我们在这一集中一起来聊了一些我们各自那些尴尬的瞬间，然后我们意外地发现，我们对于“尴尬”的理解都不甚相同，之后由此更是引发了一轮深奥的讨论。

非常欢乐的一集，谢谢大家的分享！

Music source: https://pixabay.com/

• LoFi Acoustic Guitar with HipHop Beat 0133 - TuesdayNight
• Lofi girl - lofi hiphop beats - lofidreams99
• SMOOTH VIBE MUSIC LOOP ALTERNATE - saintsamael (Freesound)
• A few moments later - sofiamorgado1 (Freesound)
• Happy Jazz with Friends - Novifi
• Crow - CrimeInc (Freesound)
• IHAVENOIDEA - StudioOneBeatMakers (Freesound)

Video featured in this episode:

• How to Pronounce Versace? (CORRECTLY) Italian Pronunciation (Gianni & Donatella) - https://youtu.be/s_KlEYWkWnw?feature=shared

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By the time I've finished editing and publishing this episode, Carolyn has been on her 4-month world cruise trip for almost 3 months already.

She was my English teacher in an after-school program for half a year, when I was in high school back in the day.

Almost 2 decades have passed, and I'm still amazed by the fact that we're still in touch and have met multiple times in both China and Germany (hope we get to meet in Australia soon in the near future!)

I thought I had known a lot, or at least enough, about her, until she proved me wrong this time. I discovered so many things I didn't know about her!

She's a world traveler, she's a truck driver, and she is my friends. <3

Music source: https://pixabay.com/

• Afro Blue Five 003 - freesound_community
• SAMPLE | guitar intro jazz melody | Dmin 140bpm - attic13
• GENTLE OCEAN WAVES #3 - MIGHTUSER
• Bleep Censorship Sound (WAV) - freesound_community
• Short ukulele jingle - cheerful, happy and bright - ShidenBeatsMusic
• Aesthetic Boomopera - Podcast LoFi Lounge intro Music (15s) Seconds - Lidérc
• Relaxed Meditative Acoustic Solo Guitar - 15 Seconds Edit - Musinova
• Sneaky Feet - geoffharvey

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We've known Christian and Mei for quite a few years so far, and in summer 2024, they finally had their wedding in China after a few postponements.

This is our first episode in German, and Christian shares with us his experience of being a foreigner in China, why he decided to learn Chinese and go to China among all choices available in the first place, and what he thinks of some stereotypes about China, Chinese people, and Chinese food in general.

Music source: https://pixabay.com/

• Breaking News Intro - Humanoide_Media
• Lofi Guitar JAZZ - u_n7v1z5vo08
• Easygoing (15sec) - Loksii
• Podcast Intro Logo - lsMusic

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其实已经计划了好久要录这一期节目，这次终于得以实现！

Levi是我上一家公司的前同事。在德国待了12年之后，她在2023年底只身一人去了加拿大魁北克，在当地体验了一年左右的不同人生和经历。今天这一集，晶姐，Levi还有我三个人一起来听她的经历，所感和所想。

大家聊的真的很开心，而且东北同胞真的是太能聊了，气氛贼棒！

Music source: https://pixabay.com/

• Soft Jazz Piano Music - Clavier-Music
• Who Are You - MondayHopes
• Short ukulele jingle - cheerful, happy and bright - ShidenBeatsMusic
• Are You Sleeping Jazz B - Music_For_Videos
• Paris Montmartre - Jean-Paul-V
• French Accordion Acoustic Guitar Paris Waltz - Denis-Pavlov-Music

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在这一集里，晶姐和我共同回顾并分享了我们这些年各自在德国职场上所经历的得与失，以及我们各自学习到的教训和个人收获。

希望我们的分享能够帮助到曾经或者现在正在经历低谷的朋友们。

赠人玫瑰，手留余香。

祝我们大家都有美好的未来！

Music source: https://pixabay.com/

• Podcast Jazz Waltz Cozy Relaxing Vibes - Denis-Pavlov-Music
• Short Acoustic Guitar Prelude - Intro - Ending for Film and Video - JuliusH
• Short Warm Piano Prelude - Intro - Ending for Film and Video - JuliusH
• Soulful Modern Jazz - Sunsides
• fat chillin - LazyChillZone

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We travelled to the north of Germany this past weekend to visit Nelli, during which we spontaneously talked about our personal experiences of integration in Germany as individuals.

And we also spontaneously decided to watch the new movie "Inside Out 2", which resonated with us and unexpectedly brought us to tears, especially considering Paul and I didn't even watch the first one.

In the end, we concluded that it's crucial to stay true to yourself and also allow yourself to feel all your emotions. In the end, you're each one of your emotions, and you're all of your emotions.

Music source: https://pixabay.com/

• Afro Blue Five 004 - Pixabay
• Happy Tune - Pixabay
• SMOOTH VIBE MUSIC LOOP ALTERNATE - Pixabay
• Walk Down Sesame Street Acoustic Gtr Loop 91bpm - kamhunt
• 90's R&B Guitar Loop - kamhunt
• alalaika-esque - Pixabay

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In this episode, Fei joined me to share our experiences of working in Germany.

