Finding My Voice In Mandarin

Finding My Voice in Mandarin

What’s up, Story Time family!✨

If you’ve been following my journey here at Story Time Productions, you know I’m always looking for new ways to sharpen my craft and expand the horizons of our stories. Back in October, I decided to take a leap into something completely different: I signed up for the HSK 1 course at the Confucius Institute right here in Suriname.

📚 Three Months of Hustle

I’ll be honest—learning a language as intricate as Chinese is like learning to see the world through a whole new lens. It was a whirlwind three months of characters, tones, and grammar. But the hard work paid off! I officially passed my exam for lessons 1–8, and I am hyped to announce that I’m moving straight into the next course. 🚀

🎬 The Vlog: Closing Ceremony Vibes

In today’s episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of our Closing Ceremony. It was such an inspiring atmosphere! You’ll get to see:

• Snippets of the official speeches.

• Talented students from various levels showcase what they learned.

• The vibrant energy of our local community embraces a global culture.

Check out the vlog below to see the highlights! 👇

🎤 A Moment of "No Reason."

I have a small confession... I was so focused on my own performance that I couldn’t get footage of myself on stage! 😅

I performed a song called "No Reason"—or Méi Yǒu Lǐ Yóu (没有理由) by Ryan B. It’s a smooth, melancholic R&B track about the struggle of letting go and that lonely feeling when a relationship fades away without a clear explanation. Even though I didn't catch it on film this time, singing those lyrics in front of my peers felt like a massive milestone for my Mandarin progress.

🪜 The First Step of the Staircase

This is just the first step of my HSK journey. As a writer, I don’t just want to "get by"—I want to reach the top. Why? Because the more I learn, the more I can evolve these Story Time episodes for our incredibly diverse international audience. 🌍

Thank you for being part of this journey. Keep subscribing and keep jumping onto the Story Time U.F.O. for more unique stories born in and from the heart of tropical Suriname. 🛸

Wish me luck as I climb onto the first step of this HSK mountain! ✍️🏮

— Shachem Lieuw