Asian studies at the U of A, says promoting Mandarin in other countries is a way for the Chinese government to apply its “soft power” approach to diplomacy, exerting influence without using military force and aggression to better its standing and image.
“China is trying to negotiate its own role in the world as this rising power. It wants to project this image of being a peaceful, strategic partner for most of the world.”
China is not as multicultural as Canada, so residents don’t have a lot of experience with people who don’t look Chinese speaking their language, Fried says.
“Wherever you go, people are constantly amazed that you speak Chinese. In that respect, it’s sort of a big deal, because China is still getting used to the idea of Chinese becoming a global language.”
That’s why McGee will be seen as a novelty.
For the past two weeks, Fried and other coaches have been giving McGee a crash course on the country’s culture, history, art and literature. Her talent will be singing in Chinese.
She picked up a lot of her language skills hanging out at karaoke bars while working in China.
After winning the provincial Chinese Bridge competition, McGee’s application was sent to the Chinese consulate in Vancouver, which selected her as Canada’s representative this year.
She’s not the first U of A student to be chosen. In 2008, Andrew Gibb represented Canada and ended up finishing second. His prize was a full scholarship to any university in China.
He started a master’s degree in broadcasting and has made a few more appearances on television and in stage productions.
He stayed in China for a year before deciding to change careers. He returned to Edmonton and now studies dentistry.
McGee is modest about being this year’s representative, but says she thinks it largely has to do with her being comfortable in the limelight.
“I’m good onstage, I’m confident and I’m more entertaining, I guess, so they said, ‘That should get you by even if you’re not book smart. You’ve got the right attitude.’ I’m not really something special. I made the effort and kept pushing to it,” she says.
“I’m surprised to be the one. I know there are better candidates out there than me.”
Her goal, however, is not to become a celebrity, but to inspire others to learn languages. McGee also speaks Spanish.
“We have this mentality English is international. In a country like Canada I think it’s really important to pick up any other language, even if it’s sign language, to be able to communicate with other people,” she says.
“It opens up so many more doors.”