Podcast Episodes

How Chinese Changed Our Lives (and Why It Might Change Yours)

How could learning Chinese shape your life? From meeting lifelong friends (and even a spouse!) to navigating life in China with the help of mentors, …

4 months, 2 weeks ago

Heritage, Belonging, and Healing Through Chinese: Jade’s Story

Jade grew up knowing she was half Chinese, but without the language, family connection, or cultural context to understand what that really meant. In …

5 months ago

Don’t Read Kids’ Books to Learn Chinese

Should you learn Chinese by reading children’s books? It’s a common recommendation, but is it actually a good idea?

In this episode, Jared and John un…

5 months, 2 weeks ago

Speak First, Figure It Out Later: How Jack Turned Chinese into a Superpower

In this episode, Jared chats with Jack Mullinkosson, whose Chinese-learning journey runs from a Vice China documentary set… to living with a Chinese …

6 months ago

6 Chinese Listening Hacks That Will Transform Your Chinese Listening

Struggling with listening comprehension in Chinese? You're not alone—and this episode is here to help. Jared Turner and John Pasden dive into practic…

6 months, 2 weeks ago

Alexander Brose on Juilliard, the Royal Conservatory, and the Power of Language

in this episode, Jared sits down with Alexander Brose, President & CEO of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada, to trace his remarkable…

7 months ago

The Lie We Were Told: You Must Handwrite Chinese Characters

Is handwriting Chinese characters slowing you down? In today’s digital world, does it still make sense to focus on writing by hand or should you just…

7 months, 2 weeks ago

Learning Chinese Through Life, Not Lessons: How Matthew McGuire Did It

What began as a teenage crush became a lifelong journey into Chinese for Matthew McGuire, an Australian creator and accent coach. In this episode, Ja…

7 months, 3 weeks ago

10 Things AI Will Never Do Better Than a Chinese Learner

With AI advancing at lightning speed, many are wondering: Do I still need to learn Chinese? Jared and John say yes, and in this episode, they break d…

8 months, 1 week ago

A Czech Perspective on Learning Chinese: Renata Mirkova’s Story

In this episode, Jared sits down with Renata Mirkova, a Chinese language educator from the Czech Republic whose journey into Mandarin began not with …

8 months, 3 weeks ago