I started taking Mandarin Chinese largely because a friend had been teaching me some Chinese characters, and I found that I was interested: I wanted to learn more. Admittedly, I also thought it would be a good break from the classes I was taking for my major (electrical engineering). Because I was taking so many classes within the Engineering School, I ended up having to audit Chinese, instead of taking it for credit. I was concerned, however, that I would not have the time or the motivation to do the extra work and keep up with my classmates, if I was not to be graded for my work. I think this was a legitimate concern; I have had to work hard to learn Chinese, and I wish that I had more time to spend on it. I always look forward to class, and I usually prefer to study Chinese over my other classes. I decided during my first semester of Chinese that I would eventually like to learn enough that I could read a newspaper and hold a conversation fluently, but I realized that it would be difficult, as I am a third-year, and I would graduate before I could take the last necessary class to be able to do this. When the opportunity to go to Shanghai over the summer was presented, I was thrilled: that would give me the perfect opportunity to improve my speaking and my listening comprehension in a way that was not possible while auditing a Mandarin Chinese class in my own, English-speaking environment. I feel that over the course of these two semesters I have learned the basics necessary to "survive" in Shanghai, and when I go this summer I will be able to improve greatly. I am glad that I have had the opportunity to study Mandarin Chinese with a professor like Tseng Laoshi. Although I was worried that I would not stay motivated, I need not have been concerned. In other classes, I am motivated by the desire to get good grades and to learn the material. I also wish to learn the material in Chinese, but, in addition, I always find myself wanting to do well in class, so that Tseng Laoshi will be proud of me.