Steve's sandbox

Category: Case Study

  • Case Study – Richard Freeman Germany 1961

    In January 1961 (age 20) I boarded the train from Harwich via London followed by a short ferry journey to Holland.  Another train journey took me to Breman Germany where I would stay for six months.

    Statue of Roland in Altmarkt in Bremen, Germany

    On arrival in Bremen I was very homesick having never been away from home before.  I arrived in January and it was extremely cold, minus 12-15C walking to work to start at 8.00am. The wool broker and merchant where I worked (Schmacht & Co) in the wool sample room, had several apprentices my age who made me very welcome and I soon had a social life. The older staff members were very formal with me and among themselves, which was the German way.

    The initial problem was the speed of the spoken word (almost incomprehensible) and understanding conversations in the local accent and what was said to me. My grammar school German lessons never prepared me for this. I worked very hard as a volunteer and was rewarded with a salary and as I ran out of bursary (£50) at each month end this was useful. I wrote down all new words and phrases and learned them by heart.  I had to provide a written report in German back to Bradford Chamber of Commerce every month.  The elderly German couple I lodged with spoke no English and took me off with them on weekend excursions from time to time providing a wonderful opportunity to experience Germany.

    Once my knowledge of German improved I was allowed to use the company phone to talk to customers and to arrange wool processing at the local Bremer Woll Kaemmerei woolcombing plant.

    As I contributed a little to the running of the wool broker business, my confidence in spoken German grew dramatically, including a few words not socially acceptable fed to me with glee by my younger work colleagues!

    I was invited to spend time out of work with some of the families of my fellow employees on a regular basis and I really appreciated this kindness.

    Unfortunately while out running in woodland one day, I fell and sustained a bad knee injury and spent exactly one month in hospital following a knee operation.

    The 1961 the DM/£ exchange rate was around DM12/£1 and the DM was revalued while I was in Germany giving me 5% less bursary.  Contrast this with about DM3.2/£1 when the Euro was established.

    Later in life, my time in Germany provided an invaluable asset when establishing business contacts in Germany and Austria after setting up my own wool waste export firm.  I then moved to processing and exporting synthetic fibres.

    I would not hesitate in recommending the John Speak Trust to language students.

    Learning another language was not only beneficial to my career but also educational and character building.  The opportunity of living and working in Germany whilst studying, allowed me to experience the local culture first hand, a vital lesson for business.

    The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the River Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen/Oldenburg Metropolitan Region

  • Christopher Wilson – Case Study, Germany 1969

    “The John Speak Trust Scholarship was of great benefit to me personally and also to my career; a very useful and informative six months”

    At the age of 18, I was fortunate to receive a John Speak Language Trust Scholarship for six months.  This allowed me to travel to Germany to improve my study of the language and further my career in the wool trade.  At the time I was working for the family business C.L. Wilson & Co Limited, a Wool & Noil Merchants based in Bradford.

    Being so young at the time, I was appreciative of a lift by car to my new surroundings in Kaiserslautern, South West Germany (from a colleague) where I rented a room from a local German family.

    As well as studying German, I worked at Kammgarnspinnerei (worsted yarn spinners) voluntarily which was part of my Scholarship agreement.  Although I was very grateful to the Trust for the £50 per month I received, it was often difficult to budget for food, board and other essentials during my six months abroad.  I was also unfortunate to damage my wrist whilst at work and for a short time it became necessary for my employers to pay me a small amount for Social Security benefits!

    At the start of my six months I began working in the chemical laboratory but went through the whole process of wool sorting, scouring, carding, combing, dyeing and spinning.  Sadly the mill closed in the 1970’s but the lessons I learned through working there were invaluable.

    After I had completed my six month scholarship, C L Wilson & Co engaged with German contacts and set up a trade, increasing our customers and expanding the business.

    I am now 65 years old, retired and I have kept in contact with the many friends I met in Germany, including the main trade customer (now in his 80’s) I dealt with through work all those years ago (which often provides an ideal opportunity to use my spoken German!).

    Kaiserslautern, Germany- a city in southwest Germany, located in the Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate Forest

    The John Speak Trust Scholarship was of great benefit to me personally and also to my career; a very useful and informative six months.  I continue to speak German on a regular basis and would recommend the John Speak Language Trust to any language student wishing to improve their language skills and pursue a career to benefit the UK export trade.

     

    Christopher James Wilson

  • Imogen Page Jarrett – Case Study, Beijing China 2014-2015

    My name is Imogen Page-Jarrett and I have just finished my year abroad in Beijing, China. The past year would have not been quite the same incredible experience without the assistance of the John Speak Trust, and I would first and foremost like to thank them for their consistent help and support.

