Whether it’s his work, football, or the Dutch language, Chengxi Li (35) is determined to keep developing himself. Not because he must, but because it suits him. “I’m always looking for challenges.” That mindset brought him from China to the Netherlands in 2012 and eventually led to a job as a project manager at Heras. Recently, he achieved the Dutch C1 Advanced II certificate at STE Languages – an exceptional accomplishment for someone who began at level A0.

Curious About the Netherlands

When Chengxi came to the Netherlands, he was simply curious. He wanted to study, learn, and discover life here. He soon realised that language plays a key role in all of that. “If you stay in a country for more than four years and you don’t speak the local language, I think that’s a pity.”
For him, language is about joining in: understanding what people say, expressing yourself, and truly being part of society. It’s also very practical: without the language, you miss opportunities.

For Chengxi, the question was never whether he would learn Dutch, but how far he wanted to go. “When I start something, I give it my full commitment. I didn’t want to learn the language just a little bit—I wanted to do it properly.” Since then, he has completed seven language training courses, progressing from level A0 to C1. Such progress takes time, energy and perseverance. It wasn’t always easy.

A Dip Around B1 Level

Besides his job, Chengxi has an active private life and is captain of the Chinese football team at DBS. “Learning a language takes time not just the lessons, but also the homework.” Around B1 level, he experienced a dip.
“I thought: now I can manage Dutch reasonably well. I had a basic level, but I was surprised by how much I still didn’t understand. That was confronting, but quitting wasn’t an option.”
So Chengxi kept going: more training, more homework. Step by step, he began to feel the language come to life.

Small Moments, Big Impact

As he improved, big and small victories followed. Colleagues stopped switching to English, and words suddenly began to make sense.
“At Heras, we talk a lot about gates and fences. My colleagues often mentioned hinges, but I didn’t understand what they meant —until one day, I suddenly did. It seems like something small, but for me it was a big moment. That’s when you realise why you’re doing it.”

Language Feel and Confidence

Reaching C1 level also means developing a sense for language nuances. Chengxi can now hear whether someone speaks with a Rotterdam or Limburg accent. “Those are things you don’t even notice at the beginning. Now I listen differently.”
Along the way, he has also picked up some favourite expressions, like “talking about small talk” and “it’s raining cats and dogs.” “And when I leave somewhere, I simply say houdoe!”

Advice

For others who want to reach C1 level, Chengxi has clear advice: take your time.
“There’s no quick route, make a long-term plan instead. Practise a lot, dare to make mistakes, and don’t be too strict with yourself when things aren’t going well. Doubt is part of the process. Especially at the moments when you feel you’re not good enough yet, continuing is the most important thing.”

STE Languages’ approach suited him well. “I like structure and working step by step. At STE you can really see that. They have good teachers and the contact with other students was great. You motivate each other. That’s why, after C1 Part I, several of us decided to continue together to C1 Part II.”

Proud

Looking back, Chengxi mostly feels proud. Proud that he has reached a level at which he feels confident in Dutch and can participate fully in conversations. Standing still still doesn’t suit him. He continues to develop in his work and in his language skills. Meanwhile, he enjoys life in Eindhoven.
“I really enjoy living here. I play football for fun and I love going to PSV’s stadium. The atmosphere is fantastic. Barcelona is my number one, but in the Netherlands, PSV is my favourite club!”

(Text and photo: Joris van Dierendonck)