Mother-Daughter Chinese-Learning Partner: Bits of Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia (Latvia University of Life Science And Technology)

2016年9月，拉脱维亚生命科学与技术大学正式开设汉语学习班，第一批学员里就来了一对特殊的学生，虽然年纪并不相仿，却他们常常坐在一起互相探讨和学习。平均每周两次课、课后还自学和复习的节奏，凭借着对中文学习的极大热情，他们几乎从不缺课的坚持了两年。他们就是，玛格丽达和伊内塔母女。

玛格丽达已是古稀之年，脸上却总是洋溢着青春活力。在学习汉语的第一年，她就参加了2017年拉脱维亚赛区的汉语桥比赛，是目前为止拉脱维亚赛区参赛年龄最大的选手。聊起为什么想要学习中文时，玛格丽达说，她原来是德语老师，非常喜欢学习语言，中文是一个美丽的语言，非常幸运能够有机会学习中文，而且人应该活到老学到老，才能保持积极向上的心态。

伊内塔是玛格丽达的女儿，也年近半百，是拉脱维亚生命科学与技术大学的图书管理员。相较于母亲的开朗外向，她的性格更为内敛。玛格丽达笑着描述着自己的女儿：“她虽然没那么爱说话，但是记性非常好，中文的很多词语和汉字她都记得很清楚，我常常还需要她来提醒我呢！啊，对了，她视力也比我好得多。”

母女俩表示，汉语非常有意思，通过两年的汉语学习，她们不仅学习到了汉语知识，还更深入的了解了中国的各个方面。只要汉语班还在叶尔加瓦开设，她们就会一直学习下去。

In September 2016, the Latvia University of Life Science and Technology officially started a Chinese language course. The first group of students has a special differently aged pair group. Although they looks as different as two people can be , they often sat together to discuss and learn from each other. With a rhythm of four learning hours a week and self-study and revision, they rarely miss classes. They stick to it for two years with great enthusiasm. They are our protagonists: Margarita and her daughter Ineta.

Margarita is more than 70 years old, she still full of youthful vigor. In her first year of learning Chinese, she competed in the 2017 Chinese Bridge Competition as the eldest competitor in the Latvian division by far. Talking about why she wanted to learn Chinese, Margarita said that she was a German teacher, and she likes learning the language very much. Chinese is a beautiful language. She is very lucky to have the opportunity to learn Chinese, She also said, one is too late to learn, we could maintain a positive attitude from learning something new.

Ineta, the daughter of Margarita, is about 50 years of age,who is the librarian of Latvia University of Life Science and Technology. She is not as outgoing and extrovert as her mother. “she’s not that talkative, but she has a very good memory. She can remember a lot of Chinese words and characters. I often need her to remind me!Oh, by the way, she has better eyesight than I do. “Margarita smiled and described.

Margarita and Ineta said that Chinese is very interesting, they not only learned Chinese knowledge, but also a deeper understanding of all aspects of China through two years of Chinese learning. They will keep studying as long as the Chinese class opens in Jelgava.