    My home university, the University of Cambridge, runs a one year exchange programme with Peking University for all third year students. This programme offers courses in modern and classical Chinese, translation, writing, newspaper reading as well as Chinese literature. It was really fantastic to be a part of a truly international student body at the School of Chinese as a Second Language, with students from all over the world coming to Beijing to learn Chinese.

    Originally from a small countryside village in the East of England, seeing the sheer scale of Beijing was a big shock to me. We were based in Wudaokou, a student area full of hustle and bustle, neon lights, bars, KTV parlours, shopping centres and of course, traffic jams. I soon discovered Beijing is a city where, if you are willing to face the crowds, you can do, see and eat pretty much anything you should fancy. It’s a city teeming with possibility. I shared a flat with my classmate, a Chinese friend and several different international students over the course of the year.

    The freedom extended way beyond the capital. Although China does not yet have many budget airlines, its bus and train services are some of the most extensive in the world and well subsidised by the government. This means travelling around this huge nation is cheap and relatively care free, as long as you plan in advance.

    With the help of the scholarship from John Speak, I have been to the fishing villages in Xiamen on the south coast, celebrating Chinese New Year with a local family to the sound of firecrackers exploding outside the door. I have drifted in a bamboo raft down the Yangtze river surrounded by rice paddies and craggy mountains. I have seen a panda with my own eyes in Sichuan, and held a snow fox in my arms at the Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin.

    I have wound my way from the old town of Dali to the remote Shangrila on the the Tibetan border. I have swam in the ocean in Qingdao, strolled along the bund in Shanghai, and felt the magic of the sparkling fairy lakes near Jiuzhaigou National Park, not to mention stood in awe of the sheer slopes of Tiger Leaping Gorge and the snowy peaks of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Yunnan. And that’s not to mention the amazing food!

    Aside from having fun, I also had the opportunity to intern during my year abroad. For 9 weeks I was made part of Daimler China’s CEO Office. The internship involved statistical analysis, proofreading and drafting of emails. Mainly, however, I was responsible for organising internal events for the finance department. My boss was German, but almost all of my colleagues on the work floor were Chinese. This was a great chance to learn about the Chinese workplace and some of their office practices (which were usually highly bureaucratic!). It was also a huge insight into how Chinese customers’ wants and needs differ to European ones, as well as Asian automobile trends. For example, I learned Daimler’s truck sales are declining. This is interesting because it reflects the fact the construction sector there is slowing down. In turn, this tells us the Chinese economic boom is no longer progressing as rapidly as before.

    Of course, I experienced some barriers to living in Beijing. I would say my primary concern was the air pollution. Considering London’s pollution never exceeds 60 PM 2.5, it’s hard to believe Beijing often reaches 200, and in winter can climb to even 1000! Being a minority in a foreign country can also be a challenge. Due to the comparatively few numbers of foreigners in China, you will always stand out. It is sad for me to accept that however long I live there, however good my Chinese may become, I will always be considered an outsider. From time to time, the sheer number of people and the scale of the city was very tiring. I hate to think back on how much time I spent on the subway or in traffic jams.

    In the future I plan to return to Beijing or Taiwan to complete a masters in Chinese law. I hope to eventually find a job working in China and definitely plan to be in Asia long term.

    I would thoroughly recommend the John Speak Trust to anyone planning an experience abroad. The financial assistance and constant advice and support really enhanced my experience. Again, I cannot express my thanks enough.

  • Graham Moulson – Case Study 1963 to 1964

    At age 72, looking back and having studied several foreign languages I have learned that language learning is similar to a jigsaw puzzle; learning one foreign language certainly helps when learning another.  “Once you start dreaming in a foreign language it means you must have learnt it”. I was fortunate to have an Italian Professor who provided one hour tutoring before work; no books, no dictionaries, just conversation in Italian.  He was a wonderful teacher and I was fortunate to have him.

    In 1963, age 20, I was travelling to Italy by train to start a six month John Speak Trust Scholarship to help improve my Italian.  At the time I was working for a Bradford Wool Merchants.  My accommodation was provided by the Biella family who kindly allowed me to stay at their family home in Biella.  Upon my arrival, I recall the cultural differences were a real shock although I found the Italian people to be very welcoming and very reassuring, this being a major factor during my first few weeks abroad.  I discovered that absorbing the different culture came hand in hand with learning to speak the language.   As a condition of the Scholarship, in addition to my language studies, I worked voluntarily for the largest wool combing company in Italy, Pettinatura Italiana, Vigliano Biellese.  Working and living with the locals certainly improved my Italian; I learnt a lot of the local dialect and colloquial Italian too!

