Real Chinese Talk - Immersion for Intermediates

I have worked in both large and small companies, and I realized that the smaller the company I work for, the happier I am. Why is this so? Is this just my personal experience or is it the same for everyone? In addition to working in large and small companies, are there other possibilities? 00:00 Welcome and personal update 01:05 Career background and the changing pattern of happiness 05:27 Researc...

Hiking used to be my only way of traveling, but since coming to Europe, I’ve rarely gone hiking. My last mountain trek was in 2020, on the EBC (Everest Base Camp) route in Nepal. Finally, this August, I’m going to start hiking again. Why do I love hiking? In this podcast, I’ll be sharing the best experiences hiking has brought me. 00:00 Hiking Plans and Travel Anticipation 03:19 Recalling the EBC...

When chatting with friends, I’m often told, “Qiuyue, how do you manage to do so many things!” And I think to myself, I haven’t even listed everything else I’m doing yet! But honestly, I don’t feel like my life is all that busy—I’m just doing the things I genuinely enjoy (most of the time): learning languages, reading, working out, creating art, socializing, and playing games. That said, when I thi...

Real Chinese Talk has reached 1,000 subscribers on Spotify! While this number may seem insignificant compared to many top or mid-tier podcasts, for me, it's a major milestone. So, thank you all! Your listening, support, and comments are what keep me going. Along the way, I’ve also learned something very important — to be a friend of time. Sometimes, even when we put genuine effort into somethi...

The distance in time and space seems to have placed a filter between me and my hometown. When living abroad, the China I saw was always a beautiful one; and when I recalled my childhood, only warm, comforting memories would surface. But when I finally returned to the place I had imagined countless times in my mind, reality turned out to be a bit different. If you’ve ever lived overseas—or are curr...

How much do you know about AI? Why is ChatGPT biased? Why is the emergence of DeepSeek beneficial for the diversity of language models? What is the current state of AI technology in the daily lives of people in China? As someone working in the tech industry, I’ll share how I use AI in both my work and personal life, offer some insights into the AI industry and its future, and give suggestions on h...

We make choices every day—but in a world full of noise, opinions, and endless information, how can we stay true to our own decisions without being swayed by others? Or put another way: how should we get along with the world? In this episode, you’ll hear three specific ways of thinking that can help you find clarity in complexity and stay grounded in times of uncertainty. If you’ve ever felt unsure...

Many people believe that learning a foreign language is very difficult—and indeed, it’s not easy—but learning a new language is something that becomes easier the more you do it. After studying several languages, I’ve learned which methods work and which ones don’t. This helps me learn each new language faster and more effectively. In other words, the more languages I learn, the better I become at...

Whenever I learn a new language, I always encounter a bottleneck—it feels like no matter what I do, I just can't seem to improve my language skills. However, after learning my fourth and fifth languages, I gradually figured out ways to break through these plateaus, especially after reaching an intermediate level. In this episode, I’d like to share these methods with you. 00:19 Bottlenecks in l...

What Kind of Life Do I Want? How Can I Live the Life I Desire? To answer these two questions, you only need one method. And one day in the future, you will realize that you have become the person you once aspired to be. In this episode of the podcast, I will share this method and how it has benefited me. 00:23 My experience at an offline gathering 01:30 Pursuing dreams and taking action 03:16 Futu...

Learning a language is like riding a roller coaster: sometimes I feel like giving up, and other times I’m incredibly motivated. I believe the hardest part of learning a language is sticking with it. So how can we keep going? Let me share my own experience. 00:23 The Importance of Language Learning in My Life 01:22 The Low Points of Language Learning: Frustration and Self-Doubt 03:02 Adjusting Mind...

I've recently become obsessed with a video game—the famous Stardew Valley! So far, I've already spent over 130 hours playing it—it's honestly kind of scary! But I don’t want to enjoy it alone, so I’m here to recommend this game to you, hehe! 00:20 Obsessed with Stardew Valley 01:45 Why the Game is So Popular 03:31 Rich Details: NPC Relationships and Diverse Farm Management 07:13 Sense...

As a Chinese person who has been dominated by exams throughout my life, I recently realized that I am afraid of exams. I constantly feel anxious about upcoming tests, believing that my preparation is never enough and that I am incapable of performing to my true potential. It feels as though a single exam has the power to define my worth. This is the trauma that China's exam culture has left me...

