Andreas Laimböck 周浩辰

Founder

Where are you from?
I’m from Austria and Germany.

How long have you been with LTL?
Since day one! I founded LTL in a little coffee shop in the CBD of Beijing.

We asked everyone to bring their favourite item, what item did you bring and why?
A football, I’m a huge football fan and regularly watch the Beijing Guo’an games.

Favourite colour?
Blue and yellow, as you probably could have guessed from the school logo.

Favourite Chinese dish?
Málà xiāng guō 麻辣香锅. It is based on the Mongolian horsemen diet. They gathered vegetables during the day and in the evening stir fry them all together in their helmets. It’s a bit more hygienic today, but the taste is still amazing.

Where is your favourite place to go in Singapore?
I love exploring Gardens by the Bay. It’s a wonderful place to get lost in. There are some incredible gems like cloud forest with an indoor waterfall and Supertree grove which plays spectacular light shows every night.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Singapore of course! So I did.

If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
Sidney Rittenberg. He came to China as a US soldier in the 1940s and stayed until the 80s. He would have incredible stories to tell.

What is your top tip for people learning Chinese?
Get your tones right at the beginning. Once you pick up bad pronunciation habits it is very difficult to change them later.

Tell me something about you that would surprise me!
I had the lowest Mandarin scores in my class at university! Today I am a HSK examiner. Moral of the story anyone can learn Mandarin!

Timothy 周蕴涛

Teacher

Where are you from？
I’m from Beijing, but you can’t hear my accent. I used to be a newscaster.

What are your teaching qualifications？
MA in Teaching Chinese from National Institute of Education, NTU

When did you start teaching Chinese？
I started teaching in 2001 and never stopped.

Favourite Chinese dish？
Málà xiāngguō, a dish I was tired of in Beijing, and now it is popular in Singapore, I fell in love with it again

Where is your favourite place to go in Singapore？
Xiǎofàn zhōngxīn （hawker centre）。The mood is vibrant, the dishes are cheap, and enjoying lunch in a tightly packed hawker centre is a genuine Singaporean experience not to be missed.

What is your top tip for people learning Chinese？
TALK, TALK and TALK

Tell me something about you that would surprise me!
Friends call me “Little Prince of Southeast Asia”, because, I have lived here for more than 10 years and travelled for more than 10 years.

What is your favourite place in China and why?
My hometown! The most familiar people, the most familiar tastes are there.

Campbell

Marketing Associate

Position at LTL
Marketing and Sales

Where are you from? 
Sydney, Australia

How long have you been working for LTL?
I’ve been with LTL Since early 2019.

We asked everyone to bring their favorite item, what item did you bring and why?
A cup of Luckin Coffee. If you don’t know the chain of coffee stores. It’s 100% cashless, will deliver to your door in less than 30 minutes. It’s truly amazing!

Favourite Chinese dish? 
I could eat Chinese eggplant with spicy garlic sauce all day every day.

Where is your favourite place to go in Singapore? 
1-Altitude Rooftop Bar. You won’t find a better view anywhere else! It’s 282 metres high and has a 360-degree view of Singapore.

What is your top tip for people learning Chinese?
Live the Language! I’m not just saying that because they paid me to!

If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
David Dobrik. He is one of the most famous YouTubers in the world. I’ll watch his videos every time I need a laugh. I’m sure dinner with him would be hilarious.

Tell me something about you that would surprise me!
I once meditated on a mountain for 10 days without talking.

What is your favourite place in China and why?
I love Shanghai. Every time I go, I discover something new and exciting.