Meet Chakrapani Kafle, a keen and ambitious 28-year-old, originally from Assam, India who has now settled in Abu Dhabi. He tells us about his strong desire for learning English and how the language has helped his career development and success.

Hi, Chakrapani! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’ve been living in the UAE since 2014. Coming to Abu Dhabi was my first time traveling out of India. I really enjoy traveling and I always had my head wrapped around the idea of traveling abroad to enhance my English. Dreams come true! I’ve been taking English classes since 2015 which I thoroughly enjoy. Currently I work as an ambassador for the Office of Social Responsibility to Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH). Within my role I act as a bridge between my colleagues and the office by maintaining communication between the two. In my free time, I like to dance and work on improving my English communication skills. I’m very passionate about dancing and I’ve participated in a number of Bollywood dance workshops offered by the Office of Social Responsibility.

That’s awesome! Tell us how learning English changed your life and helped your job.

When I first came to Abu Dhabi, I started working as a kitchen assistant for ADNH at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD). Later, I learned from my colleagues that there were English language courses being offered to employees. I knew right away that I had to take advantage of such opportunity because I always had a strong interest in learning and improving my English. I love English, the reason I wanted to learn the language is because I want to be able to communicate well with other people.

So, I joined a beginners class in 2015 then worked my way up to advanced level English courses which I completed in 2017. I can proudly say that I’m now able to comprehend it well. As my English language skills improved, I received a ‘team leader’ promotion, and now I oversee the kitchens in the dining hall and other NYUAD dining outlets on campus along with my other role of ambassador for the Office of Social Responsibility to ADNH.

 

“I love English and the reason I wanted to learn the language is because I want to be able to communicate well with other people.” 

 

What was the most difficult part of learning English for you?

I never had any major difficulties with learning the language. If you have a little bit of passion and interest, you can do it, because I did it.

What is your favorite way to practice English?  

I like practicing my English by communicating with others through speaking. At first I could not speak English very well, but now I’m able to speak it with everyone; my colleagues, my managers and with whoever I encounter!

 

What do you remember about your first experience learning English? 

I remember this one time when I was learning long words and came across the word “advertisement” which I could not pronounce properly. My teacher, Mr. Roland from Eton Institute, taught me a trick. He told me to break down the word into three parts then try saying it out loud. A little tricky, but with practice I got the hang of it and now I feel more confident as well as comfortable when I’m speaking English.

What are you most looking forward to in 2018?

My mangers have always acknowledged that I always excel at my job. Recently, they offered me an opportunity for career advancement and I was promoted to a team leader position, but I aspire to be an administrative manager one day. I want to continue following my passion for dancing and also try a photography workshop this year.

“I was promoted to a team leader position, but I aspire to be an administrative manager one day.”

 

What are your learning goals and are you planning on learning any other languages? 

Now that my English has improved a lot, I will be taking university level courses next. In the future, I’m looking at learning Arabic.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to improve their English skills?

I advise everyone to take advantage of any English training classes that are being offered for employees in order to enhance their communication skills and also for better job opportunities and career growth in the future.

Improve your workplace communication skills with our English Courses.