As usual, we had no script, and it was surprising to see that we both reached the same conclusion: these days, except for a few highly specialized roles, it's increasingly important not only to be a good technical or professional fit but also to be a great cultural fit. Sometimes, the latter even outweighs the former.

We have a saying in Chinese, "要学会做事，但是更要学会做人", which translates to, "It's important to learn how to perform your tasks, but it's even more important to learn how to be a person." Navigating society is complex, and being a person can be multi-faceted, especially today.

Do you agree with our views? If you're working in Germany or any other country, what's your take on this?

Music source: https://pixabay.com/

• Sparks in Hand - moodmode
• Rumba - Lesfm
• Orange Juice on the Table - MondayHopes

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In today's episode, we explore the intricate dynamics of friendship and the often overlooked relationship we have with ourselves. Joined by Mei and Jing (Vivienne), we navigate the complexities of friendship through different stages of our lives, particularly as Chinese living in Germany.

We've all had our own fair share of moments of solitude, where we've had to learn to spend time with ourselves, be our own friends, and deal with our own emotions, because friends keep coming into and leaving our lives. Sad but true, and it's not easy to tell them goodbye.

Ultimately, this episode serves as a gentle reminder to cherish the connections we have, while also recognizing the enduring friendship we cultivate with ourselves.

"Why are the protagonists in all of your films alone in the end?" - "You think you won't be alone in the end?"

Music source: https://pixabay.com/

• Latin Summer - William_King
• Feel Bossa Nova - William_King
• I am sad and melancholic (IG version Loop 02) - Lesfm
• Start slowly - Darockart

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We've been binge-watching the Apple TV show Slow Horses lately, and before we realize it, we've been imitating to speak with a "British accent" with each other at home. And that's the trigger of this episode.

On social media, I've noticed some trolls and comments bashing other people for not speaking a foreign language "like a native speaker", "native speakers will never use terms like this", etc., as if they could appear more superior than others, even though they themselves don't even speak that foreign language. Well, I guess making oneself feel good about themselves by laughing at others doesn't cost anything.

This idea hit me when I was driving back home from work. As far as I could recall, in my generation, we were always taught that we should sound like an American or Brit when speaking English, because that would be the only standard of evaluating whether your English was good enough, or not. People speaking English with a thick "Chinese accent" would always be ridiculed. That was the case back then, and nowadays, it's still not going away.

However, time has changed, and people have changed as well. Speaking English with a non-American or non-British accent is not anything to be ashamed of, why should it be a shame to begin with anyway? I somehow have the impression that many people then to draw an equal sign between language and communication. Yes, language is an essential part of communication, but there's way more to communication than just the language and the accent. I've met and worked with native speakers of certain languages whose language skills are on the native speaker level, yeah no doubt, but some of them are also horrible communicators. A good command of a foreign language is equal to being good at communication? Well maybe, but not always.

Therefore, Nelli, Paul and myself decided to record this episode to have this discussion.

And since we all watched the box office blockbuster "Barbie", we found a link between this movie and the theme of our episode today: don't let anyone put you in a box, or in any box! Because you're great, and don't make it easy for them.

Have faith in yourself, and have no fear.

Music source: https://pixabay.com/

• whooo - Pixabay
• Once In Paris - Pumpupthemind
• Oh, No! - SergeQuadrado
• COTTAGECORE - Pixabay
• Call To Attention - UNIVERSFIELD
• Pleased Crowd.flac - Pixabay
• Best Time - FASSounds
• Lights , Camera, Action.WAV - Pixabay

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So, following the previous trip in September, I had the chance to fly back to my hometown in China again at the end of November. Well, this time, it was a very smooth ride, because I was able to pick up where things left off! That literally set everybody in the best mood possible.

I took my mom to Shanghai as well. It was her first time there, and I'm really glad that she had a blast. <3 Things got funny as I took mom and my college friend to do a professional photo shoot, where I was basically "insulted" by the photographer from the beginning to the very end. Pretty much everything about me was wrong, or, not right, according to his aesthetic standard, except my skin tone was "still ok". This is a very specific experience providing an interesting perspective, through which one can clearly tell there's a huge difference in how the east and the west define "good-looking" respectively, especially in the photo studios. As for the photo shooting process itself, it was loads of fun, and we really enjoyed the spontaneity. Still, over the years, I've experienced things myself and come to realize, at least for myself, the confidence from within is the best accessory/make-up, and that's just something one can't fake (for long).

CoCo Lee, one of the best singers and performers of my generation, left us back in summer, and her passing impacted more people than one can imagine, just like the positive influence she had on all of us when she was alive. I took the opportunity this time to visit her tomb and pay my respect in person. May CoCo rest in peace! You were loved by the many, you're missed by the many, and you'll never be forgotten. You were one of a kind.


Music source: https://pixabay.com/

• Sunshine - lemonmusicstudio
• Aesthetic Boomopera - Podcast LoFi Lounge intro Music (15s) Seconds - Lidérc
• Shouldn't be sentimental - guitar - musix_relac

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