In this episode, Jared chats with Jack Mullinkosson, whose Chinese-learning journey runs from a Vice China documentary set… to living with a Chinese immigrant family in suburban California… to studying in Chengdu… and now biking from Chengdu to Hanoi.

Jack got started the way many learners do: by feeling left out. On set, surrounded by Chinese speakers, he noticed how differently the foreigners who spoke Mandarin were treated. Chinese looked like a superpower, and he wanted it.

With plenty of downtime during the shoot, Jack began studying characters and survival phrases, boosted by the classic “Your Chinese is so good!” encouragement (even when it wasn’t). That early confidence turned into a full-on obsession.

Then COVID hit, and Jack found a creative workaround. Back in the U.S., he made a flyer in Chinese offering to live with a Chinese family in exchange for helping their kids with English. The result: four months in a Rancho Cucamonga “McMansion” shared by multiple Chinese families, nightly Mandarin dinners, and a crash course in immigrant hustle and real-world language practice.

Along the way, Jack:

• Read Mandarin Companion graded readers to build his foundation

• Used shadowing to level up tones and pronunciation

• Looked for chances to speak—even when it was inconvenient

• Turned everyday errands into “Chinese missions”

After a few years in Brazil, where he learned Portuguese and became a remote software engineer, Jack returned to China with a new goal: connect Chinese to his career. He now makes videos in Chengdu, capturing spontaneous conversations with park shūshu fitness legends, friendly aunties selling plum wine, and locals who light up when a foreigner speaks Mandarin.

And one of the coolest payoffs? While traveling in Spain, Jack used Chinese to order food from a Chinese restaurant owner when neither of them shared English or Spanish.

Links from the episode:

• Jack Mullinkosson | Instagram

• Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

Struggling with listening comprehension in Chinese? You're not alone—and this episode is here to help. Jared Turner and John Pasden dive into practical, tech-powered strategies for sharpening your Chinese listening skills using AI transcription tools and other smart resources.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to use AI tools to turn Chinese audio into transcripts you can study.

• Why listening comprehension is often one of the hardest skills—and how to make it easier.

• How to “train your ear” with slowed-down, AI-generated audio.

• Ways to leverage native content such as TV shows, songs, podcasts, YouTube videos, and make them more accessible for learning.

• The value of transcribing your own Chinese speaking to catch patterns, mistakes, and growth areas.

John and Jared walk you through real-world workflows, tools they’ve personally used, and the best types of media for improving listening. Whether you’re trying to understand a native podcast, follow along with a Chinese drama, or make sense of a street conversation you recorded, this episode gives you a clear roadmap for turning audio into insight and comprehension.

Listening doesn’t have to be your weak spot. With today’s tools, it can become your strength.

Links from the episode:

• TurboScribe | AI transcription tool

• Language Jones & Anki Hyper TTS | YouTube

• "Duìbùqǐ Wǒ de Zhōngwén Bù Hǎo" | Sung by Transition on YouTube

• “One Semester of Spanish - Love Song” | YouTube

• Mandarin Companion Graded Readers
  

in this episode, Jared sits down with Alexander Brose, President & CEO of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada, to trace his remarkable journey learning Chinese and how it shaped his life and career in unexpected ways.

From his early years living in South Korea with his family, to choosing Mandarin over Cantonese at an international school in Hong Kong, Alex shares how Chinese gradually became part of his identity. He continued studying the language through high school and later majored in Asian Studies at Cornell University. A pivotal summer in Harbin with the CET immersion program further deepened both his language skills and cultural connection to China.

Alex’s path led him to build cross-cultural musical collaborations between China and the U.S., eventually becoming the founding Executive Director of the Tianjin Juilliard School. He reflects on how speaking Chinese created unique professional opportunities, opened doors to deep cultural understanding, and enabled him to be at the forefront of classical music education in China.

Throughout the episode, Alex offers thoughtful reflections on the value of immersion, the challenges of maintaining language confidence, and the power of music as a bridge between cultures.

Links from the episode:

• Alexander Brose | Royal Conservatory of Music (Canada)

• Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

• CET Academic Programs

• From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China | IMDB

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 type? In this episode, Jared and John dive deep into this hot-button issue for Chinese learners: handwriting vs. typing.

Pulling insights from a research paper by Chinese Breeze creator Chengzhi Chu (储诚志), they explore how character instruction is evolving and why prioritizing typing can make your learning faster, more efficient, and less frustrating, especially for adult learners.

