Geopats Abroad : Chats with expats, immigrants, and locals

In this episode, we talk to Taylor, an American Marketing Professional who grew up with a strong language learning curiosity. Mandarin Chinese was one of her first language loves and one that she has kept in contact with. I am using people analogies because Taylor used them in the interview and it is simply a brilliant way to see the time, energy and commitment that it takes not only to learn a language but to maintain it over the years as well.

🤸🏽Music from
Damon Castillo (earlier episodes): https://www.damoncastillo.com/
and
Key Frame Audio (more recent eps) :https://keyframeaudio.com/

Top 3 services that have help me while living in different countries (mostly for Americans): Affiliate links so I'll get a small commission.

🔥 Traveling Mailbox: scan/forward postal service for Americans. It's saved me time, money and headaches.
https://travelingmailbox.com/geopats/?ref=3422

🔥Chase Sapphire Credit Card: annual fee, NO currency conversion fee. Used this in many countries globally.
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19Q/MDNYO68N38

🔥 Stackry: Shop in the U.S. and have the items shipped internationally.
https://www.stackry.com/register?referral=7118738

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How much overlap is there between music and language? Sinologist, Linguist, Jazz Pianist & returning Geopat Podcast Guest, David Moser, joins us again for a dive into this question. 

Original publication date: March 13, 2020

 🌍 Tools & resources for living, traveling, and working abroad: https://geopatsabroad.substack.com/p/living-abroad-resources

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🛠️ Podcast & creator tools I use: https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/podcast-tools-i-use

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🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnfWdoMjmqpcbULZw-hVgew

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This week due to an evil head cold I have something different for you. This mini language episode includes:-a personal German language update (get ready to cringe) and-an unpublished language snippet from a previous interview with Yunus from September 2019. 

Original publication date: February 14, 2020

 🌍 Tools & resources for living, traveling, and working abroad: https://geopatsabroad.substack.com/p/living-abroad-resources

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🛠️ Podcast & creator tools I use: https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/podcast-tools-i-use

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geopatsabroad/

🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnfWdoMjmqpcbULZw-hVgew

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Can the making of a language be a riveting story? 

Yes, yes, and according to Sinologist, Linguist, Jazz Pianist & returning  David Moser has thoughts on this idea.

Original publication date: December 6, 2019

 🌍 Tools & resources for living, traveling, and working abroad: https://geopatsabroad.substack.com/p/living-abroad-resources

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🛠️ Podcast & creator tools I use: https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/podcast-tools-i-use

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🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnfWdoMjmqpcbULZw-hVgew

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Have you ever had to create your own path to succeed at something? That is exactly what Venture Capitalist  did to become fluent in Mandarin Chinese. In fact, he was so successful at it that he ended up being the Lead Interpreter for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 in China. This is a 2 part interview about his amazing language learning story. 

Ryan Shuken: https://twitter.com/Rshuken

Original publication date: November 17, 2019

 🌍 Tools & resources for living, traveling, and working abroad: https://geopatsabroad.substack.com/p/living-abroad-resources

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🛠️ Podcast & creator tools I use: https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/podcast-tools-i-use

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🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnfWdoMjmqpcbULZw-hVgew

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Learning Mandarin Chinese with Pleco and digital dictionaries is radically easier than it was a generation ago, but many learners still spend too much time on Chinese characters, radicals, and handwriting before they can actually speak and understand Mandarin. David Moser, longtime Mandarin educator, translator, and author of A Billion Voices, explains what modern learners should prioritize instead, including speaking and listening, Mandarin grammar, and context.

A Billion Voices: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/29501533-a-billion-voices

What You’ll Learn About Learning Mandarin Chinese, Pleco, and Fluency

• How Pleco changed learning Mandarin Chinese
• Why speaking and listening should come before Chinese handwriting
• How radicals affect Chinese character learning
• Why Chinese character phonetics don’t always match modern pronunciation
• How Mandarin grammar expresses time without English-style verb tense
• Why Mandarin relies so heavily on context
• How Mandarin pronouns differ from English

How Pleco and Digital Dictionaries Changed Learning Mandarin Chinese

Moser began teaching himself Mandarin around 1986 using John DeFrancis textbooks, Chinese friends, and homemade phrase books. After about a year and a half, he could hold basic conversations and understand enough Chinese structure to work through unfamiliar sentences.

