If Chinese students in the US want to make it, they must speak English and make the most of America

I refer to the recent controversy surrounding students speaking Chinese “very loudly” at Duke University (“US tutor steps down in row over Chinese students not speaking English”, January 27), and write in partial support of the remarks made by assistant professor Megan Neely. I would like to recount my own experience as a former member of the community of Chinese foreign students in the US. I was an undergraduate at the University of California, Berkeley, and a graduate student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Hailing from the slums of Hong Kong, I went to America at 19. I highly valued the rare opportunity to learn – not just the English language, but also about Western civilisation and culture. After the first year, I made it a point to room with either Americans (for English) or Taiwanese (for Mandarin) to sharpen my language skills. Realising the need to practice, I “shamelessly” spoke mostly (heavily accented) English to all my friends from different backgrounds, on campus or off. I also socialised with many local friends to learn about Western culture first-hand – let no one underestimate its importance. It opened up my mind and soul.

Thanks to my quickly acquired language skills and cultural affinity, I managed to become a good teaching assistant. The physics department at UCLA offered me a job as assistant professor of physics at Cal Poly, a state university in Pomona, in 1967, when I had barely finished my PhD qualifying exam, at a time when a PhD was a must for the position.

Willingness to blend in continued to serve me well as a teacher, as a successful scientist at Hughes Research Laboratories, and later, when I went on to raise venture capital for my own business.

After 22 years of full-time residence in the US, I had to move to Taiwan and mainland China for business, where the local language is officially Mandarin. Now I had to adapt again. In our company in Guangzhou, most, but not all, staff spoke Cantonese like myself. Regionalism was rampant. I made it a rule that everyone refrain from speaking Cantonese if even one non-Cantonese speaker was present in a room. Mutual respect has helped build teamwork and language skills, and hence corporate success.

As a foreign student, I was determined to get educated, not just get a diploma. I am sure other successful people can testify similarly.

I feel sorry for Dr Neely for making a careless mistake. I hope her career will recover quickly and she will emerge more mature and savvy. But the silent majority anywhere empathises with her dislike for minorities speaking native languages in groups loudly in public, or even socialising only among themselves.

Most importantly, after the dust has settled, I hope all foreign students will behave smarter. Yes, no one should dictate which language your speak. But you should have the discipline to choose what is best – for yourselves, your parents and your country. America has a lot to offer. Practise English always, and enjoy a bit of its people and culture while you can.

And remember, you are always a personal ambassador for your country.

 Dr David T. Hon, CEO Dahon, Illinois