Eric Olander on Mandarin, Weibo, and a Lifetime of Studying Chinese: S2E2

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when learning a language stops being a classroom exercise and starts becoming part of your daily life? In this episode, China expert and longtime Mandarin learner Eric Olander reflects on 30+ years of studying Chinese, the culture shock of learning in Taiwan in 1989, and why most adults quit difficult languages too early. He also explains why speaking Mandarin is becoming increasingly important for foreigners working in China today, especially as business, meetings, and professional life shift more heavily toward Chinese-language communication. If you've ever wondered what it actually takes to learn Mandarin long-term, this conversation offers a realistic, human look at language learning, culture, identity, and patience. The China Project:https://thechinaproject.com/Da Shan's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Dashan/videosMamaHuhu: https://www.youtube.com/watchOriginal publication date: September 18, 2018More: https://linktr.ee/stephfuccio