Today, is the first day of Mid-Autumn Festival in China! Matt and Nathan discuss the holiday and what Americans know or do not know about it. We are excited for you guys to jump into this pod.

This week, Nathan is alone but friends are never truly alone are we? Listen to Nathan drive and talk about his experience with friendship in this episode! This episode is a surpise love brotherly love bomb on Matt from Nathan!

In this episode, Matt and Nathan talk about the popular song Chinese People Can Fly, the mayor of New York's Chinese speech, and of course Spiderman. Join the fun!

In today`s episode, Matt and Nathan discuss American culture relating to July 4th! Burgers, wings, fireworks, and family!

"Mind over matter."

• Your attitude can influence your experience.

• 心态决定体验。

"You'll never truly be Japanese/Korean."

• A discussion about cultural belonging.

• 关于文化归属感的讨论。

"People who only see the bad will only think about the bad."

• Negative focus creates negative experiences.

• 只关注坏事的人，往往只会看到坏事。

"There is no perfect place in the world."

• Every country has strengths and weaknesses.

• 世界上没有完美的地方。

In this episode of the Free Breakfast Podcast, Matt and Nathan begin with coffee, Korean pancakes, and food memories before diving into a deeper discussion about Chinese students studying abroad in Korea and Japan.

They explore why many Chinese students choose Korea, the differences between studying in Korea, Japan, and the United States, and how economic opportunities shape people's decisions. The conversation then shifts into culture, belonging, and the challenges of living overseas. Can foreigners ever truly become part of another society? Why do some people move abroad only to complain about their new home?

Along the way, Matt and Nathan discuss identity, cultural understanding, pessimism, gratitude, and what it means to feel at home in a place that isn't your own.

在这一集《Free Breakfast Podcast》中，Matt 和 Nathan 从咖啡、韩国葱饼以及美食话题开始，随后深入讨论中国学生为什么选择去韩国或日本留学。

他们分享了对韩国、中国、日本和美国社会的观察，探讨了经济机会如何影响人们的选择，以及外国人在海外生活时面临的文化认同问题。外国人能真正融入另一个国家吗？为什么有些人搬到国外后却总是在抱怨？

节目还讨论了积极心态、文化理解、归属感，以及如何在异国他乡找到自己的位置。

#english

Transcript

美国人和中国人的童年有多不一样！今天来Matt和Nathan聊聊！

In this personal record-breaking 44th episode of The Free Breakfast Podcast, Matt and Nathan dive deep into a nostalgic yet eye-opening conversation about growing up. Is childhood a universal experience, or does culture radically shape how we view our early years?

Matt shares his stories of what Nathan calls the "quintessential American childhood"—filled with subdivision bike rides, exploring wild animal fields, catching minnows, and a strict rule of simply "checking in" before dinner. Meanwhile, Nathan opens up about his journey as a timid, risk-averse kid who preferred the safety of Legos and Pokémon cards indoors, and how a Korean-mindset upbringing influenced his view on excellence.

The guys also debate whether they would have even been friends as kids, confront the tragedy of losing emotional vulnerability in the adult workforce, and explore the stark cultural differences in communication styles between East and West. Whether you're a parent trying to balance education with play, or just someone looking back at your own upbringing, this episode offers a profound, hilarious, and heartwarming look at what makes us who we are today.

What was your childhood like? Did you grow up in a fast-paced city or the quiet countryside? Leave us a comment and let us know! If you've been listening since Episode 1, give us a shout-out for a special prize next week!

• Subdivision (noun): An area of land divided into plots for houses. (美式住宅小区/分划区)

  • Context: "I lived in like a normal subdivision that you see in like American movies..."

• Traumatic (adjective): Deeply disturbing or distressing. (造成创伤的/痛苦难忘的)

  • Context: "I don't remember it being very traumatic."

• Quintessential (adjective): Representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class. (最典型的/最具代表性的)

  • Context: "...you have like the quintessential American childhood."

• Timid (adjective): Showing a lack of courage or confidence; easily frightened; shy. (胆小的/羞怯的)

  • Context: "I was a very timid, shy child."

• Risk-averse (adjective): Reluctant to take risks. (厌恶风险的/保守的)

  • Context: "...but um, yeah, I was very uh risk-averse."

• Mischief (noun): Playful misbehavior, especially on the part of children. (顽皮/淘气)

  • Context: "...filled with adventure, friendships, mischief..."

• Egg [someone/someone's house] (verb - slang): To throw eggs at a house or person as a prank or protest. (用鸡蛋砸向某人或某人的房子)

  • Context: "Egging someone is like basically throwing eggs at someone's house."

• Ringleader (noun): A person who initiates or leads an illicit or illegal activity, or simply the leader of a group of mischievous kids. (头目/孩子王)

  • Context: "I wouldn't say I was the the ringleader or the boss..."

