THE NON-NATIVE NARRATIVE: How We Learn and Use English

Ever caught yourself acting a little different when you switch languages?In this episode of The Non-Native Narrative, we talk to Ayumi Endo, a Japanese photographer based in Taiwan who also teaches Japanese to local students. Having never lived in an English-speaking country, Ayumi built her English the long way — through years of trial, error, and real conversations across Asia.She shares what changes when she switches languages, including a quiet observation from her husband: in English, she looks like a slightly different version of herself. And she explains why some things, like the Japanese word komorebi, lose a little of their meaning the moment they're translated.🎧 Press play — and see which version of yourself shows up when you speak another language!

Welcome to Episode 4 of The Non-Native Narrative: How We Learn and Use English.

Our guest is An Phan, a Marketing Consultant at SHIFT ASIA. She didn't take English seriously until after high school, when she realised it could open up a bigger world. From there, it became a full-time mission: watching movies, reading constantly, and talking to herself in English until it stopped feeling like a subject and started feeling like a tool.

In this episode, An talks about what the classroom could teach her and what only six months in Australia and five months in the US could, including the week she couldn't understand a single word of Aussie slang. She also shares how her personality shifts between languages, becoming more direct and straightforward in English than she ever is in Vietnamese, and why she believes "I don't have time" is rarely about time at all.

For anyone waiting for the perfect condition to start, give it a listen, you might just find your English alter ego!

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🎙️ Welcome to Episode 3 of The Non-Native Narrative: How We Learn and Use English.

Our guest is Do Huynh Quan Ngoc, also known as Gemmy Do, an English educator with over 15 years of experience in IELTS preparation, communication, and interview coaching. She founded her own language center, completed an MBA in Canada, and now runs her teaching practice back in Vietnam.

Gemmy built her English from grammar books and cassette tapes long before smartphones existed, and she still believes a solid foundation matters more than ever.

In this episode, she talks about why listening comes before speaking, how she uses AI as a conversation partner rather than a shortcut, and why intonation will always matter more than accent.

She also shares the moment two Canadian musicians left her genuinely speechless, and one small, honest confession about the language she chooses when writing a love letter.

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For this episode, our guest is Nguyen Gia Bao, an English instructor and Doctor of Education based in Ho Chi Minh City.

Most learners spend years trying to hide their accent. Bao thinks that is the wrong goal entirely. In this episode, she talks about what fluency actually means, why carrying a Vietnamese accent when you speak English is not a sign of failure, and what the real target should be for anyone learning the language today.

Her answer is simple: if your message gets across, your job is done.

For anyone who has ever felt embarrassed about the way their English sounds.

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For our first full episode, we look at the conversation from the other side.

Our guest is Harriet Brocklebank, a British professional working in ESG reporting in the UK food industry. She grew up in Portsmouth, she works in London, and English is the only language she speaks. Writing, public speaking and daily corporate communication are all part of her job.

Most English conversations happening in the world today involve at least one person who learned the language. So what does that look like from a native speaker's point of view?

In this episode, Harriet talks about what it takes to be understood across languages, the moments when her own English has caused confusion, and why she believes adapting your speech is a skill native speakers need to learn too.

🎙️ Welcome to the first episode of The Non-Native Narrative: How We Learn and Use English.

Our first guest is Vy Le, also known as Vanessa, the CEO and Founder of Athenova. She spent thirteen years in language education before starting the company, and this podcast is something she has wanted to make for a very long time.

In this episode, she shares the story behind Athenova, and why she believes learning to think in a language matters far more than memorising rules.

💡 If you have ever waited until your English was good enough before speaking, this episode is definitely for you.

Let's check it out!