Language Exchange User Posts

Taipei: You probably know it as a world class metropolis and a leader in electronic / mechanical research. I want to show you a different side of Taipei, the side of Taipei that is beautiful, tranquil, and perfect for meeting for language exchanges. Without further ado, here are my favorite places to meet to practice languages.

• Daan Forest Park: As you probably know if you live in Taipei, Daan Forest Park is a convenient escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday existence. I suggest it because I personally believe it is one of the best places to do what I call a “walking language exchange.” Essentially, you and your language partner can walk around the paths and enjoy the nature display while you are practice your language skills. I personally find that I study and learn best when I am stretching my legs or doing some form of relaxed exercise such as walking. What better way to practice those tricky verb conjugations than to do it while you’re watching ducks swim?


• Chinese Culture University: Hikes and hot spring abound at this center of learning. In addition to being a great place meet to hold a language exchange, this is also a prime place to actually meet language Exchange partners. There are around 32,000 people that attend the university. Odds are, at least a few of them are probably interested in brushing up on their language skills. Of course, I recommend going on LRNGO.com to contact some of them. You could also try your luck at the on-campus Hwa Kang Museum and check out their impressive collection of Chinese Ceramics.


• Sushi Express: A native of Taipei would probably be able to recommend better restaurants. Of course, being a foreigner, I would naturally gravitate to the chain restaurants, but I think Sushi Express offers some pretty good food (I personally recommend the Salmon Sashimi). Regardless of your choice of locale, restaurants are a perfect choice for a language exchange. Simply put, they are public places where you can sit down for long spells of time.


• Shilin Night Market: Cinemas! Karaoke Bars! Food vendors! This is the place to go for night entertainment in Taipei. Now, I know what you are thinking. How could this deafening market be an ideal location for a language exchange? Well, in a word, it’s not. But it is vitally important for something else. Now, I think you will probably agree with me that it is important to bond with your language partner. Forming a strong relationship will help you in a plethora of different ways. For example, the more you trust and understand your language partner, the better feedback you are able to give. I personally find that the Shilin Night Market is a perfect place to do just that. Spend a night relaxing with your language partner. Check out the city. See the sights. I think you will be surprised to find how much your actual language exchange sessions benefit.

Photo Credit: Roger Wollstadt

Sometimes the desire to learn a new language is present but the money is not. Hiring a tutor can be expensive, as can enrolling in a class. On top of that, finding a tutor to begin with can be a challenge when you’re looking to learn an offbeat language like Hawaiian. Don’t let these challenges stand in your way. These obstacles are moveable; all you have to do is a little research. Lucky for you, we’re one step ahead of you. Here you’ll find some of your options when it comes to learning Hawaiian for free, so read on, find the option that sounds right for you, and get started. Now you don’t have any excuses!

Language Exchange
If you have more time than money on your hands, this is an ideal option. For those of you who don’t know, instead of hiring a tutor to teach you, language exchange allows you to trade your time and skills for your partner’s. Everyone has a skill or subject they can teach, so go ahead and do it! Sites like LRNGO make it easy to connect with a language exchange partner that’s right for you locally, or if that isn’t an option, anywhere in the world via video chat.

Online Opportunities
There a ton of language websites out there that provide basic lessons for free, giving you the foundational skills necessary to delve into the language. For an understanding of how to get started learning Hawaiian, including information on the grammatical structure of the language, Voice Nation has a great site for getting to understand how the language works.

Omniglot is a great place to start for basic historical info, alphabet, and phrase lists—but what really makes this site worthwhile to Hawaiian learners is their links page, giving you recommendations for some of the best ways to learn Hawaiian on the web, including iSpeak Hawaiian, a podcast perfect for those who already have a little bit of working Hawaiian and are interested in getting a better understanding of the culture.

YouTube is another great place to learn a language for free, so check out Learn Hawaiian’s channel, giving step by step lessons in relation to a Hawaiian textbook (for purchase). You can also check out the Hawaiian WikiBook, created by users to offer a free Hawaiian language textbook to the world.

If you’re mostly looking to strengthen your vocabulary, the Hawaiian Words - Translation and Dictionary app is perfect for you, focusing on vocabulary building.

Free Tutorials
In the end, online opportunities will be exhausted as you improve and need more challenges in your language learning. If a language exchange partner doesn’t work for you, you may find it necessary to look to hiring a tutor or paying for an online course to continue your studies. Many online options offer free tutorials so that you can test them and see if they are worth your money. You can also look for Hawaiian tutors in classifieds, and look at Hawai’i Magazine’s article talking about some of the best ways to learn Hawaiian online.


Photo Credit: Ricardo Mangual

At a time when many are choosing to learn a second language in order to build their résumé and broaden their skillset, you may have an opportunity to find Thai teaching jobs.

There are a variety of opportunities out there for language teachers with varying requirements, salaries, and structures. It is important that you focus on finding the position that works best for you, while still allowing yourself to step out of the box to find opportunities that you may not have been aware of.

The first step to becoming a Thai teacher is ensuring that you are confident in your ability to teach the language. Having confidence is not only important for you personally, but also shows when you apply for jobs. The more experience and qualifications you have the better, and be sure to highlight these on your application.

Start by looking for openings in your area. Colleges and language schools may have Thai programs in need of teachers, or else be able to recommend you to students who are specifically interested in a personal Thai tutor. You can also post ads in the classifieds or online at Craigslist.

It is also a good idea to look into tutoring websites. These sites often charge commission for allowing you to use their site, but are also a great way to easily connect with interested students. WyzAnt and TutorHunt are great options, as is LRNGO, which also provides opportunities for teaching online classes.

You can sometimes find Thai teaching jobs on a corporate level, or for business people who want to learn the language in order to be able to better communicate and win the trust of the people they do business with. Thai teaching jobs are also available in other parts of South East Asia, where, mainly for business purposes, individuals want to learn to communicate in the language.

Putting yourself out there is important to getting a Thai teaching job, as is being friendly and eager to teach. Your enthusiasm for the subject will speak for itself, and that combined with your Thai language skills will make you an optimal candidate for a Thai teaching position. Focus on writing a strong résumé that highlights your relevant experience and Thai proficiency level and being friendly in interviews, showing that you are qualified and eager to teach.

Be patient and keep searching and the right job opportunity is sure to show itself!


Photo Credit: Dennis Jarvis