That foundation took him to Peking University, where he helped check the Chinese translation of Douglas Hofstadter’s Gödel, Escher, Bach. With no digital tools, he worked through handwritten Chinese manuscripts using the English original as a guide.

How Chinese Dictionaries Worked Before Pleco

Looking up a Chinese character once meant identifying its radical, counting strokes, finding the correct dictionary section, and searching the entries. Moser remembers spending several minutes on a single word and calls dictionary lookup almost “a whole course in itself.”

While reading Qian Zhongshu’s Fortress Besieged, he penciled definitions onto nearly every page so he wouldn’t have to search for the same words again. He jokingly calls the annotated book his “non-computer Pleco.”

Modern learners can now touch a character and get its pronunciation and meaning instantly. Radicals, handwriting, and character history can still matter, but beginners no longer need to master them before using Mandarin.

Why Mandarin Speaking and Listening Should Come Before Chinese Handwriting

Moser sees a problem when Chinese teaching treats characters as if they are the language itself. He considers speaking and listening the core language skills and points out that people can speak excellent Mandarin without writing it well.

Once learners know a word’s sound, meaning, and use, they can attach the written form to knowledge they already have. Digital tools let learners spend more time communicating instead of fighting with dictionary mechanics.

How Mandarin Chinese Grammar Uses Context Instead of English-Style Verb Tense

Chinese doesn’t mark tense on verbs in the same way English does, relying more on aspect and context. Learners often add information Mandarin doesn’t require because English has trained them to expect it.

That can make Chinese sentences feel incomplete to English speakers even when native speakers already have the information they need from context.

How Mandarin Chinese Pronouns Differ From English

Spoken tā can mean he, she, or it. Moser remembers conversations about an incoming professor where people discussed when tā would arrive and who would meet tā at the airport without specifying gender.

Mandarin distinguishes 哥哥, older brother, from 弟弟, younger brother, while English usually says only brother. Each language trains speakers to expect different information.

For Moser, that was part of Mandarin’s appeal from the beginning. He didn’t just want to use Chinese. He wanted to understand what it might be like to “think in Chinese.”

Original publication date: October 4, 2019

 🌍 Tools & resources for living, traveling, and working abroad: https://geopatsabroad.substack.com/p/living-abroad-resources

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Learning Mandarin Chinese takes more than memorizing vocabulary: sentences, Chinese characters, immersion, HSK preparation, and changing study methods all shape practical fluency. After years of studying Mandarin in France and Taiwan, Tom discovered something unexpected: Chinese was easier for him than the European languages he'd studied.

His experience shows what HSK scores miss about real-world ability and why study methods need to change as Mandarin advances.

ThomReads on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thomreads/?hl=en

What You’ll Learn About Learning Mandarin Chinese, HSK, and Chinese Characters

• Why Mandarin Chinese can feel easier than European languages
• Why learning Mandarin sentences matters more than vocabulary alone
• How simplified and traditional Chinese affect learners
• What studying Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan teaches you
• What HSK tests measure about Mandarin fluency
• How to stay motivated learning Mandarin long term

Why Mandarin Chinese Can Feel Easier Than European Languages

Tom started learning Mandarin at 15 after wanting to study Japanese. Within about two weeks, he was hooked by how different Chinese looked and sounded from the European languages he knew.

He eventually decided Mandarin was easier for him than French. Chinese removed grammatical gender and much of the verb conjugation he associated with French, while characters, tones, and pronunciation gave him different challenges.

How Studying Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan Changes the Way You Learn

Tom arrived in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, knowing about 400 Chinese words and having studied simplified characters. Shortly before leaving France, he discovered Taiwan used traditional Chinese.

He later switched back to simplified Chinese for university, then encountered traditional characters again through classical Chinese. Taiwan also showed him that Mandarin expressions and pronunciation change depending on where you are.

Why Learning Mandarin Sentences Matters More Than Vocabulary Alone

Knowing hundreds of Chinese words didn't mean Tom knew how to use them. In Taiwan, he sometimes found himself saying individual words and hoping people understood.

He now believes beginners should learn useful sentences earlier instead of focusing too heavily on isolated vocabulary. Short examples helped him understand how Chinese words function together.

How Visual Learners Can Remember Chinese Characters

Tom remembers colorful vocabulary covering his elementary-school classroom walls and believes those experiences shaped his visual memory.

