RushMandarin

Gene Rush
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The emotional reality of learning Mandarin that nobody talks about. I'm Gene, a Chinese adoptee who became conversational in a year and then hit a wall. This podcast is part my own journey, part a platform for other learners to share theirs.

  1. 2D AGO

    25: She Wants to Learn Cantonese, I Want to Learn Wuhanhua

    Mandarin as a bridge

    3 min

  2. 2D AGO

    24: They're Probably Going to Say "Of Course"

    I was terrified to ask my friends if we could speak exclusively in Mandarin. I thought I'd be a burden, but it turns out I was wrong. It's deepened my relationships in new and unexpected ways.

    3 min

  3. JAN 13

    23 Huishi: So it's Like a Bridge, from English to Cantonese

    Intimate discussion with Huishi about her family background and what learning Mandarin means to her.

    1 hr

  4. JAN 13

    22: I Decided to Put Tom's Advice into Practice

    I used to have a scarcity mindset, now I have a growth mindset. Maybe because I always felt my Chinese just wasn't good enough. Thanks Tom for believing in me, and in all Chinese learners. I owe you one.

    4 min

  5. 10/13/2025

    21: They Inlcuded Me in Their Book

    After therapy, I hosted a book club for Permission to Come Home. One sentence in that book mentioned immigrants, first gen, second gen, AND international transnational adoptees. They included me in their book. I realized this podcast is my way of giving back. Also, I'm pretty social media illiterate and I need help finding people who care about these stories.

    10 min

  6. 10/13/2025

    20: 99% Give Up

    I'm a heritage learner, but a different type of heritage learner. I didn't speak Chinese growing up. Yesterday I met a mother whose adopted daughter studied Mandarin for 10 years and gave up. When I started this journey, I knew almost all Chinese adoptees give up, maybe 99%. I know there are a lot of barriers to learning Mandarin, and I keep meeting more heritage learners who share their own struggles. It breaks my heart and I want to help however I can.

    5 min

  7. 10/13/2025

    19: Finding Hidden Treats

    Learning Mandarin isn't necessarily a straight path to fluency, but more a winding path. After a year of intense immersion, and 5 interviews with fellow learners, I'm starting to connect the dots. Why some people learning Chinese burn out while others sustain decades-long journeys. The difference might not be discipline or talent, but finding the hidden treats along the way that continue to fuel your motivation. This episode is me thinking out loud at 2am.

    4 min

  8. 09/30/2025

    18: That's the Secret

    Interviewing Tom changed my life. He told me when he talks to this one language partner, it felt like therapy. Their friendship was deepening and it happened to be in Chinese. Of course, it sounds obvious that language should serve relationships, not the other way around. But as students drowning in flashcards, textbooks, and homework, everything in Mandarin feels hard, even making friends at language meetups. I used to tell people that I came to Taiwan to continue learning and practicing Mandarin, but after talking to Tom, I realized what I am doing here is actually a lot more and a lot deeper than just language practice.

    5 min
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About

The emotional reality of learning Mandarin that nobody talks about. I'm Gene, a Chinese adoptee who became conversational in a year and then hit a wall. This podcast is part my own journey, part a platform for other learners to share theirs.

Information

  • Creator
    Gene Rush
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Gene Rush
  • Show Website
    RushMandarin