Language Exchange User Posts

You’ll find that today, translation and interpreter services are in demand internationally. If you’re a multilingual Dutch speaker, consider your options in becoming a translator or interpreter and start exploring all of the benefits that being familiar with multiple languages can offer you. Here are a handful of the opportunities available for you to use your Dutch skills professionally.

• UNOG United Nations Office at Geneva: The Division of Conference Management has a Language Service that handles all official translation at a rate of approximately 50 million words per year. To apply to be a Dutch language translator, a university degree or recognized diploma from a translation school is required. All applicants are screened through a competitive examination that is held at various times throughout the year. For those who are chosen, there are opportunities for temporary employment, freelancing work, and permanent translators who can serve for many years at a time.


• Embassies of the Netherlands: The Government of the Netherlands is another potential place for employment as a Dutch language translator. With Embassies and Consulates around the world (check out this location list), the potential for employment with the Dutch Government will be competitive. Those with a Bachelor’s degree and ability to fluently speak 2 or more languages need only apply.


• Law Firms: With numerous international law firms operating in the Netherlands, translators are always needed. Those who apply for this type of translation work should have a solid understanding of business and law terms.


• Healthcare Institutions: Another potential employment option for a Dutch language translator would be at a Netherlands Healthcare Group such as a hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office. With a diverse international population, visitors, and tourists, it is necessary for healthcare institutions to be able to provide adequate communication for its diverse clients. Applicants to healthcare institutions will want a solid understanding of medical terms and practices.

There are also a number of private firms and agencies that will often require the service of a freelance Dutch language translator for document, medical, and legal translations, so do your research in the area that you’re interested in working to see if there are any opportunities available.

You can also search for opportunities using online search engines such as Elance or Indeed, giving you access to tons of Dutch translation jobs in a variety of fields, from writing, research, analysis and more!

Being multilingual is a valuable tool, and there are tons of opportunities for you to use that tool to benefit yourself and the community. Be a part of bringing the world together and bridging the communication gap by becoming a Dutch translator.


Photo Credit: Kent Wang

As an official language of Hong Kong spoken by 62 million people worldwide, Chinese Cantonese holds an important place in the world. If you’ve become interested in delving into the language and learning Chinese Cantonese but don’t have the time or desire to enroll in a traditional class, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered with some of the best opportunities and resources to learn Chinese Cantonese in less traditional ways.

Learn With a Partner

Just because you’re not in a classroom doesn’t mean that you can’t have the valuable guidance that a knowledgeable instructor can give to you. Consider finding a learning exchange partner with whom you can learn from—for free. The idea is that everyone has teachable skills, so instead of hiring a tutor to teach you, why not teach each other and pay in time? If you’re afraid that you don’t have any skills, think about the languages you speak—English is the most sought after language to learn in learning exchange! Check out the users on LRNGO to connect with a learning exchange partner for free. You can find someone near you and meet at the library or a local coffee shop, or connect with people anywhere in the world with video chat.

Learn Through Immersion

This may seem like an obvious one, but there are tons of opportunities for you to travel the world and get valuable experience living with Chinese Cantonese for the cost of a plane ticket. Sites like Helpx and WWOOF provide tons of opportunities for you to volunteer all around the world. Search through listings that seek volunteers to work on organic farms, bed and breakfasts, renovations, and more for room and board, meaning that all you have to be responsible for is a plane ticket and your time. The length of stay varies, so opportunities are flexible. This is a great option because it allows you to be surrounded by the language and culture surrounding Chinese Cantonese and help connect you with others across the world.

Learn On Your Own

If you’re looking to strengthen your skills on your own, there are tons of online resources that will give you the foundational skills to work with Chinese Cantonese.

Omniglot has a great resource list of Cantonese phrases to help you get started communicating and a Cantonese characters list for the basics. The site also gives references to other useful sites for Cantonese language learners.

Learn Cantonese gives you access to tons of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation resources that will surely prove useful for beginners.

