Feature: Patience in Chinese studies brings life unexpected chances: expert

For Sara Van Hoeymissen, studying Chinese always means unexpected chances for one's life.

"Chinese studies is not real made like engineering and other studies. You don't know where it going to make you. But if you are patient, keep trying and focus, opportunities will come," said the 37-year-old Belgian lady, acting head of department of Chinese studies at the University of Botswana (UB).

Van Hoeymissen said with Chinese studies all options are open and she feels it in her past 20 years' intermittent link with Chinese studies.

"You will rarely find vacancies explicitly asking for someone with a degree in Chinese Studies. But Chinese studies graduates can end up in almost any department in a company from purchasing to logistics, from human resources to the legal department and from production to marketing," she said.

Chinese studies graduates are also popular with government departments, as "almost every government department nowadays interacts with China and could possibly benefit from recruiting a Chinese Studies graduate."

"During my life, I sometimes stepped out and in, but always keep looking Chinese studies. Even if sometimes I'm not doing Chinese studies, I'm focusing on China," said Van Hoeymissen.

It was 90's when she began studying Chinese. After graduating from high school, she entered department of Sinology at Belgium university KU Leuven, one of the oldest and most reputable university in Europe, where she obtained undergraduate and master degree on Chinese studies.

During her university years, she got a chance to spend one year in a university in Zhejing province, east China as an exchange student, she met her husband who was studying his master degree. "This is one of the surprises," she said.

Van Hoeymissen is now teaching first-year students in UB on Chinese language and introduction to China.

The UB's newly opened 4-year program has started recruiting students in 2011, and is expected to enroll 20 students each year.

"The Chinese department is still new and growing, however, it has made a good start," said Van Hoeymissen,smiling,

The program also provides students with chances to studying in China for one year, which she think is important to motivate students in Chinese studies.

Students are passionate, eager and hard working. They are finding ways to access Chinese resources like downloading apps on mobile phone, she added.

"Some of my students they don't know much about China, we show them China through photos, movies and documentaries, which are very effective," she said.

Now the first students majoring Chinese studies are expected to graduate soon, the acting head said she hopes they will show value of their degrees and bridge gaps between China and Botswana. Endi