• Gravitate towards (verb phrase): To be attracted to or move toward something or someone. (倾向于/被...吸引)

  • Context: "...a lot of like strange people tend to gravitate towards me..."

• Inhibition (noun): A feeling of self-consciousness or insecurity that prevents you from acting naturally. (顾忌/拘束感)

  • Context: "...my inhibitions are gone more, and I'm more able to relax..."

• Vulnerability (noun): The quality of being open to emotional exposure or hurt; showing your true self. (脆弱/展露真实情感)

  • Context: "Like, you cannot have a relationship without vulnerability."

• Tragedy (noun): An event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress; a very sad situation. (悲剧/惨剧)

  • Context: "That to me, that's just a tragedy."

• Hats off to [someone] (idiom): Used to express admiration or praise for someone's achievement. (向某人致敬/向某人脱帽鼓掌)

  • Context: "...that's hats off to us."

• Check in (phrasal verb): To let someone know where you are or how you are doing. (打个招呼/报平安)

  • Context: "...the rule of my childhood was, you know, check in every once in a while."

• Here and there (idiom): In various places; occasionally. (到处/偶尔)

  • Context: "...look for different animals here and there."

• In the same boat (idiom): In the same difficult or specific situation as someone else. (处境相同/同舟共济)

  • Context: "I think kind of you're in the same boat, right?"

• Bring it out of me (phrase): To cause a particular quality or behavior in someone to become noticeable. (激发/带出...的潜能)

  • Context: "...but certain people could bring it out of me."

• Click with [someone] (verb phrase): To instantly get along with or understand someone. (一见如故/情投意合)

  • Context: "...I did not expect to like click with you. But you were just we just clicked."

• Fast-paced (adjective): Moving or developing very quickly. (快节奏的)

  • Context: "...especially in Asia, like life is so fast-paced."

• Culture shock (noun): The feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture. (文化冲击)

  • Context: "...that was one of the biggest culture shocks for me..."

• Off-topic (adjective): Not relevant to the main subject being discussed. (离题的/跑题的)

  • Context: "...I know this is getting off-topic a little bit..."

FREE BREAKFAST PODCAST

Episode 43 Transcript

Hosts: Matt & Nathan | English / 中文双语

Topics: Trump in China · US-China Relations · Media Literacy · Expat Life

Free Breakfast Podcast is a casual, honest English conversation show hosted by Matt and Nathan — two Americans living in China. Every episode, we talk about what's actually going on: the news, the culture, the weird moments, and the big questions that come with living between two very different worlds.

We're not journalists. We're not experts. We're just two guys having the kind of conversations most people are too polite to have — and doing it in plain, natural English so you can learn while you listen.

New episodes drop regularly. Pull up a chair. Breakfast is free.

《免费早餐》播客是一档轻松、真诚的英语对话节目，由两位旅居中国的美国人Matt和Nathan主持。每一期，我们都会聊聊真实发生的事：新闻时事、文化差异、生活中的奇妙瞬间，以及在两个截然不同的世界之间生活所带来的深层思考。

我们不是记者，也不是专家。我们只是两个愿意说真心话的普通人——用地道、自然的英语聊天，让你在收听的同时也能提升英语水平。

新节目定期更新。拉把椅子坐下来，早餐免费。

VOCABULARY LIST 词汇表

diplomatic ties 外交关系 (wàijiāo guānxi) The official relationships and agreements between two countries. 例句: "Are we going to see stronger diplomatic ties between China and the US?"

zero-sum game 零和博弈 (líng hé bóyì) A situation where one side's gain comes at the exact expense of the other. 例句: "I hope it doesn't turn into a zero-sum game."

median 中央隔离带 (zhōngyāng gélí dài) A raised strip of concrete or grass dividing a road in the middle. 例句: "He was standing next to the median doing a live report."

social credit score 社会信用体系 (shèhuì xìnyòng tǐxì) A widely misrepresented concept in Western media; in reality, China's system is closer to a financial credit score. 例句: "The social credit score is not what foreign media usually describes."

outrageous 离谱的 / 荒谬的 (lí pǔ de / huāngmiù de) Shockingly bad or unreasonable; often used to describe clickbait content. 例句: "Outrageous content gets more clicks than boring truth."

penalized / fined 被处罚 / 被罚款 (bèi chǔfá / bèi fákuǎn) To receive a punishment, usually a fine, for breaking a rule. 例句: "His car was fined 200 yuan after parking for two minutes."

narrative 叙事 / 说法 (xùshì / shuōfa) The story or framing used to describe a situation, especially in media or politics. 例句: "Those narratives just keep spreading because no one corrects them."

consensus 共识 (gòngshí) A general agreement among a group of people. 例句: "What was the consensus people should be thinking about?"

go viral 爆火 / 病毒式传播 (bào huǒ / bìngdú shì chuánbō) When content spreads very quickly and widely online. 例句: "A video of the Fox News reporter is going viral right now."

pick sides 选边站 (xuǎn biān zhàn) To choose to support one group or country over another. 例句: "Why do we have to pick sides? Can't we appreciate both?"

open-minded 思想开放的 (sīxiǎng kāifàng de) Willing to consider new ideas and different perspectives. 例句: "Listening to opinions from around the world makes you a more open-minded thinker."

ups and downs 起起伏伏 (qǐ qǐ fú fú) A mix of good and bad experiences; highs and lows. 例句: "Being an American in China has its ups and downs."

Transcript

Today's pod is about how to learn English. It is important to go back to the basics!

今天我们来讨论一下如何把英文学好！

transcript

The episode covers a variety of topics, beginning with the overlap of Easter and Tomb Sweeping Day. Matt shares his experiences hosting international content creators in Chongqing and recounts a humorous and awkward visit to a Chinese matchmaking agency. The hosts reflect on the "creator economy," the feeling of living in big cities, and the value of building organic relationships over purely monetary ones.

Vocabulary List (ESL - Chinese Definitions)

| Word/Phrase | Definition (English) | Definition (Chinese) |

|---|---|---|

| Equinox | The time when day and night are of equal length. | 春分/秋分 |

| Paradoxical | Seemingly absurd or self-contradictory. | 自相矛盾的 |

| Vlogger | A person who regularly posts short videos to a vlog. | 视频博主 |

| Red flag | A warning sign or symbol of danger/disapproval. | 危险信号 / 警示 |

| Matchmaking | The process of arranging marriages or relationships. | 相亲 / 媒妁 |

| Organic | Happening naturally, without being forced. | 自然的 / 有机的 (引申为自然的) |

| Monetary | Relating to money or currency. | 货币的 / 金钱的 |

| Vicariously | Experienced through the actions of another person. | 间接体验地 / 代理地 |

| Unsolicited | Not asked for; given or done voluntarily. | 未经请求的 / 主动提供的 |

| Niche | A specialized segment of the market for a particular kind of product or service. | 特定领域 / 利基市场 |

Transcript

In this episode of the Free Breakfast Podcast, hosts Matt and Nathan reconnect while Matt is back in China and Nathan is in Korea. They share their recent experiences living abroad, discussing how their perceptions and interactions with local cultures have evolved over time. Matt recounts a strange interaction with a woman at an elevator gate and highlights the misconceptions some people have about current events, while Nathan reflects on the differences in social norms like small talk.

The conversation delves into common stereotypes, such as the global perception of American food, and how diverse family backgrounds shape personal experiences. They explore the idea that one cannot truly understand a culture without immersion and spending time with those who live it. The hosts conclude with a powerful message on the importance of remaining a lifelong learner and humbling oneself to gain a deeper understanding of the world around them.

在本期《免费早餐》(Free Breakfast) 播客中，主持人 Matt 和 Nathan 在 Matt 回到中国、Nathan 身处韩国之际重新取得了联系。他们分享了最近在国外的生活经历，讨论了随着时间的推移，他们对当地文化的认知和互动是如何演变的。Matt 讲述了他在电梯口与一名妇女发生的奇怪互动，并强调了一些人对时事存在的误解；而 Nathan 则反思了社交规范（如闲聊）的差异。

对话深入探讨了常见的刻板印象，例如全球对美国饮食（如披萨和汉堡）的看法，以及不同的家庭背景如何塑造个人体验。两位主持人探讨了一个观点：如果不沉浸其中并与当地人共同生活，就无法真正理解一种文化。最后，两位主持人传达了一个强有力的信息：保持终身学习的态度并保持谦逊，对于深入了解周围世界至关重要。

Here are some words and phrases from the conversation that might be new or used in a specific way:

1.     Rollercoaster (n.): 像坐过山车一样。Used here metaphorically to describe a series of events that are exciting, tiring, or change rapidly.

2.     Misinformation (n.): 信息误传 / 错误信息。Incorrect or misleading information, often spread without malicious intent, like the idea that America is currently in a domestic war.

3.     Inquisitive (adj.): 好奇的 / 爱钻研的。Showing an interest in learning new things, like the children Matt and Nathan describe.

4.     Stereotype (n.): 刻板印象。A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing (e.g., that Americans only eat burgers).

5.     Diverse (adj.): 多样化的。Showing a great deal of variety; very different.

6.     Immersion (n.): 沉浸。The state of being deeply involved in a particular environment or activity, such as living in a foreign country to learn the language and culture.

7.     Humble (v./adj.): 谦逊。Having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance; used here as a verb meaning to lower one's ego to learn from others.

8.     Walk a mile in someone's shoes (idiom): 设身处地。A common English idiom meaning to experience what someone else is going through before judging them.

9.     Authority (n.): 权威。The power or right to give orders or make decisions; Nathan mentions he sometimes speaks as if he has "authority" because he has lived in Korea for a while.

10.     Timely (adj.): 及时的。Happening at a good or appropriate time.