    Upon completion of my Scholarship and now fluent in Italian, I remained in the wool trade and joined H Dawson Sons & Co (Wool) Limited in 1965 and returned to Biella, Italy in a new management role.  I later became a Company Director taking on the responsibility for Dawson’s office in Italy and travelled extensively to Spain, Portugal, Middle East, Iran, Pakistan and India.  My Scholarship definitely helped in my preparation for the change in career and the additional responsibilities that came alongside that.

    My philosophy in life has always been to look forward, not back.  The wool trade is a way of life, not just a job.  I have made many wonderful friends around the world, many of whom I have revisited following my retirement.  Travel in the Middle East in the 1960/70s could be lively and exciting to say the least, with many countries undergoing social conflict and political upheaval; however I found that not everything you hear and see on the news was always correct and the reality on the ground was often different.

    I am also very proud to have been an active member of the John Speak Trust Committee for 25 years, 17 of which I was Chair, standing down in 2010.

    Being a keen skier, I am regular visitor to Italy and have kept in contact with many friends and colleagues overseas throughout my international career.  I continue to use my Italian regularly and also speak reasonable Spanish which I learnt after retiring from Dawsons in 2002.  One of my passions is singing (choral music mainly) and it is an unexpected bonus to be able to sing in the above and other languages.

    I am very pleased that the John Speak Trust continues to provide financial assistance to UK language students.

    I would definitely recommend any students considering studying abroad and intending to go into the export (of UK goods and/or services) trade to go ahead and apply for a John Speak Scholarship.

    Accepting the Scholarship was one of the best decisions I have ever made.  The process is simple and uncomplicated – a no brainer!

    The benefits speak for themselves.  I have enjoyed a very long and successful career in the export trade and will always be grateful for the opportunities the John Speak Trust provided.

    Graham Moulson – June 2015

    Graham Moulson

  • Oliver de Planta – Case Study, Germany 2014 – 2015

    During my studies at Sheffield Hallam University I undertook a year abroad in Germany from June 2014 to March 2015.

    I began my year abroad in Munich, Bavaria working for Robert Bosch GmbH then for the second half I moved to Berlin to work at Siemens AG. The scholarship from the John Speak Trust afforded more freedom during my time abroad and assisted towards my day to day living and travel expenses.

    Me and Münchner Gaudiblosn a Bavarian band that play at, among other places, Oktoberfest

    The opportunity to work abroad in a different environment was full of advantages both personally and professionally. There was so much to organize like accommodation, bank accounts, registrations and paperwork and all this in two of the three largest cities in Germany.  It was a lot to deal with, I was on my own, but I managed to sort everything out single handed!

    Not knowing anyone in a city when you first arrive can be difficult and daunting, and ironically I personally found it more difficult meeting people in larger cities!  But it’s very rewarding when you finally make new friends and more importantly some good friends. Persevering with the language can also be difficult, especially if one is living in a city where many speak English and always try to use it when they find out you are a native speaker.

    Brandenburger Tor

     

    Being in Germany didn’t only help me immerse in the German culture but also the cultures of other countries and the people, which I found extremely interesting, a positive side effect of trying to improve my German language skills.

    The Reichstag, Berlin

     

     

    I’m pretty sure that anyone who spends some time studying abroad would recommend the experience to others, I certainly would!  If you were offered such an opportunity I would definitely recommend you take it; I cannot think of any reasons not to.  Many of my friends in England think it’s unbelievable that I have lived and studied another language abroad.

     

     

    I would certainly encourage others to apply for a John Speak Trust scholarship and take advantage of such a wonderful opportunity.

    Oliver de Planta

  • Geoffrey Padgett – Case Study, France 1953

    In 1953 at age 22, I was fortunate to receive a Scholarship from the John Speak Trust to assist with my French studies.  The Scholarship provided a small amount of funding towards my travel, lodgings and food during six months abroad.   I received a mere £30 per month.  I worked in the wool trade (salary £233 per annum, Tax £6 and 4 shillings) and my employers felt time abroad would be beneficial to my career.

    My journey to France began by train from Bradford to London, Calais then to Lille, a city in northern France.  A somewhat dilapidated boarding house in Roubaix would provide my accommodation for the next six months.  In addition to studying French (as a condition of my Scholarship) I worked voluntarily, during which I learned every stage of converting wool into cloth, i.e. sorting, spinning, weaving and finishing.  I recall having to obtain a Visa, provide a ration book and report regularly to the local Police.