That memory suited Chinese characters. He wrote them repeatedly and sometimes found that looking at a new word for a couple of minutes was enough to remember it.

What HSK Tests Measure About Mandarin Chinese Fluency

Tom passed the paper version of HSK 4 and was later encouraged to prepare for HSK 6. He became skeptical that an HSK score alone reflects real-world Mandarin ability.

He described parts of the exam as a “guessing game” because vocabulary and test strategy can help eliminate answers. HSK measures reading, listening, and writing, while speaking is assessed separately through HSKK.

How Advanced Mandarin Learners Change Their Study Methods

After seven or eight years of Chinese, Tom needed new ways to keep difficult material enjoyable. Although he hadn't used flashcards much before, he started using Anki while completing a master’s degree in Chinese studies.

He also used other languages and Chinese TV as breaks from formal Mandarin study. As his Chinese became more advanced, his learning methods changed too.

How to Stay Motivated When Learning Mandarin Chinese Long Term

Tom returns to his Studygram posts when he feels unmotivated or procrastinates.

Seeing weeks of completed work gives him evidence of his progress and motivates him to continue. His experience shows that long-term Mandarin learning isn't about finding one perfect method, but changing your approach as your skills and challenges change.

Original publication date: August 8, 2019

 🌍 Tools & resources for living, traveling, and working abroad: https://geopatsabroad.substack.com/p/living-abroad-resources

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Learning Mandarin Chinese through immersion can improve speaking, listening, pronunciation, and real-world fluency even when Chinese reading and Hanzi develop more slowly. Educator Angela explains how Pinyin, taxi conversations, ChinesePod, shadowing, and daily communication helped her build practical Mandarin in China without formal classes.

What You’ll Learn About Learning Mandarin Chinese Through Immersion

• How Mandarin immersion improves speaking and listening
• Why speaking can develop faster than Chinese reading
• How Pinyin helps pronunciation but can delay Hanzi
• How ChinesePod and shadowing build listening skills
• How to maintain Mandarin after leaving China
• How bilingual families support Mandarin and English

How to Learn Mandarin Chinese Through Immersion and Daily Conversation

Angela arrived in China with almost no Mandarin after originally planning to teach English in Brazil. Promised weekly lessons never developed into much, so daily life became her classroom.

Taxi drivers kept asking similar questions, so Angela had someone write likely questions and answers in Pinyin with English underneath. She carried the sheet with her and used those repeated conversations to build survival Mandarin.

Why Mandarin Speaking Can Develop Faster Than Chinese Reading

Angela relied on Pinyin and conversation while largely bypassing Chinese characters. Even after becoming comfortable speaking, she described herself as almost functionally illiterate in Mandarin.

Before smartphones, unfamiliar characters were hard to look up because she couldn’t reliably identify the strokes or components a dictionary required. Pinyin solved the immediate communication problem but reduced the pressure to learn Hanzi.

How ChinesePod and Shadowing Improve Mandarin Listening

After returning to Canada, Angela listened to ChinesePod during her university commute and repeated the Mandarin aloud while walking, a technique now commonly called shadowing.

In the evenings, she asked her Chinese partner whether the expressions she had learned were actually used in everyday conversation, combining structured listening with real-world feedback.

How to Maintain Mandarin Chinese Outside China

Angela used a university language partner program to meet Chinese speakers and audited Mandarin practice labs for two semesters.

When she later returned to China, a bilingual workplace helped her improve again. She could speak Mandarin, insert an English word when needed, and use context from familiar people and situations to understand more.

How Real-World Mandarin Immersion Builds Speaking Confidence

Angela once hesitated to speak unless she could say something correctly. That changed when she lived with her Chinese partner’s parents, who didn’t speak English.

Her imperfect Mandarin was still their strongest shared language. Conversations took time, but they found ways to understand one another, shifting her focus from accuracy to communication.

How to Raise a Bilingual Child With Mandarin and English

Angela and her husband hope their son will grow up with both languages in Canada. A two-month visit from his Chinese grandparents strengthened his Mandarin exposure because they don’t speak English.

At 19 months, he was already responding to vocabulary in both languages and using Mandarin alongside English.

How Mandarin and Multilingual Learning Shape Teaching

Angela now supports international students at an all-girls boarding school in Winnipeg and teaches microeconomics.

She sometimes uses Mandarin with Chinese students to confirm that they understand academic concepts before explaining them in English. Her experience shows that speaking, listening, reading, writing, grammar, and confidence don’t have to develop at the same speed.

Original publication date: June 10, 2019

 🌍 Tools & resources for living, traveling, and working abroad: https://geopatsabroad.substack.com/p/living-abroad-resources

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Learning Mandarin Chinese through self-study and immersion can build real-world fluency, but those skills don’t always develop the way textbooks or HSK levels suggest. After moving to China in 2010 with no Mandarin, Joshua Ogden Davis used workplace immersion and daily communication to become a professional translator.

Mandarin Slang Guide: Josh's Chinese language podcast

https://www.himalaya.com/album/mandarin-slang-guide-1461088

What You’ll Learn About Learning Mandarin Chinese Through Self-Study and Immersion

• How self-study and immersion build Mandarin fluency
• Why necessity accelerates Mandarin speaking and listening
• How writing Chinese characters improves vocabulary retention
• Why fluency can develop before grammar accuracy
• Why Beijing Mandarin can be harder to understand
• How HSK tests compare with real-world Mandarin

How Self-Study and Immersion Build Mandarin Chinese Fluency

Josh moved from Texas to Guangzhou in 2010 after leaving graduate school. He took only around 12 or 13 informal Mandarin lessons, then relied heavily on self-study and everyday use.

Some days he taught six English classes, then copied Chinese characters until the last subway home. His biggest breakthroughs came when Mandarin became something he needed to use.

Why Necessity Accelerates Mandarin Speaking and Listening

After moving to Haikou, Josh took a job at a Chinese wedding company that had him doing telemarketing in Mandarin. He could barely handle some everyday conversations, yet he was suddenly calling Chinese business owners.

Haikou became his Mandarin sink-or-swim moment. In Guangzhou, he could retreat into English; in Haikou, he had to keep communicating with the Mandarin he had.

How Real-World Mandarin Skills Created Career Opportunities

Josh’s employer pushed him to appear on the Chinese dating show Fei Cheng Wu Rao. A Beijing marketing company saw him and recruited him.

There, long HR emails became language-learning material. During one client meeting, he knew 签到台 in Chinese but temporarily couldn’t remember “sign-in counter” in English because he had only used the term professionally in Chinese.

Why Mandarin Fluency Can Develop Before Grammar Accuracy

Josh says his Mandarin became fluent before it became correct. He compares language learning to riding a bicycle: if you stop every time you wobble, you’ll never learn to ride anywhere.

Real conversation lets learners make mistakes, clarify, and keep moving. For Josh, communication came first and accuracy improved through use.

How Writing Chinese Characters Improves Mandarin Vocabulary Retention

Josh spent hours writing Hanzi by hand and believes stroke order helped him remember vocabulary. Today he can type long passages using Pinyin but may struggle to reproduce the same characters with a pen.

He credits handwriting with building the recognition skills he still uses.

Why Beijing Mandarin Can Be Harder to Understand

People warned Josh that learning Mandarin in Guangzhou would expose him to Cantonese-influenced accents. Yet Beijing Mandarin sometimes proved harder.

On his first Beijing taxi ride, he carefully pronounced Bālǐzhuāng in standard Mandarin and struggled to understand the driver’s local response. Josh found that Cantonese speakers often adjusted their Mandarin for outsiders, while Beijing speakers were less likely to do so.

How HSK Tests Compare With Real-World Mandarin Ability

Despite working as a translator, Josh doubts he could take the higher HSK levels without preparation. HSK 5 would challenge him because of its reading speed, vocabulary, and idioms.

Professional Mandarin and test-specific Mandarin aren’t always the same.

How English and Mandarin Mix in Bilingual Communication

Years of moving between both languages changed Josh’s English too. In Chinese marketing meetings, words such as “align” and “circle back” could appear inside otherwise Chinese sentences.

Josh jokes that he speaks English, Chinese, Chinese-style English, and English-style Chinese. Stephanie calls the overlap a possible “third culture language.”

Original publication: May 22, 2019

 🌍 Tools & resources for living, traveling, and working abroad: https://geopatsabroad.substack.com/p/living-abroad-resources

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📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geopatsabroad/

🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnfWdoMjmqpcbULZw-hVgew