Grammar Gazette - Issue 2, 2023

MS CATHY LU DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

IN their WORDS HOW LANGUAGES MOULD THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE

WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM YOUR STUDENTS? Their enthusiasm, curiosity, wonder and optimism. It warms my heart each time I see our girls supporting one another through acts of kindness, and in

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? I grew up in Taiyuan City, China. It is an ancient city, more than 2500 years old, with a rich heritage encompassing everything from art and architecture to natural resources and local delicacies such as noodles and dumplings. It’s also nicknamed ‘the city of dragons’, as dragons represent good luck and prosperity in Chinese culture. I try to visit my family every year. WHAT WAS IT LIKE GOING TO SCHOOL IN CHINA? I attended a key school in Taiyuan City. Public schools are well-resourced by the government, and each high school has about 3000-4000 students. Diligence and the pursuit of academic excellence were the constant themes: the time, effort and dedication that I invested in my studies was in alignment with BGGS’ own School motto, Nil Sine Labore —nothing without work. WHEN DID YOUR LOVE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FIRST COME ALIVE? As a young girl, I was inherently drawn to all subjects that examined the human experience. I loved reading books, and I bought a copy of Jane Eyre in Year 11. My dad, a very traditional and conservative businessman, said it was ‘improper’, and would distract me from

my studies. He locked it away, but I stole it back and read it under my covers with a flashlight! From that point onwards, I carried that fascination with learning a second language. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A TEACHER? I was inspired by a group of Australian teachers who visited my school on a foreign teacher exchange program. In contrast to the rigid teaching in China, they did language games and role-playing activities—we had lots of fun while learning. I was a naïve little girl though— they told us they rode kangaroos to work, and I almost believed them! It was the feeling of joy, and sense of accomplishment in learning, that encouraged me to continue with my English studies. I loved exploring different cultures, so I began a Bachelor of Arts in Business English at Guangzhou University. Initially, I wanted to be a professional translator, so I came to Australia to complete a Master of Arts in Translation and Interpreting at The University of Queensland. Upon graduation, I taught translating to adult learners for a year, but soon realised that I found educating young people more rewarding, so I completed a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education at Griffith University.

times of challenge and adversity. WHY ARE INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IMPORTANT?

In contemporary Australia, being able to speak a different language, and embrace different cultures and divergent ways of thinking, is an essential skill that can help us build bridges that will transcend borders and nations. According to the 2021 Census, 29 per cent of Australians were born overseas, while one in five born in Australia has at least one parent born overseas. It’s not only about the vocabulary and grammar that you learn in a second language but also about life wide learning and being a young adult of the future. As Ludwig Wittgenstein put it ‘The limits of my language are the limits of my world.’

WHAT IS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY THAT LEARNING A LANGUAGE HAS BROUGHT YOU?

To study, work and live in Australia. I have been able to build enduring connections, make new friends, and find a job that offers an incredible sense of professional accomplishment.

ABOVE MS CATHY LU (CENTRE), WITH JEMIMA LOGAN (7M) AND SHARON CHAN (7H) (RIGHT)

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GAZETTE • ISSUE 2, 2023 ISSUE 2, 2023

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL