12 Comments
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Jenna Park's avatar

I am always so impressed how writers like you can write when English isn't your first language. It's hard enough for native speakers like us. I love this line- "telling them in English felt less judged and exposed, as if my second language protected my stories with a shield." I'm not fluent (yet!) in another language, but I can understand this! Keep going!

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Yuezhong's avatar

Thank you, Jenna. I always learn a lot from your writing :)

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Steve Henneberry's avatar

This is a wonderful story of wrapping oneself up in an adopted language and making it one's own. Beautifully written.

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Yuezhong's avatar

Thanks, Steve. I love the term "adopted language". I've never thought of it this way before, and I think I'll start using this going forward.

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Steve Henneberry's avatar

You have clearly made it your own. I am a career EFL educator, and I would not flag you as non-native. You write beautifully.

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Coffee Times's avatar

The path you've walked, from focusing on rote memorisation and grammar rules to discovering the joy of self-expression, is a testament to the power of language as a tool for growth and self-discovery. It's heartwarming to hear how writing has become not just an academic exercise but a genuine source of fulfillment and connection.

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Diamond-Michael Scott's avatar

Love this! Proud of you Yuezhong. Let’s reconnect on LinkedIn

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Yuezhong's avatar

Thank you!

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Betsy Maloney's avatar

Wonderful essay.

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Yuezhong's avatar

Thank you, Betsy, as always! Hope all is well.

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Marilyn Wolf's avatar

Can your post be read publicly? I want to reference it for a essay I'm writing.

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Yuezhong's avatar

Hi Marilyn, this post is public. Feel free to share/reference it.

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