Don't Tell Me I Can't… ...learn A New Language

For Angela Kingston, going back to school gave her an insight into a new world...

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Looking up from the menu, I order a bottle of wine, making sure I’m pronouncing each word correctly. The waiter smiles, applauding my efforts. Travelling to Beijing with my partner, Hugh, is a dream come true, but being able to speak to the locals in Mandarin makes it so incredible.

When I first took up Mandarin lessons in 2015, I found it so challenging and I wondered if I’d ever be able to master such a complex but beautiful language. After all, learning languages had never been my strong point. At school, I’d studied French at A level, and even though I passed, it was a struggle – and I forgotmost of what I’d learnt.

I was more interested in the arts – and after school, I became a contemporary art curator and writer.