Cantonese Class 101’s YouTube Channel offers a variety of topics within the realm of learning Cantonese in a helpful video format, including the playlist "Cantonese Lessons in 3 Minutes", giving you no excuse for not having enough time to learn.

Podcasts are another great way for you to learn on your own as you can listen to them as you do other daily activities. Next time you’re on your drive home from work, play a Naked Cantonese podcast, which gives you a free subscription to 200 podcasts that help you learn to deal with a variety of situations or check out Cantonese Class 101’s podcast which offers podcasts for beginner and intermediate level students.

Chinese Cantonese can prove to be a demanding subject; using a Chinese tutor to assist can speed up the process and considerably aid the student. In learning any foreign languages, it takes time to learn to think, process information, and speak the new language. Hiring a Chinese tutor for private Cantonese lessons requires you find a trustworthy person or source agency to work through. Ultimately, the person you hire must be worth the investment of time and money in order to teach the valuable skills required in learning a foreign language such as Cantonese.

There are many excellent online Chinese tutor agencies, as well as Au Pair, Childcare, Nanny, housekeeper and personal assistant agencies to choose from. Other options for learning foreign languages such as Mandarin and Cantonese are promoted at a variety of schools and colleges across the country. Programs such as those taught at Cactus Worldwide Ltd with schools in New York, Boston, San Diego, San Francisco, Vancouver and Toronto offer both traditional foreign language courses in Mandarin and Cantonese and provide services that include a Chinese tutor. A number of college campuses and alternative elementary schools offer Cantonese language immersion programs.

Cantonese can be a demanding and challenging language to master which makes using a Chinese tutor more beneficial. Agency costs range from expensive to reasonable as different agencies will set various rates. University students will often hire out as part-time tutors with less expensive rates and more flexibility.

There are also other interesting ways to learn foreign languages such as Cantonese. For example, you can use a live online lesson or classes. Many schools also have an available Chinese tutor online which can be a great way to build your confidence, language and thinking fluency, and Cantonese vocabulary while having the flexibility of a home learning environment with variable hours.


Photo Credit: Phil Wiffen

Perhaps learning a second language has been on your bucket list for years or you’ve recently decided to expand your horizons and learn a new skill. The reason behind your desire to learn a language isn’t important. What is important is that you are dedicated to the challenge and eager to learn.

Schools can be expensive and classes, even free ones, can be demanding, especially if you already have a busy schedule.

If you find yourself in the position of wanting to learn a new language but are turned off by the traditional classroom atmosphere and price tag, then I’ve got news for you. Ever heard of language exchange?

What is it? Language exchange focuses on the idea that if you know a language, then you can teach it. We are all teachers, and we don’t need a teaching degree for our skills to be beneficial. You know English and want to learn French? Find someone who knows French and wants to learn English. Take turns teaching each other. Pay each other in lessons instead of money.

Does it really work There is no right way to learn, so it all depends on you and your match. If you are open with your partner and are eager to learn, spending time outside of lessons working on your language, you’re on the right track. It’s also important to find a partner who is right for you. An ideal partner is one who you get along with well, feel comfortable around, and who teaches on the same level that you like to learn. If these things are in check, then chances are, yes, it will work.

How? One of the keys to learning a language is experiencing it. Language exchanges give you the opportunity to have one-on-one lessons by someone who knows the ins and outs of the language. You have a personal "tutor" to answer any questions you may have, to correct you if you say something just a bit off, and to provide you with conversation practice. What better way to learn than by a native or fluent speaker?

What are the benefits? Some benefits already mentioned include that language exchanges are free—it’s time for time, and that you have access to one-on-one help with someone who has experience speaking the language naturally. In addition to this, you get to meet like-minded people who are just as eager to learn as you are and expand your circle of friends beyond your own culture.

Where to get started? Of course LRNGO is a website designed to help making your search for a language exchange partner easier. Just input what you can teach and what you’d like to learn and you will be given a list of matches who are potential partners for you. Get connected with those in your area or all over the world via Skype and start exploring the best-kept secret in education!


Photo Credit: Pedro Ribeiro Simões