On Knowing the Language

Part I

Is knowing the local language beneficial to doing freelance abroad?

----

To put it simply, yes.

One of the greatest benefits knowing Chinese has given to me is the ability to read local newspapers. Whatever the state of veracity of newspapers here may be, there are still undeniably important news reported in papers that Western outlets are unaware. Furthermore, the state of media here and the issue of how things are presented here is a story in and of itself.

By learning Chinese, you are putting yourself in a position of advantage over many professionals. In my (albeit limited) dealings with reporters sent from major news outlets, I've been saddened to learn how limited their Chinese is. Most are sent based on their experience in journalism and not for their Chinese language ability. Most are trying to learn Chinese, but (1) they have very little time to devote to it, and so progress slowly and (2) are sent to China for a temporary basis, perhaps only several years, so they don't have as much incentive to learn the language, since they know they're moving on. Plus, Chinese has such a reputation for being so incredibly difficult that many, I believe, are dissuaded from throwing themselves into the effort.

From what I've gathered, most big-timers hire assistants to keep an eye on local newspapers for interesting stories. This, however, can leave room for error, as there can be a difference between the news that locals find interesting and the news that foreigners are interested in.

This given, perhaps the single most useful thing an aspiring writer could do in university is ditch the journalism classes and head for language classes. Furthermore, a great way to get an in abroad is to offer your services for one of these assistant positions, although pay is not on a big league status, and it requires some convincing on your part that you are competent in the language and that you are actually willing to do such entry-level work.

In my freelancing, reading local newspapers has both inspired and informed background for many a story. It may seem a bit like playing second fiddle, but this sort of work is serving a vital function. And it's all due to the fact that I know the language.