    The time I spent in France has proved invaluable throughout my career within the wool export industry.  My first business trip abroad was to Scandinavia travelling by train and boat, spending two weeks each in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark – quite an exhausting two months even visiting a mill inside the Arctic Circle.

    Thanks to my time abroad, I have always been ready to accept and adapt quickly to changes in language and culture in order to facilitate business activity abroad.

    I continue to use French in my daily life as well as speaking German and some Italian.  I have always felt it only polite to attempt other languages when visiting foreign countries.

    Being able to speak French fluently allowed me to converse on many subjects in depth and learn more about other cultures, e.g. North African countries such as Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco where French is widely used.  I have remained in touch with many of the friends and colleagues I have met during my travels and nowadays visit regularly for holidays.

    Learning a foreign language, working and living amongst native speakers has proved invaluable.  I did however find that learning a foreign language within a ‘factory floor’ environment did have its drawbacks too!  Unfortunately in the early days I could not always distinguish those phrases which are not acceptable in polite society. This came to light during a weekend break in Calais with a pen friend, his mother and close friends.  During the conversation,   apparently I had described my accommodation in a very unsuitable manner.  Following my detailed and somewhat rude description my penfriend’s female guests felt obliged to make an untimely embarrassed departure!

    For the 1957 Queen Elizabeth II State Visit to France I was asked to provide a short article about my Scholarship and time in France.  This was published in the official booklet for the Queen’s official visit Le Nord Textile 11 April 1957.  I was very privileged to have my story published and have kept a copy of the booklet all these years.  One of many proud and cherished memories.

    I remained in contact with the John Speak Trust, later serving as a Trust Committee member for 33 years of which 17 as Chairman.  After receiving financial assistance from the Trust all those years ago, it was an honour to be in a position to offer the same help to other language students who were starting out in their careers.

    I would recommend, without any hesitation, the John Speak Trust to UK language students.  Learning a foreign language whilst abroad, amongst native speakers, living and working within another culture has proved invaluable, an experience I shall never forget and an opportunity for which I will always be grateful.

     

    Geoffrey Padgett

    Geoffrey Padgett June 2015

     

  • Anthony Kassapian – Case Study,

    The year was 1960, I was nineteen years old, working in the wool trade for the family business, Kassapians (Combers) Limited.  I applied for a John Speak Trust Scholarship to finance a six month study/voluntary working trip to France to improve my French and broaden my horizons.

    Unfortunately I had experienced a rocky start on the long journey from Bradford to France (via London) having arranged to meet a friend at Earls Court but unfortunately took the wrong tube train upon arriving in London and subsequently got lost!  Fortunately I managed to find my way to our arranged meeting place just in time – not the best start to my adventure.

    I was fortunate to have an Aunt living in France who welcomed me upon my arrival and who I regularly visited during my time abroad. Whilst in France I initially stayed in a hotel and later with a French family in Clermont-Ferrand, an area governed by the factory Michelin.

     

    As well as studying French, I worked long hours (voluntary) six days a week for a travel agency and spent many evenings at the University where the food was cheap and making many new ‘international’ friendships.

    During my time in France (as a condition of my Scholarship) I had to send monthly reports to the Chamber of Commerce written in French.  Once approved, I would receive a small financial contribution towards my board and minor expenses. I believe the Trust still uses the same system today.  In addition, I was also fortunate to receive some financial help from my parents.

     

    In addition to learning to speak French fluently, I experienced a totally different culture and way of life. I met many different kinds of people and formed numerous new international friendships.  I learnt that socially the French were much more outgoing than the English with very elaborate tastes in fine dining and wine. This was a very new and exciting social aspect that I fully embraced during my scholarship.

     

     

    Whilst abroad I kept in regular contact with my parents, family members and friends by letter (copies of which I still cherish today).  Occasionally I would receive a phone call but this was a very rare occurrence due to the cost.  I was also lucky to receive a short visit from my parents. I missed them very much so it was wonderful to see them after spending several weeks away from home.

     

    Six months seemed like a short space of time to learn a new language, culture and experience new friendships, but within that time I learnt a great deal.

     

    I would certainly encourage language students to apply for a Scholarship.  The experience has provided invaluable in my work, career, social life and also allowed me to grow as a person.  I have held four Directorships throughout my career and will always be grateful to the Trust for providing the opportunity to travel, learn another language and for the opportunities this opened up for me.