My life and achievements in 2024 00:23 New Chinese name for the podcast 01:00 Principles for making New Year's resolutions and ways to reflect 03:21 The "big question" for 2024 07:16 Breakthroughs in language learning 11:16 The significance of writing 14:42 The significance of learning to swim 16:37 Growth in work 20:24 Looking forward to 2025 2024年我的生活和成就 00:23 播客新的中文...

Christmas, New Year's Day and Chinese New Year - how do they intertwine for Chinese people living in Europe? As someone who straddles two cultures, the festive atmosphere of Christmas and New Year in Europe is both familiar and strange. While people here are reuniting with their families, Christmas and New Year's Day are just "another holiday" to me, and the most lively Chinese New Year in China i...

Tokyo is hands down my favorite city—something I realized after visiting it. As someone who’s spent their whole life living in cities, I’ve kind of become numb to them. Shopping malls, restaurants, streets, skyscrapers—they all feel the same after a while. But Tokyo? Tokyo’s different. Maybe it’s because I’ve been soaking up Japanese culture for years, but I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for...

Autumn and winter are seasons when colds and flu are common, and I couldn't avoid it either—I fell ill at the end of autumn. The experience of being sick in the Netherlands and in China is very different. The healthcare systems, people's attitudes towards illness, and even the policies for taking sick leave at work are all different. In this episode of the podcast, I'll talk about the differences...

I took a three-week escape from the dreary weather of the Netherlands and found myself in Portugal. The trip was meant to be a relaxing getaway, but instead, my mind was filled with questions: Why do we travel? What does it really mean? What do we hope to gain from our journeys? In his book The Art of Travel, Alain de Botton writes, "Journeys are the midwives of thought. Few places are more conduc...

I recently spoke with a friend from China, and our conversation reminded me of the many struggles I faced while living there. Although there are many things I miss about China, I'm grateful to my past self for deciding to move to another country years ago. Why do I feel this way? Find out in this podcast! 我最近和一个在中国的朋友聊天，这次对话让我想起了当年生活在中国时经历的种种挑战。 虽然我仍然怀...

Imagine standing in a vast plaza, surrounded by shops and restaurants. You enter a nearby building and take the elevator, finding yourself on the 18th floor. But when you descend to the ground floor, you suddenly realize you're on the 10th floor of another building! This mind-bending scenario is a reality in Chongqing, China's cyberpunk metropolis! Chongqing is a true mountain city, where building...

In Chinese, there's a saying "三十而立" (san shi er li), which originates from Confucius. It means that by the age of thirty, a person should be able to stand on their own, have a clear sense of self, and possess the ability to prove their worth. So when I turned thirty, I had a strange feeling. On one hand, according to society's expectations, I had reached an age where I should have achieved som...

In the hearts of Chinese people, Dali has long been a place blessed with both stunning natural beauty and a rich tapestry of history and culture. But in recent years, Dali has acquired an intriguing new label: a "digital nomad destination." How could you not be curious about such a fascinating place? In this podcast episode, let's explore the wonders of Dali together! 在以往中国人的...

Dragon Ball, Black Myth, Saiyuki... Why is a fictional character created five hundred years ago still appearing in various works and becoming more and more popular today? Why Sun Wukong? What is his charm? Why does everyone want to "become" Sun Wukong? In this podcast, let’s talk about Monkey King again! 龙珠、黑神话、最游记……五百年前创造的一个虚构人物，为什么直到今天还不断出现在各种作品...

Have you noticed the popular Chinese game "Black Myth: Wukong" recently? This is actually a good opportunity to learn about Chinese culture and take you to a glimpse of the Chinese mythology world! In this podcast, let’s talk about this game. 你注意到最近很火的一个中国游戏《黑神话：悟空》了吗？ 这其实是一个很好的了解中国文化的机会，带你一窥中国的神话世界！ 这一期播客，我们来聊聊这个游戏...

Which Chinese cities have you heard of? Beijing? Shanghai? Guangzhou? In this podcast, let’s talk about the next Chinese city you should know - Chengdu! 你听说过中国的哪些城市？北京？上海？广州？ 这期播客，我们聊一聊下一个你应该知道的中国城市——成都！ Podcast Video (with bilingual subtitles) Additional learning materials Newsletter Contact: qiuyue@realchinesetalk.nl