Spanish (Further): Zhixin Chen

Zhixin, a credited student at The University of Manchester, studied Further Spanish at the University Language Centre (ULC).

Why did you choose to study a language at The University of Manchester?

I studied Spanish at A-level and enjoyed it very much - but after starting university, I neglected it for a couple of years so I thought it was time to pick it up again. Studying Spanish with the LEAP programme has been great.

Apart from class time, how much time did you spend a week on your studies?

A couple of hours, if I had time. Does watching Narcos count?

How did you find your course in terms of level?

At the beginning, I felt the level was a little high for me as I hadn't studied Spanish for a couple of years - but I picked it up again during the first semester.

The individual projects were useful as I could work on my weaknesses.

What did you most enjoy about your course?

The classes were great - they were structured and offered lots of content.

Our teacher was amazing. She was so cheerful and energetic in every class, making even grammar enjoyable. She was always happy to help and go over things with us.

Have you been able to put your newly acquired language skills to use outside the classroom? If so, please tell us how.

Yes. I have a small Amazon business, selling ballroom and Latin dancewear. I have been able to expand onto the Spanish Amazon platform and communicate with the customers there. These days I rarely need to use WordReference or Google Translate.

What advice would you give to someone intending to study a language at the University Language Centre?

Go for it.

Don't worry if you find it hard at first, stick with it and see what happens. If you are struggling then I'm sure the staff will be happy to help.