Why Living in China Didn't Make Me Fluent in Mandarin

Blake 白波霖

Published on: 25/09/2026

I lived in Shanghai for four years and still wasn't fluent in Mandarin. Here are the two real reasons why, and what I'd do differently.

mandarin fluencystudy habitslanguage learning

Why You Keep Quitting Mandarin (And How to Stick With It)

Blake 白波霖

Published on: 18/09/2026

I quit Mandarin three times in ten years. Here's what was different the fourth time, and why motivation was never the real issue.

mandarin motivationstudy habitslanguage learning