In this episode, I give an update on my Mandarin progress after spending a month in Taiwan. I explain how I quickly regained enough confidence to handle everyday conversations, although my first social speaking attempt was difficult. After adjusting the situation and speaking with the right people, I began having full evenings of conversation in Mandarin and even made new friends through the language, including at Asia Glot. With upcoming travel to Kaohsiung, I now feel much more ready to rely on Mandarin beyond Taipei.
I also describe the routine that has helped me improve: two hours each morning studying grammar in a café, several weekly Zoom lessons with a teacher, frequent social events for real life speaking practice, and daily vocabulary review using Anki. These habits have helped me return to my previous level and made travelling through Taiwan feel far more rewarding.