They’ll break down:

• Why typing Chinese is not “cheating”, it’s how Chinese is actually used today

• How handwriting can become a bottleneck to fluency and motivation

• What it really means to “know” a character in the modern era

• The myth of muscle memory and why stroke order perfection isn’t essential

• Why it’s okay to treat handwriting as a hobby, not a core skill

You’ll also hear how character writing has changed more in the past 20 years than the previous 2000, the "three eras" of Chinese writing, and how modern teachers are shifting to a “typing-first, handwriting-second” approach in classrooms around the world.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by handwriting or wondered if you’re “doing it wrong” by typing, this episode will give you the clarity, and permission, you need to move forward confidently.

Links from the episode:

• The Evolution of Hanzi Proficiency and the E-Writing Transformation of L2 Chinese Teaching in the Digital Age | Paper by Chengzhi Chu

• Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

• Learn Chinese Characters by Reading (the book)

• Learn Chinese Characters by Reading (free resources for 200 characters)

What began as a teenage crush became a lifelong journey into Chinese for Matthew McGuire, an Australian creator and accent coach. In this episode, Jared sits down with Matthew to discuss how he learned Mandarin without textbooks, grammar drills, or writing practice. Instead, he immersed himself in love dramas, shadowed dialogue, and built a Chinese-speaking social circle. Matthew shares how his curiosity and enjoyment guided him from impressing a girl from Sichuan to achieving real proficiency and forming meaningful friendships. He also explains how Chinese opened doors for him both personally and professionally, and why he believes language learning should be fun, intentional, and grounded in real-life use. For anyone feeling stuck in their studies or unsure of how to move forward, Matthew’s story offers valuable perspective and inspiration.

Links from the episode:

• Matthew McGuire on Instagram | @realozziemcguire

• Chinese graded readers make an excellent gift! Head over to: https://www.mandarincompanion.com

• AllSet Learning has some amazing deals on lessons right now: https://www.allsetlearning.com

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 down 10 ways your Chinese skills remain AI-proof. These are the kinds of things no app, bot, or translation tool can truly replace.

Along the way, you'll hear stories about phone conversations that left taxi drivers in disbelief, the joy of reading your first Chinese book, and how language learning leads to deeper relationships.

Whether you're just starting or years into your Chinese journey, this episode is your reminder that learning Chinese is still very much worth it and more human than ever.

Links from the episode:

• Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

• AllSet Learning

In this episode, Jared sits down with Renata Mirkova, a Chinese language educator from the Czech Republic whose journey into Mandarin began not with a grand plan, but almost by accident. What started as a university entrance decision led her to master Chinese, live in China, and now teach both Czech and Chinese across cultural boundaries.

Renata shares the unique challenges of learning Chinese in a non-English-speaking environment, including outdated textbooks from the 60s, Czech-Sinology programs steeped in history, and a lack of direct Chinese-to-Czech resources. But through her perseverance and multiple immersive experiences in China, Renata carved out her own path to fluency.

From surviving the linguistic chaos of Sichuan dialects to interpreting for Czech officials on business trips in China, she offers candid reflections on what works for her, what didn’t, and how learning Chinese changed her life. She also gives insight into her current work creating Chinese learning materials specifically for Czech speakers and what it’s like teaching Czech to Chinese speakers in return.

Links from the episode:

• Learn Chinese with Renata Mirkova | Website

• Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

After 300 days of secretly studying Chinese, one guy surprises his partner with phrases like “the cheesecake is grieving” and “the purple elephant eats passion for breakfast.” It’s a bit humorous, but it also highlights a bigger issue: extreme learning methods that feel productive but fall flat in practice.

In this episode, Jared and John dive into seven common extremes they’ve seen (and lived) in the world of learning Chinese. From bingeing flashcards or grammar rules to over-relying on Duolingo or doing nothing but watch TV in Mandarin, these extremes can slow your progress, or worse, burn you out completely.

Drawing on personal experience, stories from past podcast guests, and insights from language learning experts like Paul Nation, the hosts break down what works, what backfires, and how to build a more balanced and effective approach to learning Chinese.

If you’re stuck, overwhelmed, or questioning your methods, this episode will help you get back on track.

Links from the episode:

• “Burnout, Breakthrough, and Fluency: Chaniece’s Story” | YCLC Podcast

• “Vocab Apps and Learner Engagement” – Jonathan Covey Interview | YCLC Podcast

• “Steven Kaufmann “The Linguist” Interview” | YCLC Podcast

• Hack Chinese | Modern flashcards

• Mandarin Companion Graded Readers