    I am very pleased that the Trust continues to assist our language students of today providing many with an opportunity to learn, speak and write a foreign language in an environment I personally believe to be much more beneficial than a classroom.

     

    Anthony Kassapian

     

  • Emily Martin – Case Study: China 2014 – 2015

    I’ve just finished my third year of studying Chinese at Cambridge University, spending my year abroad studying at Peking University in Beijing, China. I was lucky enough to have a fairly relaxed schedule at Peking University, so I was able to do a variety of internships and volunteering during the year, from marketing internships and journalism to volunteering at an orphanage. These placements not only helped me improve my spoken Chinese in a real life environment, but also gave me insight into many aspects of life in China. For example, through talking to my colleagues at the orphanage, I learnt far more about the reality of the Chinese healthcare system, and peoples’ attitude to it than I would ever learn in class.

    Travelling around China and East Asia also formed a very enjoyable part of my year. I am currently travelling alone in the more rural areas of southern China. While travelling is great fun, it has also been a very useful way to practice my Chinese and gain experience of different regional accents and dialects.

    While living in China has not always been easy, I have learnt a lot from both the amazing experiences and the challenge I have faced this year.

     

    To anyone considering a spending year abroad, I would while-heartedly recommend it. I have not only gained a better grasp of the language and culture, but feel like it has changed my entire outlook on travel and cultural values.

    Finally, I would like to thank the John Speak Trust for the support I have received this year, it has opened so many doors for me and helped me to take advantage of all the amazing opportunities presented to me this year.

  • Nadia – Case Study – Beijing, China 2014-15

    In August 2014 I set off for Beijing for my year abroad at Peking University to continue with my language studies. I’d spent a month in Beijing the summer before and loved it, so I went back with very high expectations of what my year abroad was going to be like. Somehow, my experiences in China still managed to exceed my expectations.

    Thanks to the John Speak Trust, I managed to spend many of my long weekends and holidays travelling around China and I saw so many more places than I was expecting to, and met so many locals I otherwise wouldn’t have. I have so many stories to share after these last ten months and these memories will stay with me forever. Of course, living in Beijing did have its occasional low moments – like when it was -13 degrees and the pollution levels were off the scales. Despite this, I am still extremely keen to return to Beijing to work after I graduate, not only just to be back in such an exciting city, but also to make sure I keep up my improved language skills. Going on a year abroad was an amazing way to get out of my comfort zone and I would recommend it to everyone who has the chance.

    I’m extremely grateful to the John Speak Trust for granting me this scholarship since it played a significant role in making my year abroad as incredible as it was.

  • Amy Clark – Case Study France and Spain 2014-2015

    I can´t quite believe that my 18 months abroad are coming to an end, it only seems like 2 minutes since I was boarding the plane to Alicante in January 2014 to begin my Erasmus study period! I feel that my time abroad, in France and Spain has been the most beneficial part of my university course so far; not only has it allowed me to greatly improve my French and Spanish but I´ve also developed a variety of skills that are going to help me throughout the rest of my life! As a student from Sheffield Hallam University, now in my 3rd year, I jumped at this opportunity of being awarded a scholarship, as I knew it would be a big help towards various costs that travelling and working abroad would endeavor.

    My scholarship was split between my time in Montpellier, France and Palma De Mallorca, Spain, however during this time I was also able to travel to other places in Europe, making the most of the opportunities that I had. I managed to visit Bordeaux, Paris, Toulouse, Nimes and  Geneva whilst living in France, it´s been amazing to be able to travel and see so much in such a short time! As for my time here in Palma de Mallorca, I’ve spent my weekends exploring the beautiful island, hiring cars with new friends from all different backgrounds, visiting remote non-touristic places and generally experiencing the true Spanish culture. I´ve got to say that life on a Spanish island is definitely something I’d think about later on in life and Mallorca in particular is amazingly beautiful!

    Aside from all the exciting travelling, meeting new people and learning new things, there has of course been times when I’ve missed home, my friends and family and even once or twice when I have wished I could be back, but I know that this experience has had a huge impact on my life and on me as a person and I’m so grateful for the opportunity; I have no regrets about moving abroad and leaving my life in England behind as I know the positives have far outweighed the negatives! I’m looking forward to finishing my degree in Sheffield and moving on to bigger and better things!

    Finally, I would like to say a big thank you to the John Speak Scholarship Trust for giving me the great pleasure of being a part of their organisation for the last 10 months and would without a doubt, recommend it to anyone who is eligible to apply!