In this podcast, Jasmin Sadler gives us an inside view of China from her perspective as a member of the ’17 inaugural class of Schwarzman Scholars at Beijing’s Tsinghua University. This is a stellar up-close-and-personal report of “what’s hot and what’s not” among Chinese of college age and just beyond. A Swiss citizen, Jasmin’s been going to China since she was 16, and speaks Mandarin fluently. She explains how not only having read and being able to discuss Romance of the Three Kingdoms— the historical novel beloved by all Chinese, and the basis for hugely popular video games—gives her the ability to connect on the most personal level with Chinese friends.

We talk of just how connected our world could be if everyone learned at least one foreign language and could speak it with people for whom it is their native tongue. We also talk of why China is the perfect place for entrepreneurs right now, how young Chinese with experience in the West feel empowered in straddling two worlds, why Chinese are optimistic about their future, and what challenges could get in the way of that future being realized.