Can a Taiwanese really dislike bubble milk tea? 😱

In this episode, Ula, Tom, and Yating sit down for a relaxed Mandarin-English conversation covering everything from bubble tea and Taiwanese food to relationships, life abroad, and cultural differences.

Yating shares what it's like living in Sweden for nearly a decade and reveals a surprising opinion that leaves Ula heartbroken. Tom joins the conversation with his experiences living in Taiwan, his advice for foreigners considering a move there, and his thoughts on adapting to a completely different culture.

The trio also discuss one of the questions they're asked most often: how have Ula and Tom managed to work together, build Mandarin Monkey, raise a family, and stay happily married for so many years?

🥤 Topics in this episode:

• A Taiwanese who doesn't like bubble tea?!

• Chinese zodiac vs Western star signs

• Living in Sweden as a Taiwanese expat

• Tom's advice on moving to Taiwan

• Working with your spouse every day

• Building a business together

• Long-term relationships and marriage

• Taiwan culture, food, and daily life

• Real Mandarin and English conversation

Whether you're learning Mandarin, interested in Taiwan, living abroad, or simply enjoy authentic bilingual conversations, this episode is full of natural language, cultural insights, and plenty of laughs.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎙️ Listen while you walk, relax, or practise your Mandarin with us.

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In this episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, we take you on a countryside walk while sharing the story of our recent family camping trip.

What started as a relaxing getaway quickly turned into a series of disasters: a heatwave, sunburn, locked car keys, an unexpected £100 locksmith bill, a very nosey campsite neighbour, and plenty of family chaos along the way.

We also chat about village life in the UK, friendly communities, parenting moments, camping with kids, and a proud moment for our daughter at school.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Meeting Yating, Ula and Yating continue getting to know each other through a series of fun, unexpected, and surprisingly personal questions.

How can two Leos be so shy? Why do both teachers give off a "don't talk to me" first impression? And perhaps most shocking of all... how can a Taiwanese person not love stinky tofu?

The conversation jumps from personality types and school memories to food culture, including the great fried vs. steamed stinky tofu debate, sweet vs. savoury rice dumplings, and what it really means to be a foodie in Taiwan.

Yating also shares the story of how she ended up living in Sweden after meeting her partner, including long-distance challenges, visa interviews, Swedish relationship laws, and the unique concept of sambo.

Along the way, they discuss how they cope with bad moods, the benefits of exercise, chocolate therapy, whether they're cat people or dog people, and the different ways people show their true personalities depending on the situation.

A relaxed and natural Mandarin conversation filled with cultural insights, personal stories, and plenty of unexpected tangents.

In this episode:

• Why two Leos can still be shy
• First impressions vs. reality
• Fried or steamed stinky tofu?
• Sweet or savoury rice dumplings?
• Life in Sweden as a Taiwanese expat
• Long-distance relationships and visa challenges
• How exercise can improve your mood
• Cat people vs. dog people
• Food culture in Taiwan
• 
  

Perfect for Mandarin learners who enjoy authentic conversations, real-life stories, and getting to know the people behind Mandarin Monkey.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.