Student Spotlight - Anders and Soren Traver

By: Carrie Traver, Parent

Over the course of 3 weeks in August, my 11 and 8 year old sons were invited to visit the homes and families of nearly 25 strangers who happen to live on the other side of the world. These invitations were sincere and heartfelt and surprising and awkward. These invitations made me proud of my boys and ZCS.

When Anders (6th grade) and Soren (3rd grade) started in the Mandarin Immersion program, I thought of the journey as the beginning of an academic challenge, an opportunity for incredible brain growth, and a fantastic chance to give them the gift of a second language. I was very correct and I was very wrong. My rationale for pursuing Mandarin Immersion was correct, but I never dreamed of the extent of actual connections and relationships that would form because of Mandarin Immersion. Investing in God’s people and growing hearts are the truest reasons for Immersion Education.

The Traver Family

Sydney, Australia has a large Mandarin speaking population and attracts many Mandarin speaking tourists. While there in August, Anders and Soren had a great time using their Mandarin. Whenever they saw a group of Mandarin speaking people trying to take a group picture, Anders would approach them and politely offer to take their photo. Inevitably, they would gawk at Anders’ caucasian skin, reddish brown hair, and freckled nose and, ironically, exclaim, “Do you speak Mandarin?” Anders would reply that he does and immediately a group of Mandarin speaking tourists would crowd around Anders and start rapid-firing questions: “How do you know Mandarin? How old are you? Where are you from? Where to you go to school? Why do you know Mandarin? Do you like Mandarin? Have you been to China?” Anders and Soren would tag team answering the questions. The conversations would last approximately 10 -15 minutes and, without exception, they then insisted that Anders and Soren be included in their group photograph. After the photo, Anders and Soren were repeatedly invited to come visit them at their homes in China. Sometimes we knew the name of their hometown, sometimes we didn’t.

Each time that Anders and Soren used their Mandarin, the people to whom they spoke went from strangers in Sydney to friends who invited our family to their homes in China. Through Mandarin, Anders and Soren were able to turn strangers to friends in a matter of minutes.

Anders and Soren with their new found friend.

On one particular morning we were in line to catch a ferry boat. Anders said “hello” to a woman in Mandarin. They proceeded to strike up a conversation. They talked about China and the United States, sports, food and recipes. Anders learned how to make an authentic Chinese stirfry on an Australian ferry. At the end of the day, we took the return ferry home and the same woman was, again, on our ferry. As soon as she spotted Anders and Soren, she enthusiastically invited them to come sit by her and simply smiled and waved at me. I watched Anders and Soren share stories and laugh with this women who was a stranger in a ferry line this morning, but became a friend through stories, recipes and jokes shared in Mandarin. The ferry ride ended with photos of the boys with their new friend and, amazingly, an incredibly sincere invitation to visit her home in a Chinese coastal town on the third street from the beach. She even told Anders and Soren what she would cook for them when they arrived.

Mandarin Immersion has strengthened and stretched my boys’ brains, but, more importantly, it has grown their hearts. Anders and Soren were perplexed why people want to take the time to speak to them in Mandarin. Soren commented, “When I say something to people in Mandarin, they just answer with 100 questions and all start talking at once.” I simply explained, “they are excited to know that you care enough about them to learn their language.” Mandarin Immersion has given Anders and Soren the ability to connect with people who never expect freckle-faced, brown- haired, American boys to be able to relate to them or take interest in them. Our new Mandarin speaking friends, meanwhile, have taught me that I need to work on my gift of hospitality and include everyone in our family photos.