Navigating Neopia: Journey of a Non-Native Speaker

     Playing in Chinese

     At first, naturally, I navigated through the site in Chinese. However, I rarely ventured outside of Flash Games. Earning Neopoints through games was straightforward; I wasn’t really sure how everything else worked. I also explored the lands of Neopia, as I loved learning about the world and famous Neopians. I didn’t really concern myself with site events, or any other activities involving other users. Pretty much the only aspect of the game I was invested in was earning Neopoints: anything that didn’t directly lead to that I shied away from. Occasionally, I would lurk on the boards and look for information I needed, but that was the end of that. I didn’t stay to chat very often, and I didn’t understand the need to customize my neosignature. Thus, avatar collecting held no allure for me. Trust me, I know now that I was missing out on a lot!

     End of Support for the Chinese language

     I am sure this came as a shock to most who relied on Chinese to navigate Neopia. Fortunately, Flash Games and the Map of Neopia were easy enough to adapt to in another language. Relearning item names was an incredibly arduous task, though: some of the names were simply too firmly engraved in my memory, and there are just so many items in Neopia! Fellow friends who actively participated in site events took a much harder hit: if they desired to submit entries to the Caption Contest, Poetry Competition, and the Neopian Times, they would have to do so in English. Understandably, it was something that was hard for them to come to terms with. Another blow that came with the end of support was that the Chinese Neoboards would no longer be available. It was truly a chaotic and confusing time for everyone in the Chinese community.

     Transitioning to English

     I will be honest: it was definitely frustrating. Even as someone who did not frequent the boards and mostly kept to herself, I still needed to get used to the English site controls and overwrite the item names in my head. Something that helped me immensely was focusing on the graphics first, then slowly associating the English words with the pictures. It wasn’t always easy. Sometimes when I wanted to conjure an item name to search on the Shop Wizard, I’d only draw up the Chinese name for it. Other Chinese translations were simply very different in English, thus making it difficult to reconcile the dissimilar names for the same item. However, it helped push me out of my comfort zone in more ways than one. Besides adjusting to a fully English interface, I sometimes had to actively seek help from other users, also in English. Being able to express oneself is entirely different from reading comprehension. Fortunately, there are many kind Neopians hanging out on the Neoboards: they won’t begrudge you for imperfect English! Simply explain what you need assistance with, and, you will most likely receive a helpful reply; friendly folks are everywhere in Neopia. Moreover, Chinese communities can still be found in the form of guilds, so you can still find plenty of help in Chinese! It took time and effort, but I have now fully transitioned to English. Now, I am able to roam Neopia without needing to stop and consider what a certain term or item would be in the Chinese language. I am happy to say that I can now fully enjoy the site in its native language!

     What I Gained from the Transition

     Obviously, relearning things can be tedious and vexing at times, but I can safely say that it was worth rediscovering Neopia! As we all know, some things cannot be preserved through translation. Additionally, my English has improved considerably since the transition, and I believe Neopets has played a significant role in that! On the Neoboards, I gradually learned the nuances of chatspeak, as well as how to articulate my thoughts and opinions in a natural, casual way. It’s a trite phrase, but it is true: Practice makes perfect. I definitely didn’t always speak English as fluently as I do today. When I first started posting on the boards, I’d mull over every word and stress over sentence structures: Will people be able to understand what I’m saying? Will I unknowingly offend someone with my choice of words? Will people be impatient with my lack of understanding? In my experience, people can get confused, but explaining that you’re not a native speaker helps. And there are more Neopians who speak Chinese than you might think!

     Transitioning from Chinese to English was truly an invaluable experience for me, and it has allowed me to make plenty of friends outside the Chinese-speaking sphere. Thanks to the active communities, I have learned to enjoy many more aspects of Neopia than I used to, including but not limited to avatar collecting, customizing pages, and most of all, chatting and helping out!

     Conclusion

     Making the switch to a non-native language can be a daunting prospect, but it is certainly possible and rewarding! I’ve learned much in this journey, and I believe it’s worked out for the best. Don't be afraid to ask the boards for help if you're lost; chances are someone will be able to help. Communicating in a language you’re not the most familiar with takes courage, but usually, you’ll do better than you expect. And with time, you’ll definitely get better. Also, I am always happy to help as well. Don’t be afraid to reach out for assistance in Neopia!

     感謝閱讀! Thank you for reading!